What do you Believe happens.....?

[Confucius]

What do you believe happens after death. Now Christian whistlestoppers will say heaven.

Personally I believe that after this we go to a higher plain of existence. Kinda like if you watch Stargate Daniel Jackson "Ascends". Not what I believe exactly but that sorta illustrates my point. In this higher plain of existence which is linked to my religion being in Hades. In this higher plain there will be no suffering nor death nor pain. There will be happiness. Surrounded by those you knew while you were alive. Don't sound so bad. I know what i've said is a bit misty so if you have a question about it I'll happily answer

So what do you believe?

[Dangerrmouse]

You are born, you pass on your genes, you die. Just like every other successful organism on the planet. You are more self aware than most of them, but that's it.

[Knightman]

I do have to agree with Dangermouse on this one...

this thread is similar to another going here

http://www.whistlestopper.com/forum/showthread.php?t=25386

[eugene40]

I think at the very least we are reincarnated,, but other then that nothing.

[RageKage]

I don't believe in 'after'. Time is just an illusion of this material world. It's like asking "what happens after the tip of the ice-burg". "after" is not really the right word.

[JoeR]

We'll find out when we get there

[Antipathy]

I don't believe in 'after'. Time is just an illusion of this material world. It's like asking "what happens after the tip of the ice-burg". "after" is not really the right word.Time is an integral part of this material universe, so if 'it' is an illusion, then everything is an illusion. If that is the case, then what is the cause (or purpose if you believe that there is a devine influence) of this illusion we are all currently participating in?

[RageKage]

Time is an integral part of this material universe, so if 'it' is an illusion, then everything is an illusion. If that is the case, then what is the cause (or purpose if you believe that there is a devine influence) of this illusion we are all currently participating in?

I am not an illusion. My feelings of love and hate and awe are not illusions, and neither are my dreams, nor yours. Consciousness (in the non-material sense) is the only thing one can really know is real. The point? My guess is something along the lines of "the universe becoming aware of itself" but, honestly, I'l be f***ed if I know. I just try to take in as much of the awesome beauty as I can along the way.

[Antipathy]

I am not an illusion. My feelings of love and hate and awe are not illusions, and neither are my dreams, nor yours. Consciousness (in the non-material sense) is the only thing one can really know is real. The point? You and your consciousness are not illusions... but the time, in which your body manifestly exists, is? Curious!



My guess is something along the lines of "the universe becoming aware of itself"Do you mean the universe; including all the inanimate parts? Or do you mean something along the lines of the combined consciousness of all the organic components, or sentient components? I could go along with that to a degree. Consciousness, and what causes it, is a great mystery in itself... so who knows whether it is possible to create a superior combined consciousness through techniques as yet unknown to us?



but, honestly, I'l be f***ed if I know. :lol: That's more like it... what you said before - about time and a universe becoming self aware - well it strikes me that these are things you want to believe in, rather than things you truly believe in. I think that there is an expectation for people to have faith in something... anything! That something could be God as described by the major religions; or God from within; or even the belief/faith that there is nothing supernatural in the universe at all, just ignorance about the causes of phenomena. I, like you, count myself amogst the 'don't knows'. But unlike you, I favour the notion that Dangerrmouse expressed earlier... "You are born, you pass on your genes, you die. Just like every other successful organism on the planet. You are more self aware than most of them, but that's it."


I just try to take in as much of the awesome beauty as I can along the way.Amen to that. :)

[Annabell]

If you want a really interesting way to look at that afterlife read Edgar Allan Poe's Mesmeric Revelation. Its a very refreshing way to look at it. Personally I don't think I even believe in an after life...I mean it could be possible and then great, but if not its just oblivion after death and then how would you know the difference anyway.

[Simba]

What do you believe happens after death. Now Christian whistlestoppers will say heaven.

Personally I believe that after this we go to a higher plain of existence. Kinda like if you watch Stargate Daniel Jackson "Ascends". Not what I believe exactly but that sorta illustrates my point. In this higher plain of existence which is linked to my religion being in Hades. In this higher plain there will be no suffering nor death nor pain. There will be happiness. Surrounded by those you knew while you were alive. Don't sound so bad. I know what i've said is a bit misty so if you have a question about it I'll happily answer

So what do you believe?

Okay....okay...okay.........So I go to mass....sing all the songs....and take my kids faithfully. I believe, regardless of what is really there after death. Its because I know myself well, and what I could be if not tempered by virture, or the aspiration of the same.

We die. As sad as it is, and how horrible the thought that my daughters I will not see, nor my lovely wife........we return to the soil. To be consumed, and reused. Better to bury uncle Fred in the garden in spring, to enjoy him at autumn harvest all over, than to expect to see him in an ethereal afterlife with wings.

[Annabell]

Okay....okay...okay.........So I go to mass....sing all the songs....and take my kids faithfully. I believe, regardless of what is really there after death. Its because I know myself well, and what I could be if not tempered by virture, or the aspiration of the same.

We die. As sad as it is, and how horrible the thought that my daughters I will not see, nor my lovely wife........we return to the soil. To be consumed, and reused. Better to bury uncle Fred in the garden in spring, to enjoy him at autumn harvest all over, than to expect to see him in an ethereal afterlife with wings.

Beautiful!

[Seth928]

Time is an integral part of this material universe, so if 'it' is an illusion, then everything is an illusion. If that is the case, then what is the cause (or purpose if you believe that there is a devine influence) of this illusion we are all currently participating in?

Time exists only when it can be derived from somewhere else. For example 1 second is defined as the duration of 9 192 631 770 periods of the radiation corresponding to the transition between the two hyperfine levels of the ground state of the caesium 133 atom.

[JoeR]

Time exists only when it can be derived from somewhere else. For example 1 second is defined as the duration of 9 192 631 770 periods of the radiation corresponding to the transition between the two hyperfine levels of the ground state of the caesium 133 atom.

That is so over my head it isn't even funny.

[el nopal]

Time is an integral part of this material universe, so if 'it' is an illusion, then everything is an illusion. If that is the case, then what is the cause (or purpose if you believe that there is a devine influence) of this illusion we are all currently participating in?


Time is not definite. It has been documented as different, and varies from culture/ society to culture/ society.

Spatial reality and time are both indefinite and undetermined, and universally different.

Illusion is highly prevalent in Los Angeles, and on American Idol.
Illusion can be smoothly interchanged with delusion.

I think energy is released when we die, and this just contributes to the process of change. Once we are dead, we cease to exist ownership of anything, including ourselves. After death, everything is taken away from us by other living creatures, which will die too. That's it. If reincarnation takes place, then your lucky. If you go to heaven, or a different place, that would be the answer to a few different physics questions, (My personal theory).

I think god only exists as a means to deal with the destruction of society, at times of great upheaval and change, this one, universal figure which holds all the characteristics of other monotheistic gods, arrives, or returns to "redeem," "pass judgement," or instruct daily life, in some form or another.

So we die, and that is all that matters, unless your remains are displayed somewhere for people to laugh at and ponder for countless years, then this matters a great deal, and is disrespectful and unethical.

[Annabell]

I find your thought process interesting but I don't agree with your last statement about people being displayed. I think it's unfair to judge the burial practices of others. For instance some tribes used to eat their dead. Which some people would find discusting but if you read more into it they believed that when you ate your loved ones you consumed their essence and soul and that is was disgraceful to bury them to rot in the earth. So bashing the burial practices of others is not cool, you should not insult what you don't understand.

[heel31ok]

I think reality sets in after you die. This is not reality here, in my oppinion.

[el nopal]

I find your thought process interesting but I don't agree with your last statement about people being displayed. I think it's unfair to judge the burial practices of others. For instance some tribes used to eat their dead. Which some people would find discusting but if you read more into it they believed that when you ate your loved ones you consumed their essence and soul and that is was disgraceful to bury them to rot in the earth. So bashing the burial practices of others is not cool, you should not insult what you don't understand.


I was not bashing anyones burial practices in this statement " So we die, and that is all that matters, unless your remains are displayed somewhere for people to laugh at and ponder for countless years, then this matters a great deal, and is disrespectful and unethical."

I know there are different mortuary and funerary rites. I HAVE to know. The problem is when another culture comes along and displays another cultures remains in a museum. Or disrespects the remains of another. It is unethical for people to display the skulls or bones of another's ancestors. However, it is true that some groups, and some practices involve "trophy remains" - but in America, it is unethical to sell, trade, display Native American remains. A person may display a skull, but where did it come from?

Some cultures wish that their remains remain just that, remains. Not displayed somewhere for people to look at in a museum and joke about, or ponder as merely an object of science. If remains are displayed such as in a pyre, then that is different, and not disrespectful. Or if remains are housed in separate pieces in a temple, then this is different and not disrespectful.



That is what I was talking about. I was unclear, sorry.

[Captain America]

It matters not what we believe. No one knows. Many claim to know but they are just full of hot air. Reality has to sink in eventually and one has to realize that these people claiming to know of an afterlife don't really know their butt from a hole in the ground and they are just talking smack out of ignorance. All you can do is guess.

My guess is based on logic and dictates of reason. But still, it is only a guess. My guess is that after we die, it will be just like before we were born. Zero, zilch, nada....

I didn't miss this place before I was born so I don't figure on missing it after I'm gone. That line of reason takes a lot of fear out of death. Perhaps my lack of fear is the reason I don't require any religion to crutch me through life.

I have always thought that religion stemmed from the fear of death. An afterlife is a common promise among religions. That's so rediculous to proclaim.

[el nopal]

It matters not what we believe. No one knows. Many claim to know but they are just full of hot air. Reality has to sink in eventually and one has to realize that these people claiming to know of an afterlife don't really know their butt from a hole in the ground and they are just talking smack out of ignorance. All you can do is guess.

My guess is based on logic and dictates of reason. But still, it is only a guess. My guess is that after we die, it will be just like before we were born. Zero, zilch, nada....

I didn't miss this place before I was born so I don't figure on missing it after I'm gone. That line of reason takes a lot of fear out of death. Perhaps my lack of fear is the reason I don't require any religion to crutch me through life.

I have always thought that religion stemmed from the fear of death. An afterlife is a common promise among religions. That's so rediculous to proclaim.

To comment on afterlife, since I lost my way, and began talking about human remains - I agree with Captain America.

Additionally, I would like to propose a theory that the belief in an afterlife is similar to belief in creation. The idea that humans are above all other life-forms in intelligence, does not necessarily mean we go to an afterlife. Maybe the belief in afterlife stems from the need to still hold on to our identities after death? We are physically remembered by loved ones, but we ourselves cease to exist, and personally fear losing our ultimate consciousness?
Or maybe it is Freud's ego? He is dead, and we still perceive of him as a past humanbeing. So the idea of him has not ceased to exist - Maybe this is afterlife.

How afterlife is similar to creation myth is just that: We have the knowledge of various creations of humanbeings, we have knowledge, or think we have knowledge, and in the act of knowing - this separates us from other animal ( in theory) for other animals do remember other deceased animals, and humanbeings remember other humanbeings and animals. Afterlife is a mental spatial place to house these memories, and abait hopes and fears for those that have passed.

The belief in afterlife is a way to deal with a combination of the fear of the unknown or uncontrolable > and < a way to cope with the memories of those lost in death.

[Boldnold]

What do you believe happens after death. Now Christian whistlestoppers will say heaven.

Personally I believe that after this we go to a higher plain of existence. Kinda like if you watch Stargate Daniel Jackson "Ascends". Not what I believe exactly but that sorta illustrates my point. In this higher plain of existence which is linked to my religion being in Hades. In this higher plain there will be no suffering nor death nor pain. There will be happiness. Surrounded by those you knew while you were alive. Don't sound so bad. I know what i've said is a bit misty so if you have a question about it I'll happily answer

So what do you believe?

It's possible that if there are the 'End Times' for mankind and a 'Armageddon', there may be a 'Rapture' to. If that happens, then we'll all know, won't we? Other than that, I would recommend reading the story of our 'Our Lady of Fatima'. A supposed miracle surrounding three children that happend in 1917 in Portugal. That event highlighted for the christian world what is to come and happen to the rest of us sinners in the not-to-distant future.

Boldnold :)

[Captain America]

End times :eek: ...Armageddon :eek: ...rapture :eek: ...fatima...... :eek:

3,6,9
The goose drank wine
The monkey chewed tobacco on the street car line.
The line broke.
The monkey got choked.
And they all went to heaven in a little rowboat.
Clap Clap
:clap: :clap:

Amen...... :rolleyes:

[Boldnold]

End times :eek: ...Armageddon :eek: ...rapture :eek: ...fatima...... :eek:

3,6,9
The goose drank wine
The monkey chewed tobacco on the street car line.
The line broke.
The monkey got choked.
And they all went to heaven in a little rowboat.
Clap Clap
:clap: :clap:

Amen...... :rolleyes:

You should have been a poet. A religious one at that. Remember to do your 'Penance'.

Boldnold :)

[Churlant]

You should have been a poet. A religious one at that. Remember to do your 'Penance'.

Boldnold :)

Bah... anyone who references bad music (even if catchy - no excuse!) should be drowned in a New Orleans Canal.

-JC

[Annabell]

Bah... anyone who references bad music (even if catchy - no excuse!) should be drowned in a New Orleans Canal.

-JC


I'm all up for a good ol fashioned canal drowning! Count me in.

[el nopal]

I like the Clash, boo on y'all that don't like the brits punk.

[Annabell]

I like the Clash, boo on y'all that don't like the brits punk.

It's not neccessarily that I don't like it its just I haven't seen a canal drowning in sooo long.

[el nopal]

It's not neccessarily that I don't like it its just I haven't seen a canal drowning in sooo long.


That's true!

I'd also like to see the return of "well-sacrifice," and LSD induced bog noosings.

[Vic]

i think dying is like pulling out the plug.
you just die and then nothing happens. It´s like a machine being turned off for ever.

[Seth928]

That is so over my head it isn't even funny.

Yeah mine too but thats all I could find. In fact that is an older definition of time, the current definition is actually defines a second as the interval it takes light to travel 186,000 miles or 2.9933*10^8 meters. Thats easier to understand.

[JoeR]

Is that completely arbitrary?

[Seth928]

Is that completely arbitrary?

What do you mean?

[JoeR]

the current definition is actually defines a second as the interval it takes light to travel 186,000 miles or 2.9933*10^8 meters.

Why those values? why not 190000 miles, or 170000 miles?

[Seth928]

the current definition is actually defines a second as the interval it takes light to travel 186,000 miles or 2.9933*10^8 meters.

Why those values? why not 190000 miles, or 170000 miles?

It is that distance because the interval that it takes light to travel that distance is equal to the duration of 9 192 631 770 periods of the radiation corresponding to the transition between the two hyperfine levels of the ground state of the caesium 133 atom.

When you think of time you have to remember that there was no scientific basis for it's creation other than the Earth's period of revolution around the Sun when compared to the period of the Earth's rotation. (That makes perfect sense to me but I don't know how familiar you are with it so I'm going to spell it out not calling you stupid or anything I just want to make sure you understand) The period of Earth's revolution around the Sun is a year and that year is split into the number of times the Earth revolves around it's axis during one period of revolution. These, as you know, are called days (wohoo no big suprize) and there are 365.25 of them in a standard year (.25x4=1 therefore 1 extra day every 4 years) now these days are are arbitrarily divided into 24 hours then 60 minutes and finally 60 seconds (our base measurement for time). The point I'm getting at is that 1 second was defined only by a relationship between the earth and the sun and thus exists nowhere else in the universe as it does here. So in order to make it applicable to the rest of the universe scientists took the accepted value for a second on earth and applied it to something that can be descibed universally. The period of occilation blah blah blah was one of such measurements. However scientists continually find things that are more constant (our concept of universal physics is tenuous at best) the new accepted constant to base the measurement off of is the speed of light. Therefore the distance of 2.9933*10^8 meters is the distance light will travel in 1 second but since a second is not universal you have to base the interval off a constant vs. distance relationship which leads us to work backward from the speed of light and come up with that distance. Oh that and you have to use the universal constant speed of light in a vaccum (traveling through a medium doesn't give you the same result).

Essentially this all means seconds do not exists universally and the best definition of a second we have is the period in which light travels 2.9933*10^8 meters.

[JoeR]

So in order to make it applicable to the rest of the universe scientists took the accepted value for a second on earth and applied it to something that can be descibed universally.




Thats essentially what I was digging for

[Seth928]

Well, it felt good to spell it all out.

[el nopal]

oh ----- my----- bleep. (opps, they died).