What do you think happens after death?

suvigirl

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120800750#Comment_120800750

What is a soul and how do you know animals don't have one?

AndrewJRenko

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120800534#Comment_120800534

So if I live a moral yet atheist life, looking after my family and my community, you would expect that I’ll be condemned to hell for eternity, as will all Muslims, Buddhists, Hindus, Protestants and more. Is that how you expect things to work?

o1s1n

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120804617#Comment_120804617

Likewise, quite surprised to see a thread like this in the Christianity forum (also came from the boards.ie front page). I thought they all had this question answered a long time ago!

SuperBowserWorld

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120804648#Comment_120804648

Ok thanks for that.

54and56

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120804634#Comment_120804634

Is there evidence for anything else?

o1s1n

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120804690#Comment_120804690

If 'wishful thinking' is evidence then there seems to be a hell of a lot of evidence floating about.

Leg End Reject

I'm not religious, and believe that death is the final chapter. All living things eventually die, but humans are the one species that are aware of their own mortality from a young age.

That awareness likely started beliefs, be they religious or spiritual. I do envy those who believe in a God and an afterlife though, it can be a source of comfort and reassurance. Best of all - they'll never know if they're wrong.

SouthWesterly

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120804680#Comment_120804680

If what Jesus said was true, that He was on the only way to God Then yes.

If living a good life was enough, then he wouldn't have had to die to redeem mankind.

If that was the case then it's all a lie and you can live as you want without any repercussions and without a creator to be accountable to.

FishOnABike

it had to be done.....

taxAHcruel

I am another who is not lurking in this forum but merely saw the thread on the home page. Paranoid much? Hehehehehe.

If my partner was pregnant and the doctor told me it was a boy - I would not have to "hope" for a boy. I would be already certain. If I somehow knew that I was going to win the Lotto this weekend I would have certainty. I would not sit around "hoping" I will win.

As such is it a little comical to anyone else to see the only person on the whole thread who has thus far claimed outright certainty - suggest that many/most/all the other posters on the thread appear to lack "hope" or are "hopeless"? A somewhat pedantic reading of the words hope and certainty would suggest that this commentator is the only one who thus actually lacks hope.

Or perhaps he means the other common use of the word "hope" which is that of having something to look forward to - to strive towards - to live for. For that I can defer to the quote from Ricky Gervais of "It’s a strange myth that atheists have nothing to live for. It’s the opposite. We have nothing to die for. We have everything to live for."

I guess I am with most of the other posters on the thread in that I see no reason to expect anything but total oblivion at death. The concept does not worry me or scare me in the slightest however. As someone once said - death does not scare me much - the actually dying part though terrifies me :) There are not many pleasant ways to go about it it seems. I can only "hope" I manage to find one of them. But the state of being actually dead - bothers me not in the slightest any more. I have made my peace with it by many methods.

But that lack of reason to expect anything after death is not for want of trying. I have engaged in a lot of "spiritual" journeys both with and without the aid of foreign substances of dubious legality. I have encountered many of the experiences that people speak of - such as meeting entities or consciousness that appear to be separate from my own. Out of body experiences. The seeming interconnectedness of all things. And the feeling that the entire universe itself is a conscious all loving entity. There are few such experiences I have read about which I have not myself had. Yet I remain entirely unconvinced that any of it was anything but expressions of my own perturbed consciousness in that moment. I do not believe I actually met other consciousnesses. I do not believe my consciousness actually did leave my brain/body and travel.

Like Gervais I find this does not leave me "hopeless" or devoid of motivation or drive. Quite the opposite. I feel compelled every day to explore this life and my body and what they can do or they can be. For whatever reason I am most drawn to things that involve finding new ways to move and experience my body. Physically, sexually, balance, movement, whatever. I particularly am drawn to capoeira and Jujitsu and "power" versions of Tai Chi and other forms of martial art movements and dance. But also everything from archery to horse riding. But even close up magic and sleight of hand and other forms of physical illusion. Basically anything that hones the finest of motor control and movement I seem to love.

And obviously as I said above I enjoy finding new ways to perturb and play with my consciousness to find what experiences are possible there.

I never did like the phrase "Life is short". After all name one thing you will do that will take longer :) But tongue out of cheek I tend to try to live life as if in a state of emergency. I can only sympathize with those who have said on the thread they have a terminal diagnosis. I can not really imagine what that must be like. But in my own way I try to live my life by the lights of the fact that we technically all have a terminal diagnosis to work with. And that fills me with hope and drive and motivation and lust for life day to day rather than the opposite.

newmember2

No more of these threads?

not religious but have experienced many of the things described by people in the various videos on this channel.

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJ6ecjeynusIt_RvpYw9o7Q

baldbear

When I was a child and saw older people I knew pass away I didn't think much of it. Now that I'm older and am seeing people ver close to me die it breaks my heart to think we won't meet again.

But maybe we will.

AndrewJRenko

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120805078#Comment_120805078

So access to eternal happiness is largely down to the geographical accident of birth then - if you are lucky enough to be born into a Catholic country and family, you have some home. If you are born into a Muslim country and family, you're screwed to eternal pain and agony.

Did Jesus really think this through?

SouthWesterly

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120805595#Comment_120805595

It's obvious you've no idea what your talking about.

Btw , I'm not Catholic...or Protestant and I know lots of people who were Muslim, Hindu, Buddhist who no longer are but share the same life I do.

standardg60

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120806171#Comment_120806171

Religion is the definition of having no idea of what you're talking about.

Peregrinus

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120806358#Comment_120806358

This sentence is meaningless. Which is a bit ironic, given what I suspect you may be trying to say.

o1s1n

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120806171#Comment_120806171

My parents are Jehovah's Witnesses and say exactly the same thing that you do re peoples of all faith now living as they do.

My mother in law is a follower of Radha Soami Satsang Beas (RSSB) and when she goes to her compound in India with thousands of other followers, there are people from all over the world of other faiths there too.

I know Born Again Christians who also say the same thing.

It's a bit of a 'I'm in a cult' hallmark tbh. Proof that it's the 'true religion' as so many other people threw off the shackles of false religion to join their true one.

So you'll have to forgive me if I don't think people from other faiths joining your religion is a sign of anything at all other than humans being easily led.

taxAHcruel

There are so many different branches and sects and schisms and groupings within Christianity that it is very hard to keep a count. I heard the number 33000 used a few times for this which apparently came from the World Christian Encyclopedia.

What small fraction of the ones I have experienced directly or indirectly share however is a concept of wishing to gently lead the unbeliever to their god or Jesus and to share their knowledge and beliefs in an open and welcoming way.

Either gently and subtly by the lights of "By your fruit you shall be known" where you live a Christian Life openly but without preaching and hope that by your example you lead others to the "Light".

Or by direct preaching from street corners or door to door or on television or with leaflets about the "Good news" and so forth in one form of "evangelism" or another.

Generally however denigration of others in order to elevate yourself and your own knowledge/righteousness over them - is frowned upon in the forms of Christianity I have seen or experienced. So when someone asks a question about their faith with any intent - and they merely snidely comment at them "It's obvious you've no idea what your talking about." before stomping off - this would to them be considered a most unchristian way to act indeed.

But since said user has decided only to tell us what denomination they are not - without giving any indication which of the 33000+ they are - we can only guess as to whether it is considered a Christian Way to act for them and theirs. I imagine it would be considered relatively tame and maybe even quite Christian to maybe the Westboro baptists for example. But whichever grouping it is - if this is how they like to go about things - they can keep it. I will stick to conversing with the more modest and demure and open and welcoming friendly and polite groupings of which there are so many.

smacl

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120806358#Comment_120806358

Mod warning: This is not a forum that allows attack of the Christian faith. For all who have come to this discussion from the main page, please read the charter before posting. Thanks for your attention.

Leg End Reject

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120806171#Comment_120806171

Have you ever had any doubts, any moments of questioning your faith?

We all go through difficult periods, I've seen some religious people lean into their faith, and others question it when they experience trauma, grief, prolonged periods of stress etc.

I have no desire to mock your beliefs, nor do I expect you to reveal to Boards what religion you practice, I'm just curious about the concept of faith and how others hold onto it.

CramCycle

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120800534#Comment_120800534

It's not really hopelessness, for me it is acceptance and hopefully a spur to do the best you can with this life. I used to believe in an afterlife but I realised it was just a crutch to help me get by, nothing more. I plan to live a good life as best I can, I will fail more than I succeed but the success will be amplified by the failures.

I won't take away from anyone elses view though, if you believe in an afterlife, that is great, you have as much proof as me and I hope it serves you well.

SouthWesterly

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120807418#Comment_120807418

I'll answer the 2nd question first

I don't follow any religion. It doesn't work. Man trying to please God and hoping he's good enough to make it. We're never good enough. I'm a follower of Jesus. Some will call me a Christian, but in its day it was a derogatory term used to describe followers of Jesus.

Have I ever doubted the faithfulness of God in the last 40 years and His ability to keep me and bring me through the most difficult of circumstances? No.

SouthWesterly

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120807179#Comment_120807179

The term "born again" was a description of an experience Jesus spoke about to Nicodemus in John 3. He didn't understand what Jesus was on about either.

Personally I don't care what people call themselves. If they've not had the experience Jesus referred to then they're not His and don't have the life of God in them.

SouthWesterly

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120807493#Comment_120807493

If a person doesn't have hope for a future beyond death then they are without hope. I.e hopeless

As for the use of the word. We tend to think of it as hoping for the best. For a follower of Jesus it goes beyond hoping for the best to absolute certainty.

wench

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120807526#Comment_120807526

It's very hard to take your preaching seriously when it contradicts your position in post 19 of this very thread

As a Christian, I believe we can have a certainty. I live my life pleasing my Creator 

Leg End Reject

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120807664#Comment_120807664

The 2 posts don't contradict each other at all. A Christian is one who believes in/follows Christ, that isn't limited to following an established Christian ideology.

taxAHcruel

So the definition of the word "hopeless" is now to be "Anyone who does not hope for the same thing I do" is it? If one's hopes are different to one's own therefore they are to be seen as "without hope. I.e hopeless".

Wow. Thankfully no person I have ever met - nor any dictionary I have ever held - appear to define words or people in this fashion. If this is Christianity then I can say nothing more - especially given the charter of this forum - than that you can keep it. I don't want any of it. I will continue to live my life in a way - and surround myself in people who are - the antithesis of this entirely self centered and self aggrandizing way of thinking and being.

Thankfully as I said earlier though - the Christians I have met are by and large the exact opposite of this way of thinking and acting towards others. My absolutely favorites are the ones who barely ever mention their religion at all until they are asked. Rather they live a pure and wonderful and caring and giving life full of empathy and charity towards themselves and others in a way that is endlessly attractive. And it leads people to asking questions - and at this point they describe their path to their god/Christ. The full embodiment of the "By their fruits you shall know them" thinking.

"No good tree bears bad fruit, nor does a bad tree bear good fruit. Each tree is recognized by its own fruit. People do not pick figs from thornbushes, or grapes from briers. A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of." Luke 6:43-45 (NIV)

wench

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120807701#Comment_120807701

You don't find it odd to introduce yourself as a Christian, then later "say some may I'm a Christian" but it's derogatory.

Also the whole "I live my life pleasing God", but I'm not following a religion, because trying to please god doesn't work?

Leg End Reject

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120807756#Comment_120807756

I don't follow any religion. It doesn't work. Man trying to please God and hoping he's good enough to make it. We're never good enough. I'm a follower of Jesus. Some will call me a Christian, but in its day it was a derogatory term used to describe followers of Jesus.

That is what the poster said.

You said:

You don't find it odd to introduce yourself as a Christian, then later "say some may I'm a Christian" but it's derogatory.

The poster said it was derogatory in its day which I interpreted as being in Jesus's lifetime.

You also said:

Also the whole "I live my life pleasing God", but I'm not following a religion, because trying to please god doesn't work?

The poster said:

I don't follow any religion. It doesn't work. Man trying to please God and hoping he's good enough to make it. We're never good enough.

So they believe that we can never be good enough for God. ETA - that suggests to me that established religions telling us we need to be "good enough" to get into heaven is not something the poster believes, rather they believe it is enough to be a follower of Christ.

I'm not religious btw, but you seem to be misintrepting what the poster said.