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How would you react..........

JJ50

Well-Known Member
…...........if it could be proved beyond any shadow of doubt no god or afterlife exist, when you die you are no more?

I would be relieved that once my life is over that is it, end of story. I am of the opinion that is the case, but of course there is the outside possibility I am wrong.

I have asked this question on forums before, often the reaction from devout believers is that god/afterlife exist and there is no other possibility.

Over to you.
 

Thief

Rogue Theologian
no after life?
and Man is therefore a mystery with no resolve
and no purpose

extinction the only end
 

PoetPhilosopher

Veteran Member
…...........if it could be proved beyond any shadow of doubt no god or afterlife exist, when you die you are no more?

I would be relieved that once my life is over that is it, end of story. I am of the opinion that is the case, but of course there is the outside possibility I am wrong.

I have asked this question on forums before, often the reaction from devout believers is that god/afterlife exist and there is no other possibility.

Over to you.

At this point I'll take any answers. Any proper, factual revelations. I hate suspense.
 

Altfish

Veteran Member
…...........if it could be proved beyond any shadow of doubt no god or afterlife exist, when you die you are no more?

I would be relieved that once my life is over that is it, end of story. I am of the opinion that is the case, but of course there is the outside possibility I am wrong.

I have asked this question on forums before, often the reaction from devout believers is that god/afterlife exist and there is no other possibility.

Over to you.
That's is what I believe anyway. So, no reaction
 

pearl

Well-Known Member
…...........if it could be proved beyond any shadow of doubt no god or afterlife exist, when you die you are no more?

How could there be offered any kind of proof when we all live on this side of death? So the only proof will be at death, and if it's proven that there is no life after death, we will never know.
 

Audie

Veteran Member
…...........if it could be proved beyond any shadow of doubt no god or afterlife exist, when you die you are no more?

I would be relieved that once my life is over that is it, end of story. I am of the opinion that is the case, but of course there is the outside possibility I am wrong.

I have asked this question on forums before, often the reaction from devout believers is that god/afterlife exist and there is no other possibility.

Over to you.

I would be interested in seeing how the proof was done.
Other than that, I suppose I would want to go on a
rampage of arson, rape, robbery, money laundering,
labour rackteering and atomic spying.
 

Valjean

Veteran Member
Premium Member
I'd get another cup of coffee, clean my cats' litter box and go back to bloviating on RF.
 

Quintessence

Consults with Trees
Staff member
Premium Member
I have asked this question on forums before, often the reaction from devout believers is that god/afterlife exist and there is no other possibility.

Let me lay out why there is no other possibility for me, because it probably isn't what you're used to hearing. I do not consider myself a "devout believer" as the gods are not something I "believe in" for fairly intuitive reasons: t
he gods I worship are quite literally reality and everything in it. In my tradition, the sacred is found in the wind and the rain, the whimsy of creativity and the tangibility of science, the light of the sun and the moon, and the very planet we humans utterly depend on for our existence. To accept that my gods don't exist would be to accept reality and everything in it doesn't exist. Even if this were somehow possible (which it isn't), this notion is
not a workable perspective for life and living. If I did embrace that, it would mean nothing short of pathological insanity. No thanks, I'd rather not be locked up for life in long term mental care.

As for afterlives, my vision of what that means is very different than what you are probably assuming. I don't even ask if there is an "after life" because it is plain as day that there is one. When a human dies, there is life after they die. Matter and energy are constantly being exchanged in the universe. It doesn't just go "poof, gone," it becomes part of something else. And that's beautiful. We are literally composed of the same stuff as our ancestors, both human and not. We literally become what we eat in communion with the forces around us. What need do I have of some fanciful otherworld human "souls" - whatever those are - go to when they are gone? None, really.
 

A Vestigial Mote

Well-Known Member
I have asked this question on forums before, often the reaction from devout believers is that god/afterlife exist and there is no other possibility.
I've witnessed this too. In fact, I don't know if I have ever seen a theist answer this type question where they didn't at least try first to go the route of "God exists, so I don't even have to contemplate that He doesn't." But I know that I have seen them react very often as indicated - not answering the question, seeming to want to dodge at all costs.

It's like they think entertaining even the slightest notion that God doesn't exist is a sign of weakness or something. In reality, it only displays their closed-mindedness - a thing many of them constantly try to pin on atheists/nonbelievers.

Another thing I don't know that I have ever seen is an atheist react the same way - that is, when asked "What if you find out God exists?", they do not answer "Well, He doesn't, so I don't even have to answer the question." They are usually more than happy to entertain the idea for the duration of answering a simple question.
 

JJ50

Well-Known Member
Let me lay out why there is no other possibility for me, because it probably isn't what you're used to hearing. I do not consider myself a "devout believer" as the gods are not something I "believe in" for fairly intuitive reasons: the gods I worship are quite literally reality and everything in it. In my tradition, the sacred is found in the wind and the rain, the whimsy of creativity and the tangibility of science, the light of the sun and the moon, and the very planet we humans utterly depend on for our existence. To accept that my gods don't exist would be to accept reality and everything in it doesn't exist. Even if this were somehow possible (which it isn't), this notion is not a workable perspective for life and living. If I did embrace that, it would mean nothing short of pathological insanity. No thanks, I'd rather not be locked up for life in long term mental care.

As for afterlives, my vision of what that means is very different than what you are probably assuming. I don't even ask if there is an "after life" because it is plain as day that there is one. When a human dies, there is life after they die. Matter and energy are constantly being exchanged in the universe. It doesn't just go "poof, gone," it becomes part of something else. And that's beautiful. We are literally composed of the same stuff as our ancestors, both human and not. We literally become what we eat in communion with the forces around us. What need do I have of some fanciful otherworld human "souls" - whatever those are - go to when they are gone? None, really.

If that works for you fine, it doesn't for me.
 

Twilight Hue

Twilight, not bright nor dark, good nor bad.
…...........if it could be proved beyond any shadow of doubt no god or afterlife exist, when you die you are no more?

I would be relieved that once my life is over that is it, end of story. I am of the opinion that is the case, but of course there is the outside possibility I am wrong.

I have asked this question on forums before, often the reaction from devout believers is that god/afterlife exist and there is no other possibility.

Over to you.
Well given the case as it is, life certainly didn't require a god to come around in the first place which tells me that things are pretty much cool to begin with without the help of any kind of deity.

Yea , it will be the end of 'me' as I know 'me' for all time, yet the ego we call 'self' are just aggregates anyways which had nothing to do with the 'lights coming on' all of the sudden one fine day.

Bottom line if it happened once , it would conceivably happen again at some point of an eternal timeline given the odds are firmly established.

None of this has to do with any interacting God to which I never received orientation prior to opening my eyes on this ball of rock and I doubt thereafter things will be any different.
 

TagliatelliMonster

Veteran Member
Other than that, I suppose I would want to go on a
rampage of arson, rape, robbery, money laundering,
labour rackteering and atomic spying.

So in other words, except for the atomic spying, you'ld basicaly would want to join the italian mafia who were devout catholics?

:D



(sorry, couldn't help myself :p )
 

Windwalker

Veteran Member
Premium Member
…...........if it could be proved beyond any shadow of doubt no god or afterlife exist, when you die you are no more?
Considering God represents Ultimate Reality, and that if the Ultimate Reality is that no God exists, then that is still God existing since that is the Ultimate Reality, and God represents Ultimate Reality. :) If we say Ultimate Reality doesn't exist, then that is our view of Ultimate Reality. Doesn't seem possible anyone can get away from that. Everyone has a view of that, regardless of what they believe about it.

How we understand what that God is, that Ultimate Reality, is the only thing that changes. But ultimate truth is still ultimate truth, no matter how we think of it, be that in terms of theism, agnosticism, pantheism, panenthiesm, or atheism. It's all still a view of God, or Ultimate Reality, despite all protests otherwise.

I would be relieved that once my life is over that is it, end of story. I am of the opinion that is the case, but of course there is the outside possibility I am wrong.

I have asked this question on forums before, often the reaction from devout believers is that god/afterlife exist and there is no other possibility.

Over to you.
As far as the question of the afterlife, I think one has to first define what Life is, and secondly what or who "I" or "self" is.

Personally, I think all there is is Life, and it is not possible for Life to not be in some form or another eternally. Therefore, there is no "after" life. There is only Life in different forms. It is Life in all forms, past, present, and future from our perspectives, whether that's you, me, my parents, my children, my dog, the trees, extra-terrestrials, etc. It is One and Many. Therefore, there can be no "after" nor a "before" to what just simply IS eternally.

From the perspective of individual forms however considering its form as it is, none of that if fixed either. As a 50 year old, a person is not a 5 year old. The body today is not the same body as it was when we were 5, yet we see it as the same body. In reality, that 50 year old is the "afterlife" for that 5 year old. :) In fact, on that 5 year old's happy birthday, blowing out his candles on his cake and then going to bed that night, the next day is the afterlife to that child from the day before. And so on.

If we self-identify as the physical body, with its bones and cells and tissues, then every passing second sees the passing away and rebirth of that. If we self-identify with our personalities, then that too passess away and is reborn anew throughout our physical lifetimes. So what then signifies "death"? What signifies "life"?

You see the challenge of this question? It's not so simple to say when this body dies, that "we" die. As I see all forms as that single Life, in constantly changing forms in each and every passing moment in time, physical death of the body is simply another change of the form into a state of dissolution and decay. Where was "I" residing before in all those myriad change-states during the body's lifespan? In the cells? In the liver? In the brain?

It really comes down to identifying the seat or the locus of self-identification, and then going from there. When someone speaks of the "afterlife" in a religious sense, who are they seeing themselves as in their self-identity? If they are imagining walking about in heaven on two legs and having their dog restored to them with their new heavenly house with new gold paint, then they are identifying with their egos in this life, as the ultimate truth of themselves.
 
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JJ50

Well-Known Member
Considering God represents Ultimate Reality, and that if the Ultimate Reality is that no God exists, then that is still God existing since that is the Ultimate Reality, and God represents Ultimate Reality. :) If we say Ultimate Reality doesn't exist, then that is our view of Ultimate Reality. Doesn't seem possible anyone can get away from that. Everyone has a view of that, regardless of what they believe about it.

How we understand what that God is, that Ultimate Reality, is the only thing that changes. But ultimate truth is still ultimate truth, no matter how we think of it, be that in terms of theism, agnosticism, pantheism, panenthiesm, or atheism. It's all still a view of God, or Ultimate Reality, despite all protests otherwise.


As far as the question of the afterlife, I think one has to first define what Life is, and secondly what or who "I" or "self" is.

Personally, I think all there is is Life, and it is not possible for Life to not be in some form or another eternally. Therefore, there is no "after" life. There is only Life in different forms. It is Life in all forms, past, present, and future from our perspectives, whether that's you, me, my parents, my children, my dog, the trees, extra-terrestrials, etc. It is One and Many. Therefore, there can be no "after" nor a "before" to what just simply IS eternally.

From the perspective of individual forms however considering its form as it is, none of that if fixed either. As a 50 year old, a person is not a 5 year old. The body today is not the same body as it was when we were 5, yet we see it as the same body. In reality, that 50 year old is the "afterlife" for that 5 year old. :) In fact, on that 5 year old's happy birthday, blowing out his candles on his cake and then going to bed that night, the next day is the afterlife to that child from the day before. And so on.

If we self-identify as the physical body, with its bones and cells and tissues, then every passing second sees the passing away and rebirth of that. If we self-identify with our personalities, then that too passess away and is reborn anew throughout our physical lifetimes. So what then signifies "death"? What signifies "life"?

You see the challenge of this question? It's not so simple to say when this body dies, that "we" die. As I see all forms as that single Life, in constantly changing forms in each and every passing moment in time, physical death of the body is simply another change of the form into a state of dissolution and decay. Where was "I" residing before in all those myriad change-states during the body's lifespan? In the cells? In the liver? In the brain?

It really comes down to identifying the seat or the locus of self-identification, and then going from there. When someone speaks of the "afterlife" in a religious sense, who are they seeing themselves as in their self-identity? If they are imagining walking about in heaven on two legs and having their dog restored to them with their new heavenly house with new gold paint, then they are identifying with their egos in this life, as the ultimate truth of themselves.

That is the way you see, but I don't.
 

RabbiO

הרב יונה בן זכריה
I've witnessed this too. In fact, I don't know if I have ever seen a theist answer this type question where they didn't at least try first to go the route of "God exists, so I don't even have to contemplate that He doesn't." .

I find that hard to believe, but if it is so let me be the first theist of your acquaintance to answer thus - I would probably connect with the Secular Humanistic Judaism movement and then go on with the business of living my life.
 

sun rise

The world is on fire
Premium Member
.if it could be proved beyond any shadow of doubt no god or afterlife exist, when you die you are no more?

Since I think that everything that exists is God manifest, for there to be no God means that the universe does not exist. So if nothing exists then nothing exists including the proof that nothing exists.
 
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