A recent conversation about the grieving process led to some interesting viewpoints on mourning among theists and non-theists.
It was asserted that it is more difficult to console a non-believer who is grieving the loss of a loved one, since there are no easy platitudes to offer. You can't say, "He's gone to a better place," or "She's with God, now." Such sentiments have no meaning to the non-theist. The non-theist, it was also pointed out, cannot take comfort in the belief that he/she will one day see the departed again in some sort of idyllic afterlife.
The odd thing about the conversation is, it seemed to me, that the asserter of these sentiments felt that this was some sort of drawback to being a non-believer. I, on the other hand, view it as another example of atheism's fortitude.
We who do not believe in an afterlife are much more likely to actually deal with the death of loved ones on a psychological level. We don't placate ourselves with illusions of seeing them again in heaven.
Afterlife belief does not allow a person to fully grieve, to completely mourn, to properly let go. Theists will carry, to their dying day, unresolved issues of loss.
As I've said many times before in these virtual pages, religion often acts as a crutch that people will not put aside. In the end, it becomes the addiction, not the aid to healing.
