Do you believe in a 'Afterlife'?

[justcrazy]

Do you believe in a 'Afterlife'? Well do you? I for one, used to think about it being like a "Hell on Earth." But after coming here, and remembering my 'dream'. I have second thoughts. And by the way. My old theory of "Hell on Earth" isn't what it sound like. Just you live again, because your true purpose or goal was never fulfilled. Unless you're helped to move on. This the right section to post this?

[Maria92]

Yeah, guess so. Philosophy may have been better, though maybe not. Anyway... To put it simply, no, I don't believe in an afterlife. At present, I see no reason why one should exist, and cold though it may be, I do not believe. At the end of one's life, my best bet is that it's just lights out, game over. Many find this thought cold and scary, offering little comfort, but look at it this way: it isn't an eternity of nothingness...you won't be around for any of it. My two cents.

[SkA_DaRk_Che]

Absolutely, i believe in an afterlife of sorts. If you mean a spiritual afterlife in which my soul carries on after my body is no longer living than i would be inclined to say that i am unsure of that (agnostic) and quite doubtful. The afterlife life i believe in, is the only afterlife i can really be sure of. That is that the sum of my parts will be recycled into the environment and distributed and incorporated into the various living organisms of this planet. (See food chain/pyramid)

[NonDualistic]

Before or after When were you ever not? Now has always been Now What does such know of before or after?

[Conkt]

The idea of an "afterlife" is a superstitious means for combating the fear of death. One must be extremely arrogant to believe there is a system in place allowing them, a microscopic dot on a microscopic dot of the universe, to live forever. Besides, eternity is a long time; you wouldn't want it. Mario pretty much has things right.

[grasshoppa]

I believe in proper grammar. a afterlife... lol

[mini0991]

I would love to believe that when I die I will live again, that some thinking, feeling, remembering part of me will continue. But much as I want to believe that, and despite the ancient and worldwide cultural traditions that assert an afterlife, I know of nothing to suggest that it is more than wishful thinking. The world is so exquisite with so much love and moral depth, that there is no reason to deceive ourselves with pretty stories for which there's little good evidence. Far better it seems to me, in our vulnerability, is to look death in the eye and to be grateful every day for the brief but magnificent opportunity that life provides. -Carl Sagan

[Maria92]

<3 Carl Sagan

[Praise]

One must be extremely arrogant to believe there is a system in place allowing them, a microscopic dot on a microscopic dot of the universe, to live forever. Besides, eternity is a long time; you wouldn't want it. The human body is a very intelligent biological organism that we do not understand rather than something insignificant. Absolute arrogance or stupidity would be associating such intelligence and complexity with something meaningless such as a insignificant dot. Consciousness as we experience it is something quite valuable. Life as a human is quite amazing if you care to notice. Just because the universe is so large doesn't mean we are not important. Just because the universe is so infinite doesn't mean we don't have a life of our own within it. There's just as many lifeforms of intelligence functioning below us. In comparison to things like bacteria we are highly evolved beings. As for not wanting to live forever. That is more shortsighted nonsense and a childlike attitude. Any intelligent person worth their salt certainly wants to live forever if possible. In fact that's the ultimate goal of every decent alchemist throughout history. Anyone that doesn't want to live forever has not yet understood how to appreciate life and it's diversity. Has not yet understood about it's infinite possibility. Only a fool chooses death over eternal life. Is there an afterlife? It's a logical conclusion from the information avaliable today. Unbiased research would lead you in that general direction.

[Maria92]

The human body is a very intelligent biological organism that we do not understand rather than something insignificant. Absolute arrogance or stupidity would be associating such intelligence and complexity with something meaningless such as a insignificant dot. Consciousness as we experience it is something quite valuable. Life as a human is quite amazing if you care to notice. Just because the universe is so large doesn't mean we are not important. Just because the universe is so infinite doesn't mean we don't have a life of our own within it. There's just as many lifeforms of intelligence functioning below us. In comparison to things like bacteria we are highly evolved beings. As for not wanting to live forever. That is more shortsighted nonsense and a childlike attitude. Any intelligent person worth their salt certainly wants to live forever if possible. In fact that's the ultimate goal of every decent alchemist throughout history. Anyone that doesn't want to live forever has not yet understood how to appreciate life and it's diversity. Has not yet understood about it's infinite possibility. Only a fool chooses death over eternal life. Is there an afterlife? It's a logical conclusion from the information avaliable today. Unbiased research would lead you in that general direction. Evidence and sources would be much appreciated here, seeing as how I have seen absolutely no reliable evidence to support the notion of an afterlife.

[Praise]

Even if I gave you sources you would complain about them with a closed mind. That's why I give you none.

[Maria92]

Even if I gave you sources you would complain about them with a closed mind. That's why I give you none. I'm perfectly open to new ideas, and while I do not presently believe, things change. I would do little more than analyze them critically and as logically as possible, whilst doing my best to maintain an open mind and unbiased view. Believe it or not, I would love to believe in the afterlife, but as I stated, I have not yet come across any convincing arguments or scientific evidence. EDIT: and just a note on close-mindedness:

[Praise]

I'm perfectly open to new ideas, and while I do not presently believe, things change. I would do little more than analyze them critically and as logically as possible, whilst doing my best to maintain an open mind and unbiased view. Believe it or not, I would love to believe in the afterlife, but as I stated, I have not yet come across any convincing arguments or scientific evidence. If you haven't come across any sources. That's your own problem. If you are happy in your ignorance thinking you are balanced that is not my business either.

[Maria92]

If you haven't come across any sources. That's your own problem. If you are happy in your ignorance thinking you are balanced that is not my business either. The burden of proof is on the one making the positive claim.

[Praise]

How did I make a positive claim?

[Maria92]

How did I make a positive claim? You claim that an afterlife exists, and therefore, are making a positive claim. This is tantamount to claiming that a flying spaghetti monster exists. It is a claim in the positive; it exists. The burden of proof is on the one making the positive claim. And please stop calling me close-minded and ignorant...these are untrue claims. The video posted above will explain this.

[Praise]

an afterlife is a logical estimate from modern research. Since you are not dead yet you cannot conclude there is no afterlife. Please enter the chat room so we can stop mucking up this thread.

[Xedan]

I gotta back up mario on this. he is using the only logical approach to this. I would love evidence if you have it. But that is not to say I will accept it. In fact if I call it as mumbo-jumbo I will refute it n a second. But that's how logic works. If it can't be explained in a way that makes sense, there is no reason to believe it, and no reason to be scolded for not believing in it. As someone posted on this forum before, or at least I think it was this forum, before you were born, there were billions of years of there being no you. how did that feel? Did it feel bad? No. Did it feel good? No. Did it feel like anything whatsoever? No! And as Conkt was saying, in the grand scheme of things, we ARE insignificant. If someone destined to work at McDonalds their whole life were to die right now, how many people would be affected? Hundreds? Thousands at the most optimistic level. You talk of alchemy, and it reminded me of a part if FMA where they were forced to understand that the world doesn't care who dies. It doesn't care who lives. We were in all probibility created by chance. If life were to never exist anywhere, would the universe survive? Hell yes it would. Even people as important as hitler are insignificant. In one million years, man kind will not know you. They won't, accept it. They won't remember any of us. Some men try to leave their mark on the world, but eventually the sands of time always smooth it away.

[Xedan]

an afterlife is a logical estimate from modern research. Since you are not dead yet you cannot conclude there is no afterlife. Please enter the chat room so we can stop mucking up this thread. since I haven't had a kid yet, there is a very good chance that when I do it will in fact be a giant strawberry

[Praise]

very funny.

[Xedan]

but the point it made was serious. You can't say it makes sense just because there's absolutely no evidence of it or anything else.

[Praise]

If you can't find the evidence in this modern age with computers and google at your finger tips, there is no way you will ever know how to research properly by now.

[Xedan]

Excuse me, WTF are you doing? So let me get this strait; Not only is the afterlife logical because of a lack of evidence, but google also knows all the possible to know answers of the universe and we've hit a climax of civilization. Damn life here on out will suck royally then. I wanted to keep this civil in private messages, but now that ship has sailed. Did you even watch the video Mario posted? You sound almost EXACTLY like one of his examples. If it's unexplainable, like the afterlife, that doesn't make it paranormal or spiritual, it makes it UNEXPLAINABLE! No evidence of anything whatsoever means NONE of it makes sense, not that the one most people believe in makes sense.

[Xei]

Is there an afterlife? It's a logical conclusion from the information avaliable today. Unbiased research would lead you in that general direction. Are you really this obnoxious or are you just a troll? Funny that people have asked you about five times to give a single example and all you've done is dodged the question and made accusations of people being closed minded. You're in denial. Prove me wrong.

[Abra]

[Typed a bunch, and then deleted.] No.