Afterlife

[Truth_Faith13]

Ok, I am hoping I am posting this in the right place. I get confused where I am!

I was just wondering everyones idea/perspective/belief on the afterlife - is there one? what does it consist of? or do our thoughts just perish. I am looking for everybodies answer so whether you are muslim, christian, pagan etc etc feel free.....

Many Thanks

 

[!Fluffy!]

My take on it is, maybe we can learn from people who have been close to death:

http://www.religiousforums.com/forum/showthread.php?t=42217

 

[michel]

I believe in reincarnation - a whole series of lives until we get to be "good enough" to be "re-absorbed with God" as I call it; others probably regard this as heaven.

Our mortal bodies are just vehicles for our souls to use to interact in this world. At death, the soul separates from the body, and we go and have a " headmaster's report "........:cover:

 

[Truth_Faith13]

Thats an interesting theory - I have always hoped that rincarnation does exist! It is one of my favorite. The only problem I have with it, is if we keep having lives so that we can become good enough, surely that rules out hell or judgement (by God) for those who do seriously wrong and do not turn to God i.e Murderers etc. Or do you believe that only the Good are reincarnated?

 

[darkpenguin]

Thats an interesting theory - I have always hoped that rincarnation does exist! It is one of my favorite. The only problem I have with it, is if we keep having lives so that we can become good enough, surely that rules out hell or judgement (by God) for those who do seriously wrong and do not turn to God i.e Murderers etc. Or do you believe that only the Good are reincarnated?

Maybe the bad lead a very poor next life?

 

[Darkness]

I believe in reincarnation - a whole series of lives until we get to be "good enough" to be "re-absorbed with God" as I call it; others probably regard this as heaven.

I will have to make sure I never get that good; I value my individuality.

 

[Halcyon]

The only problem I have with it, is if we keep having lives so that we can become good enough, surely that rules out hell or judgement (by God) for those who do seriously wrong and do not turn to God i.e Murderers etc. Or do you believe that only the Good are reincarnated?

Maybe the bad lead a very poor next life?

Lol, its like watching the ancient doctrine of reincarnation being formulated in real time. I find it interesting the way the human mind works in only a certain set of ways.

 

[Kungfuzed]

I believe that when I die I will never exist again. Before I was concieved I did not exist and after I die I will go right back to being what I was before I was concieved, which wasn't nothing, it just wasn't me. There's no such thing as nothing. So it's not logical to think that I will go from being something to being nothing when I die. I just won't be living anymore. Life is like a state of matter. Water can be vapor, liquid, or ice, or even flavored. People can be dead or alive. It's no more disturbing than thinking about the eons of time I didn't exist before I was born.

 

[!Fluffy!]

I believe in reincarnation - a whole series of lives until we get to be "good enough" to be "re-absorbed with God" as I call it; others probably regard this as heaven.

Our mortal bodies are just vehicles for our souls to use to interact in this world. At death, the soul separates from the body, and we go and have a " headmaster's report "........:cover:

the only worry i have about that is, what good does it do one to keep repeating the same mistakes? after all if we don't remember, how can we learn?

 

[BruceDLimber]

Hi, Laws!

Here's what the Baha'i scriptures have to say on the subject:

“Thou hast asked Me whether man, as apart from the Prophets of God and His chosen ones, will retain, after his physical death, the self-same individuality, personality, consciousness, and understanding that characterize his life in this world. If this should be the case, how is it, thou hast observed, that whereas such slight injuries to his mental faculties as fainting and severe illness deprive him of his understanding and consciousness, his death, which must involve the decomposition of his body and the dissolution of its elements, is powerless to destroy that understanding and extinguish that consciousness? How can any one imagine that man's consciousness and personality will be maintained, when the very instruments necessary to their existence and function will have completely disintegrated?

“Know thou that the soul of man is exalted above, and is independent of all infirmities of body or mind. That a sick person showeth signs of weakness is due to the hindrances that interpose themselves between his soul and his body, for the soul itself remaineth unaffected by any bodily ailments. Consider the light of the lamp. Though an external object may interfere with its radiance, the light itself continueth to shine with undiminished power. In like manner, every malady afflicting the body of man is an impediment that preventeth the soul from manifesting its inherent might and power. When it leaveth the body, however, it will evince such ascendancy, and reveal such influence as no force on earth can equal. Every pure, every refined and sanctified soul will be endowed with tremendous power, and shall rejoice with exceeding gladness.”

-- (Baha'u'llah, Gleanings from the Writings of Baha'u'llah, pp. 153-154)


“And now concerning thy question whether human souls continue to be conscious one of another after their separation from the body. Know thou that the souls of the people of Baha, who have entered and been established within the Crimson Ark, shall associate and commune intimately one with another, and shall be so closely associated in their lives, their aspirations, their aims and strivings as to be even as one soul. They are indeed the ones who are well-informed, who are keen-sighted, and who are endued with understanding. Thus hath it been decreed by Him Who is the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

“The people of Baha, who are the inmates of the Ark of God, are, one and all, well aware of one another's state and condition, and are united in the bonds of intimacy and fellowship. Such a state, however, must depend upon their faith and their conduct. They that are of the same grade and station are fully aware of one another's capacity, character, accomplishments and merits. They that are of a lower grade, however, are incapable of comprehending adequately the station, or of estimating the merits, of those that rank above them. Each shall receive his share from thy Lord. Blessed is the man that hath turned his face towards God, and walked steadfastly in His love, until his soul hath winged its flight unto God, the Sovereign Lord of all, the Most Powerful, the Ever-Forgiving, the All-Merciful.

“The souls of the infidels, however, shall -- and to this I bear witness -- when breathing their last be made aware of the good things that have escaped them, and shall bemoan their plight, and shall humble themselves before God. They shall continue doing so after the separation of their souls from their bodies.

“It is clear and evident that all men shall, after their physical death, estimate the worth of their deeds, and realize all that their hands have wrought.”

-- (Baha'u'llah, Ibid., pp. 169-171)


“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. The movement of My Pen is stilled when it attempteth to befittingly describe the loftiness and glory of so exalted a station. The honor with which the Hand of Mercy will invest the soul is such as no tongue can adequately reveal, nor any other earthly agency describe. Blessed is the soul which, at the hour of its separation from the body, is sanctified from the vain imaginings of the peoples of the world. Such a soul liveth and moveth in accordance with the Will of its Creator, and entereth the all-highest Paradise. The Maids of Heaven, inmates of the loftiest mansions, will circle around it, and the Prophets of God and His chosen ones will seek its companionship. With them that soul will freely converse, and will recount unto them that which it hath been made to endure in the path of God, the Lord of all worlds. If any man be told that which hath been ordained for such a soul in the worlds of God, the Lord of the throne on high and of earth below, his whole being will instantly blaze out in his great longing to attain that most exalted, that sanctified and resplendent station.... 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 Prophets and Messengers of God have been sent down for the sole purpose of guiding mankind to the straight Path of Truth. The purpose underlying Their revelation hath been to educate all men, that they may, at the hour of death, ascend, in the utmost purity and sanctity and with absolute detachment, to the throne of the Most High.”

-- (Baha'u'llah, Ibid., pp. 155-157)


Best,

Bruce

 

[Bishka]

There is an afterlife. No doubt about it.

 

[Truth_Faith13]

the only worry i have about that is, what good does it do one to keep repeating the same mistakes? after all if we don't remember, how can we learn?

Maybe we do remember but not conciously! if that makes any sense. After all, we dont remember being in our mothers womb, but many say that being curled up in bed is relaxing because our bodies remember being in the mothers womb in that safe environment!

So many possibilities.....

The only other question is for the religions I think JWs which believe "our thoughts do perish" - im quoting form memory so it may be wrong. If there is nothing after death, what is the point in following the bible, God etc.....

 

[Truth_Faith13]

There is an afterlife. No doubt about it.

May I ask, why you think that? pleased to see someone who is so sure... wish I could be!!!

and Hi Bruce, lovely to hear from you. Many Thanks for the info!!! and to everyone!

 

[UnTheist]

No afterlife

 

[Gentoo]

I was just wondering everyones idea/perspective/belief on the afterlife - is there one? what does it consist of? or do our thoughts just perish. I am looking for everybodies answer so whether you are muslim, christian, pagan etc etc feel free.....

I believe there is an afterlife, I call it the Summerlands, we dwell there for a time with others and the gods. After a set amount of time, either chosen by the people or the gods or both, we are sent back to Earth for a new go at it. Trying to learn all we can, but after we learn all we can, I don't know what happens after that.

 

[eudaimonia]

I was just wondering everyones idea/perspective/belief on the afterlife - is there one? what does it consist of? or do our thoughts just perish. I am looking for everybodies answer so whether you are muslim, christian, pagan etc etc feel free.....

No, there is no afterlife. Our particular biological vantagepoints on reality cease to exist, and we are no more than biological entities.

I suppose it might be some consolation that other conscious beings -- other biological vantagepoints -- may exist after you personally cease to exist (perhaps I'm just a short stone's throw away from the Buddhist notion of rebirth), but I don't believe that anything unique to your life carries on in a strong enough way for you to be able to say "I will have an afterlife in some other body". Your existence will be over.


eudaimonia,

Mark

 

[Mike182]

my view of the after life is based on what we know of the Celts! they believed in a summer land, where they were to be refreshed by their Gods and prepared to lead another life on earth.

they believed in something else as well, but it escapes my mind at the moment so i'll post it later after i've gotten my books out

 

[Peace]

Of course there is an afterlife and I am sure there is one 100%.
In the afterlife there is two things either Heaven or hell. It is up to us where to go, i.e. our deeds in this life and our belief in God and how much we do obey Him determines our abode in the afterlife.

Peace

 

[ChickenProphet]

I think there is an afterlife. I have had encounters with a spirits before or ghost whatever you want to call them.
But the only problems with Ghosts is they can just be residual energy left over. But I'm sure that the Ghost I have met before was a spirit, because after mother asked them to pass on, nothing happened afterwards.

I think reincarnation does happen, because I see life as a never ending circle. I think we stay in the afterlife for a certain amount of time, like we live another life. Then we die there and come back here...

 

[Truth_Faith13]

I think there is an afterlife. I have had encounters with a spirits before or ghost whatever you want to call them.
But the only problems with Ghosts is they can just be residual energy left over. But I'm sure that the Ghost I have met before was a spirit, because after mother asked them to pass on, nothing happened afterwards.

I think reincarnation does happen, because I see life as a never ending circle. I think we stay in the afterlife for a certain amount of time, like we live another life. Then we die there and come back here...

Interesting idea!!!