Meaning of life with dfeo: Do you believe in some sort of Deity / God / Afterlife?

Commotion Ocean

Sorry if this is too heavy for AH. If I posted this in Christianity or Islam etc or Atheism and Agnosticism it'd be a very biased thread. So I thought I'd scoppe out the demographics of boards.ie here and get a wide sweep of the whole community.

Our national census says something like 80-something percent are "Catholic", but I'd say all that means is that they were baptised and never go to Mass from one end of the year to the other.

Personally, I don't believe in a God or Afterlife or Deity at all.

I'm just posting this in response to someone in the 10PM rule thread saying that the Good Friday rule exists because we are a Catholic country with 80-something percent adherence.

qo2cj1dsne8y4k

IM NOT sure id describe myself as religious but I take a lot of comfort in the fact that I believe there's a heaven where everyone you miss and love go, family, dogs, pets, friends. Everyone who took a little piece of you when they went. And when you die, all these pieces will fit back together and you won't be broken anymore and you'll be happy and content forever with the people/animals that made your life good.

I don't care if it's made up and not true, I'll find out when I'm dead. But for now, I'm alive, and if believing something like this makes something hurt a little less then where's the harm?

I never understood why anyone would feel the need to take a crap all over someone else's comfort, or ridicule them, as long as nobody was being hurt.

The Backwards Man

Don't believe in life after death, but if there is a heaven I'll not be protesting outside the gates on point of principle

endacl

I believe in an afterlife, and I'm in it. Those who have died aren't. When I die, I won't be in it any more.

midnight city

I don't know what happens after death. I'm open minded on it.

Tigger

i voted with the groupthink cos thys howytou do theses things
how can anybody honestly believe in a desert god that was made up by people that lived a thousnd years before the inventon of sewers
seriously they wwere grasping at straws they didnt have a clue what was going on

i always feel like the kid who's brother told him that santa is a lie and thinks the other kids are stupid , but its grown ups that have heard of science.
people 2000 years ago : put them on a train they will freak out , tell them its ok and put them on a helicopter watch them go mad.

Tigger

endacl wrote: »

I believe in an afterlife, and I'm in it. Those who have died aren't. When I die, I won't be in it any more.

lol what?

Tigger

LexieOnRale wrote: »

IM NOT sure id describe myself as religious but I take a lot of comfort in the fact that I believe there's a heaven where everyone you miss and love go, family, dogs, pets, friends. Everyone who took a little piece of you when they went. And when you die, all these pieces will fit back together and you won't be broken anymore and you'll be happy and content forever with the people/animals that made your life good.

I don't care if it's made up and not true, I'll find out when I'm dead. But for now, I'm alive, and if believing something like this makes something hurt a little less then where's the harm?

I never understood why anyone would feel the need to take a crap all over someone else's comfort, or ridicule them, as long as nobody was being hurt.

people are being hurt
every day
people are being hurt , also in most christian religions dogs don't go to heaven

s15r330

I don't believe in a God / Deity / Afterlife

Not religious but I refuse to believe we are just a bunch of electrical impulses.
I believe there is something after, what that something is, I don't know.
But I simply don't believe what we are and all that is a person simply disappears into nothingness.

Tigger

s15r330 wrote: »

Not religious but I refuse to believe we are just a bunch of electrical impulses.
I believe there is something after, what that something is, I don't know.
But I simply don't believe what we are and all that is a person simply disappears into nothingness.

why

Tigger

Tigger wrote: »

why

It's a comfort to believe in something greater than ourselves. I don't believe in God or an afterlife but I wish I did.

s15r330

I don't believe in a God / Deity / Afterlife

Tigger wrote: »

why

Just something I feel, can't explain exactly why.
I just think there is too much there to just disappear.
Experiences and emotions and feelings etc can't be just neurons firing off each other.
I suppose the idea of a soul comes into play.
But no one can be certain either way, if someone is 100% one way or the other with no evidence then they're silly.

dont believe in a deity nor an afterlife nor a non physical soul

dont find that this hampers my ability to live a generally happy life tbh

Tigger

Deleted User wrote: »

It's a comfort to believe in something greater than ourselves. I don't believe in God or an afterlife but I wish I did.

i'm sure it would be lovley

Thor used to be a god to scandi peoples
now hes a superhero in the films
how long betwen people thinking he was a god and people tinking he is yer man of home and away ?

bobbysands81

There's absolutely no evidence of any type of "higher" being, after life etc...

It's all a result superstition, voodoo, fear of mortality etc...

Tigger

s15r330 wrote: »

Just something I feel, can't explain exactly why.
I just think there is too much there to just disappear.
Experiences and emotions and feelings etc can't be just neurons firing off each other.
I suppose the idea of a soul comes into play.
But no one can be certain either way, if someone is 100% one way or the other with no evidence then they're silly.

i understand the want to believe that all this can juste nd
but thats what death is
game over
believing in things for no other reason than a story you were told is silly
there is no incidence for the afterlife , why would you think it should exist, where is it
how does it run?

s15r330

I don't believe in a God / Deity / Afterlife

Tigger wrote: »

i understand the ant to believe that all this can just nd
but thats what death is
game over
believing in things for no other reason than a story you were told is silly
there is no eveidence for the afterlife , why would you think it shouldmexist, whre is it
how does it run?

Where is your evidence that there isn"t one?
You seem to be confusing what i'm saying with religion and going to heaven etc. Not what i'm saying at all. I just think myself that the energy goes somewhere.
I don't know for certain, but neither do you.

Tigger

Tigger wrote: »

i'm sure it would be lovley

Thor used to be a god to scandi peoples
now hes a superhero in the films
how long betwen people thinking he was a god and people tinking he is yer man of home and away ?

Maybe peeeple tought he was a god when he was yer man in home and away
Trigger is jealous hes not a god too




:pac:

Tigger

s15r330 wrote: »

Where is your evidence that there isn"t one?
You seem to be confusing what i'm saying with religion and going to heaven etc. Not what i'm saying at all. I just think myself that the energy goes somewhere.
I don't know for certain, but neither do you.

you think that the energy goes somewhere?
what energy? do you know about entropy?
i don't know for certain that beatram russel isn't flying arounf in a choclate teapot just off the moons of pluto but that dosent mean its likley
where is the battery that stores the energy of the dead?
where is the substrate that stores the personalities of the dead
the new afterlife is yer man taat invented pay pals' idea that we are all living in a supercomputer
i have no proof thta thats not true but i dont think its likley
at least he h2KK_kzrJPS8as a plan

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=

midnight city

There is no reason to convince yourself that there is no possibility of an afterlife. What can be gained from becoming a confirmed atheist. I live out my life with the vague notion that maybe there is something but i won't know till i die. If there is something then fine, if there isn't i won't know because i'll be dead.

Tigger

s15r330 wrote: »

Where is your evidence that there isn"t one?
You seem to be confusing what i'm saying with religion and going to heaven etc. Not what i'm saying at all. I just think myself that the energy goes somewhere.
I don't know for certain, but neither do you.

you think that the energy goes somewhere?
what energy? do you know about entropy?
i don't know for certain that beatram russel isn't flying arounf in a choclate teapot just off the moons of pluto but that dosent mean its likley
where is the battery that stores the energy of the dead?
where is the substrate that stores the personalities of the dead
the new afterlife is yer man taat invented pay pals' idea that we are all living in a supercomputer
i have no proof thta thats not true but i dont think its likley
at least he has a plan

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2KK_kzrJPS8

mzungu

Tigger wrote: »

people are being hurt
every day
people are being hurt , also in most christian religions dogs don't go to heaven

Neither do people from Cavan.

Tigger

midnight city wrote: »

There is no reason to convince yourself that there is no possibility of an afterlife. What can be gained from becoming a confirmed atheist. I live out my life with the vague notion that maybe there is something but i won't know till i die. If there is something then fine, if there isn't i won't know because i'll be dead.

truth
what can be gained by living a ife dictated by fairy tales?

Tigger

mzungu wrote: »

Neither do people from Cavan.

ok

Tigger

Deleted User wrote: »

Maybe peeeple tought he was a god when he was yer man in home and away
Trigger is jealous hes not a god too




:pac:

Tigger is a Tigger
this is better

s15r330

I don't believe in a God / Deity / Afterlife

Tigger wrote: »

you think that the energy goes somewhere?
what energy? do you know about entropy?
i don't know for certain that beatram russel isn't flying arounf in a choclate teapot just off the moons of pluto but that dosent mean its likley
where is the battery that stores the energy of the dead?
where is the substrate that stores the personalities of the dead
the new afterlife is yer man taat invented pay pals' idea that we are all living in a supercomputer
i have no proof thta thats not true but i dont think its likley
at least he has a plan

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2KK_kzrJPS8

Well a chocolate teapot wouldn't survive exiting our atmosphere so I can tell you that definitely isn't possible.
I don't understand your need to force your opinion on others.
I have already said I don't know for sure.
Can you tell me with 100% certainty that there isn't one? The answer is no, you can't.
The best anyone can say is they think one way or the other.

midnight city

midnight city wrote: »

There is no reason to convince yourself that there is no possibility of an afterlife. What can be gained from becoming a confirmed atheist. I live out my life with the vague notion that maybe there is something but i won't know till i die. If there is something then fine, if there isn't i won't know because i'll be dead.

the idea that one 'chooses' to be an atheist is one you might benefit from considering. or not.

midnight city

Tigger wrote: »

truth
what can be gained by living a ife dictated by fairy tales?

If it helps them through this often difficult life then let them at it so long as they aren't preaching it to everyone else.

I don't follow any organised religion, i rarely think about god or the afterlife. I'm agnostic. What i'm not is a confirmed atheist. I don't see the point in it. Science doesn't have all the answers yet not by a long shot.

Tigger

s15r330 wrote: »

Well a chocolate teapot wouldn't survive exiting our atmosphere so I can tell you that definitely isn't possible.
I don't understand your need to force your opinion on others.
I have already said I don't know for sure.
Can you tell me with 100% certainty that there isn't one? The answer is no, you can't.
The best anyone can say is they think one way or the other.

i'm not forcing my opinion
i'm giving my opinion , i didnt start the tgread i gave my opinion to a question asking for my opinion

in my nopinion there is no afterlife, can't be unless its in a simulation like mr tesla says and i think he's a raving loon, a chocate teapot can exist outside our atmosphere btw what makes you think it cant?

Tigger

midnight city wrote: »

If it helps them through this often difficult life then let them at it so long as they aren't preaching it to everyone else.

I don't follow any organised religion, i rarely think about god or the afterlife. I'm agnostic. What i'm not is a confirmed atheist. I don't see the point in it. Science doesn't have all the answers yet not by a long shot.

the long black nothing is scary but thats not av reason to believe in childrens bedtime storys
ehats a cinfirmed athiest what does science not know that needs to be known . in times of making up the religions science didnt know where diesese came from

s15r330

I don't believe in a God / Deity / Afterlife

Tigger wrote: »

i'm not forcing my opinion
i'm giving my opinion , i didnt start the tgread i gave my opinion to a question asking for my opinion

in my nopinion there is no afterlife, can't be unless its in a simulation like mr tesla says and i think he's a raving loon, a chocate teapot can exist outside our atmosphere btw what makes you think it cant?

Show me where I said it couldn't exist outside our atmosphere.

Tigger

midnight city wrote: »

If it helps them through this often difficult life then let them at it so long as they aren't preaching it to everyone else.

I don't follow any organised religion, i rarely think about god or the afterlife. I'm agnostic. What i'm not is a confirmed atheist. I don't see the point in it. Science doesn't have all the answers yet not by a long shot.

agnostic is a cop out
read this
or dont it wont chnge anything
http://www.patheos.com/blogs/reasonadvocates/2013/10/03/youre-either-theist-or-a-theist-there-is-no-agnostic-3rd-option/

Tigger

s15r330 wrote: »

Well a chocolate teapot wouldn't survive exiting our atmosphere so I can tell you that definitely isn't possible.
I don't understand your need to force your opinion on others.
I have already said I don't know for sure.
Can you tell me with 100% certainty that there isn't one? The answer is no, you can't.
The best anyone can say is they think one way or the other.

here

Tigger

s15r330 wrote: »

Show me where I said it couldn't exist outside our atmosphere.

post above
or do you mea the launch
the teapot didn;t originate on earth nessiciary

s15r330

I don't believe in a God / Deity / Afterlife

Tigger wrote: »

here

You might try re-reading that.
Again, show me where I said one couldn't exist outside.

midnight city

Tigger wrote: »

the long black nothing is scary but thats not av reason to believe in childrens bedtime storys

What is the reason to not believe? What advantage is there to atheism.

Tigger

midnight city wrote: »

What is the reason to not believe? What advantage is there to atheism.

what advantage is here to electronic engineering?

Tigger

until they stop telling kids all this religion stuff a lot of people will decide to believe an i'm not the person that will change that

ttfn

midnight city

Tigger wrote: »

agnostic is a cop out
read this
or dont it wont chnge anything
http://www.patheos.com/blogs/reasonadvocates/2013/10/03/youre-either-theist-or-a-theist-there-is-no-agnostic-3rd-option/

I've been through these types of discussions before. Its a waste of time. I still take the agnostic position. I see no reason to convince myself of atheism. What is there to gain from it.

thedeadp0et

I don't believe in a God / Deity / Afterlife

I believe in a supreme being and that this supreme being is within every living body on this earth. After a short spell of Atheism I became agnostic, however I'm not nor ever have been in the least bit religiously inclined - religion is a method of control and a system of brainwashing for the most part.
I've spent most of my life studying many of the Western Esoteric traditions; the Rosicusians, Freemasonry, Hermeticism, the Qabbalah and the rites of the Egyptian Priests (where most of these societies and orders draw their influences from) and this has given me so much light and hope.

Any questions please ask, I'm a little tired to elaborate right now but I'd love a discussion on the matter.

Rainman16

There are no deities, no gods, no afterlife. In my opinion. It's all bollocks

mzungu

midnight city wrote: »

If it helps them through this often difficult life then let them at it so long as they aren't preaching it to everyone else.

I don't follow any organised religion, i rarely think about god or the afterlife. I'm agnostic. What i'm not is a confirmed atheist. I don't see the point in it. Science doesn't have all the answers yet not by a long shot.

Indeed. Atheism takes the stance of knowing, when it reality it does not. It can no more lay a claim to truth than religion can.

jamesbere

I believe in some form of afterlife, what that is I don't know.

mzungu

mzungu wrote: »

Indeed. Atheism takes the stance of knowing, when it reality it does not. It can no more lay a claim to truth than religion can.

better discussion if it stuck to ppl outlining their own beliefs and not projecting those of others

anyone claiming to know for certain the answers to these questions can be safely dismissed

an atheist is someone who believes there is no supernatural element to life.

one doesnt choose to believe something. one either believes it or doesnt.

Arghus

There should be an Option for I Don't Know - seems like the most honest position to me.

I feel like it's highly, extraordinarily improbable that there's anything after death, but who knows? We know precisely fuck all about anything really.

GritBiscuit

It's not that I don't believe - like I've rejected the idea - so much as I've never had any belief in a god or afterlife....ever. Even as a kid.

Sometimes I'd like to, I imagine religion and gods could offer amazing solace and comfort in tough times but whatever gives us "faith" - I just don't have it.

Love the vibe in churches and even go to the odd christmas service but I'm under no illusions, it's to soak up the atmosphere and enjoy the very human experience, it's not got anything to do with belief.

The whole atheist/theist clash doesn't make any sense to me - sure, I only lack belief in one less god than them.

Arghus

LexieOnRale wrote: »

IM NOT sure id describe myself as religious but I take a lot of comfort in the fact that I believe there's a heaven where everyone you miss and love go, family, dogs, pets, friends. Everyone who took a little piece of you when they went. And when you die, all these pieces will fit back together and you won't be broken anymore and you'll be happy and content forever with the people/animals that made your life good.

I don't care if it's made up and not true, I'll find out when I'm dead. But for now, I'm alive, and if believing something like this makes something hurt a little less then where's the harm?

I never understood why anyone would feel the need to take a crap all over someone else's comfort, or ridicule them, as long as nobody was being hurt.

That's kind of the crux of the issue though when it comes to religious tolerance. It's hard for people to keep it to themselves a lot of the time.

GritBiscuit

Arghus wrote: »

That's kind of the crux of the issue though when it comes to religious tolerance. It's hard for people to keep it to themselves a lot of the time.

Reminds me of a fridge magnet I saw once...

"Religion is like a cock...what you do with it in your own time is your own business but start waving it around in my face and we have a problem..." :pac:

Grayson

Has anyone been watching the TV show "The good place"? It's a nice little comedy about a woman who goes to heaven and then finds out that it was actually a mistake and she was supposed to go to the bad place.

I really like it. I'm an atheist but I'd like to believe that a good place exists. I just don't.

dd972

I don't believe in a God / Deity / Afterlife

As an Agnostic you tire of people thinking you haven't the guts to be an Atheist, I think it's more the reverse, especially with the more strident type of Atheist lacking the humility to just admit 'well, I don't know'.

There's too many big questions as regards consciousness, the big bang, physics etc, etc to arrogantly declare an 'end of history' on these matters. If we're so advanced as a species than why is the planet and it's resources administered so inefficiently and inequitably? It seems a bit rich and presumptuous to declare that we universally know it all when things are so ****ed down here on earth.

superglue

Tigger wrote: »

the long black nothing is scary but thats not av reason to believe in childrens bedtime storys
ehats a cinfirmed athiest what does science not know that needs to be known . in times of making up the religions science didnt know where diesese came from

I think most people in this thread have been fairly passive in how they've posted, whether they believe in a deity or not. Your posts come across as the most bullish, yet seem devoid of even a basic effort to include correct spelling or grammar. I don't usually like to be pedantic about such things, but it's almost painful trying to read this post. If you're trying to forward an argument, should you not at least try to have it presented in a way that is somewhat understandable?

Tigger wrote: »

agnostic is a cop out
read this
or dont it wont chnge anything
http://www.patheos.com/blogs/reasonadvocates/2013/10/03/youre-either-theist-or-a-theist-there-is-no-agnostic-3rd-option/

Many ardent non-believers would refer to themselves as Agnostic. Far from copping out, they have engaged in logical thinking to come to this conclusion. Dawkins explains this well in the video below. He also alludes to Bertrand Russell's teapot analogy, of which you seem to be quite fond but I'm not sure you fully grasp.