Given the uncertainty of the survival of anything after death why do we pontificate so much. "

Hello Angryduck, I hope we will have a good debate, on the point that our soul doesn't survive death and you are questioning why people still spread the belief of an afterlife, while I am defending the belief of afterlife and that the soul survives death. Let us start with some definitions: Wish: Verb 1. "feel or express a strong desire or hope for something that cannot or probably will not happen. " Belief: Noun 1. "an acceptance that something exists or is true, especially one without proof. " "his belief in extraterrestrial life" Religion: Noun the belief in and worship of a superhuman controlling power, especially a personal God or gods. "ideas about the relationship between science and religion" You say "Wishing otherwise might be just that , a wish", yet many people of other religions believe that there are God/gods with the power to give an afterlife, let's take Catholicism for example, as that;s what I'm most familiar with. We believe in afterlife , we are confident that it's true; therefore we are not simply wishing it to be true. Atheists on the other hand, some of them may wish for an afterlife yet they don't believe in it and are not confident in it from lack of evidence. "If there was proof of an all-knowing, benevolent magic man who protected me from all pain in the world, I would worship him like no other" These are the words of an Atheist who wishes for an afterlife, and a God in general; "As others have mentioned, death is scary, and it's easier to believe that I would live forever in some magical, child-like heaven than die and rot in the Earth" And even then, is there anything wrong with that? Why not be confident or even wish for there to be your deceased relatives, friends and others waiting for you the day you die. This belief, gives me at least confidence in life, that once I've went through it, I will be welcomed by them. You explain that "It's unlikely our soul survives death", yet you don't give an explanation for what a soul is and why it wouldn't survive death. Even then, are you explaining that you believe we have souls? Soul Noun 1. the spiritual or immaterial part of a human being or animal, regarded as immortal. Immaterial Adjective 2. PHILOSOPHY spiritual, rather than physical. "we have immaterial souls" As a soul isn't physical and is spiritual, I don't see how a physical fact of death would damage or harm the soul in any way. Why? How do I believe this? I myself am confident in that idea. No trace of immaterial has been found, why? Because it isn't physical, but then, what is physical? Are we physical? Is anything around us physical? All these questions bring worry and it's much easier for anyone of any belief to stick to their own belief, the way they want to think. Atheists believe there are no souls or afterlife or God in general, and Theists believe the opposite, depending on the religion. I'll get off my tangent and go back to the general question, you ask, "why do we pontificate so much", could you specify who pontificates so much and elaborate upon this point? Thank you. "Religious dogma tries to give meaning and fails by its exclusivity" Could you elaborate upon this point? Are you trying to explain that religious belief of an afterlife is objected by the beliefs of other religions? Sources: . http://www.reddit.com... All references to the dictionary were taken from the Google definitions by simply typing them into the search bar and copy/pasting them in.