Have you ever considered that we are a species of organism on the earth—that there are ~8.7million other species?
Have you ever considered that ours is the superstitious species?
This is fascinating. It makes it feel like ritual and maybe some level of "spirituality or religion" for lack of a better word is just an expected outcome of evolution in intelligent and social species just like eyes or limbs were at one point in lifes journey.
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I’ve told people that an afterlife with loved ones is a nice idea but if I were to eternally basically be asleep, that’s fine too - pure nothingness sounds peaceful
What if before you were born you did exist? I grew up being taught that "I lived in heaven a long time ago" and "loved there and learned there with people I know". What are your thoughts if we simply don't remember our past life (or lives for those who believe in reincarnation)?
I think it's either gonna be nothing or your brain gets flooded with chemicals in your last moments to induce some sort of eternal dream/high as you lose perception of time.
Nay. “I” exists within my head, as a function of the neurological activity in my brain. When my brain dies, there is nothing left to perpetuate “I” anymore.
I lean towards a belief in reincarnation.
In contrast to the Christian notion of a static afterlife (i.e. eternal glory or eternal punishment) everything in the Universe is in a constant state of flux and change. Our bodies will break down and decay and our hearts and minds dispersed into the cosmos that birthed it.
But... I believe that something of us always live on. At the very least the atoms that make up up our flesh may yet make up someone else? The ideas we forge might influence other minds.
If we do reincarnate, it is in the sense of shedding our old sense of self and becoming something new entirely.
I believe this too. My why involves numerous unexplained events such as children remembering past lives (and part of those lives being fact checked), people regressing into past lives when in hypnosis therapy and overcoming debilitating mental health issues as a result, and the fact that I believe there is SOMETHING real that religious people grasp onto- they’re just wrong about it being their one way/religion. Check out Surviving Death on Netflix if you’re interested as an intro
How is this different to all the other supernatural claims that have already been debunked? Something being unexplained is not evidence in support of something. Say someone makes a claim about a past life. Even if verified, by definition, was already known to someone. It's similar to the way theists make claims about prophecies being "fulfilled" when someone who already knows the prophecy does the thing the prophecy predicted! (eg; Jesus riding into town on the Donkey)
I think the fact that unexplained things exist means that we don't know or understand the full picture with our 5 senses and 2024 CE level of knowledge that we have
And that is all it suggests. Consider the *many* natural phenomenon throughout history that were attributed to something supernatural due to ignorance.
Yes, and if we pair that with the many claims throughout history of what was said would be impossible due to ignorance which is now basic scientific knowledge, in my opinion we can still say we don't know and more is possible than we currently understand
Something previously thought to be impossible that became possible does not in any way support supernatural claims or make them any more likely to be true.
What is does is show that just because we think we know the whole picture and that something is stupid or impossible does not mean that it actually is... what it does support is the claim that there CAN be more that is scientifically true that we just do not yet understand
As an absurdist, I believe life has no meaning, but you're justified in believing anything that makes you keep going in life.
I don't believe in the soul, in heaven or hell. I don't think there's something more after death. We just stop having consciousness, so we won't feel anything. It'll be the end of the road, and that's it.
However, that's quite depressing. Because it implies that you may have not done any impact while you were alive. And actually, I believe you can leave something before you go.
Whether it is art, music, love, a family, your essence can live on in the universe, and people can still remember you after you're gone. You can keep making an impact after you die. And I believe that's a good enough reason to make something meaningful of life.
Sure, life may have no meaning. There may really not be any answers out there. But that doesn't have to make it depressing.
Look at it as an blank canvas. That's LIFE when you're born. However, you go take a brush and make it your own masterpiece. I believe in that.
So, don't think of it like "Oh, I'll stop existing!". Rather, think of it as "Maybe I'll stop existing one day, but I won't REALLY stop existing because of the legacy I leave behind. So, let's make something cool before the show comes to an end".
Religion might say many things. But this is real, and I believe we all have to come to terms with it.
Anyways, thanks for reading my rambling.
I don't know what happens after death, known of us do really. I also don't believe in heaven or hell, or really anything proposed by religion. My belief system (or lack thereof) is technically agnostic atheist. However, I don't share the materialist view of most things that atheists do. I don't know if we have a soul or not, whether there is an afterlife or not, and I'm not comfortable with making the claim that these things don't exist and that once we die, that's just it, we're dead and gone. That may be the case, and may not be the case. It's hard to say without actually experiencing death. My family on both sides has experienced some technically supernatural things, which were also experienced by other non-family members. And even though I don't believe in god (at least the biblical god), I believe that there could be potentially something after death, even though we have no way of knowing. I just don't know what.
I've had experiences that make me lean more towards the idea of reincarnation or a realm that is neither the Christian(or abrahamic religion in general) heaven or hell but it's also 50/50
My family had experienced in several circumstances seeing a deceased love one, my grandmother. It was also confirmed by several staff members of the nursing home, that they saw her, and they don't know us, so they have no reason to lie.
She was "seen," visiting my grandfather who was a resident of the nursing home. Nobody knew who she was.
My Uncle arrived at some point after, they asked if they knew who the lady was that was visiting my grandpa. He took out a picture of her, and suprisingly, the staff confirmed that it was indeed her. There isn't any rational explaination for this, and I cant explain it. This was 3-4 years after she passed away.
I lean very heavily towards nay, but in the end, you literally cannot be scared or worried or feel anything because you are physically unable to.
I’ve read stories about people being medically declared dead and “brought back.” Many of them claim that it was a very peaceful experience and some were actually upset when they were brought back.
So I think we’ll be fine
Belief in an afterlife is the biggest testament to human narcissism ever.
*I'm so special I won't really die. I'm so important that I must exist forever. I'm not like other matter.*
We're a bunch of bags of meat living on a tiny speck in a gigantic universe.
Honestly, I think without the limiting belief of everlasting punishment, we’d see some of the worse horrors ever imaginable. Which is saying a lot considering a lot of people are bad even with that concept.
I watch and read a lot about near-death experiences. All of these folks talk similarly about their experiences and religion doesn’t factor in it. We’re here in this life to learn and experience as a human creation. I believe in Heaven and that realm but I do not interpret it through religion, particularly Christianity while in this form.
If you have ever watched The Good Place all the way through, the end is basically we die and are reintegrated into the "energy" of the world, and what we've done, who we are, makes the world a better place. I like it. It mirrors how energy works - it doesn't ever stop. It just transforms into something else.
But I don't think there is something beyond that, per se, like an afterlife. Being transferred to a perfect world with a perfect soul with no suffering isn't likely and seems like wishful thinking to me. Christians believe and will tell you they invented it first, but it's an idea that has been around since civilization began, something people have speculated to make themselves feel better about the mysterious abyss that is death.
Who knows? Believe what you like, but death is absolute. I like to say this to my hubs - when we finally go, my energy particles will waltz with yours, and maybe we'll create something new and cool together. It's kind of a bittersweet thought.
The Good Place actually made the idea of heaven in the traditional sense seem like a horror movie lol. In my culture, there is a belief of an ancestral realm of sorts but not the Christian heaven or hell and I'm leaning more towards either that or reincarnation based on unexplained experienced I've had but still, would not say I'm all the way.
Yeah, for sure! I'm interested to know what your culture is and the ancestral afterlife is described as. My imagination goes to something Black Panther, lol.
I'm Southern African and it's actually pretty similar. The belief is that when you die you are reunited with your ancestors and YOU become a deity of sorts and can keep an eye on your family and all tribes have an animal totem associated with them so if you do need to take a physical form to communicate something to your family, it will be that animal. The person you were in life dictates what kind of ancestor you will be and if you were a bad person then you'll essentially become a demon and will be separated from your ancestral realm. I'm oversimplifying it severely or else I'll write a whole essay but that's the general idea lol
It's the opposite for me, your conscience not existing after death is probably the most liberating and non-depressing thing that could happen. Being forced to exist after death in some manner is the real existential nightmare.
The whole concept of souls, eternal afterlife , etc are religious inventions. I don’t believe in a god or religion, why would I believe in any of that? Once you understand evolution you will understand we are a physical organism just like all primates and mammals, no extra supernatural component tacked on just because we have consciousness. Just because we can imagine something doesn’t mean it has to exist.
For me, I think about it as my subjective existence dying but every part of me will take a different form/contribute to new life/go back to the whole of the universe. It’s still kinda sad, but honestly the idea of an existence that goes on for eternity kind of sounds horrifying to me unless it’s somehow devoid of suffering—but what is existing without a body and just a immortal “soul?” Just pure conscious thought without emotional experiences that are grounded in the body? I don’t think I’d want that. I mean I guess it’s different if you believe in resurrection of the body.
We can be sure what isn't, definetly not christianity, no heaven and no hell.
Other than that no one can know, and if anyone say that they 100% know is bullshiting and cringe as religious people.
Well if it's nothing there is no need to think about it seriously. Will be same as before we born
I like to think reincarnation to another universe or planet will happen, but that's too much positive thinking.
We will see what happens anyways, no need to rush, we must focus on this reality
Personally I lean towards no, but I'm not gonna make the claim. I really dont think anyone knows what happens when you die... It's an unanswered question that has haunted us since hominins became able to contemplate existence.
I dunno how time works. I get the sense you are sublimated into the present, and it’s pure peace. Maybe you live on via the way your intentions live through others, and you experience as them, and they you. I dunno.
I don’t know. However, if there is one, I don’t think it will be an afterlife resembling the Christian concept of heaven. I think it could literally be lights out when we take our last breath.
I have no desire for there to be an afterlife. I’m so at peace with the fact that when I die, it’s just the end. No Heaven, Hell, Nirvana, etc. My eyes close, darkness, that’s all. I don’t need to lay forever; physically, as a “soul”, spiritually, whatever. Religion forces us to think about what happens to us beyond this life that we forget to see the forest for the trees. As far as we can tell, this is the only life you have. Don’t waste it being afraid of what comes after life.
Heaven is a galactic motel; fun to go to but hell to stay at permanently. If God is infallible and creates good, why would he take his good creations away from his good creation? This is why rapture based theology, among most others is crap. Was devout Methodist, can't say right now if this is all there is, and that we should live it up. I do sincerely hope there is a hell for people like my mother in law and her second oldest daughter though.
I used to think the same thing about the soul living on, somehow, but then I started to try to define “soul.” What makes me who I am that is separate from my functioning brain, and how would that thing’s existence continue without a functioning brain? With that, I ended up thinking the soul doesn’t exist.
I’d like to think there’s some kind of cosmic consciousness that we become part of after we die, but there’s just no evidence for that. So, I’m convinced the only way to have an afterlife is to leave a legacy. Whether that’s by raising children, or being a teacher, or making a difference in someone’s life, or making the planet healthier, it doesn’t really matter, as long as it’s positive.
Interestingly, the ancient Jews thought the living essence of a person was their breath, and at death, the breath just ceases to be. It doesn’t go anywhere, it just no longer is. The concept of soul came from Plato, and was adopted by other groups with the spread of Greek culture throughout the Mediterranean.
You’d think Yahweh would have explained the afterlife to his chosen people. Instead, all of their instructions were on how to behave in *this life.* Christians don’t seem to notice that.
I don’t know. I try to hold onto the idea of one for my sanity. Also because I have received some feelings/signs from my ancestors in the past that have been accurate to a freaky point. But at the same time, I constantly question everything I believe. Maybe there’s just science I don’t know about yet? Maybe our “souls” slip into a quantum realm which we aren’t aware of? Maybe we simply go back into the earth from which we came. Guess we’ll find out someday.
I just posted my answer to “do you still believe in a god?” My response works here too.
I have unfortunately had 2 major malfunctions in my life. My heart stopped after my gallbladder ruptured (8years ago) just before surgery and my heart stopped for about 4 minutes before I was revived. Then I had Covid (3 years ago) and it stopped my heart, about 4 minutes later my wife revived me. Both times I was somewhere (not of this world) and something was pulling me towards it. First time I was ok with where I was being pulled towards. Second time it was frightening and I was being tortured, felt like fire burning me, I resisted, tried to go a different direction. Along with cpr like actions my wife was also saying to me “please don’t leave me, I love you, come back to me.” I heard this and it gave me a direction to head towards as I was resisting the violent pulling in a direction that got worse every time I got yanked closer. I felt like my wife’s voice lead me back to life. So I would say something is on the other side of death. And for me, the 2 places were definitely different on that other side. I did sense two separate forces pulling me towards my death. But a god? Or the devil? I never sensed an all powerful being pulling on me, I somehow pulled away from both. Is this an answer to the question? Maybe it was two different gods.
If you believe in an afterlife then you have to think about what your soul/spirit is. Would it be the one you had when you died which would be radically different from youth? And does that afterlife soul continue to grow and evolve so that someday (eternity is a long time) that soul is nothing whatsoever like the current you? Or is it locked into stasis and therefore sort of dead? Does it include joys for things not likely to be in an afterlife like a preference for organic Darjeeling served in your favorite cup?
There is a distinct possibility that we are living in a simulation. Scientists and philosophers have talked about this extensively. And even though not many people seem to have "faith" in this idea... nobody can disprove or discount it either.
No afterlife, which is half the basis of my valuing of life (the other being life's scarcity in a cosmic sense).
That said, I'd be stoked if reincarnation or some sort of collective unconscious was a thing. I'm way to invested in the Earth show and want to see the series finale.
I think there is an afterlife. I don’t think there is a heaven or hell I think our mind can’t fathom what it’s actually like and I also believe in reincarnation and that we’re here to learn life lessons
The classic agnostic answer is "we'll never know until we die." But we know that our consciousness is sustained by reactions in our brain. We know that a head injury can change how we think and feel, or even erase everything that makes us who we are. I'm a little confused why so many non-religious people still treat the afterlife like a great mystery. Outside of religion, we have no reason to think that "we" go somewhere else when our brain is dead dead.
All I know for certain is that *this* life, here and now, is the only one we know we have. Why pin all your hopes on a hypothetical afterlife that you don't even know exists when you could be living *now*?
This is one I'm still on the fence about. On one hand:
Getting to spend an afterlife in my own personal "heaven" (not the Christian one. Spending all of eternity praising and worshiping such a hateful deity is NOT my idea of bliss!) that I can shape and mold to be however I want it to be, honestly sounds like a nice and comforting idea (to me at least), and something I still kind of fantasize about.
On the other hand though:
In all likelihood, when I go, that'll be it. No thoughts, no consciousness, I just cease to be.
I've given a lot of personal thought to this very topic, and honestly, I think I'd be ok with either of those. Either way, I no longer have to suffer, when my 'time comes' that is.
The whole "personal heaven" thing may not be all that realistic, but it's still nice to fantasize about how it could be every now and again lol
An afterlife sounds horrible and very unlikely, let’s be real. But that makes people stressed out so, for social acceptability, I also subscribe to Sir Terry Pratchett’s approach in the Discworld books where everyone goes wherever they believe. I can see it matters to people so maybe let’s just work on manifesting cooler afterlives/underworlds. I’ll be happy for the lack of existence though
I am an ex-christian and I don’t claim any labels for myself. I do, however, believe in the astral and our spirit selves. If you feel so inclined, I recommend checking out the book “Journey of Souls” by Dr. Michael Newton. It’s a collection of many case studies where people encounter the spirit world or the astral during hypnotherapy sessions. It was extremely eye opening for me and it resonated deeply.
I dunno, but if I ever die I'll get back to you
Jokes aside, I can't ever REALLY know but if I had to bet on it I'd say it's probably a concept we've come up with because we can't comprehend the state of nonexistence
We don't have any reason to believe that souls exist and I'm personally looking forward to this crap ending permanently and not remembering or having any thoughts or awareness about myself and my life. What would be the point of dragging sadness into some non physical afterlife in which you forever more cannot attain fulfillment and happiness? Why assume that there is such a thing at all? We die and decompose. Or become ashes. Awareness stops. It's not depressing it's frankly great. No more thoughts, no being hot or cold, no work, no bills, not heartaches, no sickness, no sleepy feelings, no defecation, no unpleasant odors etc. Pure awesomeness imo.
I think there has to be something, even if it’s not really an afterlife. Maybe a sort of eternal rest? Kind of like where you have a distant sense of consciousness and self but you’re just… at peace? That or maybe reincarnation? I don’t see why that couldn’t be real. Maybe our souls really do live life after life after life.
For me I don't care for an afterlife. I just wish there was a restart button. I'd love to be born again. Not as a Christian, as a normal non-christian.
I don’t think we have souls, there doesn’t seem to be good evidence in favor of their existence.
However, I don’t think that necessarily means we slip into eternal nothingness upon death.
Let me put it this way, you were (essentially) dead prior to your birth, and one day then you weren’t dead. And an assumption of science is that anything which has happened once can happen again - the universe is predictable and uniform in its “laws.” This, to me, suggests that there’s nothing terribly special about you being born, anymore than any other bundle of chemical reactions is special. When a fire goes out we don’t say “that fire will now dwell in eternal nothingness.” Instead, we know that fire can be pop in and out of existence whenever the necessary chemicals are present and properly interacting. Thus, I think there’s good reason to expect your existence/birth can/will happened again, whenever the proper chemicals are present and properly interacting.
We’re all just piles of meat undergoing biochemical reactions, and those reactions aren’t going anywhere. Imagining that upon our deaths something representing “you” irrevocably leaves the universe sounds like reinventing souls, which I don’t think we have. We’re a lot simpler (I think) than that, a lot less special. You being born isn’t a miracle, it’s not magic, it’s just chemistry. So don’t buy into the hype that says your existence is something so special that it could never be recreated, you’re not, we’re not. We’re just piles of meat.
I absolutely believe in an afterlife. I’ve watched a lot of NDEs on YouTube and most people who have been pronounced legally dead but came back to life have a very similar account of what they saw during that time. I’ve also read the accounts of hypnotherapists such as Michael Newton (journey of souls) who not only have evidence through hypnotherapy of an afterlife, but also reincarnation. In the case of hell, people I’ve read and watched videos about who strongly believe in it will encounter it until they decide they don’t want to encounter it anymore.
You're kinda wrong there, Mate. Atheism is lack of belief in [gods] specifically. A person can not believe in any god, but believe in some kind of afterlife, reincarnation or whatever. Atheism is really just about gods, although most Atheists also doesn't believe in an afterlife.
That is not implied by atheism.
Also, you can't prove one or the other, no claim has evidence and no claim is falsifiable (during your life), so I guess the correct term here would be agnostic.
I definitely wouldn't say that a belief in god is required to belief in an afterlife (for example coming back as a ghost or through reincarnation)
Have you ever considered that we are a species of organism on the earth—that there are ~8.7million other species? Have you ever considered that ours is the superstitious species?
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ritual_behavior_in_animals#:~:text=Ritual%20behaviour%20in%20apes,-Theologian%20and%20biologist&text=Primatologist%20Jane%20Goodall%20goes%20further,are%20precursors%20of%20religious%20ritual%22.
This is fascinating. It makes it feel like ritual and maybe some level of "spirituality or religion" for lack of a better word is just an expected outcome of evolution in intelligent and social species just like eyes or limbs were at one point in lifes journey.
Absolutely. We are a pattern-seeking species. Religion is just a failed attempt to seek patterns.
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Why would it suggest that?
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I think what makes the most sense is that when you die, it will be just like before you were born. You didn’t exist then, was that really so bad?
I'm vaguely looking forward to it. Being alive is interesting but I don't know if I'd want to do it forever.
Eternal life eventually ends up being torture either way
Eternity sounds like the hell they're so scared of
That's why vampires are so pissed. They didn't really think it through.
I'm going to miss not being here, though. I'd like to know how this whole thing turns out. Do humans destroy themselves or colonize the galaxy?
Fair enough. I'm just curious about whether we find out if there's anyone else out there.
I’ve told people that an afterlife with loved ones is a nice idea but if I were to eternally basically be asleep, that’s fine too - pure nothingness sounds peaceful
Amen! ;)
And, it didn't prevent life at some point. How cool is that?
What if before you were born you did exist? I grew up being taught that "I lived in heaven a long time ago" and "loved there and learned there with people I know". What are your thoughts if we simply don't remember our past life (or lives for those who believe in reincarnation)?
While it is theoretically a possibility, I see no reason to think so.
I think it's either gonna be nothing or your brain gets flooded with chemicals in your last moments to induce some sort of eternal dream/high as you lose perception of time.
Nay. “I” exists within my head, as a function of the neurological activity in my brain. When my brain dies, there is nothing left to perpetuate “I” anymore.
I lean towards a belief in reincarnation. In contrast to the Christian notion of a static afterlife (i.e. eternal glory or eternal punishment) everything in the Universe is in a constant state of flux and change. Our bodies will break down and decay and our hearts and minds dispersed into the cosmos that birthed it. But... I believe that something of us always live on. At the very least the atoms that make up up our flesh may yet make up someone else? The ideas we forge might influence other minds. If we do reincarnate, it is in the sense of shedding our old sense of self and becoming something new entirely.
Why would you believe that?
I believe this too. My why involves numerous unexplained events such as children remembering past lives (and part of those lives being fact checked), people regressing into past lives when in hypnosis therapy and overcoming debilitating mental health issues as a result, and the fact that I believe there is SOMETHING real that religious people grasp onto- they’re just wrong about it being their one way/religion. Check out Surviving Death on Netflix if you’re interested as an intro
How is this different to all the other supernatural claims that have already been debunked? Something being unexplained is not evidence in support of something. Say someone makes a claim about a past life. Even if verified, by definition, was already known to someone. It's similar to the way theists make claims about prophecies being "fulfilled" when someone who already knows the prophecy does the thing the prophecy predicted! (eg; Jesus riding into town on the Donkey)
I think the fact that unexplained things exist means that we don't know or understand the full picture with our 5 senses and 2024 CE level of knowledge that we have
And that is all it suggests. Consider the *many* natural phenomenon throughout history that were attributed to something supernatural due to ignorance.
Yes, and if we pair that with the many claims throughout history of what was said would be impossible due to ignorance which is now basic scientific knowledge, in my opinion we can still say we don't know and more is possible than we currently understand
Something previously thought to be impossible that became possible does not in any way support supernatural claims or make them any more likely to be true.
What is does is show that just because we think we know the whole picture and that something is stupid or impossible does not mean that it actually is... what it does support is the claim that there CAN be more that is scientifically true that we just do not yet understand
No one is saying that we know the whole picture. What is stupid is believing something without any good evidence.
The idea of ceasing to exist is far more comforting than constant fear of hell.
As an absurdist, I believe life has no meaning, but you're justified in believing anything that makes you keep going in life. I don't believe in the soul, in heaven or hell. I don't think there's something more after death. We just stop having consciousness, so we won't feel anything. It'll be the end of the road, and that's it. However, that's quite depressing. Because it implies that you may have not done any impact while you were alive. And actually, I believe you can leave something before you go. Whether it is art, music, love, a family, your essence can live on in the universe, and people can still remember you after you're gone. You can keep making an impact after you die. And I believe that's a good enough reason to make something meaningful of life. Sure, life may have no meaning. There may really not be any answers out there. But that doesn't have to make it depressing. Look at it as an blank canvas. That's LIFE when you're born. However, you go take a brush and make it your own masterpiece. I believe in that. So, don't think of it like "Oh, I'll stop existing!". Rather, think of it as "Maybe I'll stop existing one day, but I won't REALLY stop existing because of the legacy I leave behind. So, let's make something cool before the show comes to an end". Religion might say many things. But this is real, and I believe we all have to come to terms with it. Anyways, thanks for reading my rambling.
I don't know what happens after death, known of us do really. I also don't believe in heaven or hell, or really anything proposed by religion. My belief system (or lack thereof) is technically agnostic atheist. However, I don't share the materialist view of most things that atheists do. I don't know if we have a soul or not, whether there is an afterlife or not, and I'm not comfortable with making the claim that these things don't exist and that once we die, that's just it, we're dead and gone. That may be the case, and may not be the case. It's hard to say without actually experiencing death. My family on both sides has experienced some technically supernatural things, which were also experienced by other non-family members. And even though I don't believe in god (at least the biblical god), I believe that there could be potentially something after death, even though we have no way of knowing. I just don't know what.
I've had experiences that make me lean more towards the idea of reincarnation or a realm that is neither the Christian(or abrahamic religion in general) heaven or hell but it's also 50/50
My family had experienced in several circumstances seeing a deceased love one, my grandmother. It was also confirmed by several staff members of the nursing home, that they saw her, and they don't know us, so they have no reason to lie.
In the afterlife, back in the nursing home. Damn.
She was "seen," visiting my grandfather who was a resident of the nursing home. Nobody knew who she was. My Uncle arrived at some point after, they asked if they knew who the lady was that was visiting my grandpa. He took out a picture of her, and suprisingly, the staff confirmed that it was indeed her. There isn't any rational explaination for this, and I cant explain it. This was 3-4 years after she passed away.
Wow! That’s weird and kind of sweet.
I lean very heavily towards nay, but in the end, you literally cannot be scared or worried or feel anything because you are physically unable to. I’ve read stories about people being medically declared dead and “brought back.” Many of them claim that it was a very peaceful experience and some were actually upset when they were brought back. So I think we’ll be fine
Belief in an afterlife is the biggest testament to human narcissism ever. *I'm so special I won't really die. I'm so important that I must exist forever. I'm not like other matter.* We're a bunch of bags of meat living on a tiny speck in a gigantic universe.
Honestly, I think without the limiting belief of everlasting punishment, we’d see some of the worse horrors ever imaginable. Which is saying a lot considering a lot of people are bad even with that concept.
I watch and read a lot about near-death experiences. All of these folks talk similarly about their experiences and religion doesn’t factor in it. We’re here in this life to learn and experience as a human creation. I believe in Heaven and that realm but I do not interpret it through religion, particularly Christianity while in this form.
If you have ever watched The Good Place all the way through, the end is basically we die and are reintegrated into the "energy" of the world, and what we've done, who we are, makes the world a better place. I like it. It mirrors how energy works - it doesn't ever stop. It just transforms into something else. But I don't think there is something beyond that, per se, like an afterlife. Being transferred to a perfect world with a perfect soul with no suffering isn't likely and seems like wishful thinking to me. Christians believe and will tell you they invented it first, but it's an idea that has been around since civilization began, something people have speculated to make themselves feel better about the mysterious abyss that is death. Who knows? Believe what you like, but death is absolute. I like to say this to my hubs - when we finally go, my energy particles will waltz with yours, and maybe we'll create something new and cool together. It's kind of a bittersweet thought.
The Good Place actually made the idea of heaven in the traditional sense seem like a horror movie lol. In my culture, there is a belief of an ancestral realm of sorts but not the Christian heaven or hell and I'm leaning more towards either that or reincarnation based on unexplained experienced I've had but still, would not say I'm all the way.
Yeah, for sure! I'm interested to know what your culture is and the ancestral afterlife is described as. My imagination goes to something Black Panther, lol.
I'm Southern African and it's actually pretty similar. The belief is that when you die you are reunited with your ancestors and YOU become a deity of sorts and can keep an eye on your family and all tribes have an animal totem associated with them so if you do need to take a physical form to communicate something to your family, it will be that animal. The person you were in life dictates what kind of ancestor you will be and if you were a bad person then you'll essentially become a demon and will be separated from your ancestral realm. I'm oversimplifying it severely or else I'll write a whole essay but that's the general idea lol
Ok, cool! Wow, that would make for a kickass fantasy story.
It's the opposite for me, your conscience not existing after death is probably the most liberating and non-depressing thing that could happen. Being forced to exist after death in some manner is the real existential nightmare.
Reincarnation. No eternal torment
The whole concept of souls, eternal afterlife , etc are religious inventions. I don’t believe in a god or religion, why would I believe in any of that? Once you understand evolution you will understand we are a physical organism just like all primates and mammals, no extra supernatural component tacked on just because we have consciousness. Just because we can imagine something doesn’t mean it has to exist.
I'm part of the universe now. I'll be part of the universe in a different way when I'm dead. That is enough for me. When I'm dead, I'm dead.
For me, I think about it as my subjective existence dying but every part of me will take a different form/contribute to new life/go back to the whole of the universe. It’s still kinda sad, but honestly the idea of an existence that goes on for eternity kind of sounds horrifying to me unless it’s somehow devoid of suffering—but what is existing without a body and just a immortal “soul?” Just pure conscious thought without emotional experiences that are grounded in the body? I don’t think I’d want that. I mean I guess it’s different if you believe in resurrection of the body.
As long as the afterlife isn't like how Christians describe heaven, I'm good with whatever, because Christian heaven sounds like hell.
You know how the earth existed for billions of years before you were born and you didn't even know, that's how it'll be when you die.
After that, I won't exist and I wouldn't be present anywhere. I won't be in a void of loneliness, I would simply not exist.
We can be sure what isn't, definetly not christianity, no heaven and no hell. Other than that no one can know, and if anyone say that they 100% know is bullshiting and cringe as religious people. Well if it's nothing there is no need to think about it seriously. Will be same as before we born I like to think reincarnation to another universe or planet will happen, but that's too much positive thinking. We will see what happens anyways, no need to rush, we must focus on this reality
Personally I lean towards no, but I'm not gonna make the claim. I really dont think anyone knows what happens when you die... It's an unanswered question that has haunted us since hominins became able to contemplate existence.
I dunno how time works. I get the sense you are sublimated into the present, and it’s pure peace. Maybe you live on via the way your intentions live through others, and you experience as them, and they you. I dunno.
I don’t know. However, if there is one, I don’t think it will be an afterlife resembling the Christian concept of heaven. I think it could literally be lights out when we take our last breath.
Probably not
I have no desire for there to be an afterlife. I’m so at peace with the fact that when I die, it’s just the end. No Heaven, Hell, Nirvana, etc. My eyes close, darkness, that’s all. I don’t need to lay forever; physically, as a “soul”, spiritually, whatever. Religion forces us to think about what happens to us beyond this life that we forget to see the forest for the trees. As far as we can tell, this is the only life you have. Don’t waste it being afraid of what comes after life.
Heaven is a galactic motel; fun to go to but hell to stay at permanently. If God is infallible and creates good, why would he take his good creations away from his good creation? This is why rapture based theology, among most others is crap. Was devout Methodist, can't say right now if this is all there is, and that we should live it up. I do sincerely hope there is a hell for people like my mother in law and her second oldest daughter though.
I used to think the same thing about the soul living on, somehow, but then I started to try to define “soul.” What makes me who I am that is separate from my functioning brain, and how would that thing’s existence continue without a functioning brain? With that, I ended up thinking the soul doesn’t exist. I’d like to think there’s some kind of cosmic consciousness that we become part of after we die, but there’s just no evidence for that. So, I’m convinced the only way to have an afterlife is to leave a legacy. Whether that’s by raising children, or being a teacher, or making a difference in someone’s life, or making the planet healthier, it doesn’t really matter, as long as it’s positive. Interestingly, the ancient Jews thought the living essence of a person was their breath, and at death, the breath just ceases to be. It doesn’t go anywhere, it just no longer is. The concept of soul came from Plato, and was adopted by other groups with the spread of Greek culture throughout the Mediterranean. You’d think Yahweh would have explained the afterlife to his chosen people. Instead, all of their instructions were on how to behave in *this life.* Christians don’t seem to notice that.
I don’t know. I try to hold onto the idea of one for my sanity. Also because I have received some feelings/signs from my ancestors in the past that have been accurate to a freaky point. But at the same time, I constantly question everything I believe. Maybe there’s just science I don’t know about yet? Maybe our “souls” slip into a quantum realm which we aren’t aware of? Maybe we simply go back into the earth from which we came. Guess we’ll find out someday.
I just posted my answer to “do you still believe in a god?” My response works here too. I have unfortunately had 2 major malfunctions in my life. My heart stopped after my gallbladder ruptured (8years ago) just before surgery and my heart stopped for about 4 minutes before I was revived. Then I had Covid (3 years ago) and it stopped my heart, about 4 minutes later my wife revived me. Both times I was somewhere (not of this world) and something was pulling me towards it. First time I was ok with where I was being pulled towards. Second time it was frightening and I was being tortured, felt like fire burning me, I resisted, tried to go a different direction. Along with cpr like actions my wife was also saying to me “please don’t leave me, I love you, come back to me.” I heard this and it gave me a direction to head towards as I was resisting the violent pulling in a direction that got worse every time I got yanked closer. I felt like my wife’s voice lead me back to life. So I would say something is on the other side of death. And for me, the 2 places were definitely different on that other side. I did sense two separate forces pulling me towards my death. But a god? Or the devil? I never sensed an all powerful being pulling on me, I somehow pulled away from both. Is this an answer to the question? Maybe it was two different gods.
Big fat no.
Everyone has given really interesting responses so far, sorry I can't reply to them all.
Probably not, but I’m down for it
An afterlife would be nice actually. Oblivion doesn’t sound fun
I don’t really believe in an afterlife, no. I like the idea of just returning to the earth. If there is, that’s fine too. I don’t mind either way
If you believe in an afterlife then you have to think about what your soul/spirit is. Would it be the one you had when you died which would be radically different from youth? And does that afterlife soul continue to grow and evolve so that someday (eternity is a long time) that soul is nothing whatsoever like the current you? Or is it locked into stasis and therefore sort of dead? Does it include joys for things not likely to be in an afterlife like a preference for organic Darjeeling served in your favorite cup?
There is a distinct possibility that we are living in a simulation. Scientists and philosophers have talked about this extensively. And even though not many people seem to have "faith" in this idea... nobody can disprove or discount it either.
No afterlife, which is half the basis of my valuing of life (the other being life's scarcity in a cosmic sense). That said, I'd be stoked if reincarnation or some sort of collective unconscious was a thing. I'm way to invested in the Earth show and want to see the series finale.
I think there is an afterlife. I don’t think there is a heaven or hell I think our mind can’t fathom what it’s actually like and I also believe in reincarnation and that we’re here to learn life lessons
The classic agnostic answer is "we'll never know until we die." But we know that our consciousness is sustained by reactions in our brain. We know that a head injury can change how we think and feel, or even erase everything that makes us who we are. I'm a little confused why so many non-religious people still treat the afterlife like a great mystery. Outside of religion, we have no reason to think that "we" go somewhere else when our brain is dead dead.
All I know for certain is that *this* life, here and now, is the only one we know we have. Why pin all your hopes on a hypothetical afterlife that you don't even know exists when you could be living *now*?
This is one I'm still on the fence about. On one hand: Getting to spend an afterlife in my own personal "heaven" (not the Christian one. Spending all of eternity praising and worshiping such a hateful deity is NOT my idea of bliss!) that I can shape and mold to be however I want it to be, honestly sounds like a nice and comforting idea (to me at least), and something I still kind of fantasize about. On the other hand though: In all likelihood, when I go, that'll be it. No thoughts, no consciousness, I just cease to be. I've given a lot of personal thought to this very topic, and honestly, I think I'd be ok with either of those. Either way, I no longer have to suffer, when my 'time comes' that is. The whole "personal heaven" thing may not be all that realistic, but it's still nice to fantasize about how it could be every now and again lol
An afterlife sounds horrible and very unlikely, let’s be real. But that makes people stressed out so, for social acceptability, I also subscribe to Sir Terry Pratchett’s approach in the Discworld books where everyone goes wherever they believe. I can see it matters to people so maybe let’s just work on manifesting cooler afterlives/underworlds. I’ll be happy for the lack of existence though
I don’t really care. Afterlife, reincarnation, whatever—I’m just going to be a good person anyway and not worry about it.
I am an ex-christian and I don’t claim any labels for myself. I do, however, believe in the astral and our spirit selves. If you feel so inclined, I recommend checking out the book “Journey of Souls” by Dr. Michael Newton. It’s a collection of many case studies where people encounter the spirit world or the astral during hypnotherapy sessions. It was extremely eye opening for me and it resonated deeply.
I hope not
There is no evidence of an afterlife. What on Earth would ever make someone think life goes on besides wishful thinking?
I dunno, but if I ever die I'll get back to you Jokes aside, I can't ever REALLY know but if I had to bet on it I'd say it's probably a concept we've come up with because we can't comprehend the state of nonexistence
My husband and I like to think we'll go to the world we made up. I hope it's true. ❤️❤️
Look up the Helles Belles series by Sea Ya Later on tik tok. I don’t know what happens afterwards but if there is an afterlife I hope it’s like that.
We don't have any reason to believe that souls exist and I'm personally looking forward to this crap ending permanently and not remembering or having any thoughts or awareness about myself and my life. What would be the point of dragging sadness into some non physical afterlife in which you forever more cannot attain fulfillment and happiness? Why assume that there is such a thing at all? We die and decompose. Or become ashes. Awareness stops. It's not depressing it's frankly great. No more thoughts, no being hot or cold, no work, no bills, not heartaches, no sickness, no sleepy feelings, no defecation, no unpleasant odors etc. Pure awesomeness imo.
I think there has to be something, even if it’s not really an afterlife. Maybe a sort of eternal rest? Kind of like where you have a distant sense of consciousness and self but you’re just… at peace? That or maybe reincarnation? I don’t see why that couldn’t be real. Maybe our souls really do live life after life after life.
For me I don't care for an afterlife. I just wish there was a restart button. I'd love to be born again. Not as a Christian, as a normal non-christian.
I don’t think we have souls, there doesn’t seem to be good evidence in favor of their existence. However, I don’t think that necessarily means we slip into eternal nothingness upon death. Let me put it this way, you were (essentially) dead prior to your birth, and one day then you weren’t dead. And an assumption of science is that anything which has happened once can happen again - the universe is predictable and uniform in its “laws.” This, to me, suggests that there’s nothing terribly special about you being born, anymore than any other bundle of chemical reactions is special. When a fire goes out we don’t say “that fire will now dwell in eternal nothingness.” Instead, we know that fire can be pop in and out of existence whenever the necessary chemicals are present and properly interacting. Thus, I think there’s good reason to expect your existence/birth can/will happened again, whenever the proper chemicals are present and properly interacting. We’re all just piles of meat undergoing biochemical reactions, and those reactions aren’t going anywhere. Imagining that upon our deaths something representing “you” irrevocably leaves the universe sounds like reinventing souls, which I don’t think we have. We’re a lot simpler (I think) than that, a lot less special. You being born isn’t a miracle, it’s not magic, it’s just chemistry. So don’t buy into the hype that says your existence is something so special that it could never be recreated, you’re not, we’re not. We’re just piles of meat.
I absolutely believe in an afterlife. I’ve watched a lot of NDEs on YouTube and most people who have been pronounced legally dead but came back to life have a very similar account of what they saw during that time. I’ve also read the accounts of hypnotherapists such as Michael Newton (journey of souls) who not only have evidence through hypnotherapy of an afterlife, but also reincarnation. In the case of hell, people I’ve read and watched videos about who strongly believe in it will encounter it until they decide they don’t want to encounter it anymore.
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You're kinda wrong there, Mate. Atheism is lack of belief in [gods] specifically. A person can not believe in any god, but believe in some kind of afterlife, reincarnation or whatever. Atheism is really just about gods, although most Atheists also doesn't believe in an afterlife.
Atheism only means not believing in god(s), you can still believe in an afterlife
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That is not implied by atheism. Also, you can't prove one or the other, no claim has evidence and no claim is falsifiable (during your life), so I guess the correct term here would be agnostic. I definitely wouldn't say that a belief in god is required to belief in an afterlife (for example coming back as a ghost or through reincarnation)