Do you believe in life after death?

[Neil]

Well do yah?

[AcesandEights]

No.

I hope for some continuance, but know it is highly unlikely.

[Terran]

Isnt that question a paradox?

If there is "life" after "death" what does "death" mean?

[Danny]

no. thats why its called death. We've had our run, all that happens next is we go back into the food chain, bacteria and plants, to herbivores, to carnivores ect.

[BillyRay]

Are we talking "Heaven" Life-After-Death,

"Reincarnation" Life-After-Death,

"Zombie" Life-After-Death,

or "Other" Life-After-Death?

[Neil]

Are we talking "Heaven" Life-After-Death,

"Reincarnation" Life-After-Death,

"Zombie" Life-After-Death,

or "Other" Life-After-Death?

Something like (a) or (b)...

[Kaos]

MOY-jJeOeBk

nuff said...:lol:

[JDFP]

This could be an interesting thread.

I'm not going to click on "Yes" or "No" on the tabs because, well, I just don't know. None of us do. I will say I believe in the soul being eternal after being given life. I don't know if this necessarily translates to an "afterlife" or not. I don't think it does translate to an afterlife as most people consider it from television/films/media.

I consider myself a Catholic (not necessarily a very good one usually) and I'd say it doesn't matter if we live on as we understand "living on" after we die or not. This world is what matters and our actions here are the important thing. As far as Heaven (at least as how a lot of people seem to interpret such a place) as some "city on clouds with streets of gold and pearly gates" stuff I think is childish drivel that non-religious people generally drag up as proof of how silly the notion of what's-potentially-after-here.

I do believe we carry onward (like the great Kansas song) as our spirit/soul, but, again, I don't think this is the way most people interpret an afterlife.

j.p.

[Trin]

I'm not going to click on "Yes" or "No" on the tabs because, well, I just don't know. None of us do.
Is it possible to not know whether you believe something or not? I mean, either you believe it or you don't. If there's any doubt then that kinda implies you don't believe it.

[LouCipherr]

When the batteries run out, the mechanics stop working.

In other words, no, not at all.

[AcesandEights]

When the batteries run out, the mechanics stop working.

In other words, no, not at all.

My mechanics always tell me it's when the money runs out that they stop working ;)

[LouCipherr]

My mechanics always tell me it's when the money runs out that they stop working ;)

:p :lol:

Good one. I guess I should've phrased that a bit better.

[JDFP]

Is it possible to not know whether you believe something or not? I mean, either you believe it or you don't. If there's any doubt then that kinda implies you don't believe it.

I clarify this later (maybe not very well?) on in my post. I believe in the soul being eternal and I believe it carries onward, but I don't believe in an afterlife in a traditional outlook of an afterlife.

j.p.

[AcesandEights]

:p :lol:

Good one. I guess I should've phrased that a bit better.

Nah, it was easy to understand. My mind just goes in tangents...especially on Fridays.

[LouCipherr]

Well, still a good one Aces. :D

[bassman]

This is a tough one for me. I was born and raised a christian. Went to church almost every Sunday of my childhood and faithfully believed. Then life happened....

As I'm sure a lot of people can relate to - the older I get, the harder it is to believe. At this point in my life I'm of the belief that when you die....you're done. But somewhere in the back of my mind that religious kid still wants to believe. It's just sad that it's faded so much.

I also want to believe for my daughter and future children's sake. The thought of my child being dead and gone is a hard one to take, but I realize that's probably how it is. But still...maybe, just maybe there's an afterlife where we can "live" on together. Sounds sappy, I know. I'm sure most parents would understand what I'm trying to say here.

So to sum it all up....I don't know what I believe.:lol:

[BillyRay]

I'm no Scientician, but doesn't Basic Physics state that energy is never destroyed - it only changes form?

So whatever Life Energy that's keeping you upright, moving around & doin' stuff; wouldn't that just change into some other form, whatever that might be?

I'm half serious here.

[Danny]

I'm no Scientician, but doesn't Basic Physics state that energy is never destroyed - it only changes form?

So whatever Life Energy that's keeping you upright, moving around & doin' stuff; wouldn't that just change into some other form, whatever that might be?

I'm half serious here.

"life energy"? now do you mean the biochemical process of cell growth, division and death or the electrical impulses from the brain, down the nerves to control the frame of muscle and bone around it?

Or is this some chi based thing?

Because no, it doesnt get converted to anything. when you die it kick starts the process like a shutdown. its a you sale and everything must go. its decomposition. the impulses and signals form the brain die off. the body breaks down into rotten matter which can be used for a number of things to feed off and grow on (i know a few people who've chosen a bunch of seeds and nuts to be put in some dirt in cardboard coffins when they died, which is a nice idea) this in turn feeds large creatures and plants and so on and so forth till they live, grow, produce offspring if they can and die themselves. If there's any conversion of energy going on its bacteria or small creatures eating you as you decompose to take in fuel to keep there motors runnin just like you or i do with a cheese burger.

I'm sure a lot of people say "i dont really, but in the back of my mind..." as a form of coping mechanism. Whilst we're still animals we are distinctly alone in the constant awareness of just how small we are in this galaxy alone and we are here for a blink of an eye in the grand scheme of things. For some people that thought can make them thing why should i get out fo bed in the morning?, whats the point?
Of course the point is propogate the genes of the species, consume, die and you in tern feed others whilst your offspring keep your genes going as you did with your parents.
Trouble is we feel some sort of entitlement as lord of all we survey and feel we need something more, like thats not enough, and have this sort of psychological defense mechanism. in the back of there mind there is that maybe, to tell them they are special, that we will always continue, we won't be another set of bones in a museum in 1000 years.
I dont find this ignorant, backwards or even pitiable mind you. In some fashion i think thats why we have so many religions around the world. some people need something to believe in, thats all. if we were less evolved then probably we wouldn't but when we can lay back at night and let our minds wander a lot of us need a buffer, lest we break under the awe inspiring grandiose of the infinite macrocosm.

I mean i had to cope with the idea i could be dying in my teens. i wasn't thinking about a heaven, or a magic ghost of "energy" living on. i was just scared that the world would carry on, that i would be forgotten- and most importantly, i wouldnt see what was to come in the future.

In the long term we gotta live with that. when your dead, your dead. we rot and feed what we have fed off which in turn feeds future generations. all part of the biospheres cycle and i can look at it in the naked light of day and i'm fine with it. Everyone reading this will die and rot. Thats not a bad thing. thats what we are designed through the millions of years of evolution to do.


I guess the bigger question is, why doe's it matter if we do or don't? we will never see it here to report back, it will never be proven. for us this is all there is and i would much rather live my life than live in a way i thought was giving me a pearly gates eternity that might not be y'know? Guess thats the sad irony of being able to contemplate our own mortality. We assume that deaths the end of chapter one instead of the last page.

[LouCipherr]

Bassman - that's very similar to my story. My parents raised me full blown catholic (*shudders*) - sunday school and everything.

Then, like the late great George Carlin once said:

"I was born and raised a catholic until I reached the age of reason"


Damn.. this just made me realize once again how much I miss Carlin. :(

[JDFP]

Bassman - that's very similar to my story. My parents raised me full blown catholic (*shudders*) - sunday school and everything.

Then, like the late great George Carlin once said:

"I was born and raised a catholic until I reached the age of reason"


Damn.. this just made me realize once again how much I miss Carlin. :(

Lou:

Yeah, full blown Catholic (with a capital C) until reaching the age of reason... and then deciding to not use said reason apparently.

Anyway, let's keep this on topic with Neil's original post. God knows there's enough anti-Catholic bashing around to not need to bring Carlin's asinine statements up here (and for those George Carlin fans I just insulted, you'll live. Besides, Dice Clay is far funnier :D).

A *shudder* at being Catholic, Lou? I guess some people appreciate being part of something much greater than themselves and some don't. Nothing wrong with that I suppose, but I wouldn't call it *shudder* worthy to not want to belong to it. Eh, to each their own...

Hellsing: Good post. To answer your question, "Why does it matter if it <afterlife> does or doesn't exist?" the answer, I think, is that it doesn't matter. Alot of Christians (and other religions too probably), unfortunately, use the belief in an afterlife as a crutch from which they allow anything to happen to them here on earth (like your famed Marx stated by calling religion an opiate when it's for this purpose -- "Oh, I know I'm poor and oppressed here, but one day I'll have my reward in Heaven!").

I believe the soul/spirit/elan vital continues after a person dies. But, ultimately, it really doesn't matter. Here and now, this is where things matter.

j.p.

[darth los]

Isnt that question a paradox?

If there is "life" after "death" what does "death" mean?

I voted no.

A transition maybe? :confused:

:cool:

[LouCipherr]

A *shudder* at being Catholic, Lou? I guess some people appreciate being part of something much greater than themselves and some don't. Nothing wrong with that I suppose, but I wouldn't call it *shudder* worthy to not want to belong to it. Eh, to each their own...

Understandable, I'm just not one of those people. Everyone is free to believe and expresses themselves as they wish (at least that's how I see it), but I just can't get into the mindset.

Trust me, if you had to go through what I had to when I was younger, the shudder is well justified. My religious upbringing was pretty.. well.. lets just say "intense" - and when I think about it, it just sends shivers down my spine. I probably should've made the reasoning behind that shudder a bit more clear. I meant more based on my experience, not on the religion overall. ;)

[Mike70]

some of you might find these interesting:

http://www.higgo.com/quantum/qti.htm

http://www.antiquark.com/2005/07/quantum-immortality.html

these are a couple of articles on quantum immortality. it is mind bending stuff and very thought provoking.

i wonder how long it will take a certain one of you to make an attempt to thrill us with your supposed intelligence.

[DjfunkmasterG]

Like Bass and Lou, was raised a Die Hard Ctaholic and then I saw through the bullshit.

how can someone preach to me about true love and respect thy neighbor when after the ceremony they are in the back fondling 10 yr old boys.

Fuck the catholic church and their hypocrisy which apparently knows no bounds.

In regards to the topic question... I cannot answer because I don't know. I would hope we get a chance at a re-do, but I have learned it is better to make the best of what you got.

[Skippy911sc]

I guess I was the only one to vote yes... I can't help but think that people will continue to live after I die. ;)

[bassman]

how can someone preach to me about true love and respect thy neighbor when after the ceremony they are in the back fondling 10 yr old boys.

Fuck the catholic church and their hypocrisy which apparently knows no bounds.

hurm? I can understand if you disagree with what's happened in the news, but turning down the whole religion because of a few bad eggs?

[darth los]

It's way more than a few buddy.

Furthermore, even if it was a few the conspiracy to cover it up spans the whole church and reaches the highest levels.

Yeah the Nazi dude with the funny hat covered this shit up as well, so ya...

:cool:

[Mr.G]

I guess I was the only one to vote yes... I can't help but think that people will continue to live after I die. ;)

You're not alone; I'm #2.

[LouCipherr]

It's way more than a few buddy.

He's right. It's way more than a few at this point.

Y'know what Dj? You just reminded me of something I had completely forgot about, so in that case, I would like to reinstate my *shudder* all together. :lol:

[Danny]

He's right. It's way more than a few at this point.

Y'know what Dj? You just reminded me of something I had completely forgot about, so in that case, I would like to reinstate my *shudder* all together. :lol:

There's a touched by an angel joke i WAS going to make. but it's beneath me.

[DjfunkmasterG]

He's right. It's way more than a few at this point.

Y'know what Dj? You just reminded me of something I had completely forgot about, so in that case, I would like to reinstate my *shudder* all together. :lol:

Are you trying to tell us you were violated by a catholic pedophile? if so we need to have his ass arrested and then raped by BUBBA :D

[LouCipherr]

There's a touched by an angel joke i WAS going to make. but it's beneath me.

DO IT! :lol:

or as I say to Dj all the time, post it.. POST IT!!!!!!


Are you trying to tell us you were violated by a catholic pedophile? if so we need to have his ass arrested and then raped by BUBBA :D

No, I'm just saying I completely forgot the whole catholic priest/fondle little kiddies coverup that goes all the way up to the top of the chain. Sad I forgot that, really.

[DjfunkmasterG]

There's a touched by an angel joke i WAS going to make. but it's beneath me.

There is no level too low one can stoop too.

I know I keep finding I get deeper and deeper... i think I came out in China recently.

[BillyRay]

Also raised Catholic - Post Vatican II, pretty liberal Archdiose.

(By liberal I mean hippy guitar choir, Godspell songs used in mass, and they never really rammed Dogma down our throats)

Went to Catholic school for 8 years.

When the letter from the parish came 'round about geting Confirmed, I just laughed. By that time I was on autopilot during Mass (Stand up sing sit down kneel sit stand sing shake hands Communion outathere).

It wasn't that I had a real problem (at that point) with the Catholic Church per se - I recieved a good foundation in Ethics, a solid elementary education, and the Priests kept their hands to themselves.

My problem was other Catholics. Sure, they're dressed up so nice on Sunday, singing with feeling, taking part in the service; but the rest of the week they're the biggest bastards to everyone around them.

But the Good Lord forgives Phonies, too. "A Church is not a clubhouse for Saints - it's a hospital for Sinners". Having been raised with a "God is all-loving and all-forgiving" approach; I couldn't comfort myself with visions of Hellfire & Damnation on these people. If Jesus forgives, who the Hell was I to do any less?

So, you can see that I was conflicted. So I broke away from Catholicism, and Organized Religion in general. Studied comparative Religion, finding the "Golden Thread" that weaves through every system of belief.

Nowadays - I consider myself a Skeptic, with half-assed leanings toward Buddhism.

What happens to us after we "die"? That bit of us that we recognize as "I"? I don't know. And y'know what? You don't know either.

That's called Faith. I have no problem with Faith. There's only one surefire way to find out what happens to you after death. And that's by dying.

You guys first. :moon:

[blind2d]

So, yes... I like to believe I'll go to Heaven when I die... I probably won't be interested in a bunch of virgin women (or men, if it comes to that), but yeah... It would be nice if death were just the beginning. It would also be cool to see another plane of existence. Reunite with deceased family members or friends... fun stuff like that.
World Industries depicted Heaven as a place where lots of things are not allowed, including skateboarding, which would be sad if it were true, but I find that hard to believe.

[shootemindehead]

Shouldn't there be a third option? "Don't Know".

Cos, er, I don't know.

...and nobody else does either.

[Wyldwraith]

Will take the socially non-trendy position/confession,
I believe in "The Afterlife"...as based on a more concrete conviction that the soul/essence of an individual is eternal.

No evidence, no argument to support this. Just what I believe after quieting the maelstrom of trivial thoughts storming around inside my head, and listening to the "inner Me" (know how silly that sounds), it just seems to click for me that whatever makes me distinct from every other self-aware human being, and what makes all of you distinctly unique, goes on eternally.

I even believe in a benevolent, loving Deity/Godhead that, for WHATEVER REASON, has taken a shine to our poor, tragically flawed yet potential-laden species, and that this Eternal Entity *does something* to make Eternity a positive place for all of us to spend our existence in.

I've given a ton of thought to the question "Why do I believe this to be true?"...and after all my reading, the various courses in Philosophy, Comparative Religion(s), Cosmology, and simply thinking/considering the subject...the best answer I can come up with is "It feels right to me."

I realize that isn't likely to elicit much more than the sort of mature wistfulness adults feel when listening to children explain why they believe in Santa Claus, but it's the most honest, the most heartfelt reason I can come up with as to why I feel and believe as I do.

The bottom line is even simpler for me though. Over a third of my life has been spent in every day, all-the-time, mindnumbing, soul crushing pain I pray none of you ever experience. Not just feeling that much agony for X limited period of time, but to live with it constantly and knowing that not only will this agony be with you for an indefinite amount of the foreseeable future, but that its entirely possible you will NEVER be free of the pain so long as you live provides ample reason to believe in something believe in something better once physical life has ended.

At least that was my "reasoning" for believing as I do. Mercy is pointless or useless depending on circumstance if limited only to the material world.

My .02