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I know most of us don't believe in an afterlife, but....

  • 27-08-2015 06:55PM
    #1
    SharpshooterTom
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,017 ✭✭✭


    Does anyone find the concept of having no afterlife, i.e. absolutely nothing at the end, difficult to comprehend?

    What I mean by that is, have you ever found the concept of dying and that just being that difficult to come to terms with at any point in your life?

    Personally I've never really had a problem with the idea of being non existent after I die as I couldn't fathom living forever, however I do find this difficult when we grieve for others or lose family members.

    Take the shooting incident in Virginia yesterday, I've seen a few interviews of the father of the 24 year old girl who was killed, her boyfriend, the pair of them coming close to tears, but holding up very well. But then I was thinking, they're never going to see her again are they? In my belief she doesn't exist period in any form no longer, she's gone completely forever (as has the cameraman with his grieving fiancé), her father will never physically be with her ever again. Even though they are strangers miles away thinking about scenarios like that breaks my heart looking at their photos on the news etc. This is where I suppose my beliefs come into conflict with personal tragedies, and the concept of having no afterlife its not something I deal with very well at these times. I would have absolutely no coping mechanism in that situation being her father, it would be impossible for me, I couldn't do it.

    I know this is a pretty morbid thread and was a bit wary of starting it because I didn't want to evoke painful memories of forum members who have lost loved ones (particularly spouses and children) as I'm sure some of you have, but at the same time I do want to talk about it was hoping to have a respectful and decent conversation (if that's ok).

    Like I say its strange when it comes to me, I personally don't care about my (non) existence when I die, but every time I see young people die with lots of potential and plenty ahead of them and their families grieve, the afterlife stuff comes into my head and the concept just rips me up. Its awful.


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Comments

  • #2
    jimgoose
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 20,237 ✭✭✭✭jimgoose


    In the wise words of Bill "Clint Eastwood" Munny, it's a hell of a thing killin' a man.


  • #3
    The Backwards Man
    Closed Accounts Posts: 18,299 ✭✭✭✭The Backwards Man


    You're one of them eejits that tells wains there's no Santa aren't you OP?


  • #4
    Wang King
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,169 ✭✭✭Wang King


    "The North is to South what the clock is to time
    There's east and there's west and there's everywhere life
    I know I was born and I know that I'll die
    The in between is mine"


  • #5
    catsbanter
    Closed Accounts Posts: 97 ✭✭catsbanter


    There's only so much parting you can do.


  • #6
    Scuid Mhór
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,326 ✭✭✭Scuid Mhór


    Well, yeah. We can't fathom the concept of oblivion. All of our existence is dictated by our perception - death rids us of this. We can't envision the likeness of an experience we haven't experienced. That's the paradox.


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  • #7
    Spanish Eyes
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 16,199 ✭✭✭✭Spanish Eyes


    To me it's the same as before I was born.


  • #8
    SharpshooterTom
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,017 ✭✭✭SharpshooterTom


    The Backwards Man wrote: »
    Your one of them eejits that tells wains there's no Santa aren't you OP?

    No because I don't get pleasure out of telling people my beliefs, my whole thread is centered around why I find having those beliefs actually difficult to have at times.


  • #9
    The_Valeyard
    Closed Accounts Posts: 12,452 ✭✭✭✭The_Valeyard


    What's that sound I hear????


    Its the gallop of the A&A forum into the thread!!!!

    To each their own OP, we will get our answer when dead......or not.


  • #10
    Chucken
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 9,459 ✭✭✭Chucken


    I know most of us don't believe in an afterlife, but....


    Most of who?


  • #11
    kylith
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 17,745 ✭✭✭✭kylith


    Every night you go to sleep and, most of the time, it's suddenly tomorrow morning and you wake up. Death is like being asleep; you close your eyes and off you go, but there's no tomorrow morning to wake up to. But that's ok, you'll never know about it so it won't bother you.


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  • #12
    jimgoose
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 20,237 ✭✭✭✭jimgoose


    Eckhart Tolle had the right of it:

    "Death is not the opposite of life. Life has no opposite. The opposite of death is birth. Life is eternal."


  • #13
    Birneybau
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 10,453 ✭✭✭✭Birneybau


    Spanish Eyes wrote: »
    To me it's the same as before I was born.

    This is exactly it. You weren't, you were and then you're not.


  • #14
    SharpshooterTom
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,017 ✭✭✭SharpshooterTom


    Chucken wrote: »
    I know most of us don't believe in an afterlife, but....


    Most of who?

    Polls I've read on here:

    http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2056122628

    75% of AH users said they don't believe in an afterlife, I'm assuming I'm in decent company when I started the thread (hence the title), buts the concept is something at times I've found difficult to comprehend, that's all, I'm just invoking a discussion about it.


  • #15
    The Backwards Man
    Closed Accounts Posts: 18,299 ✭✭✭✭The Backwards Man


    The_Valeyard wrote: »
    What's that sound I hear????


    Its the gallop of the A&A forum into the thread!!!!

    To each their own OP, we will get our answer when dead......or not.
    Aye, I wouldn't be one for the aul afterlife mullarkey meself, but I'll tell you one thing, I'd pay top dollar to see the look on some of the atheists' faces if it turns out there is one.:pac:


  • #16
    Agricola
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 6,547 ✭✭✭Agricola


    It would be nice to believe in things simply because it's more palatable or comforts me but sadly Im not wired like that. In my early 30's and I've been lucky not to have lost anyone really close to me so far. But I know when that day comes, trying to believe they exist in an afterlife or are looking down on me wont help in anyway. They'll be gone. The end.


  • #17
    Strazdas
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 23,028 ✭✭✭✭Strazdas


    kylith wrote: »
    Every night you go to sleep and, most of the time, it's suddenly tomorrow morning and you wake up. Death is like being asleep; you close your eyes and off you go, but there's no tomorrow morning to wake up to. But that's ok, you'll never know about it so it won't bother you.

    That's not a good analogy at all though. You're very much alive at night time and you're also dreaming.


  • #18
    The Backwards Man
    Closed Accounts Posts: 18,299 ✭✭✭✭The Backwards Man


    Birneybau wrote: »
    This is exactly it. You weren't, you were and then you're not.
    There's an anomaly in that sequence that people conveniently overlook most of the time.:P


  • #19
    DanielODonnell
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 652 ✭✭✭DanielODonnell


    I wouldn't waste a minute of my life on an atheist


  • #20
    Chucken
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 9,459 ✭✭✭Chucken


    ThomasFlynn wrote: »
    Polls I've read on here:

    http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2056122628

    75% of AH users said they don't believe in an afterlife, I'm assuming I'm in decent company when I started the thread (hence the title), buts the concept is something at times I've found difficult to comprehend, that's all, I'm just invoking a discussion about it.

    Ah that was 2010. Out of date.;)


  • #21
    Wang King
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,169 ✭✭✭Wang King


    Chucken wrote: »
    Ah that was 2010. Out of date.;)

    It's closer to 90% nowadays
    ;):)


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  • #22
    kylith
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 17,745 ✭✭✭✭kylith


    Strazdas wrote: »
    That's not a good analogy at all though. You're very much alive at night time and you're also dreaming.

    But you don't know about it when you wake up, so it's as if you don't dream and you're not alive.


  • #23
    The Backwards Man
    Closed Accounts Posts: 18,299 ✭✭✭✭The Backwards Man


    kylith wrote: »
    But you don't know about it when you wake up, so it's as if you don't dream and you're not alive.
    I had a dream this morning that I was playing cricket on a steep hill. I even woke up and googled 'steepest cricket creases'. No results. Wasn't dead.


  • #24
    eviltwin
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 17,495 ✭✭✭✭eviltwin


    I used to believe in the afterlife and far from being a comfort it used to terrify me that I would die and go to hell. I don't believe in it anymore and it makes life easier. I say that having lost a parent and a best friend, it would be lovely to meet them again but I've reached acceptance that I won't and I'm okay with that.


  • #25
    Son Of A Vidic
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 32,370 ✭✭✭✭Son Of A Vidic


    ThomasFlynn wrote: »
    I know most of us don't believe in an afterlife..

    I'm not really sure how you can ascertain that most people don't believe in an afterlife. Going by my own experience, I have found that most of my friends, family and colleagues don't really know what to believe. Like myself, they're not certain if there is something and they're not certain if there is nothing.


  • #26
    umop apisdn
    Closed Accounts Posts: 279 ✭✭umop apisdn


    I think there is a lot more to infinity than the little purely physical world we know of. Are we spiritual beings having a physical experience, or purely physical beings with no spirituality at all.


  • #27
    beks101
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,802 ✭✭✭beks101


    It's a tough concept to get on board with alright, when faced with a personal bereavement or even when trying to come to terms with someone else's tragedy.

    I guess that's why so many people turn to religion in the first place. To make death a bit more palatable.

    But death is just death, isn't it. The end to consciousness as we know it. In my own encounter with grief, the notion of your loved one no longer existing or being nothing but dirt in the ground when they were so much in life is completely grotesque, an almighty slap in the face, a complete insult to who they were in the first place.

    And you stew in that disbelief and anger for a while. And then you begin to notice that life is trudging on regardless of your pain, that alarm clock still goes off in the morning, those bills still need to be paid, yer wan in the office is still a pain in the hole and people are still falling in love and getting married and having babies and the sun still sets at night and all that jazz.

    And you come to a point where their death sort of finds a place in your life. You begrudgingly fit it in. Maybe by reminiscing with friends, or writing letters to him, or wearing odd socks just like he used to. Or smiling at things that you know he'd get a kick out of. He of course is still dirt in the ground, but he's shaping the course of your new life, post-him, in some way. New perspectives and important memories. Little moments maybe.

    Anyways I'm rambling. I think there's ways of processing death that don't make it seem so morbid and depressing, without necessarily needing to turn to some god for comfort.


  • #28
    Dravokivich
    Moderators, Category Moderators, Music Moderators, Politics Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 22,424 CMod ✭✭✭✭Dravokivich


    I'm sure I'll figure something out when it comes to it.


  • #29
    catsbanter
    Closed Accounts Posts: 97 ✭✭catsbanter


    Energy can neither be created or destroyed, but can transer from one form to another


  • #30
    DanielODonnell
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 652 ✭✭✭DanielODonnell


    beks101 wrote: »
    It's a tough concept to get on board with alright, when faced with a personal bereavement or even when trying to come to terms with someone else's tragedy.

    I guess that's why so many people turn to religion in the first place. To make death a bit more palatable.

    But death is just death, isn't it. The end to consciousness as we know it. In my own encounter with grief, the notion of your loved one no longer existing or being nothing but dirt in the ground when they were so much in life is completely grotesque, an almighty slap in the face, a complete insult to who they were in the first place.

    And you stew in that disbelief and anger for a while. And then you begin to notice that life is trudging on regardless of your pain, that alarm clock still goes off in the morning, those bills still need to be paid, yer wan in the office is still a pain in the hole and people are still falling in love and getting married and having babies and the sun still sets at night and all that jazz.

    And you come to a point where their death sort of finds a place in your life. You begrudgingly fit it in. Maybe by reminiscing with friends, or writing letters to him, or wearing odd socks just like he used to. Or smiling at things that you know he'd get a kick out of. He of course is still dirt in the ground, but he's shaping the course of your new life, post-him, in some way. New perspectives and important memories. Little moments maybe.

    Anyways I'm rambling. I think there's ways of processing death that don't make it seem so morbid and depressing, without necessarily needing to turn to some god for comfort.

    God save us from this progressive atheist Ireland, I would rather live in Protestant deep south USA than alongside atheists


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  • #31
    Fleawuss
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,681 ✭✭✭Fleawuss


    The most important word in the OP to the credulous is "but". And they do pile onto it.


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