What is the afterlife like?

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I have very good reasons to believe the mind continues after the body dies. Perhaps we'll get into that, if you're interested, in this string, but I'm more interested in speculating about what the afterlife would have to be like, if there is such a thing.

Is it like a dream?

Is it simply non-existence--no mind, no realization of any sort?

Is it a world, a universe of its own?

What does Morpheus say to Neo in The Matrix? "Have you ever had a dream that seemed so real? What if you never woke up? How would you know it was a dream?" ...or something to that effect.

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My opinion, for what it is worth, is that after death we become what we were before we were born.

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My opinion, for what it is worth, is that after death we become what we were before we were born.

Then you believe we cease to exist? I assume that's what you mean, because otherwise, what you have said is a non-answer. It's not even a statement of faith; it's just blowing off the question. Right?

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Specializes in Emergency Department.
Then you believe we cease to exist? I assume that's what you mean, because otherwise, what you have said is a non-answer. It's not even a statement of faith; it's just blowing off the question. Right?

I did not say anything about ceasing to exist have you heard of reincarnation? Do you know what you were before you were born?

I gave an answer, how is that a non-answer? You may not like it but it is an answer.

It was not meant to be a statement of faith, I am atheist and a sceptic and do not do faith.

Wrong! I did not "blow off" the question, I thought I gave a reasonably thoughtful answer.

Are you looking for people to tell you it is all fluffy clouds and people in wings playing harps? Or perhaps like the end scene in Ghost with family waiting for you?

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Are you looking for people to tell you it is all fluffy clouds and people in wings playing harps? Or perhaps like the end scene in Ghost with family waiting for you?

I'm not looking for any particular answer, but if you're an atheist and a skeptic, then surely you don't believe there is any afterlife. As an atheist and skeptic, aren't you also a materialist?

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Specializes in Emergency Department.
I'm not looking for any particular answer, but if you're an atheist and a skeptic, then surely you don't believe there is any afterlife. As an atheist and skeptic, aren't you also a materialist?

Atheist; a person who does not believe in god or gods.

Sceptic; a person inclined to doubt or question accepted opinions.

Why do you assume I don't have a spiritual side?

Where in my reply do I say I believe in an afterlife?

By the way, I am not a nihilist either.

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Specializes in Psych, Addictions, SOL (Student of Life).
Atheist; a person who does not believe in god or gods.

Sceptic; a person inclined to doubt or question accepted opinions.

Why do you assume I don't have a spiritual side?

Where in my reply do I say I believe in an afterlife?

By the way, I am not a nihilist either.

Grumpy I love your answer here because it directly addresses that there is a difference between Spirituality and religion. A person may be religious without being spiritual and vica versa. Spirituality is living one's life by a set of principals in order to be a peace with one's self. It has nothing to do with appeasing a god or gods. I have know many people who claimed to be religious but possess not spirituality.

Hppy

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Atheist; a person who does not believe in god or gods.

Sceptic; a person inclined to doubt or question accepted opinions.

Why do you assume I don't have a spiritual side?

Where in my reply do I say I believe in an afterlife?

By the way, I am not a nihilist either.

That is typical assumption from evangelical fundamentalist nurses. In their eyes, not believing in Jesus equates not being spiritual or worse, following Satan.

Personally, I don't know what the afterlife is like. I don't have knowledge this aspect to have a belief in it. Maybe I simply return to dust; maybe I come back to the state that I was before I was born; maybe I go to some land that is not bound by space and time; maybe I will be in hell with Satan according to Christians. I really don't know, and I'm not afraid of saying I don't know.

Buddhism believes in reincarnation, but there is no clear evidence about it, so I cannot say if I will reincarnate into a new life.

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Specializes in Pediatrics, Pediatric Float, PICU, NICU.

Based on the limited suggestions you have in the original post, I would select the non-existent one. That is the one that makes the most sense to me as a logical, scientific, and even spiritual person. But I'm not arrogant enough to say I know for sure either way, and I respect everyone else's guesses on the matter. It's one of those things we will never know for sure.

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Atheist; a person who does not believe in god or gods.

Sceptic; a person inclined to doubt or question accepted opinions.

Why do you assume I don't have a spiritual side?

Where in my reply do I say I believe in an afterlife?

By the way, I am not a nihilist either.

dontknow2.gifdontknow2.gifI really don't know. But I feel like we're dancing a dance here, and frankly, I want to go back to the table and have another drink.

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Grumpy I love your answer here because it directly addresses that there is a difference between Spirituality and religion. A person may be religious without being spiritual and vica versa. Spirituality is living one's life by a set of principals in order to be a peace with one's self. It has nothing to do with appeasing a god or gods. I have know many people who claimed to be religious but possess not spirituality.

Hppy

For the record, I have not mentioned anything about religion, and I couldn't give a rat's a... if someone is an atheist. I just want to know what people think about the afterlife--or if they simply think there isn't one. What pisses me off is when people out of ignorance, shallowness, and fear refuse to even contemplate the issue.

funeral.gif

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That is typical assumption from evangelical fundamentalist nurses. In their eyes, not believing in Jesus equates not being spiritual or worse, following Satan.

I hope you're not referring to me! The only one to bring up religion is you.

Personally, I don't know what the afterlife is like. I don't have knowledge this aspect to have a belief in it. Maybe I simply return to dust; maybe I come back to the state that I was before I was born; maybe I go to some land that is not bound by space and time; maybe I will be in hell with Satan according to Christians. I really don't know, and I'm not afraid of saying I don't know.

That's an honest answer. But let me ask you this: Do you care? I mean, are you okay with simply blinking out of existence as if you never were. 0 continued experience. Nothing, but not even an awareness of Nothing. Just nothing. The eternal rest.

Buddhism believes in reincarnation, but there is no clear evidence about it, so I cannot say if I will reincarnate into a new life.

Reincarnation doesn't make sense to me. I wasn't EGspirit in my last life (if I had one). I was someone else. If it was the same soul, what does that mean to me? Maybe God is Consciousness, which means any recollection I have of a past life is just me connecting with the memory of God--which I am part of anyway. So, reincarnation is kind of blown apart. It's like, yeah, I lived before. In that case, I have lived all lives before, and all lives now, and all lives to come. But EGspirit is still a unique existence. If I die and am reborn as a different person--then that's just the same thing as saying I (EGspirit) cease to exist when I die.

That's my thoughts on reincarnation, anyway. And reincarnation is held by more people than any other single belief about the afterlife.

Thanks for your answer to this post.

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