Discussion I desperately want to ctb but the afterlife keeps me awake

[BeenGoneLong]

I'm in pain and i wish to go. Yet there's a tugging feeling holding me back. It's a voice in my head, questioning whether I'd regret doing it, whether I'm sure, whether it could get any worse or better, and finally, the feeling of being ignorant. I've always been curious of death and what comes after it. I'm a Hindu by birth, and i remember reading a story about the same. According to it, once the soul finishes it's cycle of life, it is given a choise: rebirth or judgement. However, neither of these appeal to me. By choice, I'd like to believe that there's nothing, just the ceasing of existence. But I've never been one to hold strong beliefs. I'm agnostic, not by choice, it's just that it's extremely hard for me to believe in anything without proof. I'm guessing the majority of people here are atheists, and I'd like to broaden my knowledge, for curiosity and peace, in a way of finding closure. Maybe I'm just clinging on to the hope that someday I can convince myself of eternal peace and finally put myself to eternal rest.

 

[jodes2]

Yeah I'm atheist. I believe life after death is the same as before birth: nothingness

 

[BeenGoneLong]

Yeah I'm atheist. I believe life after death is the same as before birth: nothingness

I really hope that's the way it is. I can't fathom having to go through judgement and probable hell (although it does seem like I'm in it already) or worse, another cycle of life.

 

[releasespieces]

Indoctrination is the real issue here. Where did these beliefs come from in the first place? People came up with these concepts thousands of years ago when there was a lot of superstitious nonsense still. I wouldn't buy into these archaic speculations personally. Especially when they detail any type of punitive repercussions for our actions. There is no proof anywhere and the chances that they are trying to manipulate large populations to gain a form of control over them is more than likely. Release your mind from their tyranny.

 

[BeenGoneLong]

Indoctrination is the real issue here. Where did these beliefs come from in the first place? People came up with these concepts thousands of years ago when there was a lot of superstitious nonsense still. I wouldn't buy into these archaic speculations personally. Especially when they detail any type of punitive repercussions for our actions. There is no proof anywhere and the chances that they are trying to manipulate large populations to gain a form of control over them is more than likely. Release your mind from there tyranny.

I completely understand your perspective. I'm not religious whatsoever, but neither am I am atheist. I'm agnostic, which means i don't believe in anything. It's simply an "I don't know" iykwim. I don't know if religion is right, but neither do ik whether it's wrong. Idk if heaven or hell exists, nor do ik if it doesn't. Idk if God exists or if he doesn't. I can never get myself to completely believe in either of the sides. That's different from what I hope though. There's always a part of me that wishes things were this way or that, but i still can't get myself to believe in it. But like you pointed out, there are several things in religion that i completely disagree with. I still don't think there's anything that's right or wrong per say but again, who knows.

 

[FuneralCry]

There is no evidence of there being anything after this, so such a thing as the thought of an afterlife could never scare me. And anyway we all have to die someday so there is no point to fearing death.

I personally view life as just being an unfortunate consequence of evolution, it's something that is completely meaningless that permanently ends for us once we die, with not even the awareness of the fact that we are dead. To me any afterlife theories are just fictional concepts, invented by people who were unable to come to terms with the true insignificant nature of life. The thought of completely ceasing to exist after this is the only thing that could ever be close to being a comfort for me.

 

[BeenGoneLong]

There is no evidence of there being anything after this, so such a thing as the thought of an afterlife could never scare me.

Well there has been quite a few cases recorded, where people were declared dead and then they came back to life. In most of them, they had a third person experience, where they see themselves from outside. They could see and hear everything else around them too, and that was used as means to prove them true, as they heard and saw the doctors and surgery they were undergoing. And then they talk about a tunnel leading towards a bright ending and having some memories replayed.

Now of course, there is a possibility that these were entirely fabricated conspiracies by the doctors and patients and everyone else involved, but the belief is upto you.

And anyway we all have to die someday so there is no point to fearing death.

That makes sense considering what you believe, but since I'm open to all possibilities I'm also open to the possibility that hell exists just as much as that there's nothing. So if there was any truth in the books of religion and suicide is a sin, what if i end up in hell, what if i regret it, what if? That's why i can't get myself to go through with any of my actions.

I personally view life as just being an unfortunate consequence of evolution, it's something that is completely meaningless that permanently ends for us once we die, with not even the awareness of the fact that we are dead. To me any afterlife theories are just fictional concepts, invented by people who were unable to come to terms with the true insignificant nature of life. The thought of completely ceasing to exist after this is the only thing that could ever be close to being a comfort for me.

Thank you for sharing your outlook, it does seem comforting, and I'm glad it helps you. I hope one day i can find comfort or belief too.

 

[releasespieces]

Well there has been quite a few cases recorded, where people were declared dead and then they came back to life. In most of them, they had a third person experience, where they see themselves from outside. They could see and hear everything else around them too, and that was used as means to prove them true, as they heard and saw the doctors and surgery they were undergoing. And then they talk about a tunnel leading towards a bright ending and having some memories replayed.

Now of course, there is a possibility that these were entirely fabricated conspiracies by the doctors and patients and everyone else involved, but the belief is upto you.

That makes sense considering what you believe, but since I'm open to all possibilities I'm also open to the possibility that hell exists just as much as that there's nothing. So if there was any truth in the books of religion and suicide is a sin, what if i end up in hell, what if i regret it, what if? That's why i can't get myself to go through with any of my actions.

Thank you for sharing your outlook, it does seem comforting, and I'm glad it helps you. I hope one day i can find comfort or belief too.

These NDE's and the experiences people have vary wildly. The reason for this I believe is because our consciousness carries on for some time afterwards. What people report experiencing in these afterlife accounts are simply their core beliefs buried in their subconscious. If you believe in devils, demons, gods, jesus, vishnu, buddha, muhammad, djinn, a wizard etc… that's what you'll see. There was a child that described the figure they saw in their NDE as a wizard . These are subjective experiences based on what you believe, not a factual experience by any means. You see what you expect to see or what you want to see.

 

[BeenGoneLong]

These NDE's and the experiences people have vary wildly. The reason for this I believe is because our consciousness carries on for some time afterwards.

That makes sense too. But there was this one case where an atheist had a nde, and he saw everything in third person. If consciousness, as what we know it, was what was being carried on, that wouldn't explain him being able to see everything they were doing to his body.

What people report experiencing in these afterlife accounts are simply their core beliefs buried in their subconscious. If you believe in devils, demons, gods, jesus, vishnu, buddha, muhammad, djinn, a wizard etc… that's what you'll see.

Well, like i said, the atheist believed there would be nothing, just silence and darkness and emptiness and the loss of sense of self, yet he experienced something else.

There was a child that described the figure they saw in their NDE as a wizard .

Described yes, because they may have not understood what exactly they were experiencing.

These are subjective experiences based on what you believe, not a factual experience by any means. You see what you expect to see or what you want to see.

What truly is real or a fact? What even is consciousness? Being agnostic, my answer would be i don't know. The same with how you're saying we'd expect to see what we'd want to see...well that's your belief or opinion and i can respect that, but at the same time i can't believe in that. I can't tell if they were telling the truth but i also can't say they were lying. There's no proof for either of the sides, so it is what it is ig