The only position that leaves me with no cognitive dissonance is atheism. It is not a creed. Death is certain, replacing both the siren-song of Paradise and the dread of Hell. Life on this earth, with all its mystery and beauty and pain, is then to be lived far more intensely: we stumble and get up, we are sad, confident, insecure, feel loneliness and joy and love. There is nothing more; but I want nothing more. Ayaan Hirsi Ali
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The only position that leaves me with no cognitive dissonance is atheism. It is not a creed. Death is certain, replacing both the siren-song of Paradise and the dread of Hell. Life on this earth, with all its mystery and beauty and pain, is then to be lived far more intensely: we stumble and get up, we are sad, confident, insecure, feel loneliness and joy and love.

There is nothing more; but I want nothing more. "The only position that leaves me with no cognitive dissonance" refers to the belief that there is no afterlife because humans cannot know one way or another for sure whether there's a heaven or a hell. But rather than feeling despair for those who don't believe in a god – which may make the nonbelievers feel like there's no hope – Nelson Mandela suggests that death isn't something to fear at all.

"It's not a creed" means that it's not a religious belief as such as an organized doctrine about how people should live their lives.

Source: Infidel

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