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Do you believe in life after death? Do you think it's possible that ones inner self/"soul" can go onto another place, or to another dimension once the physical body has perished? Explain your thoughts.

I for one think there is no such thing as the "afterlife" nor Heaven/Hell, ones body is just that, a body filled with inner organs and a brain to let the body function and think. Once the body dies, the brain goes with it, decomposes, until there is nothing left, until nothing remains of what you once were. If you think that there is an "afterlife" how do you explain how you go to this alternate world? How is it mentally/physically possible for this thing called a "soul" to travel through space, and possibly time, to another dimension? When you think about it, where in our bodies could we possibly contain a supernatural entity that represents our true inner spirit and lifeforce? It cannot exist, and it is impossible to exist.

So what if our eyes cant see everything there is to see and if our brains cant compute everything we receive, is it really possible that there is some unknown energy that resounds externally from our figures that we cannot comprehend? If so, is this what is known as a "soul"? And can it travel onward when it is has nothing left to attach itself to (our bodies)? Possibly it will float away elsewhere into space and beyond to travel the galaxy. If this happens will this unknown power contain our thoughts and emotions, much like our brains did, and is it scientifically possible for it to house the same type of waves and energy our brains do when we think and process information? Will our brains ultimately transmit all our mental energy into this power so as to possibly preserve ones identity? No one will probably ever know, once someone dies, they are gone for good, the only way one would know is if this resounding power was able to communicate with others after it has left the body, even then, our brain waves could be extremely weak and the nodes possibly wouldnt be able to function properly.

If the above statments and hypothesis' hold some fact to it, this could possibly be what ghosts/spectres are comprised of, the same external energy except possibly have taken a different form, who knows, possibly even evolution, much like the human race. It could happen if the external "soul" comes into contact with other ghosts energy and possibly fuse together creating a whole new being, or even interact with other energies, such as electric or heat. This could all be a possibilty...

Another thing that baffles me is the method of "astral projection" the "art" of leaving ones own body through mind powers and floating around while your physical body remains intact and stationary elsewhere. You may have heard of this. If so, is this some kind of process by which, you manage to merge your brain activity with the external energies so as to effectively create an artificall afterlife? Possibly one could make his brain function in a similar state as to when he/she is nearing death, thus effectively achieving the afterlife area. This could be quite dangerous as you could permanently leave your body and drift off somewhere else only to never return to your physical self, thus killing yourself.

Hmmm, after typing this, I realize that there may infact be an afterlife, it is quite possible. Anyways, I am quite fascinated with this and I would like to hear your opinions.....


^_^

I beileve there is an after life may it be a heaven or hell, or wandering the planet aimlessly as a spectre.

I find it hard to believe that a certain arrangement of atoms could result in intelligence, sentience and thought, let alone life. The chances of such a thing are so remote as to be zero. I mean why would inanimate matter start thinking? It seems to me the existence of a soul is not only true, but necessary for life in general.

Originally posted by Strafe
a certain arrangement of atoms could result in intelligence

...considering that in so many cases it failed, I have to clock in with a big fat smeggy "maybe".

Or, to put it another way, if we could understand ourselves, we'd be too primitive to do so. The fact that some of us are convinced that they know so much is therefore worrying...

Originally posted by Strafe
I find it hard to believe that a certain arrangement of atoms could result in intelligence, sentience and thought, let alone life. The chances of such a thing are so remote as to be zero. I mean why would inanimate matter start thinking? It seems to me the existence of a soul is not only true, but necessary for life in general.

Yes Strafe, I find it hard to believe as well, but you cant prove that this could never happen, I mean, have you ever died and floated around in the afterlife and then came back? I dont think so. How would a soul be necessary for life to survive? Our bodies are purely biological, so there is no such thing as a soul and it surely would have nothing to do with our living, unless of course you are talking about survival in the mental sense, but even then thats only a matter of will power and the force which prevents a person from giving up and commiting suicide.

I am Catholic, so I try to believe. I hope that the soul exists. I'd hate to have lived on this lousy earth, and worked so hard for nothing. I have stories of miracles to comfort me, but at the same time I have my doubts. In the end it all comes down to hopes and fears. I hope that there is a divine being watching over us, and at the same time, I don't feel him. There are times when I feel that everything I did amounts to nothing, emptiness, and it scares me. There have been times that I feel that I may have experienced divine power, but I don't remember the times that well. There has to be something. I just hope that I don't get reincarnated. Don't get me wrong, life is precious to me, but life is too much work, and I think one lifetime is enough for me. At the end of my life, I will have had enough life for an eternity.

Though I claim to be an Atheist, I am actually of two minds about issues like religion and afterlife... there are times that I'm certain that there is nothing, and that the life we create for ourselves is the only thing we'll ever have... and there are times that my upbringing (which was rather superstitious and spiritual) gets the better of me and I feel that there must be something after this...

I don't know, I do have a spiritual side... But I'm also incredibly skeptical.

I don't know if there's an afterlife. Furthermore, I'm not going to waste inordinate amounts of time trying to decide whether there is or not - I'm more concerned with what's going on in the world and the people around me. I think that dealing with those things first will be of greater use than pondering something which there may not be an answer to. Mind you, I don't mean that it is not an important question - the fear of and curisosity about death are integral to being human. I just find myself better suited to deal with the people, not the ideas (at least until I think I have a chance of solving the problem, but that's just the mathematician in me coming out). Guess I'm a humanist at heart.

There is an afterlife if you are marketable. Is your life enough to base a movie? Also you can live forever through computers. Or come back through reincarnation as an ant. Then you can lift ten times your own weight.

"Some people spend so much time worrying about the next life that they forget to live in this one." - To Kill a Mockingbird.

Sums up my feelings pretty much as well.

As a child growin up i was always dragged to Church, an while i was little i did the whole believe in the big bad devil an the white robe wearing god deal, the whole heaven an hell bit. When i grew up an took on my current agnostic/atheist views i changed my views on stuff.

When you die you're dead in a sense, but not completely. Now this is gonna sound cheesey probably but i can't explain it NE better. Last year January my fav instructor from college died, he was like a father to all my friends an i. True i believe he's dead, an i don't see him floatin around in heaven or burnin in hell, i think he lives on through us, and not just our memories but as part of us. He taught us, shaped us, and gave alotta us direction, therefore the energey that made him alive lives on in us. Essentially we carry on bits of his life force and some of the things we accomplish are his accomplishments too. I realize how Masterforce-ish this sounds, but i can't think of a better way to explain it. But to say he still exists as a coherent/sentient being somewhere else, i don't think so.

Originally posted by saysadie
Though I claim to be an Atheist, I am actually of two minds about issues like religion and afterlife... there are times that I'm certain that there is nothing, and that the life we create for ourselves is the only thing we'll ever have... and there are times that my upbringing (which was rather superstitious and spiritual) gets the better of me and I feel that there must be something after this...

I don't know, I do have a spiritual side... But I'm also incredibly skeptical.

As a Canadian should be, Totally in the middle

Judging from events that are to far from logical to rationalise like premonitions, out of body experiences, etc I'd say it’s hard to deny the evidence of a 'soul' existing.
Lets not forget cases of medically prove ‘faith healing’ (Not the stage shows but stuff like that place in the south of France-cant remember the name)
I saw an example of this because my mum knew my uncle (they are twins) was dead before she was actually told.
Lets also point out that the mechanics of life still baffle scientists implying basing as life=brain activity as an extremely naive notion.


Even though doubt if 'Heaven' is another dimension, but an incomprehensible new level of existence that isn’t relative to this one making the souls journey through 3 or 4 dimensional space as pretty irreverent and short sighted.
I can see this because my mum knew my uncle (they are twins) was dead before she was actually told, a clear enough example to me that life isn’t a matter of rationalising of physics. I cant argue at this mo of any actural evidence of a specific’spiratual’ existence relating to any theory but its hard to deny the incidents and examples of where this side to life becomes evident.

Don't believe in afterlife

Originally posted by Strafe
I find it hard to believe that a certain arrangement of atoms could result in intelligence, sentience and thought, let alone life. The chances of such a thing are so remote as to be zero. I mean why would inanimate matter start thinking? It seems to me the existence of a soul is not only true, but necessary for life in general.

So i guess that the soul is a much more reasonable theory, huh?, none of the 2 theories have been proved, but the scientific one has some logical answers but not certain and given the time scientists will be able to explain it the way it was...
On the other hand you can believe a deity created us and gave us a soul, just have blind faith in what the church tells you and ask no questions (oddly enough the germans that followed Hitler did the same thing)

Originally posted by Skylinx
just have blind faith in what the church tells you and ask no questions (oddly enough the germans that followed Hitler did the same thing)

Yeah, but there's a big difference between believing in God, and killing Jews.

Originally posted by PaladinPrime

Yeah, but there's a big difference between believing in God, and killing Jews.

Two words for you PaladinPrime "Jerry Fallwell"

That mans not much better than Hitler in my opinion. I have the misfortune of livin in the same state as he does, so i hear about more of his escapades on the news than most ppl do. Right now he's breaking VA state law by purchasing more land than the law allows a church to have tax free (he bought 100 acers). The law says that Religious organizations can only have 15 acers for "tax free purposes" (the rest must be taxxed), then he turns around and is sueing the state because of the law and also trying to get it repealed at the same time. When all those planes trashed our stuff in September, the bum had the nerve to get on TV and say that all that happened because there's gay ppl in america and ppl are having abortions and premaritial sex. I mean that was just WRONG! You don't talk trash like that when we're in pain and suffering. I've also been to Lynchburg, the city where he keeps his holy temple, and all i've ever seen is white ppl, there's no other race, an no traces of any other religion in that city, i'd wager it's quite a racist place from what i've seen.

No doubt he's running his own cult.....

Originally posted by Ulticron


Two words for you PaladinPrime "Jerry Fallwell"

That mans not much better than Hitler in my opinion. I have the misfortune of livin in the same state as he does, so i hear about more of his escapades on the news than most ppl do. Right now he's breaking VA state law by purchasing more land than the law allows a church to have tax free (he bought 100 acers). The law says that Religious organizations can only have 15 acers for "tax free purposes" (the rest must be taxxed), then he turns around and is sueing the state because of the law and also trying to get it repealed at the same time. When all those planes trashed our stuff in September, the bum had the nerve to get on TV and say that all that happened because there's gay ppl in america and ppl are having abortions and premaritial sex. I mean that was just WRONG! You don't talk trash like that when we're in pain and suffering. I've also been to Lynchburg, the city where he keeps his holy temple, and all i've ever seen is white ppl, there's no other race, an no traces of any other religion in that city, i'd wager it's quite a racist place from what i've seen.

So, you're condemning all Christians based on this one man? How does that work?

originally posted by PaladinPrime

So, you're condemning all Christians based on this one man? How does that work?

No i'm not doing that, but i am saying the man's bad and in my opinion he ranks up there w/Hitler. It's ppl like him that drove me to my current lack of beliefe. Personally i treat Christians like i treat all other groups. As long as you're cool w/me i'm cool w/u.

I basically don't think about this sort of question. I figure, I'll find out eventually, so why care about in the interim? Life as we know is too short to worry about what will happen after you die. I try to stay away from religion (I feel its a crutch for people that can't think on their) for an answer. My own philosophy is: Just Live well. Don't worry about tomorrow, worry about today.