Well, Karma is not a "punishment" at all; it's just cause and effect. You get what you pay for, basically. It's not that "good" actions are universally better than "evil" ones, but they will have the appropriate effects.

However, Buddhism does not quite follow the philosophy I was describing above since it does include the notion of free-will. The "soul" is then not only an observer, since it has some decision power. Yes, the soul in Buddhism does not (usually) include memory, emotions, personality traits, image, intellect and so on, but it does include identity and power of action.

Hi...just got onto the forum with same name as ubuntuforums...this one attracted me right away.

Taken apart, filtered, dispersed, some parts re-constituted, to what I don't know. I just hope if it's someone else's afterthought, it was a good or entertaining thought...

Ah, this age old question. The most probable scenario is that once you kick the bucket, that's it. The brain, the organ which is responsible for all mental phenomena, decays along with the rest of our body. I like the idea that maybe there is some aspect of us, a soul if you will, carries on after our death (who doesn't really), or maybe our minds are of a fundamentally different nature than the physical and exists on a different plane. But that's just wishful thinking. Most philosophers (and neurologists) have long abandoned such a dualistic conception as far as I know.

Up to this point, I don't mind what you're saying. It's all good.

I do wish people would be slightly more circumspect when speaking of other peoples' beliefs. I mean, I have certain beliefs about what some people believe, yet out of respect for them, I don't voice such opinions in such a harsh manner.

I don't really think there was a need to use the words "fairy tales", because of all the derogatory connotations that phrase has, or to call other peoples' gods "mythical".

Again, I'm myself not really a believer in the concept of an omnipotent, omniscient, omnibenevolent, immanent, transcendent, and personal God, but I prefer to state my objections to such a conception of him in an academic manner (such as by stating that the said attributes are self-contradictory given the nature of the world we live in), instead of using words such as "fairy tales" or the like.

Now I apologise if I sound preachy, but this is just what I wanted to make known. I've noticed that discussions tend to go much more smoothly if we refrain from making such comments.

I do apoligize that i didnt explain myself the right way, what i meant was that soul might be being punished if its attached to a being that was experiencing the effect of a poor choice and the ¨Karma¨ from that choice wasnt exactly good,then the ¨soul¨ would also be effected by the beings choices?

I so love this perspective...

When I die my body will hopefully be left in some forest, of mighty threes, beautiful flowers and wild animals.
Insects and birds will eat of my corpse and they will in their turn also contribute to the forest when their turn comes.
And from what is left from the insect's buffé will give nourishment to a large and healthy three, stronger than I have ever been.

That is all that will happen, nothing more, maybe less. Before I leave I'll give you some relevant lyrics quotes

"The dead only quickly decay. They don't go around being born and reborn and rising and falling like soufflé. The dead only quickly decay.
It would be swell, to see some folk burn in hell. But when they go, it is just as pleasant to know that the dead only quickly decay."

I think I understand what you are asking so I am going to take a stab at it. I don't think the soul per say gets punished rather in Buddhism you are reborn or reincarnated again and again until you finally reach enlightenment. One life you might be a rich businessman but because of your negative actions you may be born again as a poor person, or even an animal. It just depends on how much good karma you have in your life is dependent on how you are reborn.

Why must there be some place to keep living? Why can't you accept that things just die?

Because people fear death themselves and the deaths of loved once, etc...

For some people, it's just fear. For others, there is a real philosophical problem with materialism: we have a feeling that our consciousness exists, just as our body does. Matter cannot be created or destroyed, so why do we assume that consciousness can? Certainly it can transform into another form, and certainly most of what you consider to be "you" will be gone, but in some sense intuition suggests that it will continue to exist.

Of course, there are refutations to that view, but don't make it seem like believing in immortal consciousness is as absurd as believing in faeries. Though there is no empirical evidence for it, there is a logic to it.

If Lord God Jesus Christ Almighty's laws and commandments are met, and your heart is pure, then only in heaven will you find true peace; everlasting love and happieness, for all eternity.

I feel for all you who do not accept the Lord Jesus Christ, or who does not believe in a higher power in general.

It's hard to explain. Why bother living if there is nothing to live for in the first place?

i really dislike the idea that i will be stuck in one place for all eternity, no matter how good it is...

as a lotr fan, i have to say it must suck to be an elf (even though i wanna be one), since you are never going to die, so you will have to watch the world break at the end... bummer

Its so that way i feel i can connect with people that have passed on that i never got a chance to meet. But that doesnt really apply to Buddhism.....

You're basically the only one I've ever heard go that far into it.

In most cases, there really isn't logic to it.

Re: fairies, however, they're real.

We actually get a chance to live, and be who we are, and effect the world. Why shouldn't we live?

So does that mean I am going to hell than, do I need to pack a bag first before I go.

Whoops :\ i think I went to far into my own personal beliefs.
To tell you the truth on that one, in my personal believes, whom which does not accept the lord Jesus Christ into their lives as a mortal on earth, will indeed be directed to hell.

Just my personal beliefs.

You present us with two alternatives:

1. Life is but a 'test' from god to see if you are worthy of ascending into heaven upon your death. Life is merely a means to an end.

2. Your life is all you have, therefore you should maximize it.

Why not live life for itself? Why do you feel there must be a higher goal?

I agree with Nietzsche here:

"Nihilist and Christian. They rhyme (in German)... and they do indeed do more than just rhyme."