What do you think happens when we die

[Kelly of the Phoenix]

Death is the end of life. Nothing happens afterwards.

I will become a beautiful coral reef or a tree. Haven't decided.

 

[Grandliseur]

It's a very simple question. What happens when we die? What are you true feelings on the subject. Do you believe what other people tell you is true. Or do you have your own ideas on the subject.

Here are my thoughts: I think when we die we look into the face of God and become mesmerized by God's infinite beauty. Time stops and we experience eternal Heavenly bliss. Everyone gets to have this experience regardless of our Earthly sins. I think my way of looking at this matches the evidence we have from near death experiences.

Even though looking into the face of God lasts only a few nanoseconds, it feels like eternity. Eventually the brain's electricity dissipates and conscious thought stops. But who cares. Once you look into the face of God experiencing God's infinite beauty is there anything else left to do. I don't think so.

Is this a good thing or bad thing. I think everything in life is "good". It's all good!

End of the road. Nothing while dead, returning to nothing. For some it is a relief of pain, mental and physical, even economical. So, while death is mentioned as an enemy, the Bible also shows us how some wicked ones are not permitted to die early since this would bring their suffering to an end.

 

[Trailblazer]

So........ what do I think happens to us in death is.... I look at scripture, and it says that basically, when we die, we cease to exist. When we are dead, we are dead. No afterlife, no nothing. Wow, so what is our hope? Scripture tells us that it is the resurrection. That is what we hope for. Then and only then are we, if accepted, given our rewards and promises, eternal life.

Do you have to wait for Jesus to return before you are resurrected? What about people who are not Christians, do they remain dead in their graves? What is supposed to happen after the body is resurrected from a grave? Where does it go then?

No where in scripture does it talk about an "immortal soul". In fact, those two words are never found together in the bible at all. "Soul" in the org. lang, means someone who is alive, a living, breathing frame. That's all. Adam "became" a soul, he did not get one.

The Bible was written for another age in history, before people were ready to understand what really awaits us in the afterlife and what the soul is. What was not revealed in the Bible has now been revealed, the many things Jesus spoke of that we could not bear, so we now know that there is an eternal soul that separates from the body upon death, takes on another form, and continues to exist forever in the spiritual world. All humans have eternal souls, no matter what they believe or disbelieve. The state of the soul after death will differ among individuals but all souls can continue to progress after they separate from the body.

There is much more written but below are some brief excerpts from longer passages:

“The nature of the soul after death can never be described, nor is it meet and permissible to reveal its whole character to the eyes of men...... The world beyond is as different from this world as this world is different from that of the child while still in the womb of its mother. When the soul attaineth the Presence of God, it will assume the form that best befitteth its immortality and is worthy of its celestial habitation.” Gleanings, pp. 156-157

“And now concerning thy question regarding the soul of man and its survival after death. Know thou of a truth that the soul, after its separation from the body, will continue to progress until it attaineth the presence of God, in a state and condition which neither the revolution of ages and centuries, nor the changes and chances of this world, can alter. It will endure as long as the Kingdom of God, His sovereignty, His dominion and power will endure. It will manifest the signs of God and His attributes, and will reveal His loving kindness and bounty.” Gleanings, pp. 155-156

“Death proffereth unto every confident believer the cup that is life indeed. It bestoweth joy, and is the bearer of gladness. It conferreth the gift of everlasting life.

As to those that have tasted of the fruit of man’s earthly existence, which is the recognition of the one true God, exalted be His glory, their life hereafter is such as We are unable to describe. The knowledge thereof is with God, alone, the Lord of all worlds.” Gleanings, pp. 345-346

(Continued on next post)

 

[Trailblazer]

When we die all of our body parts die with us. Our liver, kidneys, etc. Our brains die too. Our brains make us think and dream and do many tasks. So now we cant do any of that. I think people in the world are afraid of death. They dont want to hear someone tell them that when you die, that's it. They want to hear that you can still live and praise God and watch your Grandchildren grow up and everything is going to be fine. Scripture knows nothing of that. An afterlife comes from pagan beliefs from Egypt, Babylon, etc..........

Yes, the body dies, but the soul lives on and goes to the spiritual world and takes on another form made up of heavenly elements in the spiritual realm.

If you have a moment, read 1 Cor 15.

1Cor 15 does not have the resurrected Jesus with a body. In 1 Corinthians 15:12-22, Some Christians believe that Paul was referring to a spiritual resurrection. http://www.religioustolerance.org/resur_lt.htm

That Jesus was raised up means His spirit was resurrected, brought back to life. If Christ’s spirit was not brought back to life, then your faith would be in vain and you would still be in your sins. “22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive” means that all shall be made spiritually alive, not physically rise and be alive in bodies. That does not mean Jesus’ soul (spirit) was brought back to life, it means that the Cause of Christ (what He taught and represented) were brought back to life after three days... Had it NOT been brought back to life you would still be in your sins because it was the Cause of Christ that needed to be brought back to life in order to save people from their sins... People needed to get the Gospel message that Jesus taught and the disciples needed to carry that far and wide. Their faith in Jesus needed to be renewed (resurrected).

In 1 Corinthians 15:12-22, Paul was referring to a spiritual resurrection. That Jesus was raised up means His spirit was resurrected, brought back to life. If Christ’s spirit was not brought back to life, then your faith would be in vain and you would still be in your sins. “22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive” means that all shall be made spiritually alive, not physically rise and be alive in bodies.

16 For if the dead rise not and 13 But if there be no resurrection of the dead refer to Christ’s spiritual resurrection, not to anyone rising from graves

“According to the Bahá’í teaching the Resurrection has nothing to do with the gross physical body. That body, once dead, is done with. It becomes decomposed and its atoms will never be recomposed into the same body.

Resurrection is the birth of the individual to spiritual life, through the gift of the Holy Spirit bestowed through the Manifestation of God. The grave from which he arises is the grave of ignorance and negligence of God. The sleep from which he awakens is the dormant spiritual condition in which many await the dawn of the Day of God. This dawn illumines all who have lived on the face of the earth, whether they are in the body or out of the body, but those who are spiritually blind cannot perceive it. The Day of Resurrection is not a day of twenty-four hours, but an era which has now begun and will last as long as the present world cycle continues. It will continue when all traces of the present civilization will have been wiped off the surface of the globe.” Bahá’u’lláh and the New Era, p. 222

 

[Twilight Hue]

It's a very simple question. What happens when we die? What are you true feelings on the subject. Do you believe what other people tell you is true. Or do you have your own ideas on the subject.

Here are my thoughts: I think when we die we look into the face of God and become mesmerized by God's infinite beauty. Time stops and we experience eternal Heavenly bliss. Everyone gets to have this experience regardless of our Earthly sins. I think my way of looking at this matches the evidence we have from near death experiences.

Even though looking into the face of God lasts only a few nanoseconds, it feels like eternity. Eventually the brain's electricity dissipates and conscious thought stops. But who cares. Once you look into the face of God experiencing God's infinite beauty is there anything else left to do. I don't think so.

Is this a good thing or bad thing. I think everything in life is "good". It's all good!

The lights go out.

Brain and heart stops functioning.

Decomposition.

 

[Eliab ben Benjamin]

Experienced it post TBI 24/02/82 ... expressed it in my NDE discussion here on a similar discussion ..

Not willing to argue over it with the nay sayers....

 

[osgart]

What source called us into existence. The former forms, and we are made. We return to the source.

 

[Trailblazer]

Experienced it post TBI 24/02/82 ... expressed it in my NDE discussion here on a similar discussion ..

Not willing to argue over it with the nay sayers....

I'd love to see that... I am new here so I don't know how to find it... I am not a naysayer by any means..

 

[wandering peacefully]

It's a very simple question. What happens when we die? What are you true feelings on the subject. Do you believe what other people tell you is true. Or do you have your own ideas on the subject.

Here are my thoughts: I think when we die we look into the face of God and become mesmerized by God's infinite beauty. Time stops and we experience eternal Heavenly bliss. Everyone gets to have this experience regardless of our Earthly sins. I think my way of looking at this matches the evidence we have from near death experiences.

Even though looking into the face of God lasts only a few nanoseconds, it feels like eternity. Eventually the brain's electricity dissipates and conscious thought stops. But who cares. Once you look into the face of God experiencing God's infinite beauty is there anything else left to do. I don't think so.

Is this a good thing or bad thing. I think everything in life is "good". It's all good!

I would not pretend to know what happens after we die. My best guess is what has always been observed. We stop breathing, our heart stops and our body begins to decay. We cease to exist except in the memories of our loved ones.

What I do know for sure is I will spend my time in this life experiencing as much as possible of each moment. I will not waste a minute of it dwelling on the mythologies, dreams, and demands of others pretending to know how I should live my life in preparation for their imaginings of death.

Living awake, aware, and engaged of the reality that surrounds me will allow me a peaceful death knowing I have experienced a full and truthful life.

 

[Trailblazer]

What source called us into existence. The former forms, and we are made. We return to the source.

“Know thou that every hearing ear, if kept pure and undefiled, must, at all times and from every direction, hearken to the voice that uttereth these holy words: “Verily, we are God’s, and to Him shall we return.”
Gleanings From the Writings of Bahá’u’lláh, p. 345

 

[osgart]

“Know thou that every hearing ear, if kept pure and undefiled, must, at all times and from every direction, hearken to the voice that uttereth these holy words: “Verily, we are God’s, and to Him shall we return.”
Gleanings From the Writings of Bahá’u’lláh, p. 345

Sincere question: why are we in this existence in the first place. It's not like I willed to be here.

 

[YmirGF]

My opinion is that the early stages after death can best be understood by looking at reports from the Near Death Experiencers that leave their body and see things from an outside the physical body perspective and then move/tunnel to experience on a non-physical (astral) plane of reality.

Beyond that initial stage, growing and greater understanding occurs in this astral/heaven plane and eventually the soul will in most cases see the need for new physical experiences (reincarnation). The eventual end after eons is the realization that life and consciousness are all One and we will be beyond the illusion of separateness and individual ego experiences.

It makes me a tiny bit uncomfortable admitting this, as George and I only agree in a few areas, but on this topic there are distinct similarities in what we believe.

My own ideas about life after death are a direct result of my numerous out-of-body (OOB) experiences. Contrary to George, I'm not a big fan of the notion of a so-called "astral plane" and am more inclined to see things as psychological gestalts that are incredibly rich areas of investigation. (This should not be confused with Gestalt Psychology, LOL.)

In the initial stages, post physical death, the individual will experience pretty much what they expect to experience, regardless of what those expectations entail. This stage culminates into an awakening, if you will, where the individual is "introduced" to their larger identity and that's where the real fun begins.

 

[Twilight Hue]

Sincere question: why are we in this existence in the first place. It's not like I willed to be here.

I think it's our brain capability for insight and ego that brings about such questions to the forefront. I think " existence" starts with the enabling of self-identity.

I think it's a fair notion to say our atomic makeup has always been in existence through one form or another, essentially rendering us timeless and ageless. "We've" always been around.

I sometimes toy with thinking just how old each individual atom in our body in attempts to ascertain ones true age to start with.

We may not have willed ourselves to be here. Yet who we are are has been here all the while.

 

[osgart]

I think it's our brain capability for insight and ego that brings about such questions to the forefront. I think " existence" starts with the enabling of self-identity.

I think it's a fair notion to say our atomic makeup has always been in existence through one form or another, essentially rendering us timeless and ageless. "We've" always been around.

I sometimes toy with thinking just how old each individual atom in our body in attempts to ascertain ones true age to start with.

We may not have willed ourselves to be here. Yet who we are are has been here all the while.

Quite literally stardust. That has seen endless transformations.

Staggering thought. And I bet we are the sum total of all the information those atoms acquired throughout eternity.

 

[Trailblazer]

Sincere question: why are we in this existence in the first place. It's not like I willed to be here.

The short answer is because this world is preparation for the spiritual world... As we acquired physical arms and legs in the womb world, we acquire spiritual arms and legs in this material world. If we do not acquire those here we will be handicapped in the spiritual world...

So what we acquire here by way of good character is what we will need for the spiritual world... Unfortunately that entails suffering, more for some of us than others but that just reminded me of another passage:

“Men who suffer not, attain no perfection. The plant most pruned by the gardeners is that one which, when the summer comes, will have the most beautiful blossoms and the most abundant fruit.

The labourer cuts up the earth with his plough, and from that earth comes the rich and plentiful harvest. The more a man is chastened, the greater is the harvest of spiritual virtues shown forth by him. A soldier is no good General until he has been in the front of the fiercest battle and has received the deepest wounds.” Paris Talks, p. 51

I know that is no consolation, but is is an explanation.... If you want to know anything else, just ask.. I have plenty of explanations for just about everything, even if they do not make the pain go away. But the good news is that this material world is just a very small part of our total existence.

 

[osgart]

The short answer is because this world is preparation for the spiritual world... As we acquired physical arms and legs in the womb world, we acquire spiritual arms and legs in this material world. If we do not acquire those here we will be handicapped in the spiritual world...

So what we acquire here by way of good character is what we will need for the spiritual world... Unfortunately that entails suffering, more for some of us than others but that just reminded me of another passage:

“Men who suffer not, attain no perfection. The plant most pruned by the gardeners is that one which, when the summer comes, will have the most beautiful blossoms and the most abundant fruit.

The labourer cuts up the earth with his plough, and from that earth comes the rich and plentiful harvest. The more a man is chastened, the greater is the harvest of spiritual virtues shown forth by him. A soldier is no good General until he has been in the front of the fiercest battle and has received the deepest wounds.” Paris Talks, p. 51

I know that is no consolation, but is is an explanation.... If you want to know anything else, just ask.. I have plenty of explanations for just about everything, even if they do not make the pain go away. But the good news is that this material world is just a very small part of our total existence.

Necessary growth, like baby steps in a new world.

 

[George-ananda]

It makes me a tiny bit uncomfortable admitting this, as George and I only agree in a few areas, but on this topic there are distinct similarities in what we believe.

My own ideas about life after death are a direct result of my numerous out-of-body (OOB) experiences. Contrary to George, I'm not a big fan of the notion of a so-called "astral plane" and am more inclined to see things as psychological gestalts that are incredibly rich areas of investigation. (This should not be confused with Gestalt Psychology, LOL.)

Well. I have had no such experiences personally, but take the consensus understanding of those who I feel know their stuff.

In the initial stages, post physical death, the individual will experience pretty much what they expect to experience, regardless of what those expectations entail. This stage culminates into an awakening, if you will, where the individual is "introduced" to their larger identity and that's where the real fun begins.

My view has no problem with that as any narrow views are sure to be expanded.

 

[Trailblazer]

Necessary growth, like baby steps in a new world.

Yes, that's exactly it.

 

[osgart]

Yes, that's exactly it.

To me if a God exists, this universe is outside of God's will.

How can God create anything less than perfection?

 

[Trailblazer]

To me if a God exists, this universe is outside of God's will.

How can God create anything less than perfection?

If a universe exists and God created it, how could it be outside of God's will?

Do you mean that because the material world is less than perfect it cannot be God's will?