Is there an Afterlife?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:People who don't believe in God need to read books and watch videos by Alvin Planiga and Greg Bahnsen. Watching the debates between Dr. James White and Dan Barker would also help. If all you consider is Science, the logical position is Agnosticism, not Atheism.

Agnosticism and Atheism are not very different from each other and are not mutually exclusive. Many nonbelievers who have thought about it consider themselves "atheistic agnostics" (i.e.,, I don't believe and I don't know).

People often choose the term - atheist or agnostic- that they feel more comfortable with. Right now, that's often agnostic, because it sounds less harsh and can sound like the person is still searching for god, which is more acceptable in today's society.

I think the only reason "atheist" seems harsh is because it's been misrepresented to mean someone who is "militant" about their non-belief and "knows" there is no god. Atheists (and some believers) are aware that you can't prove the nonexistence of God or any other non-material spirit. Atheist simply means not a theist, i.e., not a believer in God, just as asymptomatic means without symptoms. It does not mean against symptoms or hating symptoms.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think there is some sort of existence, and I don't believe in God. I don't attach it to religion at all. But to the fact nobody can explain consciousness yet. And that energy never disappears. That energy could just be trapped here on earth somehow. Who knows? But I don't base my life around this belief, either. If there isn't, then we just all go to sleep.

That's one possibility - one of many, including whatever human consciousness can imagine -- and the one that allows for eternal life, just as some religions do. It negates the possibility or likelihood that humans die and return to the universe just like all other life forms. This seems like saying that consciousness equals living forever in a conscious form.

We were not conscious before we were conceived and even for a while after we were born. Why would be we conscious forever after we're dead? SOmething to think about.

How would you possibly know that? Think about this - A baby living in his mother's uterus has absolutely no consciousness of a world outside that womb. But he is fully concious. He has no idea that he is loved unconditionally by another being, but he is literally a part of her. It may be very much the same for us and our Source. He/She is here. We are a part of God. Most of us just rarely see that.

A baby inside mother's womb is not fully conscious. A rock can be loved "unconditionally" by another being, no consciousness required. A fully conscious adult can be knocked out by a punch or by drugs and be completely unconscious and aware of the passage of time upon awakening. These are facts. the above is speculation and whishful thinking

[Anonymous]

As with God, if the afterlife didn't exist, then we would create it. It's a helpful construct for our mental well-being.

As I get older there have been many occasions when I have seen the grieving comforted by the existence of an afterlife; the recently deceased has been healed of their deadly affliction and is now whole, that a lonely widower has been reunited with their life-long love, that a 86 year old mother of seven can finally hold her child who died six decades earlier on the day of its birth.

I imagine that the afterlife, if it exists, is beyond our comprehension. But who knows? I don't.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:As with God, if the afterlife didn't exist, then we would create it. It's a helpful construct for our mental well-being.

As I get older there have been many occasions when I have seen the grieving comforted by the existence of an afterlife; the recently deceased has been healed of their deadly affliction and is now whole, that a lonely widower has been reunited with their life-long love, that a 86 year old mother of seven can finally hold her child who died six decades earlier on the day of its birth.

I imagine that the afterlife, if it exists, is beyond our comprehension. But who knows? I don't.

I think you mean by the belief in the existence of an afterlife. It certainly is a nice thought, in the sadness accompanying a death, to imagine something good coming out of it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:As with God, if the afterlife didn't exist, then we would create it. It's a helpful construct for our mental well-being.

As I get older there have been many occasions when I have seen the grieving comforted by the existence of an afterlife; the recently deceased has been healed of their deadly affliction and is now whole, that a lonely widower has been reunited with their life-long love, that a 86 year old mother of seven can finally hold her child who died six decades earlier on the day of its birth.

I imagine that the afterlife, if it exists, is beyond our comprehension. But who knows? I don't.

I think you mean by the belief in the existence of an afterlife. It certainly is a nice thought, in the sadness accompanying a death, to imagine something good coming out of it.

Not what I meant at all. "Something good coming out of it" is when I see painful suffering end at that moment of death. Words fail me in describing the journey that comes in the months and years down the road when our thoughts dwell on the departed. There's more there but I don't think I could convince you of it. (Is that you, Linda?)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:As with God, if the afterlife didn't exist, then we would create it. It's a helpful construct for our mental well-being.

As I get older there have been many occasions when I have seen the grieving comforted by the existence of an afterlife; the recently deceased has been healed of their deadly affliction and is now whole, that a lonely widower has been reunited with their life-long love, that a 86 year old mother of seven can finally hold her child who died six decades earlier on the day of its birth.

I imagine that the afterlife, if it exists, is beyond our comprehension. But who knows? I don't.

I think you mean by the belief in the existence of an afterlife. It certainly is a nice thought, in the sadness accompanying a death, to imagine something good coming out of it.

Not what I meant at all. "Something good coming out of it" is when I see painful suffering end at that moment of death. Words fail me in describing the journey that comes in the months and years down the road when our thoughts dwell on the departed. There's more there but I don't think I could convince you of it. (Is that you, Linda?)

Thinking about RM?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think there is some sort of existence, and I don't believe in God. I don't attach it to religion at all. But to the fact nobody can explain consciousness yet. And that energy never disappears. That energy could just be trapped here on earth somehow. Who knows? But I don't base my life around this belief, either. If there isn't, then we just all go to sleep.

That's one possibility - one of many, including whatever human consciousness can imagine -- and the one that allows for eternal life, just as some religions do. It negates the possibility or likelihood that humans die and return to the universe just like all other life forms. This seems like saying that consciousness equals living forever in a conscious form.

We were not conscious before we were conceived and even for a while after we were born. Why would be we conscious forever after we're dead? SOmething to think about.

How would you possibly know that? Think about this - A baby living in his mother's uterus has absolutely no consciousness of a world outside that womb. But he is fully concious. He has no idea that he is loved unconditionally by another being, but he is literally a part of her. It may be very much the same for us and our Source. He/She is here. We are a part of God. Most of us just rarely see that.

A baby inside mother's womb is not fully conscious. A rock can be loved "unconditionally" by another being, no consciousness required. A fully conscious adult can be knocked out by a punch or by drugs and be completely unconscious and aware of the passage of time upon awakening. These are facts. the above is speculation and whishful thinking

I really disagree with this. A full term infant is fully conscious inside or outside the womb. To compare an infant to a rock makes no sense. We could argue about when consciousness is created in potential life . They are certainly not as aware as an adult. But they are conscious beings able to see hear, interpret, and even manipulate their environment. I am not as conscious - as spiritually awake - as Jesus, Ghandi, His Holiness the Dali Lama, Buddha, Mohammed, or any of the other great faith leaders. But I am certainly conscious. A baby doesn't have my level of understanding (or maybe he does) but he is a fully conscious being.

[Anonymous]

Nope. Make the most of it!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:People who don't believe in God need to read books and watch videos by Alvin Planiga and Greg Bahnsen. Watching the debates between Dr. James White and Dan Barker would also help. If all you consider is Science, the logical position is Agnosticism, not Atheism.

Agnostics don't believe in God, either. They don't know one way or the other. That, to me, is not believing. You need to have an active faith to believe in God. And agnostics don't have it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think there is some sort of existence, and I don't believe in God. I don't attach it to religion at all. But to the fact nobody can explain consciousness yet. And that energy never disappears. That energy could just be trapped here on earth somehow. Who knows? But I don't base my life around this belief, either. If there isn't, then we just all go to sleep.

That's one possibility - one of many, including whatever human consciousness can imagine -- and the one that allows for eternal life, just as some religions do. It negates the possibility or likelihood that humans die and return to the universe just like all other life forms. This seems like saying that consciousness equals living forever in a conscious form.

We were not conscious before we were conceived and even for a while after we were born. Why would be we conscious forever after we're dead? SOmething to think about.

How would you possibly know that? Think about this - A baby living in his mother's uterus has absolutely no consciousness of a world outside that womb. But he is fully concious. He has no idea that he is loved unconditionally by another being, but he is literally a part of her. It may be very much the same for us and our Source. He/She is here. We are a part of God. Most of us just rarely see that.

A baby inside mother's womb is not fully conscious. A rock can be loved "unconditionally" by another being, no consciousness required. A fully conscious adult can be knocked out by a punch or by drugs and be completely unconscious and aware of the passage of time upon awakening. These are facts. the above is speculation and whishful thinking

I really disagree with this. A full term infant is fully conscious inside or outside the womb. To compare an infant to a rock makes no sense. We could argue about when consciousness is created in potential life . They are certainly not as aware as an adult. But they are conscious beings able to see hear, interpret, and even manipulate their environment. I am not as conscious - as spiritually awake - as Jesus, Ghandi, His Holiness the Dali Lama, Buddha, Mohammed, or any of the other great faith leaders. But I am certainly conscious. A baby doesn't have my level of understanding (or maybe he does) but he is a fully conscious being.

no one (but immediate pp) compared a baby to a rock. And it doesn't matter what you don't agree on, a fetus has no awareness of what it is, where it is and what its potential is. All that will come later, with consciousness.

[Anonymous]

The way I look at it is that before we were born, if it were possible to be conscious then, there would be no way for us to imagine the world we live in. This world existed before we did. Likewise, after we die, there's no way to know the next reality, if there is one or not. For all we know, there could be another world waiting for us. We can't comprehend all the possibilities. It's also entirely possible there isn't an afterlife. A lot of what people think of as energy or a spirit is really just the brain. The brain sends impulses down the spine which animates the body. When the body dies, the candle is snuffed out. All movement stops. Bodies are like cars except for what they are made of. Cars need a spark to start and to move, but when the spark or engine is turned off, the car still remains because it's made of metal. A body needs a spark or reaction to be alive, but when the spark is put out (death), the body doesn't stick around like a car because it's made of organic matter which will decompose. What's left are basic elements like calcium and water which are released to become "one" with the rest of the world, universe, God, Mother Nature, or whatever you want to call it. Those elements can get reused and become part of a new life on this earth.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't know. I don't think so. But I'll admit that I like the idea of having my family members waiting to greet me on the other side.

I don't believe there's a God waiting to judge us after we die.

It's a nice idea. Like a homecoming. That's why it's so appealing. Doesn't make it true, though.

Who cares if it it "true" or not. It brings peace to my life.

I think this is why people go to church and "want" to believe there's afterlife. A lot of people cannot handle accepting "there is nothing else out there."

[Anonymous]

I can tell you all that when I was a teen and mourning my dad I had a sign that was explosive and scared the stuffing out of me. Others around me saw and heard nothing. I'll never forget it. No hallucination- real, so yes I know there is an afterlife and God is waiting.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I can tell you all that when I was a teen and mourning my dad I had a sign that was explosive and scared the stuffing out of me. Others around me saw and heard nothing. I'll never forget it. No hallucination- real, so yes I know there is an afterlife and God is waiting.

This is a sure sign that it was an hallucination.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I can tell you all that when I was a teen and mourning my dad I had a sign that was explosive and scared the stuffing out of me. Others around me saw and heard nothing. I'll never forget it. No hallucination- real, so yes I know there is an afterlife and God is waiting.

This is a sure sign that it was an hallucination.

nope- it was a message meant for only me, but nice try.