[NF] Do you believe in an afterlife?

[Goodewitch]

First of all, my condolences for your losses OP.
Yes, I firmly beleive in an afterlife and the survival of the spirit or 'soul' of each individual.
How could I not believe after what I have experienced and seen with my own eyes.
I'm one of those strange types that see spirit people, and communicate and experience their presence, Since 15 years old, I've been aware of the next dimension of existence.
Its just at the corner of our awareness, like looking out the corner of your eye.
Its a higher vibrational dimension, they can visit us, but we cant visit them till we pass over to that plane too.
It doesnt make grief or loss any easier for me, I still keenly feel the loss of their physical presence when someone dies, but it does help me to know they are still around, still able to be near me when I need them, even if I cant always see them, and that I'll join them again someday.
I beleive quantum physics is starting to give us possible answers with multiverse theories and all those dimnsions mentioned in different theories.
As there is a large element of future events given to me in some communications, it shores up my belief that alternate realities, and other dimensions, and time being past, present and future all together is probably on the right track.
We are stuck in 3 dimensions with illusiory linear time here,.. we dont see the bigger picture, but that there IS a bigger picture, and a survival of the individual , I'm sure of.
I also know that love really does know no boundaries of space, or time.
G. x

 

[scortia]

I don't believe in the traditional afterlife by any means. Either one that isn't describable where the souls of the dead intermingle with life or the interesting concept of reincarnation.

 

[Chunes]

I absolutely believe in an afterlife and the permanence of the human soul.

 

[ladypinkington]

I do believe in an afterlife. I feel like either way it takes faith, it takes faith to disbelieve and faith to believe. I don't think anyone knows one way or another without faith being involved because none of us can or will know for sure until it happens, in your case perhaps until it completely happens and you are buried or cremated- I don't think there is a cookie cutter experience of anything so I wouldn't personally count out an afterlife because you didn't see a light.

I also don't believe that anything immediate happens after a person dies concerning an afterlife. I believe you sleep- that everyone "sleeps" as it were and are resurrected at the same time. There are all kinds of different beliefs among the beliefs- I wouldn't be surprised if scientists believe in different things happening among their belief.

It, being belief or disbelief, is a decision of faith in my opinion, either way.

 

[Phantonym]

I would like to believe in the afterlife because it would be nice to linger on in some form or another. But since I have no data to prove to myself either it's existence or non-existence, then I'm content with living my life (hopefully for a very, very, VERY long time). I'll worry about that when the moment hits and then it's either "Wow. Cool!" or ...

 

[StrappingYoungLad]

Afterlife will be exactly the same as before-birth. Nothing. Void. Null.

 

[erm]

Afterlife will be exactly the same as before-birth. Nothing. Void. Null.

I feel like I ask this too much but... How do you know what pre-birth was like?

 

[StrappingYoungLad]

^^

I didn't, but my parents knew for example that I formed from pretty much nothing but atoms into what I am today. After death I will deform into whatever chemical substance bodies decompose.

 

[Queen Kat]

I can't tell if there is an afterlife. It's a surprise.

 

[BlueSprout]

No, I don't believe in afterlife. My view of life and consciousness is the most cold, harsh and biological one possible.

I do however like to think of everyone and everything living forever in history, which is like a magical realm of it's own. The person, and all the things they thought, felt and did, would always have happened, they will forever be stamped in history, always be real. So even when someone you love dies, and their consciousness does not exist in the present, it still existed in the past and nothing can change that, therefore it still does exist in it's own way. As does your relationship with them.

A million times this.

 

[erm]

^^

I didn't, but my parents knew for example that I formed from pretty much nothing but atoms into what I am today. After death I will deform into whatever chemical substance bodies decompose.

How did your parents find that out?

I have no memories before the age of 4, my parents don't know what life is, so it follows that they don't know what death is. No one seems to know what life, and more specifically, consciousness are.

Besides that, if you came from nothing, what's to stop you coming again?

There's a strange form of "souls" amongst those who don't believe in an afterlife as well. As in order to absolutely have no afterlife, it cannot be possible to reform. So if the self is the brain, the brain has to be unique enough (possess a soul), that if current theories in physics are true, cannot come back over even the course of infinity.

 

[tibby]

I kind of wish I did. Something that struck me very hard yesterday was when a friend of mine was discussing this with someone, (she believes in afterlife and God) saying: "People always tell me to explore and look, and that's what I'm trying to do... Sometimes it feels like I'm the only one who is exploring and studying, and others just assume these things can't be real. I think assuming is stupid, you always have to validate."

I don't know why, but it got me. I've been thinking about these things for years, and am still as conflicted. There are two different sides to me arguing side by side, but I cannot reasonably make myself believe in afterlife. It just doesn't make sense.
Yet I float to somewhere in my thoughts and navigate these things through what is not rational... But it remains a mystery to me nevertheless.

But I guess that's the fun part. Sticking to something absolute with whatever validation (reason, feeling, whatever) just goes against my nature.

When I was little I had this very vague idea of re-birth, but not in the sense like our souls would be reborn and a hinduism approach of karma etc... But more like in the style of "circle of life" kinda thing. Energy and something like that.

I feel like beliving in something would probably ease my mind and make the passing of people I know personally easier to handle. But then again, why is it so hard for me to accept the end of somebody existing? Isn't the finale... Isn't ending a relief in itself. No more consciousness.

But I do think, on some level, there are things beyond of what we're capable of perceiving, or maybe things that can be perceived, but in a very simple, rough, abstract, vague, (unconscious) manner, not in linear, clear and logical. It's a whole different way of seeing and looking and understanding perhaps, and I enjoy exploring, although it seems like I have no personal convictions of my own. Everytime someone says something or I read something I see so many sides in of what they're saying and am so amazed, it's hard to believe in absolutes and certainty.

 

[Thinkerninja]

I personally dont believe in an afterlife. I've heard arguments, but they are refuted by either my logic or intuition. When people say they saw 'a light', heard a 'voice' etc., it possibly suggests a sort of lucid, subconscious bordering conscious state. Or just plain dreaming from shock of being in a particular near-death situation and realisation of that experience.