If an afterlife exists?

[LiveBetterLife]

Your mocking love letters soooooo that makes you what? Or did i misread and you were being sarcastic?

Please point out where I was "mocking love letters".

As far as straw men go, this is certainly the most creepily thrown together.

 

[Trailblazer]

I have no wish to have another life, been there done that.

I will not be your choice.
If there IS an afterlife there IS an afterlife.
If the soul is eternal the soul is eternal.
You will not be able to kill yourself, because you can only kill your body, you cannot kill your soul...

So buckle up, it's going to be a long ride.
It is best to have our spiritual bags packed before the plane takes off and lands, because we will not be able to go back and get what we left behind in this life. We will BE whoever you have become in THIS world...

I get some of my information from my religion, the Baha'i Faith, but Baha'u'llah did not go into any detail about the afterlife. I thus decided I wanted to know more so I have read non-religious books... The thing is that they concur with my religion, so that tells me they are accurate depictions of the spiritual world...

Right now I am reading this book entitled Heaven and Hell and it is very sobering.
It is good news for those who will enter heaven but not so good news for those who will enter hell.
I sure wish nonbelievers would take this more seriously, because it IS serious.

I do not believe I am going to heaven just because I am a Baha'i and I believe in God, I have a lot of work to do. Likewise, Christians who believe they are saved by the cross sacrifice alone are in for a wakeup call... Intentions and deeds are what gets us to heaven.

“The essence of faith is fewness of words and abundance of deeds; he whose words exceed his deeds, know verily his death is better than his life.” Tablets of Bahá’u’lláh, p. 156

 

[leov]

I have to agree with much of what you say here If there is something called afterlife, example reincarnation in to a new human body, or even a non physical realm we all meet up in we would not be able to recognize the loved once because they would either have a new body or in non physical world we would not see them as we did in this human life. IMO

unless it all in memory of the soul which be personality not individuality.

 

[Trailblazer]

If it exists, then it probably has an entirely different fabric, an entirely different dimension to it.

It is completely different... Kind of scary.

“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 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 From the Writings of Bahá’u’lláh, pp. 156-157

 

[Trailblazer]

Actually, no one will find out.

Actually, everyone will find out.

 

[Epic Beard Man]

Some people look forward to meeting up with their dead relatives and friends in an afterlife, but they might be unrecognisable and very different to how they were in this life. When this life ends the people we are on earth more likely than not cease to be, in the unlikely event of there being another existence we will be starting anew, imo.

Interesting viewpoint.

 

[Epic Beard Man]

That view of the afterlife seems to be incredibly childish to me.

I don't know any adults besides extremely demented old people who have that conception of the afterlife.

Ironic as this would seemingly be a childish summation of the billions of beliefs of people around the world. A simple "I just don't believe in an afterlife" would suffice.

 

[LiveBetterLife]

Ironic as this would seemingly be a childish summation of the billions of beliefs of people around the world.

Agreed. And it's something I didn't do.

 

[LiveBetterLife]

A simple "I just don't believe in an afterlife" would suffice.

No it wouldn't.

 

[Spirit of Light]

unless it all in memory of the soul which be personality not individuality.

I dont understand why we should live one life, then become nothing
And i find it difficult to think of life as wasted on nothing more than a dream

 

[stvdv]

Some people look forward to meeting up with their dead relatives and friends in an afterlife, but they might be unrecognisable and very different to how they were in this life. When this life ends the people we are on earth more likely than not cease to be, in the unlikely event of there being another existence we will be starting anew, imo.

Interesting subject. Lots of speculation of course. Normally I don't give "afterlife" much thought.

From young age I always said "I don't remember anything from a previous birth, so why should I even think about a future birth?". And when I am born again, then, like now, I won't remember who I was "previously"(meaning who I am now). Body (identification) comes and goes.

That's why I can't make myself think about "afterlife". I just live "Now". Thinking about past/future creates "mind" not "happiness"

In Advaita they say "Be the Witness" (different from Jehovah Witness .. just Witness). And as such there is no death, just Witness. If Witness (Being, Awareness and Bliss) is our true nature, (future) body identification is just another Mirage. It's already hard enough, to not get entangled in my current Mirage; I rather don't have past/future Mirages added

In Hinduism some say "We are all an embodiment of Divine Atma". So if that is true then it's Divinity that incarnates. Some say enlightenment means you realize you are Divine Atma. And if Divine Atma incarnates then being enlightened means "you" (as Divine Atma) incarnate again. But it also means that "you" (as Divine Atma) realize that "you" (as a body/mind/emotion) do not incarnate again. And when you are not enlightened then "you" (as body) also do not incarnate again. So just a new start with a new body and a new "Ego" running the show.

"I" realize that words always fall short and confuse. At best, words can give a sort of "aha moment", as when reading in between the lines.

The trick seems to be, with what we identify ourselves with "To Be or Not to Be (body, mind, emotions, Divine Atma)".

 

[leov]

I dont understand why we should live one life, then become nothing
And i find it difficult to think of life as wasted on nothing more than a dream

i do not believe that we live one life. we may change vehicles but it always the same consciousness. physical world is just a place where we need ' a space suit', imo.

 

[Spirit of Light]

i do not believe that we live one life. we may change vehicles but it always the same consciousness. physical world is just a place where we need ' a space suit', imo.

if we were the same consciousness would we not remember our previous lives?

 

[leov]

if we were the same consciousness would we not remember our previous lives?[/QUOTE
we do as far as i know, we generally in state of amnesia here in the current personality , some say we are capable to remember by training i.e meditation. Some here may had experience.

 

[Trailblazer]

I dont understand why we should live one life, then become nothing

We do not become nothing...
We remain the same person that we were in this world.
Then we continue to progress on our journey towards God.

“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 From the Writings of Bahá’u’lláh, pp. 155-156

 

[Spirit of Light]

Yes by meditation we can advance to gain an ability to remember past lives that is true

 

[Spirit of Light]

We do not become nothing...
We remain the same person that we were in this world.
Then we continue to progress on our journey towards God.

“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 From the Writings of Bahá’u’lláh, pp. 155-156

Our existence do continue after this life yes
I see 5 different outcomes.
1: We are reborn as human beings
2: We are reborn as lower then human (animals, hungry ghosts,Hell)
3: We are reborn higher realm then humans ( deva, Arahant)
4: We reach enlightenment and will not be reborn i ay of the physical realms, but in nirvana
5: We get extinct and cease to exist

 

[JJ50]

Yes by meditation we can advance to gain an ability to remember past lives that is true

Really????????????????

 

[Spirit of Light]

Really????????????????

Yes, I do not say i seen many lifetimes back my self yet But it is fully possible when the ability opens

 

[Epic Beard Man]

No it wouldn't.

Sure it would. You do't need to tell me my beliefs are childish simply because you don't believe the way as I do or see metaphysics the way I do. You may believe in things that I may find rather stupid.