Do you believe in an afterlife?

[hadenough]

My father was an atheist and I grew up in an atheist household. I do not believe in god, the devil, heaven, or hell. Having said that, I grew up in a Christian culture and have been exposed to the doctrine all my life, so it does affect me. It has taught me right from wrong. Now as I approach the end of my life, the thought about an afterlife has started to raise its head. I cannot know what happens after death, no one can, so what if there is an afterlife? According to Christian views, suicides go to hell. I don't think that god would be that cruel. But seeing as I am a vile person I will probably go to hell anyway. What do you think the afterlife will be like? What do you think hell will be like? Is it all red hot pokers up the arse or is it an upgrade on this shitty existence? Is it actually happy hedonism?

 

[MatrixPrisoner]

Heaven and hell are bullshit fairy tale lands. God does not exist.

 

[divinemistress36]

Yes , I believe we go to another dimension of some sort . I dont believe its like the bible

 

[Jessectb]

I do not believe in an afterlife per se. I do believe death isn't just that. There's gotta be something else. Science reckons before the big bang there was nothing, but that's impossible, how can nothingness create something. We can't be the only planet to contain life either, that'll also be impossible. Just the vast size of the universe, there's gotta be more. If there is some type of "God", it wouldn't be what the bible tells you. The universe is 14 billions of years old, yet humans have only been around for just mere thousands of years. There would be an intelligent species playing "God", running simulations with their powerful computers. I mean, that's just a theory as well, but funny in saying that, scientist says the chance of this being a simulation is 25%, some of those guess even a 50-50, but it's just a theory, the theory is probably wrong but that's as close as you'll get to someone playing God.

It could be nothing though. But we are all made of atoms and atoms cannot die, let's say the earth ends in 5 billion years.. our atoms cannot be destroyed so what's to stop our atoms becoming a concious being again in billions of years. Afterall, we are became a concious being by accident.

 

[VeryShy]

I believe that every fairly good person travels to Heaven, others just stop existing.

 

[landslide2]

No, I do not believe in it. I come from a family that does believe in god. But when i started to ask myself why i should believe, it stopped making sense to me. Fear is something that helps indoctrinate us, especially when we are little, and it certainly keeps us from questioning. This is it and arguably makes SI harder to defeat knowing nothing awaits me when the light go out.

 

[chester]

Just because some people believe in something you can't disprove, doesn't mean it's something to seriously consider. If I said I had an actual unicorn, and some people here would believe me, would you seriously think that I might have a real unicorn? After all, you can't disprove it.

I cannot know what happens after death, no one can, so what if there is an afterlife?

As a fellow atheist, let me share my view on this, heavily inspired by Shelly Kagan's lectures.

1. Do you believe in souls? If you do then maybe you're not an atheist after all? I see no reason to believe in souls for the same reason you probably wouldn't believe I have a unicorn. There are a lot of things we can't disprove, but to me it's never a good enough reason to believe in them. Have a think about what you are. I consider myself to be just a biological machine. Capable of a lot of amazing things, feelings, intelligence, sensitivity to art, etc., but a machine nonetheless. I think there's nothing non-physical about me.
2. If we agree that humans are only physical beings, the moment your body stops functioning, you stop existing as a person, because you are a process that happens inside your body. Just like a smile is not a physical part of your face, but it's just something your face can do.
3. What happens to you after you die is a question like "what happens in the movie after it ends". Nothing. The movie has ended. Similarly, nothing happens to you once there's no you. How did you feel 100 years ago? That's exactly how you're going to feel 100 years from now. It wasn't that bad for you back then though, was it? I certainly didn't suffer.

Belief in souls, reincarnation or any kind of afterlife for that matter is a psychological mechanism for coping with grief and fear of death. That's what religions are for, to keep people from thinking their existence is meaningless. I used to have very strong faith once. I miss those days. I would like there to be heaven where all of us could reunite and be happy. But I started asking fundamental questions about the basis of my faith and why I should believe in anything supernatural at all. Just because someone told me that it's true, or because of my upbringing or culture? That's not good enough.

So, here I am, a nihilist atheist. And if could have one wish, then I would wish for all of what I've written above to be wrong. I truly miss the times when I had faith, because I know the comfort that it brings. I certainly wouldn't be here if i still believed.

 

[SeekingRelief]

To be honest, it was because I was raised Christian that I didn't go through with my 1st attempt as a child. I was so scared of going to hell and ontop of that, my childhood best friend unknowingly saved me with an unexpected phone call (she still doesn't know about this to this day and truthfully, I'm happy to take it to my grave as I'm sure it would break her heart.)

I didn't even realize I was on the verge of a 2nd attempt until I was forced into a psych unit "for my safety" and then...I started lying to myself that I'm not suicidal and that I can bear it all and that "God doesn't give us more than we can handle..."

As you can see, I'm here today, talking amongst you all in as much secrecy as I can maintain for myself in fear of being permanently placed into a mental ward... As afraid as I still am of Hell... I'm more afraid of this hell on Earth. I can't take it. I'm just a dreamer who has no reality, a head full of dumb dreams and no real foundation to build them on.

If there is an afterlife and God sees fit to send me to hell then...atleast I'll truly confirm that I was only born to suffer.

I pray that God can forgive me...but I just can't take it anymore.

 

[Ramsay Fiction]

I believe there could be something after death. It's something I fantasize about. Like is there just some place that isn't here where we stop hurting and maybe see one another on the other side of the veil. I also think it's just as likely that there's just an absolute nothing. Gone into oblivion. I think the former is nicer, like finally having an existence I can enjoy and the comfort of seeing lost souls again. Oblivion is just as well, though, cuz if I cease to exist so absolutely why would any of it matter?

In short, my answer is maybe. I don't believe in Heaven or Hell, though.

 

[3/4Dead]

Nah, not really. My issue with saying nothing for sure happens is that there's literally no way to tell, nobodys ever lived to say so, so who knows.

 

[Darkover]

whatever way you want to look at it there no denying your a physical machine just like a computer, i don't believe there is any god certainly not as described in any of the religions, the universe follow rules mathematical rules, either there has always been something or there is a beginning and an end something came into existence from nothing, i believe once this machine you are breakdown that's the end of you for all time, it's still unknown whether this universe could ever bring you alive again which i highly doubt it but who knows for 100 percent certainty i assume just nothing forever

 

[spirittheyregone]

im not christian but im a very devout pagan, i believe in a place thats warm, a limbo like place where you can stay until you decide to pass on to another life or wonder aimlessly all you like, and i think that place is very comforting to me, its somewhere id like to go back to

 

[SeekingRelief]

im not christian but im a very devout pagan, i believe in a place thats warm, a limbo like place where you can stay until you decide to pass on to another life or wonder aimlessly all you like, and i think that place is very comforting to me, its somewhere id like to go back to

Honestly... this is so comforting to me. As a person who was raised strictly traditional Christian and have grown into an adult who is a very open minded Christian now... I really wish for this, more than anything.

I used to imagine that if things like reincarnation were real, what would I like to be reincarnated as? A puppy? A rock? Water? But then the "religious guilt" would kick in and I would panic over the concepts of heaven or hell...

now that I'm older, I don't really know what I think... if there is a heaven, I kind of want it to be like the concept they did in that show, Supernatural, where everyone gets their own personal made hevean that is specifically for them... but if there's nothing, then I'm okay with that.

However, I think when I finally get to sleep, I'll hold onto hope that it's as you say... that I can be wrapped in a warm blanket until I can choose to move on...to whatever is next. That would truly be so nice.

 

[spirittheyregone]

Honestly... this is so comforting to me. As a person who was raised strictly traditional Christian and have grown into an adult who is a very open minded Christian now... I really wish for this, more than anything.

I used to imagine that if things like reincarnation were real, what would I like to be reincarnated as? A puppy? A rock? Water? But then the "religious guilt" would kick in and I would panic over the concepts of heaven or hell...

now that I'm older, I don't really know what I think... if there is a heaven, I kind of want it to be like the concept they did in that show, Supernatural, where everyone gets their own personal made hevean that is specifically for them... but if there's nothing, then I'm okay with that.

However, I think when I finally get to sleep, I'll hold onto hope that it's as you say... that I can be wrapped in a warm blanket until I can choose to move on...to whatever is next. That would truly be so nice.

maybe you yearn for it so badly because a part of you remembers that warm place, whether thats what heaven is to you or its my own personal concept, maybe thats rhe warmth youre from and the warmth youll return to one day

Either way, i may not be christian, but i dont think a god who loves you more than anything else would send you to hell for trying to find peace, hes your heavenly father right? I was raised christian and i dont see why a father who loves you above all else would send you to a horrible place after suffering for so long. i dont think my gods would either, i trust them to take me into the next life safely.

haha funnily enough i was just talking about supernatural with someone, the concept of your own personal heaven definitely sounds nice and kind of interesting concept, but sort of lonely too, but i suppose in supernatural you can still see other people

im sure when you eventually get there youll be somewhere warm and happy, im sure you deserve it

 

[deathtakeme]

I'd like to believe in ghosts instead, the fun kind where you get to wander the earth invisible. A childish idea but that sounds fun to me.

 

[pthnrdnojvsc]

I'll never believe in a soul afterlife nor reincarnation.

These concepts are so ludicrous to me .

What is one supposed to do for the first trillion to the billionth power years of afterlives or reincarnation? To me it's unimaginable torture to exist for that long.

A soul or afterlife Violates every law of physics , brain science , biology , evolution, any science . Why is the soul and god the only things that are durable to trillions of years? A human brain changes every day the personality beliefs self are not constant in a 90 year lifespan much less could it last a trillion years.

A minute is too long for me to exist much less 90 years or a trillion years.

What guarantee exists of no pain for a
billion trillion years of afterlives or reincarnation? There is none.The only guarantee of never any pain is non-existence forever

We see everything needs a constant external power source . The human ape brain needs to be fed 3 times a day just to run these false beliefs. Everything cools dies breaks down, that's a law of physics called the law of entropy

Evolution is true

All life including humans evolved from a single cell.

There was a cell that is the ancestor of all life.

How Can the offspring differ from the parent? We Can't we are that cell. When did a soul get added to that cell ?

What is the definition of a soul, where is it ,the energy source, etc ?. There are no details so everyone has a different concept of a soul or afterlife. There are no details cause it's completely fictional words that mean nothing.

What makes something is the details

There is no way i'll ever believe in any god, computer simulation, afterlife, soul , reincarnation, magic , anything supernatural .

i believe me a human is just a machine an animal a bug, that first cell all life descended from.

why would a god care what an animal like me does from moment to moment?

Why is that an ant crawling to the left instead of the right important or that "i" wash clothes or take out the trash ? I think evolution and the culture / society programed our brain to think any of this , the world , or the universe or that i or we are anything or important valuable . what objective meaning could any action i take have . what objective meaning could life have ? life is meaningless suffering.

The only real thing to me is extreme pain and avoiding extreme pain through suicide

All Life on Earth Comes From One Single Ancestor. And It's So Much Older Than We Thought.

Scientists have pushed back LUCA’s origin by hundreds of millions of years.

www.popularmechanics.com

 

[FuneralCry]

No, all I hope for and believe in is permanent non-existence where I'm finally unable to suffer for all eternity. It comforts me so much to think of never existing again, I'd never wish for something as cruel, terrible and torturous as existence, having the ability to exist was just a tragic mistake to me that only ever caused me pain.

 

[bestroper]

no

 

[Exitwings]

I'm so confused about the false dichotomy between Christianity Or Atheism that people have

 

[VoidedExistence]

Oh god, no. Even if it would be a consequence free life, I don't think I ever want to be with my thoughts. I never want to hear myself, ever.

 

[Morte]

If your eyes stop working, does your vision go to another dimension?

 

[VentureOverwatch]

I hope something after exists, whether it's an after life or reincarnation, I want too reunite with my best friend who CTB.