Afterlife?

[Jonathan]

I was sitting at Applebee’s with my father and James today; we were having a conversation about "after life" and "religion". But I got to realize that I have a lot of regrets in life, more than I care to list. Then a question I have asked myself time and time again resurfaced in my head, "is there a after life"? And "will I be there"?

Well I decided I have a simple solution to this question and I started a new thread to hear others beliefs about the after life.

[James]

I do not make many conclusions about it, but I am at the very least confident that we do not know just what it really is. I won't go into my logic in this because I do not wish to offend people that have not expanded their religious studies beyond one set of beliefs.

I do believe that we have more than one life (reincarnation). I also believe that there is a creative force, but I do not think, once again, that we can accurately define it. I say call it God, but don't surmise just what "God" is and what it looks like.

If we had only one life in one physical form I do not see why we would be born with different opportunities and different chances. I am told that if a soul comes down for their one chance and then suffers abortion or death in birth that they are automatically admitted to a positive afterlife (e.g. Heaven). I am surprised more people don't see the logic in this. Why would certain souls have to face no Earthly challenges and then gain a free ticket past some sort of Judgment that everyone else must meet?

I think our souls evolve over many "lifetimes" until we reach a certain stage of enlightenment, although I will not try to conclude just what that is, what it results in, or just what is required for it to occur. I believe the universe can be quite chaotic, but I think there will probably be some order here.

This is one of the few things my brother and father got to enjoy over our discussion at Applebees, the rest I won't mention, again because I do not want to offend anyone.

If you disagree with me, by all means do reply! I enjoy calm and collected discussions about things like this. Just expect me to be logical.

[Cao Ren]

i do not know if there is an after life and i will just wait to find out

[Alucard]

i think theres an after life. i think it only happens when someone doesnt do anythin bad. like punching someone in the face for no reason.

[Lion's Mane]

I honestly believe that not everyone attains an afterlife. Those who seek it, will come to it when their days of this mortal coil end, however, those who do not seek a finality will be reborn in a reincarnated state. A person's perception plays into what they will do.

As Lezard Valeth of Valkyrie Profile says: "I prefer to forge my own way in life, then, when the cards have settled, call it destiny."

Not exact, but my fiancee has the game right now.

[Kebo]

I believe in no after life whatsoever. I respect those that do, which is my entire family. I believe I will stop existing the moment I die, and that is why I fear death the most, the belief that I will never exist in any form, ever again.

[Rowde]

No, I don't want there to be an after life. I already spend enough of my waking hours contemplating things that happened yesterday, things that happened last month, last year, ten years ago. I think the after life is another idea earlier men manufactured out of fear. Fear that they were alone. Fear that they were making the right decisions. Fear that one day they would die. One day we will all have to own up and accept that our actions during the course of our life were permanent. I don't want to think that there is something afterwards, somewhere where something waits to pass judgement on me. I don't want there to be a "right way" to do anything. I just want to experience freedom while I have it, and allow future generations to experience it even easier.

That said, I read this once in a book, and it is a pretty accurate description of what freedom means to me.
"Freedom, is the oppurtunity to be responsible for ourselves."

I can't be free, not for a second, if I think something is controlling me. If I think something is looking out for me. If I think something is judging me. Not if I don't accept that this is it, a no holds barred, play your cards while you got them kind of game. The stakes in the game of life are high cause you only get one chance to play your hand. No matter what, though, that was your hand. That's how you exercise your freedom.

I am alone, and the future is a blank slate before me. That doesn't scare me though. It just leaves more room for me to create my own destiny.

[Shizumeru]

I don't believe in "After Life".

[Maria]

I don't believe in it. It's like saying that we are the "recycled" souls from the Three Kingdoms era.

Why would we have Heaven and Hell if we're always being recycled? Why can't we remember our past lives? WHy is the number of people on earth keeps growing in time, If you have only some numbers of "original" souls?

Is it that we are going to reincarnate? To be human again or to be animals, without logic?

[Omega52]

I dont think there will be an after life or reincarnation of any sort but if there is thats gonna be a long time of boredom.