Current Events > Do you believe in the afterlife?

(+) Yeah! (+)

I somewhat believe in the afterlife...depends on my mood. The nature of the afterlife I believe in (heaven/hell, ghosts, reincarnation, etc.) also depends on my mood.
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nah
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No
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PikachuMaxwell posted...

I somewhat believe in the afterlife...depends on my mood.

Not really, but sometimes this.

On one hand, I realize that most religions are trying to sell something, and some of the concepts are incredibly disconcerting when you actually think about them (heaven would be hellish after a few lifetimes, the karmic cycle is continuous pain and then nothingness).

On the other hand, I routinely choose mythological (mostly pre-Christian Germanic) imagery and ideas for inspiration and comfort. It'd be pretty cool to have the Norse afterlife, as far-fetched and ridiculous as I know that is.

Asking what it's like after you're dead is like asking what's further north than the north pole.
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I do.
Do i believe in a God in general? Hard to say. I grew up in a pretty catholic family and went to a catholic school from k-8th grade, but ended up growing up and kinda questioning catholcism in general and just proof.

Im more agnostic than anything. When i truely think about life, earth, the universe, how we came to be, etc, i just dont think that all of hit happened because of random chance.

Im more a supporter of reincarnation or somekind of afterlife though, yes.
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I believe in life after love, but not love after life.
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No it is literally impossible. All you are are a bunch of mind signals and without your mind/brain you simply don't exist.
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<insert isaac brock lyrics here>
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I don't, but sometimes I wish I could.
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I have a question for those that don't believe in an after life.

Does that make you sad? For all the things you love doing, eating your favorite food, sex, video games; once you die, you believe everything stops, and you become nothing more than a vegetable? I just can't fathom the idea of being in a void of absolute disconnect without any trace of recollection. That makes me depressed, which is why i believe in an after life. But then again, i guess if you aren't conscious when you've died, you probably wouldn't care that there isn't an afterlife anyway. That's how i'd understand it.

I am by no means making fun of or talking down to any one that doesn't believe in it. I was curious.
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ShamblerQ posted...

I have a question for those that don't believe in an after life.

Does that make you sad? For all the things you love doing, eating your favorite food, sex, video games; once you die, you believe everything stops, and you become nothing more than a vegetable? I just can't fathom the idea of being in a void of absolute disconnect without any trace of recollection. That makes me depressed, which is why i believe in an after life. But then again, i guess if you aren't conscious when you've died, you probably wouldn't care that there isn't an afterlife anyway. That's how i'd understand it.

I am by no means making fun of or talking down to any one that doesn't believe in it. I was curious.

One of the issues with this is the idea that negative emotions require a belief to be manufactured to cope. Like, yeah, getting old sucks, but inventing a belief that I can stave off aging by thinking myself young is not going to stop me from getting old.

Dash_Harber posted...

ShamblerQ posted...

I have a question for those that don't believe in an after life.

Does that make you sad? For all the things you love doing, eating your favorite food, sex, video games; once you die, you believe everything stops, and you become nothing more than a vegetable? I just can't fathom the idea of being in a void of absolute disconnect without any trace of recollection. That makes me depressed, which is why i believe in an after life. But then again, i guess if you aren't conscious when you've died, you probably wouldn't care that there isn't an afterlife anyway. That's how i'd understand it.

I am by no means making fun of or talking down to any one that doesn't believe in it. I was curious.

One of the issues with this is the idea that negative emotions require a belief to be manufactured to cope. Like, yeah, getting old sucks, but inventing a belief that I can stave off aging by thinking myself young is not going to stop me from getting old.

Oh ok, i see what you mean.
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If you can't remember when you're dead and I'm remembering my current thoughts...Then I must never die cause I wouldn't remember that I remembered my current thought

So no, cause I don't die
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ShamblerQ posted...

Does that make you sad?

not really. I used to not exist before I was born and i'll just stop existing after death.
personally the idea of an afterlife freaks me out because we have no idea what it'd be like. at least I have an idea of what my life could be like in 50 years, even if I won't predict the details
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QOXR2q8regE
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I want there to be something more. But no, I don't really think there is.
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ShamblerQ posted...

For all the things you love doing, eating your favorite food, sex, video games; once you die, you believe everything stops, and you become nothing more than a vegetable? I just can't fathom the idea of being in a void of absolute disconnect without any trace of recollection.

My view of death is nothing whatsoever like your idea of what it is. Everything doesn't stop - I stop, specifically my consciousness ceases. You're not a vegetable when you die, because people in vegetative states are still alive and it's possible (though unlikely) that they can improve. You're not in a void - that implies some form of consciousness persists after death. There's nothing for you to experience or perceive because that part of you has ceased. You aren't aware of what you're missing out on because the "missing out" part is gone.

That makes me depressed, which is why i believe in an after life.

The thought of no afterlife caused me to cling to the idea for a long time until I spent some time considering what it really means, based on my view of things. Eventually I worked through those repulsive emotions and came to a more accepting place on it.

Does that make you sad?

It's hard for me to say yes or no. Sure, I'll miss out on the things I enjoy and getting to see what happens in the future, but I also won't care. I won't be able to care. I'm not eager to die at all, but it feels pointless to dread reaching a state where you no longer feel that dread...if that makes any sense. To dread it means I'm still alive, so then the dread isn't necessary.
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ShamblerQ posted...

I have a question for those that don't believe in an after life.

Does that make you sad? For all the things you love doing, eating your favorite food, sex, video games; once you die, you believe everything stops, and you become nothing more than a vegetable? I just can't fathom the idea of being in a void of absolute disconnect without any trace of recollection. That makes me depressed, which is why i believe in an after life. But then again, i guess if you aren't conscious when you've died, you probably wouldn't care that there isn't an afterlife anyway. That's how i'd understand it.

I am by no means making fun of or talking down to any one that doesn't believe in it. I was curious.

It doesn't make me sad for me, it makes me sad for my parents because they do believe in it (at least my mom does). I've brought it up a couple of times years back but don't do it anymore because it's messed up to challenge her beliefs on something that is obviously important to her. I would gain nothing out of it besides upsetting my mom. If it's someone i don't care about then fuck it, i could debate it.
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No.
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If you were born once why can't you be born again?

I believe in cycles of reincarnation. Which means there's an afterlife and there was a before-life (for lack of a better term). And no, not drawing this out of my ass. It's an accepted part of Buddhism or Hinduism.
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masticatingman posted...

I believe in cycles of reincarnation. Which means there's an afterlife and there was a before-life (for lack of a better term). And no, not drawing this out of my ass. It's an accepted part of Buddhism or Hinduism.

Yes, but you are actually forgetting the two biggest parts of the Hindu (and later Buddhist) concept; Karma and Samsara.

Dash_Harber posted...

masticatingman posted...

I believe in cycles of reincarnation. Which means there's an afterlife and there was a before-life (for lack of a better term). And no, not drawing this out of my ass. It's an accepted part of Buddhism or Hinduism.

Yes, but you are actually forgetting the two biggest parts of the Hindu (and later Buddhist) concept; Karma and Samsara.

What am I forgetting to mention about afterlife. Just responding to OP strictly about if there's more than this current life. Not really incumbent on me to do a lecture.
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nuclearratchet posted...

If you were born once why can't you be born again?

I suppose that would depend on what we mean by "you."
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I don't think there's anything beyond this existence, as what we call consciousness is a collection of electrical signals in our brain and they will cease upon death.

However, there are some theoretical models of the universe that will see an endless expansion and contraction cycle of space and time (basically the big bang and then the big crunch) which lends the idea that we'll be reliving this life over and over eternally.

masticatingman posted...

Dash_Harber posted...

masticatingman posted...

I believe in cycles of reincarnation. Which means there's an afterlife and there was a before-life (for lack of a better term). And no, not drawing this out of my ass.It's an accepted part of Buddhism or Hinduism.

Yes, but you are actually forgetting the two biggest parts of the Hindu (and later Buddhist) concept; Karma and Samsara.

What am I forgetting to mention about afterlife. Just responding to OP strictly about if there's more than this current life. Not really incumbent on me to do a lecture.

I'm pointing out that justifying a belief in reincarnation by saying it is a commonly held belief without including the parts of the cycle of reincarnation that give purpose to said reincarnation is a bit odd.

I believe that death is not the end.

So, the most accurate answer is yes.
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No but I hope there is.
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