Life After Death

[Ksim3000]

I was wondering but is there anyone here that believes in "Life After Death"? To be honest, I am torn between the Christian faith, the possibility of reincarnation and the studies of EVP (Electronic Voice Pheonomenon) and other reportings and sightings of strange activity which cannot most of the time be explained.

And of course.....the lingering fear of "life" just dissapearing after "death" and nothing is in existance afterwards also does scare me. As much as I may dislike the world and life in alot of aspects, the fear or belief of just.....nothingness......scares me to be honest.

The ability to never be able to see, smell, here, breathe, everything would be gone.

But, considering the evidence, especially in supernatural activity, reincarnation and EVP, I am in belief that there is something "more" to death than what the popular Atheist and Humanist ideas are.

So, what does everyone else think in regards to this subject? Does it frighten anyone? And do you believe in the possibility of there being "something else"?

[Alistair Erie]

I 'm pretty full with the atheist view of death, but reincarnation seems to be the most plausible afterlife senerio.

[Crow]

After this body dies, we come back again and do a completely new life. Sounds simple enough. Or we're placed in a room with an infinite amount of HANDS FLYING AT YOU!

[TGLucario475]

well, i think there isnt life after deaarh, but alas ya never kno!

[Ksim3000]

If you ask me, religion itself is based on the fear of death because religion typically promises life after death. This seems to be important to people. As you put it, to cease existing isn't really something to look forward to after one has died. I've given some thought to this while taking some long walks in the country when I have nothing better to mull over. Once upon a time, I was a super Christian. Now I don't mean your typical zealot, mind you. I was indeed a special kind. Totally cool for Christ. Then one day I wasn't. I decided to cool off and make my own beliefs about certain things because I'm sure anyone with a slight familiarity with the Bible knows that there are some plot inconsistencies. While I could share quite a bit about some of my “theories”, I'll limit it to this specific topic.

A while back I heard someone say that they believed that when people died, they go to the god they worship. On the other hand when it comes to Christianity, you'll have people saying that if you don't worship God, you'll get fried. Somehow I find this hard to believe. I think the most important thing God tried to get across, particularly through Jesus, was the fact that you should do good. You may not always be rewarded for it, but you just have to do good. After all, the more good there is, the better off all of us are. This notion isn't feasible given societies diversity, so you must try and make an impact in your own life under your own conditions. Follow the rules. Don't be a jerk. Honor the virtues. Ignore the Old Testament. Except for maybe Proverbs.

Many other religions will encourage the same positive upbeat lifestyle. I'm inclined to believe that there is a singular God who awards people based on the good they do. Hell is a reality, but it is probably only reserved for the truly corrupt. I do not like to think about hell all that much as my notions toward it are not entirely refined. Don't go crazy and do anything stupid and you should be fine. I think the average person would have to try really hard to deserve that kind of punishment. Above all else, I believe life does continue after death in some form and I've narrowed it down to four possibilities I will list in order of personal preference. This assumes that you have ended your life with a good and healthy soul. In all of these scenario's you retain your current personality.

1 – Instead of going to Heaven, you are sent to a sub-world apart from a main one based on where you would want to spend the rest of eternity in. There is a God and there are still challenges to keep your life interesting.

2 – Heaven itself. Highly reminiscent of life on Earth with improved living conditions, no need for gas, and an infinite supply of fresh water. There is a God and challenges keep your life interesting.

3 – Reincarnation. Whoops, none of this matters! Seriously, though. Your soul is recycled into another body with no prior memories of your past. At least not until someone figures out how to crack it.

4 – Hell. Either your free thinking with religion damns you to an eternity of torture, God's standards are too high, or you picked the wrong religion. Ultra fail.

It's best to believe in something to comfort your fear on this issue. And if there is nothing left at the end of life, then you won't know it because you'll be dead and nobody will be any the wiser.

Those are my thoughts. Feel free to pick them apart or counter my argument. I'm not very competitive or touchy when it comes to stuff like this and I too would like to expand on the possibilities.

Thanks for the reply and you do indeed have some good interesting points. It is like the mechanic at my Dad's shop told me, "He believes in reincarnation and if there is nothing after death, it would be better to die believing in something to comfort your mind." However, I have been paying quite a bit of attention to Ghost sightings and EVP recordings which could possibly mean souls trapped in some kind of "Purgatory".

Perhaps if we do not fulfill what we are destined to do or lead a "so-so" life, we get put into this state of "limbo" where contact with the current living is possible.

But still, it is a scary fear although I would rather prefer to believe in something than just simply "cease to exist". In regards aswell to suicide and people that take their lives, I read an interesting article my somebody that said life has many experiances to offer and trying to get in as much of it as you can is indeed worthwhile.

After this body dies, we come back again and do a completely new life. Sounds simple enough. Or we're placed in a room with an infinite amount of HANDS FLYING AT YOU!

That has quite an interest in the scientific community and I believe children have been able to "recall" memories or identify birthmarks on someone that they remember in another life.....totally unexplainable in a "rational" point of view.

Considering the space and time, it is indeed possible we reincarnate. Perhaps we could also live in the past or move on from this time in reincarnation?

Also, I bet Adolf Hitler, for his crimes, is sat in that VERY room with the infinite amount of HANDS FLYING AT YOU!

......Also, those hands are kind of relaxing.....

[Mechadon]

I hope technology will be able to sustain my conciouseness after my meat-bag body dies. It would be awsome to be able to load the data in my brain onto a computer.

[Daisensei]

Perhaps the most fundamental question here would be "What is life?". Talking about death is, in my humble opinion, same as talking about shadow. Actually shadow itself doesn't exist, it's the absence of the light. Then one must ask itself "What is light?"  to have a chance to understand shadow.
My suggestion is: think about the nature of the life. I guess you could reach farther than thinking only in death. 

[Ksim3000]

Perhaps the most fundamental question here would be "What is life?". Talking about death is, in my humble opinion, same as talking about shadow. Actually shadow itself doesn't exist, it's the absence of the light. Then one must ask itself "What is light?"  to have a chance to understand shadow.
My suggestion is: think about the nature of the life. I guess you could reach farther than thinking only in death. 

That is indeed true Daisensei, there are so many questions and it is hard to it all. Science pulls one way, religion the other. However, I believe that when individuals do not have enough to occupy their minds and do not experiance "life" as fully as others, then the question of death appears.....

But really, "what is life"?

The scientists say we are strings of data.

The religious say God created us.

I happen to believe in possibly both although lean pretty much to the religious side. And, as I have said myself today, "to create a child, you need both a man and a woman. To create a computer or machine, you need scientists/engineers/technicians what have you. But, I do not "believe" things just happen naturally. You need something to create something, so thus there is still a use for God in this day and age."

It's true though. I can see God laying down the seeds of life upon the Earth and then things either being "created" or naturally evolving but technically, it has been "created".

[Mechadon]

I have to disagree with the idea of everything having to be created by a higher intelligence. That way of thinking is a result of our (human's) huge ego as intelligent thinkers. We like to think that the only NEW things we see exist because we created them. We create because we are intelligent. So, then where did all this other stuff (like trees, animals, mountains, planets and super-novas) come from?  I guess someone else made it! Someone very intelligent and far more superior. We called that "someone" God.

And the funny thing is that we like to believe that God created us in His image. Is that not the most selfish thing you ever heard? What if God was a turkey?

[Alistair Erie]

And the funny thing is that we like to believe that God created us in His image. Is that not the most selfish thing you ever heard? What if God was a turkey?

Then you know he'd be delicious!

[Ksim3000]

I have to disagree with the idea of everything having to be created by a higher intelligence. That way of thinking is a result of our (human's) huge ego as intelligent thinkers. We like to think that the only NEW things we see exist because we created them. We create because we are intelligent. So, then where did all this other stuff (like trees, animals, mountains, planets and super-novas) come from?  I guess someone else made it! Someone very intelligent and far more superior. We called that "someone" God.

And the funny thing is that we like to believe that God created us in His image. Is that not the most selfish thing you ever heard? What if God was a turkey?

Well, perhaps that is "nature" for something to "create"? I can't just believe things "naturally form" without something starting something off. I have two parents, as do most people. Dogs have two parents and so do Cats. So would it not be acceptable for an intelligence or a being such as God to create? Otherwise.....it is hard to explain where everything really comes from and the "Big Bang Theory" I am sceptical of, too.