I never said that is rooted in a religious belief. I said that negative connotations are.
Each individual has the ability to contribute to the betterment of the human race
betterment towards what? earthily patriotism? Silly as regular patriotism.
How many intelligent young people have committed suicide, and what could they have done in their lifetimes had they not done it?
Again. patriotism. why do they have to do something for others? It is what I said. It comes down to individualism. Why having to offer anything to anyone?
Right, but my argument is that negative connotations could just as easily come from an evolutionary predisposition than from a religious belief. When young people, in particular, choose to commit suicide, the feeling is often that they had more to offer.
My argument has nothing to do with patriotism or allegiance, it has to do with the ability of the person in question to accomplish tangible things that could benefit humanity as a whole. Medical discoveries, works of art, volunteer work. It just seems to me that if you dismiss negative connotations around suicide as religious predispositions or emotional nonsense, you miss the other more practical and tangible losses to humanity as a whole that result from the loss of a life.
Well, in some cultures suicide is not considered a bad thing. In fact, suicide is condemned mostly in religious countries. Then again, religion is an evolutionary mechanism on and in itself and I guess no culture wants to have less members as much as a football team wants to compete with the full team.
if they don't matter to you as a person then why on earth would you care staying alive for others in order to develop their gadgets? Now that's what I call selfish.
Japan, Aboriginal communities of the Northern Australia, Switzerland (they even have centers assisting it)..many others.
All countries have religions of some sort but non religious countries are Vietnam, Japan, Czech Republic, Sweden, Britain...many others.
Because we are all homo-sapiens, same species and due to the fact we can envision our own demise we have creates stories that center us in a creation story that make us escape death. Also. Who created the creator? That's your question as a religious person.
They don't have the same aspirations as you. Simple as that
Wasted potential for those who value life. Religions developed to impose onto one another in means of ideological and cultural domination. Fewer members meant less power. This is why they condemned suicide and murder but it was ok to kill others in battle.
You are not saying anything. Patriotism..aka "for the good of earth" is silly because really there is no other competition and even if there was it is still a mind game, not an objective value. It is yourself that needs to try harder and justify existence in means of helping others.
No man is an island sure. We are all social species, but if someone feels the right to opt out you are in no position to judge them. it is a silly rat race at the end.
The soul is a silly invention. There is no evidence for it other than religion, which btw, has no more evidence for the existence of soul than Harry Potter's books for magic potions.
I read all the books from Tolstoy. Your point?