Woo my first post!

Firstly, I don't believe in an afterlife. IMHO, its just something we've invented because we can't grasp the concept that all we think and feel is contained. The advent of more stringent scientific methods and computers debunks the whole thing for me. Why would there be an afterlife? I know people tend to go with their guy feeling that you cannot simply end, but if you look into it, why not? Its hugely self-serving to think we don't end.


Little disclaimer for this next bit: I haven't got many issues with religion if it keeps to what religion is about: faith. Meddling I disaprove of, and heres one of the biggest issues I have with christianity:

Heaven/hell! Now, Jesus died for our sins. My school is somewhat christian, and from it I've learnt that as long as you have faith in Jebus, you're going to heaven. before Jesus got killed, you were judged. Thats the view of my school, and of my christian friend.

I have big issues with that. You work your entire life helping the poor and needy, but if you don't aknowledge Jesus's death and resurrection, you go into infinate suffering. On the other hand, you can go on a killing spree, but if you confess and are truly sorry, you go to heaven. I think that takes a lot of weight off the worth of this life, making it act like a stepping stone you can screw up all you like.

I don't see this mentality in modern / open minded christians like my friend, but over the states I hear a lot about those who act like they are above others because they are theists.

Can the going to heaven/hell thing for Christians not be claimed the same thing? Why do "good" actions send you "up" and the other send you "down", and not the reverse?
@Rasczak: (about #97) robert98374 did not say he was the only one who would eventually get enlightened, also, he did not say how many lives it would take.
That is what you believe. Was also handy for the Catholic church for centuries, and even now. (gosh, why o why is it so prevalent)
BTW if you do not pay me 100$ you go to hell, just cant help it mighty FSM demands it, sorry. (hey, at least i do not demand you hold any opinion)

The traditional Christian concept of heaven and hell is, in my opinion rather simplistic. If you look at the Jewish idea of an afterlife, the similarity is much more obvious: after death, the soul goes through a purification process where her sins get stripped from her, so to speak. The more sins, the more painful this is (not as punishment, though). If you've lived a good and pious life, the process is less painful, but if you have sinned a lot, it will be long and painful. Afterwards, and I believe this varies from one sect to another, you either get to be with God, or get reborn (it's called Gilgul).

So here, being with God, the final result, "enlightenment" in Eastern religions is heaven, and the process of purification is hell.

But of course, the Christian model was easier to explain to medieval peasants.

Wow i would of never thought of a similarity between a religoin where there is a beleif in god and Buddhism...(i feel really ignorant)

In Buddhism enlightenment has nothing to do with heaven. Here is what enlightenment means.

What i meant was more like this, why that, and not the reverse. Changing what you said into:
"after death, the soul goes through a purification process the good things she did get stripped from her, so to speak. The more good things, the more painful this is (not as punishment, though). If you've lived a sinful life, the process is less painful, but if you have done a lot of good, it will be long and painful. Afterwards, and I believe this varies from one sect to another, you either get to be with God, or get reborn."(warning seriously mangled quote!)

Maybe what you mean is that in some process after life you are placed in a situation similar to what you did in the earlier life to others? That way it can be seen as "just cause and effect", they effect can not be arbitrarily, and similar as what we might wish; as in punishment.

I wasnt so much talking about the similarity between enlightenment and heaven as much as the reincarnation

I personnally think that nothing happens when I'll die. I'll just die and that's it! Actually, I enjoy that idea, that the only thing of me that will remain will be the "souvenir" (I don't know what the exact english word is) the people will keep from me.

Just so i understand correctly is the only thing that you want to happen is for you to be remembered by the people that you have influenced?

You lie!

Thank you for solving the mystery of death! I'm a much happier person now.

Seriously though, I would really like to believe in the afterlife. The problem is - I think this concept is similar to religion - people created it to simply 'feel better'. As somebody said before, when a person you love dies, your life is miserable, etc. you get this idea that 'this cannot be it, there has to be something more'. So - I delude myself to believe that there is a chance for some afterlife, but my rational part says: you'll rot.

By the way, I don't want to offend anybody, but I really hate those fundamentalists who say that commenting on their religion is bad, that you cannot criticize it etc. Jesus, it's the standard tool for brainwashing - don't analyze something because it may become obvious that it's a lie/delusion/whatever. I'm of the opinion that we should talk about everything and analyze everything.

And btw. I'm agnostic. I don't care what are your beliefs, as long as you treat people with respect. The basic idea is just to be a good person. "It's nice to be nice"

Peace. My first message. Seems like an interesting board.

PS. Sorry for any engrish expressions.

- please delete this post - thanks -

No its not allowed....
Well i started this thread so that way people can try to open their minds and have civil conversations about their own (lack of) religion.

@tempsanity
What religion do you think pushes their own the most?

When it comes to that, I have no belief (yet).

There is so much more for me to know and I believe that I still am not in the position to state what is going to happen to me after I die.

Any ideas on what happens to your Essence/soul/entity when your physical body ceases to function?

@robert98374: Well, that is the question of this thread. Seems to dried up though. Maybe someone should make a summary, and restart the thread.

the most thing i appreciate in my being muslim is that i'm never confused about aferlfe and im sure that i have to do what god tells me to do in view of entering to heaven(and more than that, you are never sure if you'll enterto it or not,therefore its gives you a feeling of continue need to god's support and forgivness which is awesome and relieving btw (the hope) ) or go to hell if i don't.
my favourite part is the love of god which gives u the strengh to work for ur seeing him directly after death.


p.s: as u can see my english is not perfect so if dont understand something..just let me know .

Welcome, big-jessy, and don't worry about the language, your doing just fine.

I can think of two possibilities.

1) (Which seems more likely), the emergent phenomenon of my consciousness runs down because the system out of which it emerges is dead

2) 1 is utterly, completely wrong and I'm going straight to hell.

I'd rather just stop existing than go to hell.

That's a very strange view. You basically either accept an entirely materialistic world, or a fundamentalist Christian view.

I was unclear.

I'm entirely a materialist and don't believe at all that I have an afterlife waiting for me. I was also kind of saying that it sounds better than some alternatives I could think of (although in a very indirect way).