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How do your thoughts on life after death influence how you live now?

Posted: May 10, 08 7:10pm

Here is one of those topics that was a frequent source of discussion and debate in college, but as life moves on, we get distracted with other things and, at least I, never came to a satisfying answer. The issue is whether the spirit lives on after death of the body. I sense that most of the support for this concept derives from religion - to ascribe some purpose to our current existence. Since no one can prove whether anything more happens after death, it will always remain a question. If you believe that life goes on somehow (Jonathan Livingston Seagull for example) then you have reason to act a certain way during this life, sort of in preparation. However if you believe that there is nothing after death, then would it suggest that a more carefree, selfish, and hedonistic life is appropriate? I wonder how important it is to others whether there is or is not anything after death. Personally I don't care too much, and suspect that there is nothing after we die, even though I am spiritual and religious.

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30 Comments // 15 Members

dotcom

Posted: May 10, 08 10:53pm

Hatikva wrote:

Here is one of those topics that was a frequent source of discussion and debate in college, but as life moves on, we get...

OK I believe in God. I know that I cannot earn my way to heaven. Yes I believe there is a heaven and hell. Just what that involves I don't know. I try to live my life in a way that makes me happy. I find when I do that it also makes other people happy. Do I follow the 10 commandments. I do the best I can. If there is not a higher power then why have people worshipped "something" since the beginning of time. We have an inborn need. I believe God put that need in us.

Hatikva how can you be spiritual and religious and believe there is nothing after we die?

Now this will be the shortist and most simple answer you will get. The others that will join in know a lot more about everything then I do. That is why I don't answer this type question very often. I just felt like speaking out for my God tonight.

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Exodice

Posted: May 11, 08 1:25am

Hatikva wrote:

Here is one of those topics that was a frequent source of discussion and debate in college, but as life moves on, we get...

I have come to embrace my own form of reincarnation. In the fact that what we do today will affect us in the future.

The justice being that we are born into the future as soon as we die. because our souls must be some form of material, they can not exist in what ever is nonmaterial.

Therefore, at death I will be reborn on this planet to start the process all over again. However, I do not believe we have access to past lives as I believe the soul is immortal, and a million short life spans would not be meaningful in our limited brain. However, if we embrace this ideology of actions today will play out for us on a future birth, than it is imperative that we unite political and industry to benefit all.

In knowing all this, I do not fear death. I do my part to be active in my world be that internet or in community.

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Milt T

Posted: May 11, 08 8:10am

Hatikva wrote:

Here is one of those topics that was a frequent source of discussion and debate in college, but as life moves on, we get...

What is the difference what you believe? Until I see someone come back to tell us what it is like anywhere else, I live to maximize this life. Maximize to me is not a hedonistic drink til you die or have fun, fun, fun till her daddy takes the T'Bird away! It is living fully but responsibly. It is treasuring the moment but doing nothing that prevents someone else from doing so as well. It is building for the future just in case I am alive tomorrow and if I am not, so that whoever I leave behind can benefit from what I do rather than having to pay off literal and figurative bills after I am gone.

I do not think so much of myself that I believe that it matters to anyone other than me whether I am here or not. I am a small part of a big ecosystem called life. But, I was given the ability to be cognizant of past, present and future and try to use that gift - whomever gave it to me - to benefit the system.

Check the graveyard. All the religious and spiritual symbols there are for the living. The dead couldn't care less and the proof of that is that people got atomized in disasters. They are no less or more dead. It is only the living who give a damn and most of that is out of selfishness, wanting to be more important than they are. The corpse with the biggest tombstone or the biggest statue of the round yon virgin on top of it isn't any more or less dead than his neighbor buried under a broomstick with a note tacked on it.

Happy Mother's day to all who are mothers, had mothers or was called a mother by someone who loved her or hated him!

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Lattekitt

Posted: May 11, 08 4:04pm

Hatikva wrote:

Here is one of those topics that was a frequent source of discussion and debate in college, but as life moves on, we get...

I believe that when we die, we die.

One of the most liberating moments in my life was the moment I realized I was an atheist. I suddenly felt this lightness with the awareness that I was completely responsible for me. Suddenly I felt fully accountable for my actions and the choices I make. It has made me a better person and I feel more in touch with the value of each moment of my life.

Realizing that this is it and that its up to me has made me appreciate my life more, take less for granted and to try to make choices that honor the kind of person I want to be. When I fail at this, and I do, I try not to wallow in guilt, which is self serving anyway, and to do better next time.

As far as purpose is concerned, I don't think we have a higher purpose. I think we are just are. The fact that we are here is amazing to think about, and beautiful, but I don't think we have a purpose. For me, that's okay. We can give ourselves purpose. Or not. We can fret about having no purpose, or not. We can wonder if we have a higher purpose, but all the while we are just living our lives, spending our time, however much that is going to be.

We can decide to value certain things and choose to live our lives by honoring those things.

You suggest that perhaps for those who don't believe in something after death that perhaps a more carefree, selfish and hedonistic life is appropriate. I wonder if perhaps this is appropriate for anyone who wants to choose that. I actually know as many religious people as not who are living quite carefree and hedonistic lives without much question...

Great topic! Good food for thought.

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ChaiLatte

Posted: May 11, 08 4:17pm

Hatikva wrote:

Here is one of those topics that was a frequent source of discussion and debate in college, but as life moves on, we get...

I don't believe in God, and I'm not spiritual/religious. I don't believe there's any form of consciousness after death. But I also don't live selfishly or hedonistically, in general. That's not to say I follow all the 10 Commandments -- I don't believe they're all relevant to my life -- but I'm certainly no "free spirit" who ignores obligations in order to pursue whims and pleasure. Now I'm not sure why that is, exactly, but maybe it's because I have a vague sense of karma along with a feeling that things will go badly for me (in THIS life) if I fail to live up to certain standards I've set for myself.

Interesting question!

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Hatikva

Posted: May 11, 08 8:28pm

dotcom wrote:

OK I believe in God. I know that I cannot earn my way to heaven. Yes I believe there is a heaven and hell. Just what tha...

Thank you for your thoughts Dotcom.

I do believe there is a G-d, not because of what others have told me but because I sense G-d personally. It is too important an issue for me to "believe" because I am taught or told by others about it. However my wife suggests that religion is simply a human's way to rationalize things in life - it is brain chemistry, not related to anything outside one's own body.

Now, to your question. Even though I believe in a higher spirit, there is no connection between that belief (or feeling for me) and spirit after death. The two do not go hand in hand as far as I can tell. Is it not possible that G-d simply gave us a certain amount of time and after that there is nothing. Perhaps the was we "live on" is through others. Even a small pebble will cause ripples, although small, in the sea that can be detected for a long time.

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Hatikva

Posted: May 11, 08 8:34pm

Milt T wrote:

What is the difference what you believe? Until I see someone come back to tell us what it is like anywhere else, I live...

I like how you rationalize this issue. You act altruistically even if after you die, there is nothing further (i.e. no posthumus reward for such behavior). Is it safe to assume that you would be supportive of someone else if they chose instead to live selfishly and milk the system for all it is worth? Is there any intrinsic value to selflessness, or do you do it simply to feel good about yourself (that is a whole other issue worthy of a separate discussion).

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