Do you believe in an afterlife?

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Kadarin

Lifer
Nov 23, 2001
44,296
16
81
Originally posted by: hjo3
Originally posted by: Astaroth33
I look at it this way: There either is an afterlife or there is not. My explicit belief will not matter, so I choose not to waste mental effort.
What if the whole show is run by some deity who sends you wherever you think you ought to go? You're kinda screwed then. It's not like it takes any "mental effort" to believe in something anyway... I believe in New Jersey even though I've never been there. It's not like I have to periodically stop during the day and concentrate on believing in New Jersey.

Now that's just plain silly. Such a diety would be pretty fvcked up, and not worth any sort of reverence or worship.
 

hjo3

Diamond Member
May 22, 2003
7,354
4
0
Originally posted by: Astaroth33
Now that's just plain silly. Such a diety would be pretty fvcked up, and not worth any sort of reverence or worship.
I didn't say anything about worshipping or revering it.

EDIT: Actually, that's just plain silly. Why would a real deity need to be worshipped? Seems unlikely that omnipotent beings would be so insecure about themselves.
 

BurnItDwn

Lifer
Oct 10, 1999
26,353
1,862
126
afterlife ... well ... technically, sometimes people are prematurely pronounced dead and then "brought back" using CPR / modern medicine.

however, the afterlife that I believe you are talking about almost certainly does not exist. For instance, how could the so called "soul" somehow stay alive while the body is dead. All thoughts, emotions etc are stored in the brain. The brain can not survive without energy. Currently, the only way that I am aware of for this process to work is the heart (or in some cases a pump) must pump oxegenated blood to and from the brain. The lungs are used to oxegenate the blood.

Then there's the issue of waste removal ... you need your kidneys and digestive system for that.

I know there is a LOT of science we humans still have left to learn, but I am pretty certain that it is impossible for an afterlife to exist.

If it were to be scientificly proven that it is even possible, I would maybe reconsider., however, I don't believe in everything that is possible. I try to believe in what's most likely really true, and not what I want to be true.


The way you are remembered in history is the closest thing that there is to an afterlife.
 

SuperTool

Lifer
Jan 25, 2000
14,000
2
0
Originally posted by: hjo3
Originally posted by: Astaroth33
I look at it this way: There either is an afterlife or there is not. My explicit belief will not matter, so I choose not to waste mental effort.
What if the whole show is run by some deity who sends you wherever you think you ought to go? You're kinda screwed then. It's not like it takes any "mental effort" to believe in something anyway... I believe in New Jersey even though I've never been there. It's not like I have to periodically stop during the day and concentrate on believing in New Jersey.

But it's equally as likely that there is a deity who sends you to the opposite place of where you think you ought to go.
 

hjo3

Diamond Member
May 22, 2003
7,354
4
0
Originally posted by: SuperTool
Originally posted by: hjo3
Originally posted by: Astaroth33
I look at it this way: There either is an afterlife or there is not. My explicit belief will not matter, so I choose not to waste mental effort.
What if the whole show is run by some deity who sends you wherever you think you ought to go? You're kinda screwed then. It's not like it takes any "mental effort" to believe in something anyway... I believe in New Jersey even though I've never been there. It's not like I have to periodically stop during the day and concentrate on believing in New Jersey.
But it's equally as likely that there is a deity who sends you to the opposite place of where you think you ought to go.
If there is a deity, I think it's more likely that it's benevolent. If an all-powerful being wanted to cause us pain, after all, everything would suck a lot more. But here I am in an air-conditioned house with a Pepsi. So I think any deities out there either don't care about us, or are slightly kind.
 

hjo3

Diamond Member
May 22, 2003
7,354
4
0
Originally posted by: KirbsAw
I hope there isn't, it would be nice to not have to exist, at least for a little while.
By definition, if there is no afterlife, wouldn't you not-exist for a lot more than a little while?
 

SuperTool

Lifer
Jan 25, 2000
14,000
2
0
Originally posted by: hjo3
Originally posted by: SuperTool
Originally posted by: hjo3
Originally posted by: Astaroth33
I look at it this way: There either is an afterlife or there is not. My explicit belief will not matter, so I choose not to waste mental effort.
What if the whole show is run by some deity who sends you wherever you think you ought to go? You're kinda screwed then. It's not like it takes any "mental effort" to believe in something anyway... I believe in New Jersey even though I've never been there. It's not like I have to periodically stop during the day and concentrate on believing in New Jersey.
But it's equally as likely that there is a deity who sends you to the opposite place of where you think you ought to go.
If there is a deity, I think it's more likely that it's benevolent. If an all-powerful being wanted to cause us pain, after all, everything would suck a lot more. But here I am in an air-conditioned house with a Pepsi. So I think any deities out there either don't care about us, or are slightly kind.

Well, maybe it's contrarian. You just don't know.
 

imported_KirbsAw

Golden Member
Apr 23, 2004
1,472
1
0
Originally posted by: hjo3
Originally posted by: KirbsAw
I hope there isn't, it would be nice to not have to exist, at least for a little while.
By definition, if there is no afterlife, wouldn't you not-exist for a lot more than a little while?

I was saying that as if there happens to be an afterlife I hope I get to not exist for a little while before I have to exist again :D
 

JoeKing

Lifer
Oct 9, 1999
10,641
1
81
Originally posted by: KirbsAw
Originally posted by: JoeKing
yes I do.

"Muse - thoughts of a dying atheist"

Thats a cool song.

That song popped into my head as I read the thread title. I mean imagine being an atheist right before you die... there's no harm in believing there's somthing after all this.
 

Gurck

Banned
Mar 16, 2004
12,963
1
0
Originally posted by: JoeKing
Originally posted by: KirbsAw
Originally posted by: JoeKing
yes I do.

"Muse - thoughts of a dying atheist"

Thats a cool song.

That song popped into my head as I read the thread title. I mean imagine being an atheist right before you die... there's no harm in believing there's somthing after all this.

Could you just suddenly believe in Santa, or in humans' ability to walk upside-down without the aid of technology?
 

imported_KirbsAw

Golden Member
Apr 23, 2004
1,472
1
0
Originally posted by: Gurck
Originally posted by: JoeKing
Originally posted by: KirbsAw
Originally posted by: JoeKing
yes I do.

"Muse - thoughts of a dying atheist"

Thats a cool song.

That song popped into my head as I read the thread title. I mean imagine being an atheist right before you die... there's no harm in believing there's somthing after all this.

Could you just suddenly believe in Santa, or in humans' ability to walk upside-down without the aid of technology?

I'm an atheist, I just happen to like the band Muse ;) , from the lyrics I would gather the songwriter is an athiest too.
 

JoeKing

Lifer
Oct 9, 1999
10,641
1
81
Originally posted by: Gurck
Originally posted by: JoeKing
Originally posted by: KirbsAw
Originally posted by: JoeKing
yes I do.

"Muse - thoughts of a dying atheist"

Thats a cool song.

That song popped into my head as I read the thread title. I mean imagine being an atheist right before you die... there's no harm in believing there's somthing after all this.

Could you just suddenly believe in Santa, or in humans' ability to walk upside-down without the aid of technology?
Well if you believe in that stuff good for you. Who's to say what you should or you shouldn't believe in.