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Life after Death?

Cirrus said:
Deciding that it's pretty likely nothing happens after you die is not brave.
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That's debatable and wasn't Dezzuu's point anyway. Dezzuu was explaining that belief in an afterlife stems from a fear of death, not that people who don't believe in one are especially brave.

Although I suppose it could be argued that someone who is able to come to terms with their own eventual non-existence would be somewhat braver than someone who believes in eternal life because they're afraid of not being an eternal being.
 
Anybody believe in that animal reincarnation thing? Like when humans die they are reincarnated in the shape of an animal that best fits their personality? I find it odd that a certain animal is always around a funeral that is different from all the others. For example, the case of my dad was a Cardinal. There were absolutely NO OTHER Cardinals around. Just one. Anyone ever had that happen to them?
 
Sunset the Espeon™ said:
Anybody believe in that animal reincarnation thing? Like when humans die they are reincarnated in the shape of an animal that best fits their personality? I find it odd that a certain animal is always around a funeral that is different from all the others. For example, the case of my dad was a Cardinal. There were absolutely NO OTHER Cardinals around. Just one. Anyone ever had that happen to them?
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... how, exactly, does "cardinal at funeral" equal "reincarnation as animal"?

Anyway, my thoughts on life after death: nonexistence. Once you die all conscious thought ceases to happen, and you enter an eternal, dreamless sleep. If an afterlife does exist, it's not going to be one that religion made up.
 
Well in my opinion, apparently the person that has died is watching over the people in the world they have left. I dunno the concept is quite odd...
 
I find it odd that a certain animal is always around a funeral that is different from all the others.
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...?
There weren't any animals around at my grandmother's funeral.
 
Didn't mean to get everyone riled up at EVERY funeral, just saying that most of the ones that I'VE been too.
 
GameFreakerZero said:
That's debatable and wasn't Dezzuu's point anyway. Dezzuu was explaining that belief in an afterlife stems from a fear of death, not that people who don't believe in one are especially brave.

Although I suppose it could be argued that someone who is able to come to terms with their own eventual non-existence would be somewhat braver than someone who believes in eternal life because they're afraid of not being an eternal being.
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I know that was his point, I'm just saying that the majority of the time cowardice shouldn't be assumed from someone's point of view on life after death. Plus the general pagan/Wiccan viewpoint on life after death is not of an afterlife, and I've never met one who believes when reincarnated, your 'past life' means anything much.

Perhaps in the case of heaven and hell I'd concede. Seems to me the whole idea of heaven and confessing is based around fear of eternal burning in hell. I can definitely see someone in the past making it up to control the population...
 
what the fuck making up any sort of fib to escape thinking about the inevitable is cowardice

coming to grips with mortality is essential
 
What? Look, you haven't proved there is no life after death, so until you have don't claim who's a coward and who's not just because they don't agree with what you think is right.

Avoid thinking about the inevitable? Many people think a great deal about life after death, but they just haven't reached the same conclusion as you, or perhaps just like considering many different possibilities.

I understand if you're talking about conservative Christians who follow the Bible blindly and actually ARE scared shitless at the thought of there not being a man in the sky waiting for them, but not everybody is like that.
 
you really don't know how many people delude themselves to believe that stuff is true because they want it to be

I don't care what comes after this life, the point is I would like people to stop making shit up because they need a psychological blanket
 
Anybody believe in that animal reincarnation thing? Like when humans die they are reincarnated in the shape of an animal that best fits their personality?
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whoa, now. don't base your spirituality on facebook quizzes, dood.
it is just about as silly as believing I'll respawn as My Favorite Scrubs Character when I kick the bucket
which, obviously, is a pretty silly thing to believe
 
Cirrus said:
What? Look, you haven't proved there is no life after death, so until you have don't claim who's a coward and who's not just because they don't agree with what you think is right.

Avoid thinking about the inevitable? Many people think a great deal about life after death, but they just haven't reached the same conclusion as you, or perhaps just like considering many different possibilities.

I understand if you're talking about conservative Christians who follow the Bible blindly and actually ARE scared shitless at the thought of there not being a man in the sky waiting for them, but not everybody is like that.
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No, but it's extremely unlikely that there is an afterlife (since we have no scientific basis for it, WHY would you assume that there is? it is nonsensical) and non-existence is a scary thought just because it's not able to be comprehended by the human mind. The oldest and strongest fear of mankind is that of the unknown. Maybe "cowardice" isn't exactly the right word, but but fear is almost definitely why the concept of an afterlife popped up.
 
Xikaze said:
whoa, now. don't base your spirituality on facebook quizzes, dood.
it is just about as silly as believing I'll respawn as My Favorite Scrubs Character when I kick the bucket
which, obviously, is a pretty silly thing to believe
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Wait...there's no respawn in RL? No one ever told me that!
 
hey guys, so maybe i don't think that reincarnation is that implausible? i mean, of course it's silly to believe something just because you want it to be true, but... it's not too much of a stretch just to suggest that the essence of whatever makes us conscious, different from plants or AIs (call it a soul, idk), goes on and inhabits another organism. just putting that out there. i mean when i was a little kid i sincerely believed in reincarnation without even knowing what that was called, and without anyone telling me about it. so :\
 
the thing that makes us conscious and different from plants and artificial intelligence is, in short, the brain. plants don't have brains, artificial intelligences don't have brains (though I guess that could be argued, but it's irrelevant in this case).
brains allow awareness and decision-making, and in the higher animals, abstract thought, compassion, and cognitive reasoning.

that is pretty much just the brain's work. give it credit where credit is due, it is a pretty fancy organ.
 
No, but it's extremely unlikely that there is an afterlife (since we have no scientific basis for it, WHY would you assume that there is? it is nonsensical)
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Exacley. Most people believe in an afterlife on the pure basis that nobody has proven that they don't exist.
 
How can you just say that whoever believes in the afterlife is secretly frightened of dying? Why it is any less likely that they think irrational thoughts and really believe them?
 
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