what is your belief about death ?

[ever so lonely]

what do you believe awaits us in the hereafter ?, i know it is christmas sorry for the depressing tone if you are enjoying yourselves, i find myself pondering this question a lot lately, i guess the closer you get to making the decision the more you want to know, just wanted to get some dialogue going being that this is a suicide and discussion information forum, so what are your beliefs, do you think when we cease to be that is it ?, or do you believe in an afterlife or some form of reincarnation, intrigued to get your thoughts, take care peoples.

 

[annointed_towers]

I know there's a heaven and a hell. I've talked about why on other posts on this forum.

 

[AliceTheGoon]

what do you believe awaits us in the hereafter ?

The same thing that awaited us in the herebefore.

 

[ever so lonely]

good answers people

 

[yyytry]

I had an NDE and there was a peaceful black darkness with a soft blue plasma stream. The feeling had no fear. Yet I could still observe. Unlike anything I've ever experienced.

 

[Rainy_days]

My only strong beliefs are negative ones against stories I find hateful and ridiculous. Of all the remaining possibilities, there's no reason to believe one over another.

 

[Rairii]

I don't even know anymore. I used to be so preoccupied by this but now it's the last thing on my mind. I'm just so tired of being alive that I don't think my mind even cares anymore.

When I did care to think of it, I believed in either reincarnation or heaven and hell. Though as a child I had nightmares of turning into nothingness once I died. That nothingness would often give me anxiety attacks as a kid if I sat there and thought about it for too long.

 

[ever so lonely]

so you was conscious but not kinda thing ? i find that fascinating reading about nde experiences there was an article i saw describing something similar to what you just did there, some claimed they felt nothing absolutely nothing like a blackness and then they were brought back to life by paramedics, but legally dead for ex amount of time, truly fascinating stuff, thank you for your experiences

 

[locked*n*loaded]

I believe we all crawled out of the ocean as some type of creature and evolved over time to what we are now. Therefore, there was no hand of the thousands of different gods that have been worshiped over the years by different societies in order to make "sense" of existence once consciousness took hold. We are merely space "dust" incarnate. As we all started from nothing more than a happenstance of a sperm and egg getting together, in a space that held nothing previous to their coming together, I believe that when we die we simply go back to that state of nothingness.

 

[Unending]

I had an NDE and there was a peaceful black darkness with a soft blue plasma stream. The feeling had no fear. Yet I could still observe. Unlike anything I've ever experienced.

I believe we all crawled out of the ocean as some type of creature and evolved over time to what we are now. Therefore, there was no hand of the thousands of different gods that have been worshiped over the years by different societies in order to make "sense" of existence once consciousness took hold. We are merely space "dust" incarnate. As we all started from nothing more than a happenstance of a sperm and egg getting together, in a space that held nothing previous to their coming together, I believe that when we die we simply go back to that state of nothingness.

Both of these comments bring me comfort. A peaceful fade out process into the end of this life, role-playing game, play, or whatever you'd like to call it. I personally have my money on death being the end. I don't want to say that I know 100% because I simply haven't done a lot of research and quite frankly will have to wait and see but it seems most reasonable to think that this is the case.

The thought of an afterlife absolutely terrifies me because logically, I don't have much reason to think that a merciful god would have put me and everyone else through such horrible things, therefore I don't anticipate the meeting of him, her, them, or it to be very kind but cruel instead. But yes, other than the irrational fears instilled in me by my upbringing around religion, I'm as confident as I could reasonably be that it will just be like turning the tv off, albeit a little different considering it's consciousness and not a sit-com or anything like that.

 

[yyytry]

so you was conscious but not kinda thing ? i find that fascinating reading about nde experiences there was an article i saw describing something similar to what you just did there, some claimed they felt nothing absolutely nothing like a blackness and then they were brought back to life by paramedics, but legally dead for ex amount of time, truly fascinating stuff, thank you for your experiences

It was very unique. I've done lots of drugs psychedelics, and this was NOTHING like any of that.
I was having a mini stroke…began as tunnel vision paired with a lack of being able to connect with things around me. I sat down. Eyes shut. Darkness.
But then came true blackness. Absence of all light. Then I saw the plasma energy fade in. I was so peaceful while looking at it. I remember thinking "oh this isn't like an acid trip"
And no fear. Like it didn't matter. I could go and there would be zero worries. But then I heard myself "open your eyes". And when I did, I came back.

I wish I went with the light.

 

[not-2-b-the-answer]

what do you believe awaits us in the hereafter ?, i know it is christmas sorry for the depressing tone if you are enjoying yourselves, i find myself pondering this question a lot lately, i guess the closer you get to making the decision the more you want to know, just wanted to get some dialogue going being that this is a suicide and discussion information forum, so what are your beliefs, do you think when we cease to be that is it ?, or do you believe in an afterlife or some form of reincarnation, intrigued to get your thoughts, take care peoples.

That it should have happened to me years ago.
Seriously though, I don't know what happens any more. I can't believe we should have to suffer for the rest of eternity after suffering here too.

 

[ConstantPain]

I realize it could be entirely different than what I think but am pretty confident it will be nothingness. Like others have said, just like how we "existed" before we were born.
I hope for either that or reincarnation as a loved and well cared for cat as I'm jealous of their lifestyle.

 

[Pomegranate]

 

[WhiteRabbit]

I think that when our brain dies, our consciousness dies. Permanently. I do think life is a bit of circle though, and I like this quote about it. I'd like to be buried as natural as possible.

"I want [upon death] to be buried, just like in the old days, where I decompose by the action of microorganisms, and I am dined upon by any form of creeping animal or root system that sees fit to do so.… I will have recycled back to the universe at least some of the energy that I have taken from it. And in so doing, at the conclusion of my adventures, I will have come closer to the heavens than to Earth."

 

[Painless_end]

There's nothing called the after life or heaven or hell.

We were born from a biological process between a male and a female biological components.

Once you die, it's all over. Eternity of blackness.

 

[ConstantPain]

I think that when our brain dies, our consciousness dies. Permanently. I do think life is a bit of circle though, and I like this quote about it. I'd like to be buried as natural as possible.

"I want [upon death] to be buried, just like in the old days, where I decompose by the action of microorganisms, and I am dined upon by any form of creeping animal or root system that sees fit to do so.… I will have recycled back to the universe at least some of the energy that I have taken from it. And in so doing, at the conclusion of my adventures, I will have come closer to the heavens than to Earth."

I agree with wanting to be recycled into nature. I've read about mushroom caskets that are supposed to help us decompose faster and leave the ground/environment around us better off. It brings me some sense of peace to think about that and have planned my 100% cotton outfit I want to be buried in. I just want to find a doctor who guarantees to remove the hardware in my foot, or just chop off.

 

[Mofreeko]

We are our brains. If you damage the brain, the entire personality can change. We literally have a moral center in our brains that if it gets damaged we can't tell right from wrong. If the brain dies, you die.

 

[eremito]

A human mind is not only tissue, it also generates energy, and energy does not die. It continues.

 

[Forever Sleep]

I just don't entirely know to be honest but I lean more towards there being nothing (and I find that thought more comforting.)

Plus, if the same 'God' that created this world had/has anything to do with the afterlife- I'd rather not partake. I don't like their management much! Still, maybe we don't get the choice...

Trouble is- I lost a lot of family members in early childhood, so I have grown up being told/comforted that they all live on in heaven. It's a lovely thought to have- and even better- that I may get to see them again.

On the flipside, a close family member also believes in things like hell/purgatory and a form of reincarnation. It's not been quite so pleasant growing up with those ideas around. Still- I also now pretty much believe our religions are manmade.

The other 'problem' that fights with my want to be aetheist is another link to a more spiritual side (although not religious in a strict sense.) My Nana used to love stuff like that and she was pretty insightful. For example- my Mum miscarried before she had me. My Dad tried to telephone her but couldn't get hold of her (no mobile phones in those days...) She was already on the way to the hospital because she could feel something was wrong. Plus, some other members of my family once did the ouija board and 'got through' to a distant uncle- of which only my Grandma knew about and at that point, she stopped 'playing.' They aren't the sort of people to lie, prank or exagerate- so- I think it's possible. I also had this weird experience myself once where I dreamt something that then happened weeks or months later in real life. I know it's not all related to life after death but it's enough to make me question things.

It's weird- on the one hand, I think there is a lot that is mysterious to this world. Not everything can be explained- especially when it comes to personal experience- that feels real but logically, can't be. Still, on the other- I know that there's the whole argument that science that is so advanced looks like magic- or spirituality- which also makes sense.

I'm very willing to accept that our sense of self importance has a lot to do with these theories of being immortal. I think we kid ourselves about heaven- to comfort ourselves. Then, we are told about hell and reincarnation to scare us into compliance.

From a practical point of view, I think a lot of what we consider to be our consciousness/sense of self/soul is just in fact a part of the function of our brains. Rather than something that can be separated from it. The traits we hope may live on- like our thinking and our memories are surely wrapped up in our brains- I would imagine that when our brains die- so do they.

Plus- they are elements that are not fully formed when we are born. We develop our personalities as we grow. I imagine the first few years of life are spent merely living on instinct. For me- that- and other things make me doubt reincarnation. If you are the same soul being recycled in order to learn a lesson, why wouldn't you be reborn fully aware and conscious? Plus, why wouldn't you remember all your past lives? I know some people claim to of course but it seems kind of rare.

Regarding NDE's, I personally think that they could well be dreams or nightmare's. I don't think it is possible to resuscitate someone after brain death. So- in all these cases- their brain was alive. I know I've had some crazy dreams- I also have this weird experience sometimes where I will wake up and 'see' stuff in the room that isn't there- just for a few seconds. Like dreams overwrite reality for just a tiny bit. (Scary- it's not usually something nice.) I just feel like- your body and brain is likely in a state of panic because they realise you are about to die. I suspect quite a lot of unnusual hormonne activity is going on which I personally believe could be a cause.

This article is interesting as a possible scientific explanation to NDE's:

Peace of Mind: Near-Death Experiences Now Found to Have Scientific Explanations

Seeing your life pass before you and the light at the end of the tunnel, can be explained by new research on abnormal functioning of dopamine and oxygen flow

www.scientificamerican.com

Really though, I'm just undecided!

 

[Mofreeko]

A human mind is not only tissue, it also generates energy, and energy does not die. It continues.

Electrical activity ceases after death.

 

[Forever Sleep]

A human mind is not only tissue, it also generates energy, and energy does not die. It continues.

I've definitely heard that energy cannot be destroyed- only transferred from one source to another. I've also read that thoughts are indeed a form of energy.

But how do thoughts transfer their energy? I guess some of them power our physical bodies eg. walk to the sink and get a glass of water. What about the abstract ones though? eg. long division. Don't these thoughts just reside in our brains till we need them (then sometimes can't remember them... Long division is long gone for me...)

Definitely we are made up of energy. Just like all plants and animals. When we die- our bodies 'feed' the earth again- insects break down our corpses if we are buried. Or, we fuel the fire if we are cremated. If we die out in the wilderness and an animal comes along and eats our brain- won't our energy have been transfered that way?

 

[LaVieEnRose]

I don't think it's a matter of belief just like the reality of gravity doesn't depend on whether you believe in it. We are talking, walking tissue and bone, biochemical machines running on oxygen and glucose, just like all other animals on Earth, from jellyfish to elephants. After our cellular processes have ceased our bodies begin to decompose and the atoms they were comprised of get reshuffled around for the gazillionth time since the Big Bang. In that sense, we are "immortal".

It can be challenging to accept the extinction of your unique subjective experience, especially if you feel you weren't able to maximally utilize your limited time here. But there have been billions of humans who have come and gone (anatomically modern homo sapiens, meaning people physically indistinguishable from us have been dated back to over 300,000 years ago, not to mention other human species; hell, there are many other animal species who are complex enough for individuals to have distinct personalities), all with their own stories as rich and vivid as those of people alive today, but almost all of which have been consigned to oblivion. Clearly the individual never mattered at all.

 

[Tried-tireD]

I sometimes like to think that everything just ends, a nice eternal slumber. Although lately I've thought less about it because at the end of the day we don't know if we can influence what happens to us after or if we can even change what happens after so I just think about less.
A part of me also likes to think that we get a chance to "live" the life that we've always wanted to, being in full control of what we want, like a pseudo second chance sort of thing

 

[FuneralCry]

I certainly believe that once we die we just cease to exist with not even the awareness that we are dead. Life only exists as a consequence of evolution anyway, life is all very temporary, useless and meaningless with the fate of all those that exist being to inevitably pass away and be forgotten about and that's all there is to it. I believe that those afterlife theories only came about, as the fact that humans have the ability to be conscious and aware means that many of them question the 'point of life', and the fact that many people find it so difficult to accept the true insignificant nature of existence means that they invent and believe in theories about what happens after death, and to me any of these theories, like any kind of afterlife and reincarnation are completely fictional.

But to me there is nothing more ideal than permanent non existence, and the thought of it is the only thing that could ever be close to a relief for me. It's why I envy those who die so much as they are free from the tedious and torturous burden that is existence. At least to me there could only ever be peace in the complete absence of everything.

 

[freeziepop98]

idk im tired

 

[Wannagonow]

I don't know if I have a definitive answer for myself regarding the afterlife. I'm not a particular religious or spiritual person. What I want to "believe" is that I'll go to this place (heaven??) where I'll see those who passed before me. But does that actually happen? I haven't heard anyone talk about souls. Do we have them? Was that just an idea man created? So far, what I've read here leads me to think people here aren't planning on an afterlife. I read the different reasons why and overall they're interesting and thought provoking. If when you're gone, you're gone- no afterlife, I'd be okay with that. It likely would make me ctb sooner. Nothing to look forward too!

 

[redhousepainters]

I'm an atheist and I don't believe in there being something that follows life.

 

[lifeisbutadream]

what do you believe awaits us in the hereafter ?, i know it is christmas sorry for the depressing tone if you are enjoying yourselves, i find myself pondering this question a lot lately, i guess the closer you get to making the decision the more you want to know, just wanted to get some dialogue going being that this is a suicide and discussion information forum, so what are your beliefs, do you think when we cease to be that is it ?, or do you believe in an afterlife or some form of reincarnation, intrigued to get your thoughts, take care peoples.

My name says it. We wake up when we "die".

Bhagavad Ghita:

Never the spirit was born;
the spirit shall cease to be never;
Never was time it was not;
End and Beginning are dreams!
Birthless and deathless and changeless remaineth the spirit for ever;
Death hath not touched it at all, dead though the house of it seems!

 

[WhenTheyCry]

What if life was just a simulation game? If you were an omnipotent god what would you wish for the most? It would be to feel powerless, to feel the opposite of joy (pain). I surely hope that when I kill myself, I'll find myself outside of this simulation, and next time, choose something more enjoyable.