Belief in the Afterlife

[Porterboy]

Hi, I've not posted for a while, but I've been pondering an issue I thought I'd share: It's about belief in the Afterlife, Life-After-Death, Heaven, whatever you want to call it. I know there are threads here discussing whether it's real or not; I know Skeptics say it's not. I have my own opinions on that, but the point I want to address here is not whether it exists or not, but why do people think it does. I've aften asked this question elsewhere and the answers I get from non-believers tend to run like this:

"The reason people believe in Life-After-Death is simply because the prospect of ceasing to exist when we die is totally unbearable and so humanity has concocted a mental safety-net to survive psychologically. It's a kind of 'comfort blanket' that means we don't have to live with the knowledge of our finality that has evolved as we became aware of our mortality."

It makes sense superficially, but let's read between the lines here. it means that somebody who does not believe in the Afterlife can say:

BUT… I can face it! I know I’m going to cease to exist when I die and I can face up to it! The 'ordinary inferior people' need this comfort-blanket myth of an Afterlife, but I have the strength, the courage, the manliness and general superiority to get through my day without that crutch!”

So one could argue, and I do, that not to believe in Life-After-Death is a form of wishful thinking, for the prestige and exclusivity you get from it. This means that if the Afterlife was ever proved to exist that privileged position would all be gone. I'd be interested to know your thoughts.

 

[AdMan]

Hi, I've not posted for a while, but I've been pondering an issue I thought I'd share: It's about belief in the Afterlife, Life-After-Death, Heaven, whatever you want to call it. I know there are threads here discussing whether it's real or not; I know Skeptics say it's not. I have my own opinions on that, but the point I want to address here is not whether it exists or not, but why do people think it does. I've aften asked this question elsewhere and the answers I get from non-believers tend to run like this:

"The reason people believe in Life-After-Death is simply because the prospect of ceasing to exist when we die is totally unbearable and so humanity has concocted a mental safety-net to survive psychologically. It's a kind of 'comfort blanket' that means we don't have to live with the knowledge of our finality that has evolved as we became aware of our mortality."

It makes sense superficially, but let's read between the lines here. it means that somebody who does not believe in the Afterlife can say:

BUT… I can face it! I know I’m going to cease to exist when I die and I can face up to it! The 'ordinary inferior people' need this comfort-blanket myth of an Afterlife, but I have the strength, the courage, the manliness and general superiority to get through my day without that crutch!”

So one could argue, and I do, that not to believe in Life-After-Death is a form of wishful thinking, for the prestige and exclusivity you get from it. This means that if the Afterlife was ever proved to exist that privileged position would all be gone. I'd be interested to know your thoughts.

I'm an atheist and I don't believe in an afterlife, but I don't feel I get any "prestige" or "exclusivity" from that lack of belief.

In fact, I'd be delighted if after I die I discover that in fact there is a heaven or some form of delightful afterlife where I'd be happy for all eternity. I just don't see any evidence that such a thing exists.

 

[Nonpareil]

So one could argue, and I do, that not to believe in Life-After-Death is a form of wishful thinking, for the prestige and exclusivity you get from it.

You could argue that, but you'd be wrong.

Nor would you be right in arguing that everyone who believes in life after death is using it as a security blanket. The reasons for believing (and not believing) in an afterlife are too many and varied to be summed up so simply. Undoubtedly there are some people who think this way, but you can't take this position and attribute it to everyone.

 

[Biscuit]

Religion answers 3 main questions for people.
1. How did I get here?
2. What am I meant to do here?
3. Where do I go from here?

For me science continues to answer the first. The second isn't all the bothersome to me. The third is irrelevant.

I don't feel superior just a resigned to the knowledge that this is my only time here so I better make it count!

 

[Squeegee Beckenheim]

Hi, I've not posted for a while, but I've been pondering an issue I thought I'd share: It's about belief in the Afterlife, Life-After-Death, Heaven, whatever you want to call it. I know there are threads here discussing whether it's real or not; I know Skeptics say it's not. I have my own opinions on that, but the point I want to address here is not whether it exists or not, but why do people think it does. I've aften asked this question elsewhere and the answers I get from non-believers tend to run like this:

"The reason people believe in Life-After-Death is simply because the prospect of ceasing to exist when we die is totally unbearable and so humanity has concocted a mental safety-net to survive psychologically. It's a kind of 'comfort blanket' that means we don't have to live with the knowledge of our finality that has evolved as we became aware of our mortality."

It makes sense superficially, but let's read between the lines here. it means that somebody who does not believe in the Afterlife can say:

BUT… I can face it! I know I’m going to cease to exist when I die and I can face up to it! The 'ordinary inferior people' need this comfort-blanket myth of an Afterlife, but I have the strength, the courage, the manliness and general superiority to get through my day without that crutch!”

So one could argue, and I do, that not to believe in Life-After-Death is a form of wishful thinking, for the prestige and exclusivity you get from it. This means that if the Afterlife was ever proved to exist that privileged position would all be gone. I'd be interested to know your thoughts.

So why do you think people think it does?

 

[Hokulele]

Manliness? I can assure you that my lack of belief in an afterlife has nothing to do with testosterone.

 

[Porterboy]

but I don't feel I get any "prestige" or "exclusivity" from that lack of belief.

Well get in there and enjoy it! You're sitting on a social goldmine!

 

[Porterboy]

So why do you think people think it does?

I'm not 100% sure. Possibly because it is a nice prospect, like winning the lottery... Or another possibility is that it actually does exist and that people have experienced it, like during Near-Death Experiences, or they've had contact with the departed through psychics.

 

[Porterboy]

Manliness? I can assure you that my lack of belief in an afterlife has nothing to do with testosterone.

I know; I was using a rather anachronistic metaphor: one of "bravery, pragmatism and heroism!"

 

[RobRoy]

Manliness? I can assure you that my lack of belief in an afterlife has nothing to do with testosterone.

But it might have to do with bacon.

For me, and I'm an agnostic, I don't necessarily believe in an afterlife, but I want to desperately. I do not, in any way, shape or form like to contemplate the end of my life with no after-life, in whatever form that may take. However, I do not see any evidence suggesting that such a thing exists, and, to be quite frank and honest: that scares the hell outta me.

I actually admire atheists who can conceive of their own death, and not be scared by the thought of being here one minute, and completely gone the next.

On the other hand, I'm hoping that the Singularity takes care of a great deal of that concern. Only 33 more years to go!

 

[AdMan]

I actually admire atheists who can conceive of their own death, and not be scared by the thought of being here one minute, and completely gone the next.

Hmm... maybe OP is right and we are exceptionally manly!

I don't find the idea of non-existence scary. It'll be just like before I was born.

 

[Squeegee Beckenheim]

Possibly because it is a nice prospect, like winning the lottery...

How's that different from how you've characterised the atheists' position?

 

[Roger Ramjets]

BUT… I can face it! I know I’m going to cease to exist when I die and I can face up to it!

That's great! So you won't mind if I kill you now?

Having a fear of death is a very important survival trait. However, one possible consequence of that is not being able to accept it. If we spend all our lives trying to avoid death, surely there must be some way to 'survive' it? The answer is life after death.

And not just our own death, but also those of our friends and family. Nobody likes having to face up to the fact that when somebody is dead, they cease to exist. Even those of us who are 'man enough' to choose logic over emotion, find it hard to accept the death of a loved one.

Of course it is wishful thinking. But belief in the Afterlife is a very attractive idea. Humans excel at turning ideas into reality. Unfortunately it is all too easy to fall into the trap of believing in impossible things, just because we want them to be true.

BUT… I can face it! I know I’m going to cease to exist when I die and I can face up to it! The 'ordinary inferior people' need this comfort-blanket myth of an Afterlife, but I have the strength, the courage, the manliness and general superiority to get through my day without that crutch!”

Good for you! I admire your strength and courage. However I wonder whether you will be so sure when the crunch comes.

My father has Alzheimer's and his mind is gradually slipping away. 'He' will probably be dead long before his physical body expires. How can a person reach the Afterlife when their mind is already destroyed before they die? I am quite sure that there is no afterlife, but knowledge of that fact does not make me feel superior, just sad. Having to cope with the reality of death is hard, and I do not look down on anybody who needs a 'crutch' to get through it.

 

[RobRoy]

Hmm... maybe OP is right and we are exceptionally manly!

Could be, though I know far too many atheists to think this is the main reason, or even in the top ten.

I don't find the idea of non-existence scary. It'll be just like before I was born.

That's great. I can't get past that. Everything you are, everything you know, everything you ever dreamed, hoped, believed, or desired . . . gone. I'm not trying to convince you that you should be scared. Logically, I get the argument against. But emotionally, it shakes me to my core. I don't even like to ponder it for very long.

 

[Weak Kitten]

I have now found that while I had resigned myself to the idea that I might simply cease to exist at death, I had not really thought about what this meant as far as the ones I love are concerned. Now I find myself sad and confused, wishing I could believe in an afterlife but unable to simply force myself into such a belief. No mater how hard you try once you have started thinking skeptically it is nearly impossible to stop.

 

[beetzart]

I am a MBA bronze holder still in search of that elusive silver position. In reality all you have to say is 'we are just molecules arranged in a certain manner according to pyhsical laws and will be recycled when cells can no longer perform mitosis resulting in the degredation of the body due to certain pyhsical ailments that this brings about, our bodies will then decompose, if not cremated, and will provide nutriants for other species in their quest for reproduction and longevity, so in effect we will live on albeit in billions of constituent parts long seperated. Did I mention that the atoms in our body were formed as a product of nulclear fusion (apart from H)?'. Or any variation on that theme.

The MBA award committee is a one man team athough he refers to them as if they hand out Nobel prizes. This quest for people who just follow science and reason before they believe in something fanciful has been going on a long time:

One of my favourites http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2yCp6SJvRfM

All in all Porterboy is alright, a little silly but (sorry) is a little unhinged in the hope that science will one day prove him and his ilk correct even though he thinks the illuminati has bases in other Solar Systems!

Where is my Silver?

 

[Paul2]

So one could argue, and I do, that not to believe in Life-After-Death is a form of wishful thinking, for the prestige and exclusivity you get from it. This means that if the Afterlife was ever proved to exist that privileged position would all be gone. I'd be interested to know your thoughts.

Where is the prestige coming from, or from who? How is it exclusive if many people think this way? Perhaps you mean whatever exclusivity comes with being in the minority?

In any event, I suspect you do not have any evidence for your claim. Perhaps it would be better to downgrade your idea to a hypothesis?

 

[Brian-M]

Possibly the popularity of belief in the afterlife stems from magical thinking.

A living person is basically an animated object, and this animated quality vanishes when they die. It's very easy to imagine this as being due to some kind of magical animating force (which might be referred to as a spirit, soul or life-essence). It's especially easy to think this way if you live in a society that knows nothing about brain function and nerves carrying signals from the brain to the muscles. (And throughout most of history people have lived without this knowledge.)

So for someone who thinks of a living person this way, the obvious question when someone dies is where did their life-essence (or spirit, or soul) go?

Postulating an afterlife would be one way to answer this question.

 

[Resume]

Where is my Silver?

Ask Judas, he had a bunch last I heard.

 

[Neutiquam Erro]

That's great! So you won't mind if I kill you now?

Fear of dying does not necessarily imply fear of death.