Afterlife

[DarkMagician]

It's very clear to me that spirits do exist.

Yeah, I'm seeing the spirits of Jack Daniels and Captain Morgan right now.

 

[TheERK]

When you die, I believe your mind will cease to exist. Only the body remains, inanimated. There will be many newborn babies.. at about the same time. You will probably have one of those new consciousnesses.

Well, it's not actually you and it has nothing to do with the you that has died.. but an equal amount of 'self' that you have had, will be given to each newborn baby. 'You' will live again and experience life.

We are already in the afterlife. Actually, it's inseparable from the life itself. As long as life exists, this will go on as an endless cycle.

For long I have pondered about whether there are souls or afterlife in another form of existence. But now that I've thought about it from this point of view which seems most probable for me, I almost feel as if I no longer fear death.

Coincidentally, this is almost exactly the same way I view the 'afterlife.' I've heard someone call it natural reincarnation before, but that's probably unnecessarily mystical and misleading.

Another way to put it is that you're tricked into feeling consciousness and self now, and as long as people are being born, you're going to be tricked into it later. Admittedly, it is difficult to express in words, but I'm almost sure what joyrex is saying is exactly the same thing I think.

 

[joyrex]

Coincidentally, this is almost exactly the same way I view the 'afterlife.' I've heard someone call it natural reincarnation before, but that's probably unnecessarily mystical and misleading.

Maybe, but then again I feel that there should be a term for this insight at hand.. after all it's quite an enlightening and liberating thought, wouldn't you agree? "Natural reincarnation" would be okay as long as at the same time it would be explained that there's nothing supernatural or even spiritual about it. It's just the way life is - although I guess not everyone has seen it this way before.

Another way to put it is that you're tricked into feeling consciousness and self now, and as long as people are being born, you're going to be tricked into it later. Admittedly, it is difficult to express in words, but I'm almost sure what joyrex is saying is exactly the same thing I think.

Quite right, this is yet another way to express the idea.

 

[espoirpaz]

is it true that humans are the only animals that realize the fact that someday we will die?

 

[Tricky]

is it true that humans are the only animals that realize the fact that someday we will die?

I don't believe so, although it is more of a self-preservation instinct. Trappers sometimes find where a captured animal will chew it's own leg off in order to escape death. Numerous animals are known to go off to find a private place to die. You may have had pets who did this. Perhaps humans are the only ones who think of it years in advance (long enough to build pyramids!), but it's really hard to tell what animals "realize" due to the communication barrier.

 

[espoirpaz]

Perhaps humans are the only ones who think of it years in advance (long enough to build pyramids!), but it's really hard to tell what animals "realize" due to the communication barrier.

yes, i think that realization means that at one point or another, one would reflect on it. I think an animal that chews its leg in order to escape a trap is acting more on natural instinct, knowing it's in danger, rather than being fully aware that it could die.

 

[Tricky]

yes, i think that realization means that at one point or another, one would reflect on it. I think an animal that chews its leg in order to escape a trap is acting more on natural instinct, knowing it's in danger, rather than being fully aware that it could die.

Perhaps, but that doesn't mean that they can't conceive of it. After all, there are quite a number of humans (several on these boards) who are not fully aware that they will die. They seem to think that their "mind" or "soul" or some such thing will somehow survive death, because they simply cannot comprehend total and complete death. To escape death, they chew off a bit of their brain, believing that between giving up logic and giving up life, they can do without logic.

 

[Iacchus]

Nope. Not magical at all. We are learning more about how it works every day, and none of it is magic.

Why don't you stick with your tinker toys.

Says every single piece of evidence ever collected.

Do you mean like when birds collect bugs to feed to their young? That it's evidence of the little chickies when they grow up? Hey isn't it amazing that birds have the naturally ability to fly and we're don't? Doesn't that sound the least bit magical to you? While I'm sure you might feel differently when you took your first hang-glider ride ...

Your criteria for accepting unproven phenomena is truly lax. Do you accept everything that you are not personally able to prove wrong as being true? It would seem so, based on your posts here. Have you even got a clue what critical thinking is?

Clinical schminical. Is this all you understand?

Yes, you have mentioned it numerous times, and in spite of the fact that it has been logically demolished, you continue to make the same claim. But it doesn't matter what people claim to have done. People claim all sorts of bizarre things, like being abducted by extraterrestrials. The only thing that matters is what you can give evidence for, and you have given none to support your psychoceramic contentions.

Yes, and tell that to the microscopic mites that exist on my eyelids that I'm "totally" unaware of. Does that mean they don't exist then?

 

[Iacchus]

Yeah, I'm seeing the spirits of Jack Daniels and Captain Morgan right now.

You know, I almost find this to be an acceptable answer.

 

[Interesting Ian]

If people want to explore some of the evidence suggestive of survival this is a good web site.

 

[Tricky]

Why don't you stick with your tinker toys.

Oh, my! How brilliantly clever you are! You are almost as adept at riposte as you are at answering straight questions. I'll bet you slay them in the third grade.

Do you mean like when birds collect bugs to feed to their young? That it's evidence of the little chickies when they grow up? Hey isn't it amazing that birds have the naturally ability to fly and we're don't? Doesn't that sound the least bit magical to you? While I'm sure you might feel differently when you took your first hang-glider ride ...

Why no, come to think of it, it doesn't sound magical. It sounds like evolution. I realize that such a concept is far beyond your limited cranial capacity, but there is a great deal of fossil evidence that shows how birds came to be creatures of the air. None of it is magical.

Tell me, do you affix the label "magic" to everything you don't understand? If so, then you probably use the word a lot.

Clinical schminical. Is this all you understand?

Critical, not clinical. Your reading skills nearly match your debating skills. Add in that rapier wit, and you are the whole load.

But I take it from your refusal to reply that you do indeed believe almost anything that woo-woos tell you. It's almost as if you believe that evidence for something is actually bad.

Yes, and tell that to the microscopic mites that exist on my eyelids that I'm "totally" unaware of. Does that mean they don't exist then?

You must not be totally unaware of them or else you wouldn't know about them eh? And why are you aware of them? Because scientists, using sophisticated devices have shown they exist. You accept scientific evidence without question in this case, but you deny it when it conflicts with your philosophy. Where did you learn such duplicity? Was it from your loving God that tortures innocent people?

 

[Iacchus]

Oh, my! How brilliantly clever you are! You are almost as adept at riposte as you are at answering straight questions. I'll bet you slay them in the third grade.

Sort of like trying to catch a fish with your bare hands huh? Sorry, there's just some things I can't seriously.

Why no, come to think of it, it doesn't sound magical. It sounds like evolution. I realize that such a concept is far beyond your limited cranial capacity, but there is a great deal of fossil evidence that shows how birds came to be creatures of the air. None of it is magical.

Haw hee haw! Haw hee haw!

Tell me, do you affix the label "magic" to everything you don't understand? If so, then you probably use the word a lot.

That would be too obliging to say now wouldn't it?

Critical, not clinical. Your reading skills nearly match your debating skills. Add in that rapier wit, and you are the whole load.

Yes, all this "clinical" analysis crap. Whatever ...

But I take it from your refusal to reply that you do indeed believe almost anything that woo-woos tell you. It's almost as if you believe that evidence for something is actually bad.

I'm just as much a skeptic as you are except I do know what I'm talking about.

You must not be totally unaware of them or else you wouldn't know about them eh? And why are you aware of them? Because scientists, using sophisticated devices have shown they exist. You accept scientific evidence without question in this case, but you deny it when it conflicts with your philosophy. Where did you learn such duplicity? Was it from your loving God that tortures innocent people?

Ignorance is no excuse. And yes, my not knowing about the mites would be comparable to science not knowing about God.

Let me ask you something. Does that avatar of yours make you feel like a bully? Because it sure comes across that way.

 

[Tricky]

Sort of like trying to catch a fish with your bare hands huh? Sorry, there's just some things I can't seriously.

Reality appears to be one of them.

Haw hee haw! Haw hee haw!

Ah, the sound of a donkey braying. Thank you for establishing your credentials a person willing to engage in rational discussion.

That would be too obliging to say now wouldn't it?

Nope, just honest. Far too honest for you.

Yes, all this "clinical" analysis crap. Whatever ...

In other words, "Don't bother me with the evidence, my mind is made up."

I'm just as much a skeptic as you are except I do know what I'm talking about.

Uh huh. I wonder how many other of the skeptics here agree with your self analysis?

Ignorance is no excuse.

Then what is your excuse?

And yes, my not knowing about the mites would be comparable to science not knowing about God.

If you claimed to know about the mites without any evidence whatsoever, people would rightly think you a fool. The same applies to claims about God. Perhaps some day science will perfect a "God-detector", but I'm not holding my breath.

Let me ask you something. Does that avatar of yours make you feel like a bully? Because it sure comes a-"cross" that way.

The Tick only uses his powers for good.

 

[Iacchus]

Reality appears to be one of them.

Which one?

Thank you for establishing your credentials a person willing to engage in rational discussion.

Rational smashional ...

Nope, just honest. Far too honest for you.

No, dense.

In other words, "Don't bother me with the evidence, my mind is made up."

Some things you just have to see for yourself.

Uh huh. I wonder how many other of the skeptics here agree with your self analysis?

And why should I care? I just don't believe in giving things to people which don't belong to them.

Then what is your excuse?

For what?

If you claimed to know about the mites without any evidence whatsoever, people would rightly think you a fool. The same applies to claims about God. Perhaps some day science will perfect a "God-detector", but I'm not holding my breath.

Excuse you?

 

[Iacchus]

The Tick only uses his powers for good.

You're just a bullying blood sucker and we all know it.

 

[Tricky]

You're just a bullying blood sucker and we all know it.

Only against the forces of evil.

 

[DarkMagician]

Which one?

Rational smashional ...


No, dense.


Some things you just have to see for yourself.


And why should I care? I just don't believe in giving things to people which don't belong to them.


For what?


Excuse you?

Y'know, if you're going to talk about yourself, you could choose between first, second, and third person and stick with it.

 

[Iacchus]

Only against the forces of evil.

Evil schmeevil huh? ...

 

[joyrex]

I suppose at least few here agree with my notion of "survival of self-awareness in death through individuals to-be-born" - I hope that's a sufficient and simple enough way to put it - also called "natural reincarnation"..

So based on this idea, would it be fair to say that we have in fact a "next life" awaiting for us?

 

[joyrex]

Would you have "faith" in this idea of afterlife?

Do you think it's the most probable explanation?

I think this is one of the most important realizations an individual can have.