Do you believe in an afterlife?

[Twilight Hue]

Eternal life isn't after life.

It's before life.

We get to be the part a human was released from that had never left nor changed.

That's actually a very astute observation.

It can't be eternal life if it had a beginning.

 

[Secret Chief]

Not really. Most Hindus believe in reincarnation, which of course involves for them their atman going to a new body.

Is reincarnation synonymous with an "afterlife" ? To me the former suggests a new life, whereas the latter is after life.

 

[Twilight Hue]

That which I call “I” is only the ego. Not only do I expect my ego to die with my body, I consider it an impediment in life to recognition of, and communion with, that which is universal and eternal in all of nature. Separation is an illusion, and the ego will do everything in it’s power to preserve that illusion until death.

I think ego is the only thing that experiences true death. Once I die, this person I call 'I' is done for. Fineto.
.
Consciousness however is another matter, and is a reason I'm privy to rebirth.

I'm pretty certain the lights will come on once more. Same as it came on when we were born into this life.

 

[Truthseeker]

The third why is experience. I've had experiences, some of which I've recounted on RF, that are so real that they convincingly demonstrate that people exist in non-material realms.

Of course, those experiences demonstrate that to you, but only to a limited degree to others.

 

[Truthseeker]

Is reincarnation synonymous with an "afterlife" ? To me the former suggests a new life, whereas the latter is after life.

It does involve for them their soul or atman living on forever. Also, a common belief among them is that after enough lives, and they are good enough or purified enough, their cycle of reincarnation is over and in some way they they merge with God.

 

[Truthseeker]

I am guessing what you mean by that is that we are conscious in this life and we will also be conscious after the death of the physical body, when the soul takes on an other form?

In other words, our consciousness will continue in the afterlife, which is really a continuation of this life.

I am guessing when he says life and death is a state of consciousness, he means spiritual life or spiritual death.

 

[Truthseeker]

This is given in the Bible. Life and death are spiritual consciousness. Let the dead bury the dead. So yes there is an afterlife, but one can enter that in a state of consciousness, as alive or dead.

Little was offered as to attract only those that wanted to ask.

Regards Tony

Thats's essentially what I was guessing.

 

[Sgt. Pepper]

The afterlife is a mystery - although certain parental traits are evident in offspring. I don't worry too much about it. I won't remember me then anyway, but it's nice to ununderstand a few things for the natural selection arena just the same.

The afterlife isn't as mysterious to me as it used to be, and I'm not overly concerned about what will happen to me on the other side any more. After what I've experienced, I've decided that death and the spirit world aren't something that I should necessarily fear.

 

[RestlessSoul]

This may sound contradictory, but the life of the world to come is also in this world, in my opinion. The life of the spirit can be found while we are living here. Real life is being close to God, and having the love of God.

6. O SON OF BEING!
Thy Paradise is My love; thy heavenly home, reunion with Me. Enter therein and tarry not. This is that which hath been destined for thee in Our kingdom above and Our exalted dominion.
(Baha'u'llah, The Arabic Hidden Words)

Indeed. For behold; the Kingdom of God is within you

 

[Trailblazer]

I am guessing when he says life and death is a state of consciousness, he means spiritual life or spiritual death.

Yes Duane, Tony clarified that later so now I understand what he meant.

 

[sun rise]

Of course, those experiences demonstrate that to you, but only to a limited degree to others.

Of course. Experiences are by their very nature personal.

 

[Trailblazer]

You didn't ask, but if I had a choice between eternal consciousness and eternal unconsciousness, unless I could change my mind about being conscious down the road, I would choose unconsciousness. That simply can't be bad.

Often I feel the same way. It is kind of scary to think of living forever in another realm of existence I know nothing about. It requires lots of faith to believe it will be so good that I will want to continue to exist in it forever. Forever is a very long time.

 

[Trailblazer]

As such, when those nervous systems are destroyed, the mind is destroyed with it. Nothing we could call "us" survives bodily death.

I believe that everything that is "us" survives death, since the soul (spirit) is the sum total of who we are. The body is simply a place to house the soul while we are living in the physical world. After the physical body dies, the soul passes from this world to another world and continues to live in a spiritual body.

421. When the body is no longer able to perform the bodily functions in the natural world that correspond to the spirit’s thoughts and affections, which the spirit has from the spiritual world, man is said to die. This takes place when the respiration of the lungs and the beatings of the heart cease. But the man does not die; he is merely separated from the bodily part that was of use to him in the world, while the man himself continues to live. It is said that the man himself continues to live since man is not a man because of his body but because of his spirit, for it is the spirit that thinks in man, and thought with affection is what constitutes man. Evidently, then, the death of man is merely his passing from one world into another. And this is why in the Word in its internal sense “death” signifies resurrection and continuation of life. Heaven and Hell, p. 351

 

[syo]

why you believe in an afterlife

Burn the paper and it's ashes. Reincarnation.

 

[Sgt. Pepper]

I believe that everything that is "us" survives death, since the soul (spirit) is the sum total of who we are. The body is simply a place to house the soul while we are living in the physical world. After the physical body dies, the soul passes from this world to another world and continues to live in a spiritual body.

421. When the body is no longer able to perform the bodily functions in the natural world that correspond to the spirit’s thoughts and affections, which the spirit has from the spiritual world, man is said to die. This takes place when the respiration of the lungs and the beatings of the heart cease. But the man does not die; he is merely separated from the bodily part that was of use to him in the world, while the man himself continues to live. It is said that the man himself continues to live since man is not a man because of his body but because of his spirit, for it is the spirit that thinks in man, and thought with affection is what constitutes man. Evidently, then, the death of man is merely his passing from one world into another. And this is why in the Word in its internal sense “death” signifies resurrection and continuation of life. Heaven and Hell, p. 351

That's what I believe too. I believe that our spirit "lives on" in the spirit world after our physical body dies.

 

[Sgt. Pepper]

I want to thank everyone who answered the poll and participated in my thread. I really appreciate it.

 

[Truth in love]

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

God has promised it.

We have several accounts of various prophets who have seen at least some of it.