life after death, your view

[Josh-da-man]

Originally Posted by Groucho

Oh, there's a concrete way. And we'll all get to experience it!

Also, I just realized that "Reincarnation" isn't on the original poll. That's actually a very common belief world wide, but practically non-existent in Western culture.

Reincarnation isn't a part of the Abraham-based religions (Christianity, Judaism, Islam) but some vague belief in reincarnation isn't uncommon. There's some belief in past-life regression, and Shirley MacLain's "Out on a Limb" thing was quite popular about twenty-five years ago. I actually remember quite a few "churchy" people were reading that book when I was a kid.

Though belief in reincarnation seems to have dimished lately with the rise of conservative/evangelical Christianity and that "Left Behind" twaddle.

[Indy24LA]

I don't believe in an afterlife because to me, it's ridiculous and unsubstantiated. I can't believe something simply because I want to (or because some other people past and present believe it). But I'm not going to tell someone else not to believe. I am almost envious of peeps that "know" there's a 'soul sequel' when our bodies die. And when I tell them this, they say I could choose to believe too, but unfortunately, that's not how my mind works.

When we talk about believing in something, isn't the burden of proof on the folks who believe in it? Seems silly to ask someone to proof there is no afterlife.

I do however, believe in AfterMash.

[Anubis2005X]

Originally Posted by Indy24LA

I don't believe in an afterlife because to me, it's ridiculous and unsubstantiated. I can't believe something simply because I want to (or because some other people past and present believe it). But I'm not going to tell someone else not to believe. I am almost envious of peeps that "know" there's a 'soul sequel' when our bodies die. And when I tell them this, they say I could choose to believe too, but unfortunately, that's not how my mind works.

When we talk about believing in something, isn't the burden of proof on the folks who believe in it? Seems silly to ask someone to proof there is no afterlife.

I do however, believe in AfterMash.

I think most of it comes down to the level of importance that you place on the idea of faith.

[Matto1020]

As long as I live to see the final season of LOST I am happy with whatever happens.

[RagingBull80]

Originally Posted by Anubis2005X

I'm rather surprised that so many here don't believe in any afterlife at all. Is it that you don't believe it's at all possible, or just that you don't know?

I'm an atheist. Therefore I don't believe in god, afterlife, etc. Does that mean that there isn't something there? Absolutely not. I don't think there is but I can't be for sure because no one knows. No. One. Knows. Not religious people. Not atheists. I won't tell someone that there is nothing up there but by that same rationale I don't want someone telling me there is something up there.

No one knows so why base your life around something like religion? The same could be said for atheism but atheists seem to enjoy life for what it is. It's the only one you get.

Originally Posted by Ranger

I know many people who think life would be totally pointless if there was no afterlife - I strongly disagree. To me, if there is no afterlife, then that makes life itself much, much more precious.

This.

[The Edit King]

Originally Posted by Dr Mabuse

"Everything science has taught me - and continues to teach me - strengthens my belief in the continuity of our spiritual existence after death. Nothing disappears without a trace." - Wernher von Braun

Walt Disney meets Wernher von Braun in 1954!

[The Bus]

Originally Posted by Senor Javi

Crackpots and anecdotes are worthless. You will always find the "I was skeptical until I saw it for myself" scientists and bizarre hallucination/delusion/"experience" for every paranormal b.s. meme around. Surely, you aren't suggesting they are all real.

The Bible is anecdotes.

[The Bus]

Originally Posted by Dr Mabuse

say the Bardo Thodol, the Tibetan Book Of The Dead.

Sounds like a George Lucas alien name.

[imperator505]

Originally Posted by Sorraffy

When I'm just thinking about life I think that everything runs so perfectly in the world/universe that it can't just all be evolution and science that got us to this point.

People first came into the universe living on the perfect planet and the human body .... well that's just an amazing thing in itself with how it keeps us going.

Well, lots of it doesn't run so perfectly.

The perfect planet has seen the demise of 100s of thousands, if not millions, of species which have come and gone. For most living beings life is a constant struggle - one step away from annihilation. Starvation, disease, predation, war, earthquake, meteor strike, or - if you are lucky - old age. Life, in the state of nature, is "solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short" to quote Thomas Hobbes.

And the human body - whilst I agree, amazing - is also far from perfect. From children born with crippling diseases, living short, painful lives to older people with increasing physical frailty and mental decay and all the problems in between.

Don't get me wrong. Life can be great - but a perfect world it isn't!

[Brian Shannon]

Originally Posted by The Bus

The Bible is anecdotes.

Waiting for heads to explode

[Groucho]

Originally Posted by The Bus

The Bible is anecdotes.

And Satan is the poison!

[OutRun2]

Originally Posted by Brian Shannon

When the electronic impulses in the brain stop, the person is dead. There is no life after that.

Aaaaand your proof of this is......?

[imperator505]

Originally Posted by Mrs. Danger

Really, the only way to get any hard data on this issue is for someone to go the the afterlife, then come back and report.

The problem is, the only reports we have are from discorporate beings who can't be considered as reliable as mortal men. After all, you can sue a mortal if he fudges his data.

Here's our man...

Originally Posted by arminius

1963 Ford Falcon with a 3 speed manual on the column and a straight 6. The car I was pronounced dead in. Great first car as you could go ten tenths and not have it get out of hand.

[Anubis2005X]

Originally Posted by RagingBull80

No one knows so why base your life around something like religion?

Because it gives me some hope in an otherwise pretty cruel and heartless world.

[Indy24LA]

Originally Posted by imperator505

Well, lots of it doesn't run so perfectly.

The perfect planet has seen the demise of 100s of thousands, if not millions, of species which have come and gone. For most living beings life is a constant struggle - one step away from annihilation. Starvation, disease, predation, war, earthquake, meteor strike, or - if you are lucky - old age. Life, in the state of nature, is "solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short" to quote Thomas Hobbes.

And the human body - whilst I agree, amazing - is also far from perfect. From children born with crippling diseases, living short, painful lives to older people with increasing physical frailty and mental decay and all the problems in between.

Don't get me wrong. Life can be great - but a perfect world it isn't!

True, think about all the improvements man is and has been trying to make on "perfection". From the elimination of diseases to being able to grow foods more efficiently and in places where it hasn't grown before.

[Brian Shannon]

Originally Posted by OutRun2

Aaaaand your proof of this is......?

Proof? You mean there are dead people walking around? And no, I don't mean politicians.

If you are suggesting that something else "happens", neither you nor I, nor anyone else in this thread or on this planet knows that answer. That makes my "proof" as objective as your "proof".

I'll stick with what I can observe with my own senses.

[Indy24LA]

Originally Posted by Brian Shannon

Proof? You mean there are dead people walking around? And no, I don't mean politicians.

If you are suggesting that something else "happens", neither you nor I, nor anyone else in this thread or on this planet knows that answer. That makes my "proof" as objective as your "proof".

I'll stick with what I can observe with my own senses.

Like I said before, I don't think the burden of proof is on you. It's like talking about black holes and saying someone has to prove they don't exist.

[The Edit King]

During my many thrilling adventures throughout the world at large, I thought I heard someone say somewhere that you can't prove a negative.

-Dr. Edward King, Famous World Traveler

[Indy24LA]

Originally Posted by The Edit King

During my many thrilling adventures throughout the world at large, I thought I heard someone say somewhere that you can't prove a negative.

-Dr. Edward King, Famous World Traveler

Does this mean I cannot prove that the ancient Romans did not watch Spongebob Squarepants?

[imperator505]

Originally Posted by Indy24LA

Does this mean I cannot prove that the ancient Romans did not watch Spongebob Squarepants?

Have a go - and remember "the absence of evidence is not evidence of absence".

[The Edit King]

For it has been said...

'I thought a thought that I thought I had thought but the thought that I had thought wasn't the thought that I had thought I had thought so maybe if I had thought the thought that I thought I thought I wouldn't of thought so much.'

-The Edit King Master

[rw2516]

Originally Posted by The Edit King

For it has been said...

'I thought a thought that I thought I had thought but the thought that I had thought wasnt the thought that I had thought I had thought so maybe if I had thought the thought that I thought I thought I wouldn't of thought so much.'

-The Edit King Master

That's what I thought. I think

[Indy24LA]

Originally Posted by imperator505

Have a go - and remember "the absence of evidence is not evidence of absence".

Remember, the unaimed arrow never misses its target.

[The Edit King]

Originally Posted by Indy24LA

Remember, the unaimed arrow never misses its target.

The same could be said of a loaded double barrel shotgun in the hands of a blind man.

[Mrs. Danger]

I wonder what the market for after-life insurance would be? I know Indulgences used to bring in the big bucks.