Oh God! Please tell me there's an afterlife!

Lately I have been thinking about death more and more. It weighs more and more heavy on my heart each and every day. It is becoming a little bit of a paranoid obsession that I can't seem to shake. I guess I just felt the need to actually write out a big rant/article about it.

Life to me has become like being trapped in a jail cell, waiting for a certain execution, and all you can do is sit and wait. I have lost faith and I think odds outweigh that there is an afterlife. My current beliefs are something like this:

No Afterlife (The Big Sleep): 60%
Exist after death similarly to here on Earth (Ghost, or on astral plane): 25%
Reincarnation (both immediately after dying, and/or getting to select yourself): 10%
Heaven/Nirvana/Utopian Place: 5%

So naturally, I have been dwelling on the possibility of death meaning you no longer exist. I don't want to die, because I will just NOT exist. Everything will be black, forever. I won't be able to think, or feel. I won't have a conciousness. I just won't exist. My entire life won't mean anything because I won't even be able to look back upon it. I won't even know that I'm dead.

I know lots of people say "Well just don't think about it", but I can't help it any more. And every time I think about it, I am absolutely terrified of the fact that at some point, I may cease to exist. I guess this is why they invented religions (if they aren't true).

Lots of people also say "All you can do is live life to the fullest", but in that case I would probably end up in jail. If I lived life to the fullest I would probably try to take over the world or something.

Does it scare anyone else to think/know that some day you are no longer going to exist? And the worst part is you won't even know it. It's like sleeping forever, only worse.

The fact is I'm only 18. I'm pretty much guaranteed to live until 30 except for the possiblity of a terrible accident which could kill me at any moment. I may or may not be genetically predispositioned to have a heart attack around that time. I guess it depends on how well I take care of myself. My goal is to make it to at least 60, then I'll have 42 years of my life left.

I look around at people going about their lives, and they aren't even thinking about death. I don't even know how they can do it. Why are we wasting our lives working and going to school, and posting crap like this on the Internet? Why are people wasting their lives making TV shows, and why are people watching them? I guess there isn't much better to do, but still...

Maybe I'm paranoid. Maybe I'm just very morbid. I don't know. All I know is that I don't want to die.

If nothing else, this is a wake up call. Don't take your life for granted, because it will be over before you know it.

I guess all there is to do is either try to become famous, or try to help out as many people as possible. -sigh-

Why am I fighting to live if I 'm just living to fight?
Why am I trying to see when there ain't nothing in sight?
Why am I trying to give when no one gives me a try?
Why am I dying to live if I'm just living to die?

-Dying To Live, by Edgar Winter

[edit on 17-1-2006 by Yarcofin]

I have lost 2 good friends and one member of my family in the last 8 months so Im there with ya on the whole death thing.

Ive always believed in reincarnation but lately I just dont like the thought of death at all. Infact, when the Grim Reaper comes for me Im gonna refuse to go see what he thinks about that!!!!

Hello.

This used to bother me alot. It would get so bad that the depression led to sleep problems. The worst thing to do is to 'Get on with your life and don't think about it'. That just makes it worse.....

It doesn't really bother me anymore actually. I've come to realise that the mind is an extremely powerfull thing and there is a big possibility that conciousness exists in some form after death. Just like energy does.

If you really want to feel more confortable, go sleep in a haunted house for the night. That'll cure you ...

Ah, the existential blues - they bite. The price of intelligence is knowledge of your own demise.

If you previously believed in an afterlife, it's going to take you some time to get used to the idea of annihilation. Here are some thoughts that aided me in coming to terms with my own mortality, perhaps they can help.

1. You die every night and don't even care. When you go to sleep, your consciousness terminates entirely during parts of the night when you are not dreaming. When you wake up the next day, it isn't the same "you", but a new consciousness formed from the same physical body. The previous day's "you" is dead forever. Yet, it doesn't bother me in the least to go to sleep. Sleep is sometimes referred to as 'little death'.

2. If you have ever had surgery that required you to be paralyzed, you will undergo a strange experience. You will be awake one moment, and find yourself waking up in recovery the next, with no perception whatsoever in between. It's weird, but not the least bit frightening (at least it wasn't to me). Death will be like that, except for the waking up part.

3. When you die, you will return to the state of nonexistence you were in before you were born. Does the idea of not having lived eternally prior to your death bother you? If not, then why does the thought of not living eternally after your death bother you? It will be no different than it was before you were born.

4. You are part of the universe. When you die, although you will no longer be conscious, the universe will still exist, and that which was once you will still be part of the universe.

5. If the universe as we see it is basically a self consitent subset within unbounded reality, then every moment of the universe as we know it will exist in some sense eternally. You will exist again as yourself in another instantiation of the universe. This is not much different than going to sleep and waking back up again. Granted, this is speculative, but if you must latch onto some way of existing forever, you might as well grab hold of a secular mechanism that is not inconsistent with current scientific thinking.

6. Can you imagine how boring it would become to live forever? It would be intolerable unless you could forget things. But if you could forget things, then over an infinite eternity, the you of today would no longer exist anyway, as all memories would be lost and replaced with something else from the eternal domain.

7. Finally, if you can come to terms with innihilation, when you lose a loved one, or when you face your own eminent demise, your doubts about annihilation will bring comfort rather than fear. If you latch onto some belief in an afterlife, your doubts about that at the time you need that hope most will bring stark terror. Because of this, acceptance of annihilation brings counter-intuitive peace at the time you need it most. Having experienced the death of loved ones as a believer and as an atheist, I'll simply relay my own experience as to the truth of this - for what that's worth.

Its true when you die......your gone, but I like to think if that the 2 boys I fathered carry a "little-bit" of me and my essence in them and that means I live forever....because a small part of me carries on.

I know that sounds corney, but it keeps me from thinking about Death too much, it will eat you up. Im 43 now and at the age a Man gets to thinking about the next 40 years and the odds of reaching them, but at 18 years old.....your far too young to worry about this crap.


Maximu§

Anyone still living is really just guessing. I think there is. But either way, death is beside us every day of our lives, so we might as well make it our friend.

I actually have the answer. There is...an after life. This statement is the results of years of observation, stuyding the various religious missives, studying human dynamics, basic physics and high school chemistry.
There is an after life. When you die, anyone else who does not die with you will live on AFTER you so you could say that such event is in fact an...after life.
Next question.
skep

Yarcofin,

I use to worry about death to, though not to the amount you seem to be, I suggest that if you do not want to die, than come up with a way to be immortal, or close enough to that, that's what I did.

Of course I'm not going to pursue it, I now believe in existance (not the same as life after death) after the death of the physical body, I base my beliefs on science to, so it's not like it's all faith.

But just try and not think about it, and if you really can't stop thinking about it, than think of it as a gamble, there may be existance after death, there may not be.

Wonder what it feels like to die (I don't mean feeling a knife if you get stabbed, like the feeling of slipping away).

I don't have much more advice, sorry I can not be of more help.

Spamandham, thank you for your post. It did slightly comfort me. I suppose that being born again with no recollection is not quite as bad as not existing at all.

#1 - I don't know if I really come back different every morning. I'm essentially the same person. Plus although I go unconcious, my heart and lungs are still working, and I still have brainwaves. I am still alive, 24/7. Plus when I think about sleep, I can't get to sleep. Have you ever done that? "Okay... I have to get to sleep now.." but then you lay there thinking about sleep for another few hours? Happens whenever I worry about waking up early the next day too.

#2 - Yes I've had surgery. 8 teeth removed in the hospital under anesthesia. Not life-threatening so I wasn't freaking out but I was still kind of worried about it. Mostly I was hoping to have a Near Death Experience that I have heard so much about. Too bad I didn't. Maybe I would have had a bit more faith if I did. My last words were "Is everything supposed to be double?".

#3 - It seems cruel to be brought out of nonexistance for a short period, just to go back into it in that case. Sort of like giving you a little taste of freedom and then taking it away again, possibly forever.

Skep,

There is an after life. When you die, anyone else who does not die with you will live on AFTER you so you could say that such event is in fact an...after life.

So if the entire Earth's population wipes themselves out with nuclear war, or a global disaster, there will fail to be an afterlife?

iori_komei, I had the same idea. So far all I can think of is maybe transplanting your brain into a new body every time you get old or something. But if you finally suffer a brain trauma, stroke, or tumor you are dead. Either that or find a way to prove to myself that there is an afterlife, which could prove much more difficult.
What does it feel like? I dunno... probably like sleeping. It just happens suddenly and you don't even realize it has happened. Or maybe the whole "white light" tunnel thing, who knows.

Thanks everyone who has replied so far =).

You'll always be "alive" in some sense as long there is someone who remembers you, speaks your name, and loves you.

Why fear death? Life is just a journey which is meant to be enjoyed for all it's worth, what path lays ahead well...I believe it's up to what you believe will happen, that will happen. Live life to fullest enjoying every moment, relationship and experience for what they are, and trust in your faith that you'll will not be taken from this plane until the time is right.

Personally I believe in reincarnation until nirvana is achieved and on my own path, I believe I haven't quite learned all that there for me to learn in order to achieve nirvana, I will be back, whether here or somewhere else, whether in this form or another, I believe I have more amazing and wonderous trips to make.

I think if you ask this question and have a need to know the answer before our last day on earth happens that you're more spiritually awake than most people you see roaming the streets. A lot of people feel that the goal in life is to make the most money, have a big house, big car, and live richly while you can until you die. Truth is, none of that is important in eternity. If you think of 70 plus or minus years on average, then think about eternity it should set off some kind of alarm that "hey, maybe if there is an answer for what happens after, I should find out."

Yarcofin, you and I have had this same experience and same feeling. I needed to know for certain and would not rest until I did. Fortunately, there is a way to know & we're discussing that in U2U at present. I now know the result of my eternity, though I went about it the wrong way. Nevertheless, there is a right way that I'm familiar with now and will do my best to help.

I love the title of this thread and think you're on the right train of thought.

[edit on 18-3-2006 by saint4God]

IMHO,
Not only an afterlife, but a beforelife exists.

I've never understood what there is to personally fear if you believe there is nothing after death (except perhaps how your loved ones would fair after you died.)
I could understand being fearful if one believed in even the slightest chance there may be the possibility of going to negative spiritual afterlife.
I could also understand being fearful if one believed they may reincarnate into a lower lifeform or a less than ideal earthly situation, family, country.

I believe there is most definately an afterlife and agree that we get a taste of death every night when we go to sleep. If you've ever experienced a vivid lucid dream or had an astral traveling experience you may find it easier to come to grips with and wonder what all the fuss is about.

There's way too much mystery and fear around the subject of death.
If one finds it hard for whatever reason to believe in an afterlife or reincarnation and believes the conciousness will simply cease to be then there is also no cause for fear. You won't exist to face what you were fearing for all those years.
The greatest fear is fear itself.

Guys, it's simple!

When you're having a ball at the pub - That's life

When you get back home - That's Afterlife!!

:w:

[edit on 19-3-2006 by mikesingh]

All you people have the same problem, really think about this quote from a very wise...infant "The only reason we die, is because we except it as a inevability"

-Hannibal

by the way stewie griffen said that

-Hannibal

WARNING!!! This is a Christian point of view!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Well, I lost both of my parents last month. You would think that I'd be besides myself with grief. But I am not! My parents as well as myself have (had) a KNOWLEDGE of what lies beyond. I don't give a rat's behind what anyone else thinks. I'll not appologise for my beliefs. I KNOW that I'll see my parents again and probably soon. Maybe even this year if Christ does not tarry. Maranatha!

Originally posted by i took the red pill
All you people have the same problem, really think about this quote from a very wise...infant "The only reason we die, is because we except it as a inevability"

-Hannibal

Kind of a "head in the sand" answer isn't it? Thank goodness we don't live in that kind of world.

Well this is interesting. So much fear of death!

But why?

I have certain perspectives on life that help keep me happy, and involve no fear of death. Unfortunately I can't explain all the details that led up to this point in my life, so I'm not sure how much help I can be. However, I'll try.

The following are some of my perspectives on life that help me. This is all relative to my experience of course. Take it if it helps, otherwise your truth may lie on a different path.

1 - We chose to come here, at this particular time, in this particular body, with our particular parents for many reasons.

2 - The many challenges we face, we are meant to learn from. I can look back on the many bad experiences and say that I DO NOT regret experiencing them, as my life now is better than it otherwise would be. The trick is to learn from the experiences, otherwise you won't get anything out of it but negative emotions.

3 - There is an afterlife, but there's also a beforelife. Time is a part of this reality, but isn't part of the big picture. You may only live (what appears to be) a very small amount of time that is available on earth, but we are all alive infinitely, as time is only a concept here.

4 - We are infinitely aware on another level, and infinitely alive. Only we are limited much more here. In the bigger picture, we are all as one. However, the limitations put on us in this life help to create a unique experience.

5 - There's no good or bad, just different routes to take. Many think that by "living life to it's fullest" means a selfish life - on the contrary, I've found a selfless life to be more fulfilling. If you hurt someone else, you're hurting yourself.

6 - I think of this life as a book. We immerse ourself into a character in the story, except we actually believe we are the character. But the story has already been written (again coming back to the concept of time). We're simply experiencing it as it happens.

7 - You've already made the decision, now you just have to understand it.


As for me, I actually look forward to death. I don't plan to live past 50, as I've experienced pretty much all I wanted to here, and I don't have any regrets.

I'll tell you what... what I feel now is a far cry from before when I was still indoctrinated into a fear-based Faith. I'm free now, and it feels so good. Death will only free me further. I just hope I die in such a way as to NOT get a Darwin award.

Wow, it's interesting to read about someone elses fear of non-existance. I myself am not afraid of non-existance but a few of my friends are and so I've become kind of fascinated by this particular fear.

I wonder if they have came up with a special phobia name for it.

Anyways, I strongly believe in some kind of afterlife, although I am not sure which afterlife idea I believe in. I don't know how much you all believe in ghosts and the paranormal, but I believe I have had experiences with spirits and I've heard other stories (even though it's obvious that some are hoaxes). So the way I see it, if there are spirits there must be some kind of afterlife or continuing existing of our soul after we die.

Just my thoughts.

My suspicion to those who have "no fear of death" is that they either are not being candid with themselves or don't put a value on their existence. I could be wrong, just the impression that I get. It's important to prepare, as it is indeed possible to know for certain in this lifetime and make appropriate changes as needed.

Yarcofin, I believe you said it best in your title, but rather than directing that phrase to us, direct it to Him. I'm very interested to hear the follow-up and am grateful in having a role in that response.

[edit on 23-3-2006 by saint4God]