Do You Believe in Life After Death?

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Do You Believe in Life After Death?

Poll ended at Sun Mar 21, 2010 11:49 am

 
Total votes: 0

_AlmaBound
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Re: Do You Believe in Life After Death?

Post by _AlmaBound »

Paracelsus wrote:I don't understand the I don't know option.


I had similar thoughts, for what it's worth.
_truth dancer
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Re: Do You Believe in Life After Death?

Post by _truth dancer »

The "I don't know" option means, I don't know if there is an after life or not. I don't even know what this would look like, or how it would be defined; In other words, while the LDS version requires a continuation of this earthly life with human bodies complete with bones and skin procreating for eternity, others believe the after life is about the spirit continuing on, others believe it means we continue to reincarnate until we have reached an awareness of unity which is another form of after life I suppose.

I have some guesses based on my experiences and how I interpret them; and how I currently understand the world but more than that is just a guess.

My observation is that powerful men have come up with an after life story that they want and go with it. These religious and cult leaders claim their version is the right and true one and the one in which everyone must believe.

If they say it is so, then the rest of the world should believe them... or something. :rolleyes:

~td~
"The search for reality is the most dangerous of all undertakings for it destroys the world in which you live." Nisargadatta Maharaj
_truth dancer
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Re: Do You Believe in Life After Death?

Post by _truth dancer »

In case anyone is interested, here is a little post addressing this topic, I wrote on my blog....


I don't like heaven
:wink:

~td~
"The search for reality is the most dangerous of all undertakings for it destroys the world in which you live." Nisargadatta Maharaj
_AlmaBound
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Re: Do You Believe in Life After Death?

Post by _AlmaBound »

truth dancer wrote:The "I don't know" option means, I don't know if there is an after life or not.


That's just it - I don't know either, from personal experience, but can believe that there is.

Or not believe, as the case may be.

I'm not sure that a question of believing or not in life after death has to do with what powerful men, or not so powerful men, for that matter, have to say about it.

For me, the first time I can recall thinking about such a concept was when my grandmother died when I was eleven years old. My family was not, and is not now, very religious, so to me it was sort of a hope that she was in a better place, and that I would see her again.

I can't tell from your comments on this board or in your blog if you believe there is such a thing as life after death. I did, however, like your comments about the Kingdom of God being "within you," and as an aside, I've often thought that what happens after we die is what is inside of us, that part of us that is our center, in a sense, is what lives on.

It is clear that you aren't particularly interested in fundamentalist religious beliefs about an afterlife, but I see that as separate from the question of whether you believe there is an afterlife at all.

I see "knowing" and "believing" as separate, but related, concepts.
_truth dancer
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Re: Do You Believe in Life After Death?

Post by _truth dancer »

Hi AB,

Here is my best guess, subject to change at any time. (My thoughts are based only within the confines of our particular universe).

Since I don't think anything in the universe disappears, and since I think all matter/energy/essence that bubbled into existence 13.7 billion years ago just keeps transforming, I don't think our bodies or consciousness just completely end; I think they will transform into something new.

And, since my observation of the universe is that it (its essence and energy) is creative and will keep bringing forth more new and amazing things into existence, we probably are part of whatever will come next, which I'm guessing is beyond our comprehension.

I hope and hold in my heart that the love and beauty we experience will continue for eternity in some form. There are certainly times when I feel that I have felt the most incredible experience that we as humans can endure, (nirvana, unity, Source), and sometimes wonder if that is a glimpse of what is to come.

I truly don't see us as something separate from the universe; we ARE the universe.

I think it is good to spend our lives appreciating the moment, embracing our time here rather than living for something that may not even exist in the future. We have today. We have our friends and loved ones. We have a world in need of care and kindness.

So, even if there is nothing at all, I'm OK with it.

~td~
"The search for reality is the most dangerous of all undertakings for it destroys the world in which you live." Nisargadatta Maharaj
_AlmaBound
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Re: Do You Believe in Life After Death?

Post by _AlmaBound »

Hi TD,

Interesting stuff - I see a little more clearly now why you would say "I don't know" instead of a "yes or no."

Some of what you have said reminds me of the concept of "eternal intelligences" found in LDS thought, and I wonder if there is some carry-over for you, along those lines.

At any rate, thanks for the clarification.
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Re: Do You Believe in Life After Death?

Post by _AlmaBound »

truth dancer wrote:I think it is good to spend our lives appreciating the moment, embracing our time here rather than living for something that may not even exist in the future. We have today. We have our friends and loved ones. We have a world in need of care and kindness.

So, even if there is nothing at all, I'm OK with it.


By the way, this sentiment is one I share - for me, believing in an afterlife does not mean I have to work harder to earn something higher or anything like that. The worries of today are more than enough.

Appealing mostly to emotion, however, I'd say that I do hope that my grandmother is in a place where she has no worries or fears, and is happy. I don't think that is all too uncommon a feeling among most everyone. But then, I really liked my grandmother, so...
_Brackite
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Re: Do You Believe in Life After Death?

Post by _Brackite »

Jersey Girl wrote: Hi Bracki,

I like this poll! I checked "I don't know" because I really don't know and I don't know how I can know. :-) There are some questions you could ask me and I'd know exactly what the answer is. On this topic, I think two different ways. I'm a Pisces and if you know what that symbol is, it's two fishes swimming in opposite directions. That exactly represents my thinking about life after death. I am of two minds. Fish minds!

Fish #1: Says that human beings are so remarkable that a Creator must have made us and our spirits/souls continue on in some way even if we are recycled throughout the ages. (Note: A long, long time ago Gad accused me of being a Buddhist :-) That (here comes my craziness) death is simply a birth and not something to be feared. Of course I have the human desire to see my loved ones again, so I also hold out a hope that it's possible. I (don't tell anyone I said this, okay?) talk to my mother who is deceased. I will never stop doing that. Is she somewhere and can she hear me? I don't know. I just talk to her. I was with her the moment that she died and I knew that she wasn't there any more. Was she some place else? I won't know until I know or I won't know anything at all ever again. I'm okay with that.

Fish #2: Says that dead human beings are exactly the same as dead animals or anything else that is dead. Just dead matter that if placed properly can feed/nourish living matter in the sense that we can become soil content. It wigs me out that human beings choose to embalm the dead bodies of their loved ones so they can view the dead body. It use to seem so normal to me, but now I find it just over-the-top ridiculous to do.

In any case, I try to live like there's no tomorrow. That is to say, if I see someone in need, I try to extend myself for them. Instead of life after death, I think in terms of life after life. Whatever I might do that makes someone's life better is what I want to leave behind me after I "live". I think the best thing you can leave behind you is the imprint you have left on the life of another, not necessarily the memory of you, but something you have contributed to their future. I work with young children so I have a chance to live out that philosophy every single day. There isn't anything better than that!

So yeah. I don't know. :-D



Hi Jersey Girl,

I am very glad that you mentioned animals. According to Science and Evolution, Animals were for a fact, the ancestors of humanity. If there is life after death for humans, than I definitely think and believe that there is life after death for animals too. I want to be able to see and/or communicate again, with the Pets that I have had and lost to death. I still miss my orange and white Cat a lot.

Here is a Book that I want to get really soon.


Animals and the Afterlife: True Stories of Our Best Friends' Journey Beyond Death (Paperback):


Current Poll Results:

Do You Believe in Life After Death?

Yes. 42% [ 14 ]
I don’t know. 30% [ 10 ]
No. 27% [ 9 ]

Total votes : 33
"And I've said it before, you want to know what Joseph Smith looked like in Nauvoo, just look at Trump." - Fence Sitter
_Imwashingmypirate
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Re: Do You Believe in Life After Death?

Post by _Imwashingmypirate »

As a Physicist, I believe energy is conserved so in some form or another, we continue on. Although, if our souls are matterless or consist of a matter that isn't matter on our level of understading, chances are the energy used is likely to differ greater to conventional energy and thus abides a different set of principles and laws which would cause it to continue on in another dimension per se.
Just punched myself on the face...
_Brackite
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Re: Do You Believe in Life After Death?

Post by _Brackite »

by the way Jersey Girl, I love Your Signature.

"If there are no dogs in Heaven,
then when I die I want to go
where they went."

Will Rogers, 1897-1935




After I die, I do want to go where the dogs and cats went to.

Poll Results:

Do You Believe in Life After Death?

Yes. 44% [ 15 ]
I don’t know. 29% [ 10 ]
No. 26% [ 9 ]

Total votes : 34
"And I've said it before, you want to know what Joseph Smith looked like in Nauvoo, just look at Trump." - Fence Sitter
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