The terrifying thought of no afterlife

[Cycel]

I may be more interested the the Witnesses than most because I have family members who are counted among the 144,000.

LOL. Meaningless.

Only because you disconnected the sentence from the following one that it belongs with.  I am not implying that I buy into the Jehovah's Witness theology.  I don't.  I am simply amused by the claim that my great-grandparents are considered, by the Witness, to hold this special honour.

My great grandparents were members and introduced an entire branch of my family to the faith.  So what they think matters to me.  My father wasn't converted but my mother told me that many of his religious ideas sounded very similar to that of my great-grandmother, and I got a lot of my early Christian views from him.  So, I am interested in what they think.

Explains a lot.

You can be interested in your family, but as far as interest in what the Bible teaches, the JWs aren't going to help you any.

There isn't any belief system that can teach me anything about God, in my view, but each can inform me what they think their faith's theology reveals.  As an atheist I perceive no religious group as closer to holding the truth than any other.  I consider some more interesting than others, perhaps, but all are important in the history of Christianity.

[DJAkuma]

I've never really been bothered by the thought of no afterlife. I think it's pretty cool that when I die my remains will be absorbed back into the earth to complete the cycle of life and then eventually what's left will be consumed by the sun when it expands before exploding and seeding the surrounding space with more planet-making stuff. It sounds way more awesome that having to spend eternity with a bunch of relatives I didn't really like to begin with as well as a bunch of religious people I can't get along with.

Though I do hedge my bet a bit by drinking alcohol and fornicating as often as I can, if the mormons end up being right I wanna make sure I'm going to the right place.

[McQ]

Topic split at this point. For continued discussion of afterlife subject matter, feel free to keep posting from this point. If you wish to continue where the topic veered off, go here:

viewtopic.php?p=94319#p94319

[Stevil]

Was just listening to this song recently and I thought of this thread.

[youtube:33un31zf]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gHRoG_IoEQs[/youtube:33un31zf]

I ain't got no time for forgiven
I ain't got no time be afraid
I ain't got no time to be slowing me down
With one foot in the grave

I ain't got no time for my loving
I ain't got no time to be said
I got no time for the foolish man
When the world treats him so bad

Oh no, here I go
Other sides calling me getting me low
Oh, I always know I'm living till the day I die
Oh no, here I go
The other sides calling me getting me low
Oh, I always know I'm living till the day I die, yeah!

They say there's light in the tunnel
They say there's a name in the book
But I don't care for the rumor mill
That hangs you on a hook

Soon I'll be meeting my Maker
Then I'll deceased and desist
I'll leave my name in the air somewhere
Where I can get some peace
Where I can get some peace

Oh no, here I go
The other side's calling me getting me low
Oh, I always know I'm living till the day I die

Oh no, here I go
The other sides calling me getting me low
Oh no, I always know I'm living till the day I die
Living till the day I die

I don't know if I'm ever coming back
The light in the tunnel might turn to black
Take my chances I won't ask why
I'm living till the day I die
Living till the day I die
Living till the day I die

I ain't got time for forgiving
I ain't got time be afraid
I ain't got time for living my life
With one foot in the grave
One foot in the grave

[cherylfoster]

Afterlife is Big Topic to discuss but we can not reach on perfect or correct answer some people believes that After Life another life available.And others are not believe.I am also believe that after life is available.And according to every religion and religious book after life there has two way first is Heaven and second is Hell.Every person who do bad work or anything wrong in his whole life and not be puniched so after life he has to face the judgment.

[McQ]

Afterlife is Big Topic to discuss but we can not reach on perfect or correct answer some people believes that After Life another life available.And others are not believe.I am also believe that after life is available.And according to every religion and religious book after life there has two way first is Heaven and second is Hell.Every person who do bad work or anything wrong in his whole life and not be puniched so after life he has to face the judgment.

Spambot has been banned.

[iSok]

I know this is an old topic.
I did see some other topics started by people here who are afraid of death, they would rather live longer.

Personally I'm not afraid of death, whether it's from a religious perspective or not.


Anyway I do want to say something for the atheists here.
If you are afraid of death, then think of the contrary.

What if you would live forever, in eternity on this planet?
Would you enjoy a eternal life?
I personally would freak out, it would be like a never-ending hell.
Our whole society would be destroyed, our whole system of 'living'.

So, even if you are an atheist.
Then see death as the final seal of life..and embrace it fearless, knowing that you are stronger than death.

[LegendarySandwich]

I know this is an old topic.
I did see some other topics started by people here who are afraid of death, they would rather live longer.

Personally I'm not afraid of death, whether it's from a religious perspective or not.


Anyway I do want to say something for the atheists here.
If you are afraid of death, then think of the contrary.

What if you would live forever, in eternity on this planet?
Would you enjoy a eternal life?
I personally would freak out, it would be like a never-ending hell.
Our whole society would be destroyed, our whole system of 'living'.

So, even if you are an atheist.
Then see death as the final seal of life..and embrace it fearless, knowing that you are stronger than death.

I would snatch up the chance to be immortal. To hell with our society and our "system of living".

[iSok]

I would snatch up the chance to be immortal. To hell with our society and our "system of living".

Thank you for the smile on my face you caused Ls, I sincerely mean that.


Reality is..that you do live in a society like ours, it doesn't mean it's bad.
But without death, our society would not exist.
If everyone would live forever, the earth would die because of severe 'over-population'.
Death itself is crucial for the existence of mankind....See it as your final contribution to mankind
from the point of an atheist.

- You leave, to make place for others


 (our planet is already dying..nonetheless..)

[LegendarySandwich]

I would snatch up the chance to be immortal. To hell with our society and our "system of living".

Thank you for the smile on my face you caused Ls, I sincerely mean that.


Reality is..that you do live in a society like ours, it doesn't mean it's bad.
But without death, our society would not exist.
If everyone would live forever, the earth would die because of severe 'over-population'.
Death itself is crucial for the existence of mankind....See it as your final contribution to mankind
from the point of an atheist.

- You leave, to make place for others


 (our planet is already dying..nonetheless..)

By the time we're able to make ourselves immortal, I think we'd already figure out a solution to the overpopulation problem.

[Ken2468]

Christopher Hitchens states that he is not only an atheist, but an "anti-theist".

What he means by this is the following:

Some people are atheists but wish they could believe in an afterlife where they could live in everlasting bliss and be re-united with their loved ones, friends etc. for all eternity. In other words, they wish they could believe in God and Heaven, but simply can't bring themselves to believe it and are thus atheists.

Hitchens, however, goes one step further: He not only doesn't believe in God or an afterlife, he is glad God and heaven do not exist. He states that he doesn't want to exist (via his "spirit" or "soul") in a state that requires one to love a God unconditionally and without exercising one's critical faculties in some dumbfounded paradise where one apparently does not have to do much of anything except revel in the arms of this supreme leader and hang out with all those righteous people who also got a ticket into heaven (though theists seem to have trouble describing what exactly Heaven is like and what one does to pass the time (eternity) there). Overcoming challenges / problems, succeeding using one's abilities and skills, overcoming obstacles, building / creating things, etc. is what makes life exciting and worth living. Would a place where none of this is required be like the retired person who goes to Florida and doesn't know what to do with himself to pass the time....do those in Heaven play games (I guess in which no one loses), party all the time, look at the beauty of God 24/7 for all eternity....? Doesn't sound like much of an existence, does it?

[The Magic Pudding]

Some people are atheists but wish they could believe in an afterlife where they could live in everlasting bliss and be re-united with their loved ones, friends etc. for all eternity. In other words, they wish they could believe in God and Heaven, but simply can't bring themselves to believe it and are thus atheists.

.... look at the beauty of God 24/7 for all eternity....? Doesn't sound like much of an existence, does it?

Yes if you're going heaven you have to spend eternity praising the holy smiter, so you may as well start practising.

Chaplain: Let us praise God. Oh Lord...

Congregation: Oh Lord...

Chaplain: Oooh you are so big...

Congregation: Oooh you are so big...

Chaplain: So absolutely huge.

Congregation: So ab - solutely huge.

Chaplain: Gosh, we're all really impressed down here I can tell
you.

Congregation: Gosh, we're all really impressed down here I can tell
you.

Chaplain: Forgive Us, O Lord, for this dreadful toadying.

Congregation: And barefaced flattery.

Chaplain: But you are so strong and, well, just so super.

Congregation: Fan - tastic.

Monty Python of course - http://forums.cannabisculture.com/forum ... ber=368416

[Ken2468]

Why are theists the ones who seem to want to cling to life on this earth? After all, if they truly believe there is a Heaven and they will be admitted, why do most of them do everything they can to stay alive as long as possible (even in great pain) and insist that their loved ones (or even people they don't know) do the same? Wouldn't going to paradise where there is the ultimate joy, peace, happiness, and NO PAIN while they wait to be re-united with their family and friends in eternal bliss be preferable to continuing to live on life-support equipment while bed-ridden and/or shot up with pain killers? These are the same people who are opposed to euthanasia when requested by the person in pain, and also to living wills where the individual outlines the circumstances under which he/she would like "the plug to be pulled". Dr. Kevorkian is apparently the Devil incarnate, etc.

Remember the 2005 incident in which Republican US Senator Bill Frist (a heart surgeon, not a neurosurgeon, and I assume a Christian) "diagnosed" Terri Schiavo by watching about one hour of videotape of her lying in a Florida hospital and concluded that she showed signs of life and should continue to be kept alive by artificial means? Hey Bill, why not let her go to her eternal reward instead of lying there in a vegetative state for any longer?

Perhaps the faithful who claim they believe in God and Heaven have their doubts about it?

[DJAkuma]

I would snatch up the chance to be immortal. To hell with our society and our "system of living".

Thank you for the smile on my face you caused Ls, I sincerely mean that.


Reality is..that you do live in a society like ours, it doesn't mean it's bad.
But without death, our society would not exist.
If everyone would live forever, the earth would die because of severe 'over-population'.
Death itself is crucial for the existence of mankind....See it as your final contribution to mankind
from the point of an atheist.

- You leave, to make place for others


 (our planet is already dying..nonetheless..)

Seriously? You've got to be kidding me, immortality would be simply awesome. Think outside the book for a second, without death the fast pace of modern society wouldn't be needed. You could take the time to become an expert on anything you want, the level of skill that could be achieved in any discipline would be astounding. Can you imagine what a violinist who'd been playing for a thousand years would sound like? A ballet performance with dancers who'd practiced their art for hundreds of years, or a scientist who'd been able to research a given topic for 300 years, what kinds of culinary delights would a chef with 2000 years at his trade come up with? We'd be able to set off on voyages to the stars without first having to develop faster than light travel.

The problems you cite wouldn't be a big deal and would be easily overcome.

Overpopulation? - People would lose much of the drive to reproduce if they don't need to propagate the species. the population would more likely settle at a much more sustainable level with people rarely breeding. Families would be much better since people would take much more time to find someone perfect for them instead of women trying to crank out a kid or two by 30. Even with aging eliminated we'd still lose people to accidents so some reproduction may be needed.

Our society would not only thrive without death but would be much richer for it.

As to your comment about us killing the earth... Simply put, we can't. Even if we decided as a species to put all of our resources and effort into destroying the planet we couldn't pull it off, the best we could do is make it unsuitable for humans and wipe ourselves out. We couldn't even wipe out all life if we wanted to, much less actually obliterate the planet itself. No matter what we do life would march on and the planet would recover.