This Life is not a Bank Account

I usually don't give a lot of thought to dying. Sure, from time to time, fleeting thoughts of my demise come to me, but it isn't a daily occurrence. I focus on what I have to do now, today, in the near future, and I plan for the future. Basically, I focus on life and things I need to do, want to do, am able to do.

For atheists, there is no real reason to think about death or worry about an afterlife. There is no evidence that such a place exists, and, assuming one exists, there is no consensus about how to get there. Even among Christians with their notions of heaven, hell and whatever else, there is no idea what you could do if you can do something. God's grace alone? Works? Grace and works? Penance? Accepting Jesus into your heart? Hell if I know!

Basically, I don't have any way of knowing anything about the place or how to get there, so I might as well not worry about it and think about what I want in this life, what I can contribute, how to get enjoyment for myself and others.

What is interesting to me is that despite all this lack of agreement among what should be a homogenous philosophy handed down from some kind of perfect god, Christians all think they do know what needs to happen and think that this life is some kind of precursor to it. They claim that this life is made meaningful because of their god and their afterlife. What is the purpose of life if it's not to prepare for the life to come?!?

There are two things that bother me about this attitude. The first is that seems to imply that things cannot have meaning all on their own. I know Christians enjoy activities that are not preludes for some kind of reward. Christians go on vacation, have meals out, watch a show or movie, just sit and veg and relax. Or maybe they think these are not meaningful in and of themselves but serve some higher purpose.

The second thing that bothers me is the implication that this life is simply an investment in an afterlife. Like a bank account for the afterlife. It is like this life isn't real, it's just a way to save up enough to get into heaven.  Basically, it's like saying that the activities you choose are not worth doing in and of themselves but only insofar as they contribute to a better outcome in the next life.

How many people are living lives geared toward something that might not come? How many people are making choices that are not good for reality but for some fantasy?

From my point of view, this is no way to go about the only life you know you have. And just because I don't believe in an afterlife, it doesn't mean that I will leave a hedonistic life and reject all responsibilities. Those responsibilities are not just necessary to live life (work to make money to pay the bills and do stuff; keep a clean house so that I can have people over and do stuff; keep healthy so I can live longer to do stuff), they give my life meaning and purpose. Looking for a life that maximizes enjoyment doesn't mean you can or even want to avoid sacrifices, jobs, duties and the like.

Personally, I think that living this life for itself is better than treating it like it's only value is for something to come. This life is valuable in and of itself.