Archived - A thread about nothing....

[Xyress]

I don't know what will happen (of course - nobody does) ... but actually reincarnation seems the most logical. Perhaps not from a human to a bunny rabbit instantaneously, but maybe your energy is just released back into the atmosphere and eventually you end up back in some other life form (usually with no knowledge of your past life).

Well, it's no stranger than any other religion that 90% of the world professes to believe in at any rate.

Interestingly, though I am entirely skeptical of all organized religions and gods, I very much believe in aliens and other things "supernatural". Some ghost stories are pretty darn convincing (including people that have had visions of past lives and traced them to an actual grave) ... and if ghosts are real, then what does that mean in the after-life debate?

[Xyress]

Originally posted by papajackow
This is mere curiosity, but how do you KNOW? I'm sure everyone would like to say they're going to heaven, but apparently not everyone is. So, what makes you so sure?

Heh - this is what gets me the most about the religious type. Everyone knows ... but of course they can't all know since they all conflict with one another. I could say that I know the Bible was written by man since that is almost certainly the case, but there is always that slim possibility that I could be wrong, because there is no way to know.

Let's face it - nobody knows. Let's take Christianity for a brief example ;) With all of the fragmentation of the Christian religion (which itself was a fragmentation of Judaism), how could any of the denominations be correct? Clearly none of them have any relationship with god unless he specifically chose one particular sect and decided to guide them in the right direction. Seems a bit odd for him to show favortism like that, doesn't it?

[Howard2k]

Originally posted by jeepfaned
i agree with "myuncle" on his(or her) thoughts on page 1...well said..and thats how i feel. we will all be judged by God when our time on earth is done,the way we live our life on earth will determain if we go to heaven or hell
i know for me..im in heaven

What if you picked the wrong religion? Maybe you'll see us in hell and the Muslim's will be laughing it up?

[FrstdOne]

I see it as one of three ways. Either we keep coming back until we get it right. We rejoin with the energy of the universe, or we rot in a box. Man I hope it's not the third one.

Originally posted by Xyress
I don't know what will happen (of course - nobody does) ... but actually reincarnation seems the most logical. Perhaps not from a human to a bunny rabbit instantaneously, but maybe your energy is just released back into the atmosphere and eventually you end up back in some other life form (usually with no knowledge of your past life).

In advance to everyone, I find this topic very interesting, and it makes me very curious. So, please do not read my questioning posts as confrontational or sarcastic. I'm merely curious, and probing for more answers :).

With that said, what do you believe a soul to be if you have no memory? Is the soul merely a base blueprint for memory to be tacked on to? Where souls contain some basic 'natures' or 'tendencies' and memories are only a byproduct of the souls passing through the world?

Originally posted by Xyress
Interestingly, though I am entirely skeptical of all organized religions and gods, I very much believe in aliens and other things "supernatural". Some ghost stories are pretty darn convincing (including people that have had visions of past lives and traced them to an actual grave) ... and if ghosts are real, then what does that mean in the after-life debate?

See, I don't believe believing in aliens, or ghosts is a far stretch to believe. There are many things in this world that humans do not know, nor are we aware. But, I do believe that all things can be learned and understood. It is only a matter of time.

[hnelson59]

read through the 3 pages so far and . . .

many interesting thoughts and comments which i appreciate. but i honestly did not want to get into a "religious" debate again. i am not after a thread like the one on same sex marriage. for those who have religious beliefs, like myself, those will reflect in how you view death.

FrstdOne had an interesting view . . .

I see it as one of three ways. Either we keep coming back until we get it right. We rejoin with the energy of the universe, or we rot in a box. Man I hope it's not the third one.

i may not agree, but it is his view. i think most of us know where we stand on religious convictions and beliefs. i am truly interested in how we feel about what happens after death . . . ;)

just my view from the sidelines

Originally posted by hnelson59
many interesting thoughts and comments which i appreciate. but i honestly did not want to get into a "religious" debate again.

Agreed. That's why I put the little advance at the beginning of my last post. I'm not trying to ruffle feathers, but get a better understanding of what people are thinking :).

[Xyress]

Heheh - so you want to have a discussion of the afterlife without invoking religion? Where have I heard that line before? :D :p

[hnelson59]

Originally posted by Xyress
Heheh - so you want to have a discussion of the afterlife without invoking religion? Where have I heard that line before? :D :p

nah - i know religion will be invoked, just don't want the same old debate . . . that got tiring after awhile. guess it really boils down to what we see as the purpose of life. is it just to live and die? is it to join a higher consciousness like in clarke's childhood's end? just wanna know folks thoughts for the reasons i stated at the outset. guess we'll see what happens!

Just a comment re:

how could any of the denominations be correct?

I do not profess to Know what is right, but live based upon that which I believe to be right. Most of the major similar religions have a qualifier paraphrased similar to this:

That God Will judge us by the intentions of our heart.

I think it is enough to, at your very core, INTEND to do the right thing by God.

Like when your kid is just clumsy and knock's over a lamp. It would be MUCH different if he/she carelessly was playing ball in the living room. The NET effect is the same, but the intention of their heart is much different.

Please acknowledge that I said that "it is not my party", I do not believe that I get to choose who gets to go. If I were overly concerned about who else was going to be there I probably have a problem that will prevent me from getting there in the first place.

Now I honestly believe that I am following Gods will. I am happy and content that even if I am wrong, I have lost nothing. I am happy with my life even without the prospect of an afterlife. I do not expect to panic on my death bed. I do expect to be sad to leave my friends and famly behind though. I will miss them, and I expect to be missed. I am sorrier for those that will be sad that I am gone than I am for myself.

I can not picture GOD as a Larger form of sports official, or someone waiting to catch us when we fail. I see him as the person who is in our corner trying to feed us the info we need to be successful. I do not believe those directions will be the same for each of us. We are all different and each have different needs.

Just my thought! Good day all!

[mtbballer]

All of these are interesting opinions. It seems there are 2 schools of thought here: scientific and religious. Scientific offers compelling evidence that's hard to dispute. However, the religious side evokes emotion and can and will be debated for years.

As for me, I believe the admittance into Heaven or Hell is what happens. Not to start a debate, it's just what I believe.

I hope this helps for your paper!

[Xyress]

Those are good thoughts, MyUncle - I think it is of utmost importance that people live their lives with the goal of being happy. If believing in a god makes you happy here on earth, then I think you've achieved that goal. If you can't imagine yourself as happy as you are now in a world without religion, then all the power to you.

I live my life with very high morals - the only difference between me and you in that regard is that I came up with my morals on my own (with a little help from my parents' upbringing). I don't feel that eating too much (gluttony) or having fantasies about soccer moms (coveting) are sins, but by and large, I try to do the right thing and make sure that I am courteous and helpful to others (I'm the guy that always lets people make turns or merge into my lane while driving - if only everyone were as courteous ;)).

I can't play Pascal's wager because I simply cannot lie to myself and say that I believe ... but I do hope that if, by some chance, there is a heaven where admittance is determined by your moral creed, I will be allowed in :p

My dad's not particularly proud of my outlook on life (mostly because he is a Christian) - which is simply that we should make the best of it and strive to be as happy as possible. If you want a good read on my general philosophy - pick up Ayn Rand's Fountainhead and then Atlas Shrugged in that order. I am most definitely an Objectivist

[Jwilker]

This is definitely one of those agree to disagree topics :)

I completely agree with Xyress. I see myself as a morally sound individual. I think my ethical character is strong. I do what I consider to be the right thing. I do all of those things for me. Not anyone else, not because some one told me I had to. It just seems like the right way to live.

I think my time here is finite. I make the most of it and when it's done hopefully it will have been a good ride. Everyday I take one more step towards the end of the ride and how I take each day determines the type of ride.

IMO (and only my opinion) the concept of an afterlife is escapist. An easy out.

"well life is sure sucking but hey it'll be better in heaven."

"Well I killed a bunch of kids and set the ir puppies on fire but I made right by god so it's all good, I got my ticket in."

"Well, I'd love to have a new car but the church says I should be happy with what I have so I guess I can keep driving my '73 beetle, heaven will have busses everywhere"

Those are all fictitious examples of course but in my observations those types of thoughts seem to be prevailant.

[geneb]

Originally posted by papajackow
This is mere curiosity, but how do you KNOW? I'm sure everyone would like to say they're going to heaven, but apparently not everyone is. So, what makes you so sure?

And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God's possession - to the praise of his glory.

Eph 1:13-14 NIV

We who believe have the Holy Spirit of God living in us, witnessing to us of the glory, goodness, and love of God. The power and presence of the Holy Spirit is the difference between true Christianity and all other religions.

[hnelson59]

this is a unique perspective . . .