The poll is open for everyone to answer, regardless of religious beliefs or the lack thereof.
If you answered yes, please explain why you believe in an afterlife. If you answered no, please explain why you don't believe in an afterlife. If you answered "unsure," then please explain why you are unsure. I decided to post my thread in the Religions Q&A forum rather than in the Religious Debates forum because I'm more interested in a civil discussion than in a vigorous debate on the subject. As always, please be respectful towards the members that you don't agree with. Thank you, in advance, for your response.
Sgt. Pepper
Dead Puppies lyrics by Dr. Demento - original song full text. Official Dead Puppies lyrics, 2022 version | LyricsMode.com
Dr. Demento song: Dead Puppies:
We could ask a dead person.
We could get a dead puppy. He doesn't come when we call him. When I put a leash on him, and take him for a walk, he does bounce along behind me, every time he hits a rock. He's great a playing dead (even better than my neighbor's pet possum (a very sad pet to have, since you cry at least once per day)). He doesn't bark much. He doesn't eat much. He doesn't procreate much.
Some kids don't understand the concept of death. "Why doesn't mommy get me breakfast instead of lying on top of the stove sizzling?"
Some people turn to God when their loved ones die. My aunt Olive did. She was a teacher. . . she'll teach YOU to mess with her. She taught bible studies. When she had her second stillborn child, she turned to God in a big way, and so did the rest of us (if we wanted to continue living, that is. . . she was a feisty broad). Her church (she was part of it) would writhe on the floor, babbling in tongues (presumably the language of God, and presumably communicating with God). Don't worry, we were not in the hands of some lunatic, all of the church members were doing it. Several of them decided to join God in heaven, while still others sent others to heaven at the request of God (the police took exception--so did psychologists). They argued, that God controlled them, and they asked the psychologists to talk to their invisible, non-interacting, God for verification. At least the other people in the asylum see their dead friends, too (Elvis, Marvin Matian, Bugs Bunny, et al).
When we experience senseless death of a loved one, our minds try to make sense of it (and it is senseless, so there is no sense). Extreme shock and depression plays havoc with our minds.
https://digitalcommons.ciis.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1094&context=ijts-transpersonalstudies
DEARTH OF DEATH STUDIES (website above): There has been a dearth of studies of those who suffered psychological breakdowns and those who had paranormal experiences.
http://hpri.fullerton.edu/Community/documents/psychicSelfDefense.pdf
The hypertext link (above) discusses the psychological breakdowns and nervous exhaustion leading to perceived paranormal events. The link above suggests Nicholl's Dream Psychology, and Hart's Psychology of Insanity.
Insane asylums are filled with people who believe that they see things or hear things.
