Life After Death, proven!

[shadowprophet]

Yeah, I don't think anyone can't dissuade someone else into believing what he believes on a subject like this. So maybe this is kinda pointless don't you think.

Even so it is a very nice talk

No it's never pointless, their are some folks out there who simply don't have a belief at all.

it's for those people, confused or lost or even curious,That I share my views on such things. it's certainly not to dissuade others in any way though.

[beetroot bertie]

OK, my tuppence worth...

I don't think there is a God. I have no reason to believe so unless I choose to believe some of the things that I have been told in my life on the matter (and in my opinion none of them have any firm proof or backing - and that I guess is why it's called faith). I went to church as a kid but it wasn't my choice and I'm particularly disapproving of forcing ones' own beliefs on others.

What about all the other religions with their own unique view on things. How can they all be right? Most seem to refer to God in a Christian sense but what about other religions that are not monothiestic?

I would say I'm agnostic rather than athiest. I have no reason to believe in a deity or deities unless proven otherwise. I'm not totally closed to the concept but would need more than what I consider to be blind faith. The only thing I see as a constant is nature (closet hippy alert) - we are all a part of the ecosystem and the energy within it. I don't consider this to be a conscious energy though.

I reckon our consciousness and soul are just constructs of the mind or maybe just a bit of internal hope that there is something more than this, something beyond. I think that when we die, our brain ceases to function and those things slip away. We are left with our bodies, the physical remains of what we were and then the subsequent decomposition or cremation of the body releases other energy to feed the ground/plants/earth around it. These plants, creatures, organisms then grow/give off gasses etc or get consumed themselves, which then get used by something else and so on. In that sense I see the "energy" being constantly recycled but have now reason to think that any form of consciousness remains in this.

That said, the explanation of ghosts and spirits (if they can ever be totally proven) may add some weight to an opinion of energy with a conscious aspect. Again more food for thought.

I have to say it's been interesting reading other peoples opinions on this and discussing it quite rationally. Thanks SP for the original post.

[shadowprophet]

OK, my tuppence worth...

I don't think there is a God. I have no reason to believe so unless I choose to believe some of the things that I have been told in my life on the matter (and in my opinion none of them have any firm proof or backing - and that I guess is why it's called faith). I went to church as a kid but it wasn't my choice and I'm particularly disapproving of forcing ones' own beliefs on others.

What about all the other religions with their own unique view on things. How can they all be right? Most seem to refer to God in a Christian sense but what about other religions that are not monothiestic?

I would say I'm agnostic rather than athiest. I have no reason to believe in a deity or deities unless proven otherwise. I'm not totally closed to the concept but would need more than what I consider to be blind faith. The only thing I see as a constant is nature (closet hippy alert) - we are all a part of the ecosystem and the energy within it. I don't consider this to be a conscious energy though.

I reckon our consciousness and soul are just constructs of the mind or maybe just a bit of internal hope that there is something more than this, something beyond. I think that when we die, our brain ceases to function and those things slip away. We are left with our bodies, the physical remains of what we were and then the subsequent decomposition or cremation of the body releases other energy to feed the ground/plants/earth around it. These plants, creatures, organisms then grow/give off gasses etc or get consumed themselves, which then get used by something else and so on. In that sense I see the "energy" being constantly recycled but have now reason to think that any form of consciousness remains in this.

That said, the explanation of ghosts and spirits (if they can ever be totally proven) may add some weight to an opinion of energy with a conscious aspect. Again more food for thought.

I have to say it's been interesting reading other peoples opinions on this and discussing it quite rationally. Thanks SP for the original post.

Well you have some really nice thoughts about the subject to brother beetroot, I found your reply to be well thought out and insightful.

[ICE]

To me the simple odds of everything forming coupled with the fact that we have no explanation for how it formed points me towards a god. I know many of you are now shouting at your monitor "We know how it formed. The big bang!". The truth is that we have no clue why the big bang would have occurred. One very important law in nature is cause and effect. Nothing ever occurs without a cause. Not even the Big Bang.

You've all heard the things like had the expansion of the universe one second after the big bang been smaller by 1 part in a hundred, thousand, million, million the universe would have re-collapsed on itself (Stephen Hawking) or the odds that suitable circumstances for stars to exist the relevant initial conditions would need to be fined tuned to a precision of 1 followed by a thousand, billion, billion zeros or that a change in gravity or in the weak force by even 1 part in 10 to the 100th power would have prevented a life permitting universe. (P.C.W. Davies)

To me believing in God takes less faith than to believe the Big Bang occurred for no reason and that given those odds everything turned out this well. Note I'm not saying which god at this point

[RedKing14CA]

Hello, i'll be back, its 1:16 AM

but i'm really interested in this topic, and haven't seen any of you in days.. literally.. like over 700 days....

ttyl, mates

[mike_jmg]

to beetroot

Most facts lead us to think that consciousness simply disappears when our brain ceases to function but it is kinda sad. Maybe that's why we keep looking for a better explanation, like what you mentioned about ghosts.

I like thinking that it remains intact and that we continue to exist in some way, although I keep telling myself it's not possible no one is going to taught me out of it, not even myself haha

to ICE

you might be right, it is too much of a coincidence for all of this chemical compounds to be combined into forming stars, planets, plants, animals and even ourselves, it is too perfect to be just random combinations

[RedKing14CA]

Luke 16:23-31: In Hades he lifted up his eyes, being in torment, and saw Abraham far away and Lazarus in his bosom.
And he cried out and said, 'Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus so that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool off my tongue, for I am in agony in this flame.'
But Abraham said, 'Child, remember that during your life you received your good things, and likewise Lazarus bad things; but now he is being comforted here, and you are in agony.
'And besides all this, between us and you there is a great chasm fixed, so that those who wish to come over from here to you will not be able, and none may cross over from there to us.'
And he said, 'Then I beg you, father, that you send him to my father's house--
for I have five brothers--in order that he may warn them, so that they will not also come to this place of torment.'
But Abraham said, 'They have Moses and the Prophets; let them hear them.'
But he said, 'No, father Abraham, but if someone goes to them from the dead, they will repent!'
But he said to him, 'If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be persuaded even if someone rises from the dead.' "

[desiree]

To me its not a question of what happens to the energy inside us when we die, its whether or not theres a little energy in us that isnt used for moving muscles or thinking thoughts. A little energy that IS us. If the answer is a yes then its a very provocative thought.

Is there a soul, is it energy. I dont think we can truely know the answer to that. I suppose thats what faith is for. Its not something we can go out and look at or test.

I agree with you one hundred percent because really how would we really know whether it does exist - its just something we all want to believe in, i guess

[bullhead]

Conciousness continuing after death smells mighty squeezy to me. I'd love that to happen I would. You recall, "energy can not be created or destroyed, only converted from one form to another", I know you remember, but ive reminded you anyway. That physical law has provided me, as someone who doesnt believe in god or santa or harry potter, with great comfort as I fall asleep each time.

Then there is this other theory which I choose to nest my loose beliefs in, and that is thus;

It has been said, that a dream which seems to last for days actually only occurs within a fraction of a real life second, and that after death there is 6 minuits or so of residual brain activity. Then I try to imagine the lifetimes I could live within those six minuits. I take comfort from that, even if its only some scientific dream theory it makes more sence to me than walking into the kitchen and finding my hands suspended in mid air by the sink doing the washing up. I take my gloves off and of course, my hands are gone, theyre doing the dishes! Crafty digits, I tell you.

bull in a barrel, x

[pibs]

I hope its not off topic but I just saw this yesterday and it seemed very interesting.

My belief is after I die I don't exist, no magic, no pixie dust, etc. What does still exist is a legacy I can leave behind and it could be either a good or bad one. I do ponder about balance through out my living experience and I guess that can be implemented into one of my beliefs hah

I only label myself as a human being and live my life treating others like I would like to be treated myself. Is there a god? I will happily answer that question with an I don't know

Seriously the most religious people in the planet are scientist. While popes and nuns are all singing and sleeping for an answer, scientist are out on a limb throwing $#@! off the edge of the universe! hahaha thats just my opinion sorry if I offended you kindly reader :rofl: