Do you believe in an Afterlife?

[Hardcore troubadour 16,042]

I like to picture Jesus in a tuxedo t-shirt. ' Cause it says like I want to be formal, but I'm here to party too. I like to party, so I like my Jesus to party.

[rholio 340]

I wish I was dumber.

 

Keep posting here.

[JTB 52]

Following the teachings of just about every religion can accomplish that, as does adhering to things like the Golden Rule, even if you don't believe in an afterlife.

 

What is you point? Why not just say you agree with me as opposed to attempting to trump my statement. You are tough to take sometimes. Carry on....

[rholio 340]

I believe in God, Heaven, and Hell. I don't believe the bible or the quran are holy books with divine inspiration, I believe they are written by men, or worse...politicians. I also don't believe we're as important as those books claim.

 

We're God's reality TV. Every mass extinction has been the start of a new season, the large scale wars were during sweeps weeks, etc. He's there, and he's watching... he's more likely having some popcorn than stirring things up down here all the time, though.

[titans&bucs&bearsohmy! 2,745]

No.

 

This inner turmoil of wresting with the religious beliefs of my upbringing use to tear me up when I was younger but I could never successfully force myself to believe in that stuff. It never made sense to me.

 

I've long since stopped trying and moved on. I don't dwell on this stuff anymore. I tried it, it doesn't work for me, I've made my peace with it.

This is where I am. I struggled with it too. Lost a couple of good relationships over it. I tried to "believe" but you can't make yourself. And faking it wasn't good enough for them.

 

I have made peace with the fact that I don't know and never will. I hate sanctimonious pr!icks that are 100% certain of it, on either side.

 

I have in recent years felt I was missing out on a "spiritual side" of life. But I know Christianity just is, in my opinion, garbage.

 

Since being here in China, I have a bhuddist roomate and a Taoist girlfriend. I have been dabbling in those two a bit. I find them much more my speed. More of a practice, a philosophy, a way of living well than a dogmatic belief fairy tale.

[penultimatestraw 473]

What is you point? Why not just say you agree with me as opposed to attempting to trump my statement. You are tough to take sometimes. Carry on....

Although you didn't say it, I've encountered more than a few people who assume if believers are good, then heathens aren't. Just clarifying what you do is far more important than what you believe. To be fair, you did say "if" the belief makes one a better person, so it wasn't like you were critiquing anyone.

 

Not sure why that upsets you.

[penultimatestraw 473]

This is where I am. I struggled with it too. Lost a couple of good relationships over it. I tried to "believe" but you can't make yourself. And faking it wasn't good enough for them.

 

I have made peace with the fact that I don't know and never will. I hate sanctimonious pr!icks that are 100% certain of it, on either side.

 

I have in recent years felt I was missing out on a "spiritual side" of life. But I know Christianity just is, in my opinion, garbage.

 

Since being here in China, I have a bhuddist roomate and a Taoist girlfriend. I have been dabbling in those two a bit. I find them much more my speed. More of a practice, a philosophy, a way of living well than a dogmatic belief fairy tale.

People claim Buddhism isn't really a religion, but it definitely makes more sense than Christianity to me.

[jerryskids 7,195]

Just because the natural world is extraordinary, and our feeble attempts to understand it fall short of explaining everything, doesn't suggest a higher being or afterlife. Both are pretty simplistic ways to sidestep our ignorance.

 

And belief, or lack thereof, has little to do with intelligence. Atheists tend to score higher on IQ tests, however.

 

I would argue that it does suggest a higher being, although it certainly doesn't prove it. And as I initially said, albeit perhaps poorly, I don't believe in an afterlife. And I don't believe in a "God" as defined by any one religion. But much as it doesn't take much intellectual prowess to blindly believe, it doesn't take much more to create an argument to disbelieve. I guess that to me, the day you think you "know" the answer is the day you aren't showing a lot of intellectual curiosity. Because honestly, you don't know.

 

Read the posts of tanatastic on the subject; does he strike you as a genius?

 

ETA: I guess I am finding zen in my old age.

[Frank M 181]

I had a girlfriend whose idea was that we are all eternal in that we live forever in the lives of the people we touch. I like that sentiment.

 

Knowing that matter is not created or destroyed, it makes sense to me that we go on, just in a different form. That's why I don't want to be put in a box in the ground. I want my molecules to be set free to become something else.

 

I'm not a fan of religion. I don't fault anybody for their search for truth or meaning or serenity, it's just not logical to me, but more power to you. Now, if you believe that the earth is 6000 years old and that everything was created in seven days and that only true believers chosen by God will go to heaven during the rapture or that the goal of this life is to create a Muslim caliphate spread across the world and that you'll get 72 virgins in the afterlife if you kill the infidel, then I think you're crazy.

 

That being said, the whole point of religion is trying to explain the unexplainable, especially what happens after death. If it's comforting to think that good people get an eternal reward and bad people get an eternal punishment and you live your life well with the goal of getting into heaven and avoiding hell, then the belief in an afterlife is a good thing. If it's used as a tool shame people or recruit followers, it's not.

 

I am 100% comfortable with the idea that there is nothing after death except for the processes of nature.

[Frozenbeernuts 2,427]

Do you believe in life after love?

[JTB 52]

 

Knowing that matter is not created or destroyed, it makes sense to me that we go on, just in a different form.

I am 100% comfortable with the idea that there is nothing after death except for the processes of nature.

I parsed your post to state this is where I am with the "physical" aspect to a human being, but the spiritual aspect is where religion steps in.

[shotsup 836]

I don't even believe in THIS life let alone an afterlife !

[titans&bucs&bearsohmy! 2,745]

People claim Buddhism isn't really a religion, but it definitely makes more sense than Christianity to me.

From what I have gathered from reading and taking to my bhuddist roomate, there are strains of bhuddist thought that hold bhudda as a god (Tibetan) and those that hold him as a teacher who achieved enlightenment (zen).

 

Intend to like Taoism the most. It is very similar to zen bhuddism. Then there is this strange Chinese ancestor worship aspect. And there ar strange Chinese zodiac type things (for example I am currently wearing a red monkey talisman, as both me and the girl are year of the monkey, and it is a monkey year and the gods punish mo keys.

[OldMaid 2,137]

I believe in God, Heaven, and Hell. I don't believe the bible or the quran are holy books with divine inspiration, I believe they are written by men, or worse...politicians. I also don't believe we're as important as those books claim.

 

We're God's reality TV. Every mass extinction has been the start of a new season, the large scale wars were during sweeps weeks, etc. He's there, and he's watching... he's more likely having some popcorn than stirring things up down here all the time, though.

I don't want to start any blasphemous rumors, but I think that God has a sick sense of humor.

And when I die, I expect to find him laughing.

 

 

Also, no.

[rholio 340]

I don't want to start any blasphemous rumors, but I think that God has a sick sense of humor.

And when I die, I expect to find him laughing.

 

 

Also, no.

 

A sick sense of humor, or he's a mean drunk... I'd go with humor.

[Cloaca du jour 2,157]

Its simple, energy cannot be created or deatroyed. The soul is what makes us individuals, its a form of spiritual energy that cannot be destroyed.

[IGotWorms 4,063]

Its simple, energy cannot be created or deatroyed. The soul is what makes us individuals, its a form of spiritual energy that cannot be destroyed.

I do like this concept, but what happens? We're reabsorbed into the universe and become one with all matter? Reincarnation? Or something different?

[crackattack 520]

No, but I don't belittle those who do.

[JTB 52]

I do like this concept, but what happens? We're reabsorbed into the universe and become one with all matter? Reincarnation? Or something different?

Reincarnation. We all become diamonds; it's just a matter of time.

[OldMaid 2,137]

I do like this concept, but what happens? We're reabsorbed into the universe and become one with all matter? Reincarnation? Or something different?

I kinda dig this as well. Of course, I highly doubt we'd have any consciousness of this. But it would lend some creedence to the stories you hear about people getting organ transplants, etc, and taking on some of the characteristics of the donor. That on some level our cells have memory.

[Big Guy 1,430]

absolutely!

[penultimatestraw 473]

 

I would argue that it does suggest a higher being, although it certainly doesn't prove it. And as I initially said, albeit perhaps poorly, I don't believe in an afterlife. And I don't believe in a "God" as defined by any one religion. But much as it doesn't take much intellectual prowess to blindly believe, it doesn't take much more to create an argument to disbelieve. I guess that to me, the day you think you "know" the answer is the day you aren't showing a lot of intellectual curiosity. Because honestly, you don't know.

 

Read the posts of tanatastic on the subject; does he strike you as a genius?

 

ETA: I guess I am finding zen in my old age.

Using this line of reasoning, agnostics should be the smartest. Some also make a distinction between hard/positive and soft/negative atheism; the former state no god(s) exist while the latter doesn't believe in any, but doesn't explicitly reject them.

 

Even though it is impossible to prove the nonexistence of God, I think the argument for no higher being/afterlife is better than the opposition. Taken to an absurd extreme, are you open to the possibility of things like the Flying Spaghetti Monster?

[JTB 52]

Using this line of reasoning, agnostics should be the smartest. Some also make a distinction between hard/positive and soft/negative atheism; the former state no god(s) exist while the latter doesn't believe in any, but doesn't explicitly reject them.

 

Even though it is impossible to prove the nonexistence of God, I think the argument for no higher being/afterlife is better than the opposition. Taken to an absurd extreme, are you open to the possibility of things like the Flying Spaghetti Monster?

 

Was unaware of an old book on the said monster.

[Cloaca du jour 2,157]

This is why we dont clone humans, they become souless killing machines. Similar to gingers.

[penultimatestraw 473]

Was unaware of an old book on the said monster.

The older the book, the more valid the content? I see.

2494–2345 BCE The first of the oldest surviving religious texts, the Pyramid Texts, are composed in Ancient Egypt.

So who's your favorite Egyptian God?

[JTB 52]

The older the book, the more valid the content? I see.

 

So who's your favorite Egyptian God?

I'm agnostic. The smart ones.

[Voltaire 5,528]

If believing in the afterlife makes one a "better" person I'm all for it.

What if it makes people shoot up abortion clinics and charities for the disabled?

[Hardcore troubadour 16,042]

What if it makes people shoot up abortion clinics and charities for the disabled?

Or fly planes into buildings?

[MDC 8,092]

What if believing I'm the smartest best looking guy on earth makes me a better person? Should I believe that too?

[jerryskids 7,195]

Using this line of reasoning, agnostics should be the smartest. Some also make a distinction between hard/positive and soft/negative atheism; the former state no god(s) exist while the latter doesn't believe in any, but doesn't explicitly reject them.

 

Even though it is impossible to prove the nonexistence of God, I think the argument for no higher being/afterlife is better than the opposition. Taken to an absurd extreme, are you open to the possibility of things like the Flying Spaghetti Monster?

I consider myself agnostic so... thanks

 

I agree with your comparison regarding the argument.

 

I don't really know the story behind the Flying Spaghetti Monster so I can't comment.

[MTSkiBum 1,626]

Both my wife and I are born/raised catholic and still go to church occasionally, but I think the most likely god would be an advanced civilization that created a universe via some unknown physics that is possible via black holes.

 

I know, I am nuts.

[rholio 340]

What if believing I'm the smartest best looking guy on earth makes me a better person? Should I believe that too?

You are not me.

[titans&bucs&bearsohmy! 2,745]

Its simple, energy cannot be created or deatroyed. The soul is what makes us individuals, its a form of spiritual energy that cannot be destroyed.

There are seven billion people, or seven billion souls, currently. Back in the day, there were far fewer.

 

So if energy cannot be created, where are all these new souls coming from?

 

I don't believe in the soul. We are just animals with a bit more advanced brain chemistry and biology. The concepts of "self" and "soul" is a matrix we have created for our own aggrandizement.

[Voltaire 5,528]

I consider myself agnostic so... thanks

 

I agree with your comparison regarding the argument.

 

I don't really know the story behind the Flying Spaghetti Monster so I can't comment.

Believe me Jerry, it's worth looking into as I'm sure you'll enjoy (and understand) the humor.

[MDC 8,092]

Pastafarian wins right to wear colander on her head in drivers license photo:

 

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation-now/2015/11/16/church-flying-spaghetti-monster-massachusetts-religion/75862946/

 

[JTB 52]

What if it makes people shoot up abortion clinics and charities for the disabled?

I'm against that.

[southcarolina 166]

All I know is in this life, things are much harder than in the aftetwotld. In this life... you're on your own

[tanatastic 2,062]

We make any excuse to seem important to ourselves. A soul is nothing more than some brain synapses firing, its not a real thing. People even say their dogs are in heaven to greet them. But how did the dog pledge its life to jesus christ in order to be saved? Only Jesus is real to christians so the other billions who either lived before his time or dont believe just filter to hell. Seriously theres no way someone can really belief this stuff.

[Mookz 1,388]

You wasted life, why wouldn't you waste the afterlife?

[TD Ryan2 316]

Following the teachings of just about every religion can accomplish that, as does adhering to things like the Golden Rule, even if you don't believe in an afterlife.

nearly all religions are founded on some version of "The Golden Rule" (do unto others as you'd have them do unto you) and in following the Golden Rule, you gain enlightenment, peace, and everlasting life / immortality.

 

It's not a stretch to understand how you could achieve enlightenment and peace... and to me that's the whole idea of "being in the presence of God" or being "Holy" or whatever you want to call it.

 

Somebody commented above that it's all just a "computer simulation" and I think this could be closer to the truth than the poster intended it to be and I mean that from a "network" standpoint - lemme' 'splain:

 

Humans are social creatures - we require a community/society/network of other humans for survival. And each person can impact that "human network" is a big/small/positive/negative way. I know I have a number of influential relatives/teachers/coaches/mentors that have affected the "network" around me and impacted me greatly - and although some of them have died, their impact is still felt - sometimes just throughout my family, sometimes throughout much larger professional/community networks. To me THAT is your immortality. THAT is the afterlife. And if I'm lucky, when I'm dead I just get to sit back in a front row seat and watch it all as a spectator with no worries or stress over any of it - just get to see howI impacted the "network" and how it's being carried on.