Why do you wan't to believe in an afterlife?

To me the whole concept of an afterlife is one of the worst things anyone could believe in...

An eternity of consciousness

A friend said to me its sad that I don't believe in an afterlife, so my comeback was I think its sad that you can't accept that its a possibility that when you die that is it!

Think how many people are born and die on a daily basis!

If you believe in an afterlife please post your thoughts

An eternity of consciousness is subjective; how will that eternity be spent? Living in a plush cloud world where everything is perfect? Living in complete damnation forever, with the sensation of your soul burning over and over again?

Or will it be spent learning new things by reincarnating back into the physical?

I believe in an afterlife because of the evidence there is for an afterlife. Whether it's an NDE, an OOBE, or just the intuition that this foolish plane of existence is indeed not all there is to the conscious experience. Energy is neither created or destroyed, and the energy of consciousness most definitely moves on.

I think that the physical realm, here especially, has been deliberately set up so that we're always questioning whether or not the afterlife exists. This gives birth to ideas, religions, culture, even art to some extent. And without those intangibles, we'd simply be a race of emotionless cattle. On second thought, maybe we are anyways.

If I wouldn't believe in afterlife (one form or another) I would have killed myself long time ago. I need the meaning of all this and only everlasting meaning would satisfy me. Also this belief frees my imagination and gives me hope one day to end this miserable physical existance-trap-jail and to enter something more beautiful and big. If I will be capable and worht of course. I am getting ready for that. For me life is a preparation to die and be free from this crap. By saying this miserable existance I mean not only my individual "happiness" level here, but all of humanity's. When somebody gets abused, raped, beaten and so on I feel that it was done to me personally at some level. I hate that this world is so morally down. I hate it. So I hate this existence. But I am not ready to leave right now. I must prepare as best as I can first. To be prepared to leave at any moment. I don't fear death anymore. But I don't welcome it sooner. It will come when the time is set.

[edit on 8-4-2010 by Pitons]

[edit on 8-4-2010 by Pitons]

Why would life be just a short space between two nothings?
In a world where everything is logical and has purpose how could you think life is any different?

If there's nothing eternal there is no point to anything. You'll die, your memories will be lost, you were born for no reason at all. All is vanity without eternity. All of this is for what?

Originally posted by 547000
If there's nothing eternal there is no point to anything. You'll die, your memories will be lost, you were born for no reason at all. All is vanity without eternity. All of this is for what?

There is a point to everything and none of it requires an afterlife. It's actually quite egocentric to imagine that your birth and subsequent experiences are so important that it could only service the attributes of an "afterlife"

Id like to believe in one because living this one life under the thumb of some other individual or group of individuals living my days as a sharecropper only to die and rot is a total rip-off.

Originally posted by traditionaldrummer
It's actually quite egocentric to imagine that your birth and subsequent experiences are so important that it could only service the attributes of an "afterlife"

I disagree, its actually egocentric to believe that we are god -- which is what belief in life without a god and without judgement in an afterlife is. It means anything is permissible because without God and without judgement there would be no right or wrong.

To believe in God is to deny yourself, love your neighbor, and be humble which is the opposite of being egocentric.

reply to post by Freq Of Nature

To me the whole concept of an afterlife is one of the worst things anyone could believe in...

That's fair enough and everyone is entitled to their own opinion on everything but I really do have to disagree with this as I’m pretty much the opposite of what you are saying.

Don't get me wrong I like your comeback when asked why you don’t believe in an afterlife? but at the same time i just can’t help thinking like your friend and asking myself How can you NOT believe in an afterlife? In fact I don't see why anyone would/COULD NOT want to believe in or think about what is after death or their own personal afterlife or any kind of afterlife what so ever

I mean it doesn’t have to be some sort of heaven or hell or living as a ghost for a while etc. but believing that we come out of nowhere into this "life" and then afterwards into complete nothingness is something i seriously just can’t get my head around.

How can everything happen and then be over and that be it?

Originally posted by ararisq

I disagree, its actually egocentric to believe that we are god -- which is what belief in life without a god and without judgement in an afterlife is. It means anything is permissible because without God and without judgement there would be no right or wrong.

To believe in God is to deny yourself, love your neighbor, and be humble which is the opposite of being egocentric.

No, disbelief in gods and afterlife does not mean that we believe we are god. The concepts of right and wrong also exist without the need for gods and their judgements. Self-denial, love for neighbors and the propensity to be humble are also all easily attainable without the need for gods. Perhaps you are incapable of finding life worthy without an afterlife and perhaps you are unable to attain a grasp on positive human qualities without a god, but not everyone does, and ethical and moral people exist just fine without them.

reply to post by Freq Of Nature


Yes I am an EXISTANCE BELIEVER meaning I feel LIFE AND DEATH BOTH exist within EXISTANCE and that they are just phases the SOUL MUST GO THRU IN ORDER TO achieve reaching our SUPREME SELVES. I know it exist for there is to much documentation about it within various book written thru time. The best proof I can think of as now is written in the ENGLISH BIBLE in the book of revelations right here in various places the AFTERLIFE IS MENTIONED AS WELL AS HADES:

6:8 And behold, a pale horse, and he who sat on it, his name was Death. Hades followed with him. Authority over one fourth of the earth, to kill with the sword, with famine, with death, and by the wild animals of the earth was given to him.

6:9 When he opened the fifth seal, I saw underneath the altar the souls of those who had been killed for the Word of God, and for the testimony of the Lamb which they had.

6:10 They cried with a loud voice, saying, "How long, Master, the holy and true, until you judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?"

6:11 A long white robe was given to each of them. They were told that they should rest yet for a while, until their fellow servants and their brothers, who would also be killed even as they were, should complete their course.
-----------
7:9 After these things I looked, and behold, a great multitude, which no man could number, out of every nation and of all tribes, peoples, and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, dressed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands.

7:10 They cried with a loud voice, saying, "Salvation be to our God, who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!"

7:11 All the angels were standing around the throne, the elders, and the four living creatures; and they fell on their faces before his throne, and worshiped God,

7:12 saying, "Amen! Blessing, glory, wisdom, thanksgiving, honor, power, and might, be to our God forever and ever! Amen."

7:13 One of the elders answered, saying to me, "These who are arrayed in white robes, who are they, and from where did they come?"

7:14 I told him, "My lord, you know." He said to me, "These are those who came out of the great tribulation. They washed their robes, and made them white in the Lamb's blood.

7:15 Therefore they are before the throne of God, they serve him day and night in his temple. He who sits on the throne will spread his tent over them.

7:16 They will never be hungry, neither thirsty any more; neither will the sun beat on them, nor any heat;

7:17 for the Lamb who is in the midst of the throne shepherds them, and leads them to springs of waters of life. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes."
-----------
9:6 In those days people will seek death, and will in no way find it. They will desire to die, and death will flee from them.

THE AFTERLIFE OR EXISTANCE IS REAL FRIEND

I'm with the first response to the OP. An afterlife is subjective. Would it be nice if some record of our experiences, memories and actions lived on? Yes, that would be a wonderful thing.

Is it scientifically verifiable without resorting to faith, scripture and spirituality? I don't think so.

Scientifically the body dies, then the brain stops working, then we rot and decay away. After three days irreversible damages are done to the rotting body making physical resurrection impossible.

Spiritually though, the mind is an incredibly powerful tool. The sheer force of will can cause extreme changes in the physical body. I don't believe it's too far of a stretch to think that those who have such mental stability, focus and control can disconnect and separate their conscience upon death.

I believe the afterlife exists in some kind of manner, but I don't think everyone can "go there" unless they've achieved some kind of intellectual and mentally advancement.

I'unno. Just my theory.

~ Scribe

I've spent some time wondering whether or not there is an afterlife or not. I've decided I don't know and it doesn't really matter.

Whether or not there is an afterlife, you still have to live this life. So why not spend your time and energy on this life instead of wondering what may come after? Because either way, you have no control over the outcome.

reply to post by doped00

Whether or not there is an afterlife, you still have to live this life. So why not spend your time and energy on this life instead of wondering what may come after? Because either way, you have no control over the outcome

If there is an after life then there is a way to have control of the out come.
I there is no after life there is no control to be had.

Originally posted by ararisq

Originally posted by traditionaldrummer
It's actually quite egocentric to imagine that your birth and subsequent experiences are so important that it could only service the attributes of an "afterlife"

I disagree, its actually egocentric to believe that we are god -- which is what belief in life without a god and without judgement in an afterlife is. It means anything is permissible because without God and without judgement there would be no right or wrong.

To believe in God is to deny yourself, love your neighbor, and be humble which is the opposite of being egocentric.

No, that is wrong.
Morality isn't relative to religion.

Originally posted by Ophiuchus 13
reply to post by Freq Of Nature

 

Yes I am an EXISTANCE BELIEVER meaning I feel LIFE AND DEATH BOTH exist within EXISTANCE and that they are just phases the SOUL MUST GO THRU IN ORDER TO achieve reaching our SUPREME SELVES. I know it exist for there is to much documentation about it within various book written thru time. The best proof I can think of as now is written in the ENGLISH BIBLE in the book of revelations right here in various places the AFTERLIFE IS MENTIONED AS WELL AS HADES:

6:8 And behold, a pale horse, and he who sat on it, his name was Death. Hades followed with him. Authority over one fourth of the earth, to kill with the sword, with famine, with death, and by the wild animals of the earth was given to him.

6:9 When he opened the fifth seal, I saw underneath the altar the souls of those who had been killed for the Word of God, and for the testimony of the Lamb which they had.

6:10 They cried with a loud voice, saying, "How long, Master, the holy and true, until you judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?"

6:11 A long white robe was given to each of them. They were told that they should rest yet for a while, until their fellow servants and their brothers, who would also be killed even as they were, should complete their course.
-----------
7:9 After these things I looked, and behold, a great multitude, which no man could number, out of every nation and of all tribes, peoples, and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, dressed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands.

7:10 They cried with a loud voice, saying, "Salvation be to our God, who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!"

7:11 All the angels were standing around the throne, the elders, and the four living creatures; and they fell on their faces before his throne, and worshiped God,

7:12 saying, "Amen! Blessing, glory, wisdom, thanksgiving, honor, power, and might, be to our God forever and ever! Amen."

7:13 One of the elders answered, saying to me, "These who are arrayed in white robes, who are they, and from where did they come?"

7:14 I told him, "My lord, you know." He said to me, "These are those who came out of the great tribulation. They washed their robes, and made them white in the Lamb's blood.

7:15 Therefore they are before the throne of God, they serve him day and night in his temple. He who sits on the throne will spread his tent over them.

7:16 They will never be hungry, neither thirsty any more; neither will the sun beat on them, nor any heat;

7:17 for the Lamb who is in the midst of the throne shepherds them, and leads them to springs of waters of life. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes."
-----------
9:6 In those days people will seek death, and will in no way find it. They will desire to die, and death will flee from them.

THE AFTERLIFE OR EXISTANCE IS REAL FRIEND

90% of your posts contain religious dogma and preaching, why is that?
Why can't you have a logical and rational discussion of the afterlife, without invoking fire and brimstone?

Originally posted by Ophiuchus 13
The best proof I can think of as now is written in the ENGLISH BIBLE

That book also claims there were talking snakes, resurrections, impregnations by ghosts and other impossibilities. Any claim in that book is dubious at best and could hardly be considered proof by any means.

I know you asked for responses from folks that believe in an afterlife, but I don't intend to step on the thread here. My belief system hasn't a thing to do with the world - only reality as I perceive it, therefore belief in an afterlife is moot for me, it simply doesn't apply in my everyday life, I wouldn't make any changes to accomodate any belief system, much less an external one.

gj

reply to post by hippomchippo

90% of your posts contain religious dogma and preaching, why is that

Why can't 90% of his posts contain religious dogma and preaching
without you asking why is that?

Why do you want to believe in an afterlife ? '

I have to believe in an afterlife. I have no choice. I've seen dead people after they've died. And, I've known others (known them quite well, known them as honest and eminently practical) who claim to have experiened the same thing

As to 'wanting' to believe in an afterlife, well, I don't particularly want to, these days

For much of my life, I simply just did believe

Then, in the past few years, I stopped caring one way or the other