The Afterlife

[frigidweirdo]

Funny, many believe that IS THE LIFE! But they call it the after life... anyway.

Do you believe in an afterlife? If so, what do you think it is?
If not, why do you think we are here - or is there no reason?

I don't believe anything. Believing is thinking I know something I don't.

When I find out the truth, I'll then know.

Some people believe based on available information. The mind is a funny thing. There are things I believe - even simple things like whether or not the person in the office is having an affair. NOMB, but, still, the mind keeps going.....

The biggest problem is that people are born into religion, taught to believe without any knowledge at all. Once you've been indoctrinated then your mind is much more open to believing rather than knowing. But also to reject for no reason to.

If information from other lives were made available in your current life, then every current life would be ruined and would lose its meaning and purpose.

So you are stuck without knowledge. So the only choice you have is some belief system that you can pick from other people's assembly.

Why not just accept you don't know?

 

[Fort Fun Indiana]

Funny, many believe that IS THE LIFE! But they call it the after life... anyway.

Do you believe in an afterlife? If so, what do you think it is?
If not, why do you think we are here - or is there no reason?

I don't believe anything. Believing is thinking I know something I don't.

When I find out the truth, I'll then know.

Some people believe based on available information. The mind is a funny thing. There are things I believe - even simple things like whether or not the person in the office is having an affair. NOMB, but, still, the mind keeps going.....

The biggest problem is that people are born into religion, taught to believe without any knowledge at all. Once you've been indoctrinated then your mind is much more open to believing rather than knowing. But also to reject for no reason to.

If information from other lives were made available in your current life, then every current life would be ruined and would lose its meaning and purpose.

So you are stuck without knowledge. So the only choice you have is some belief system that you can pick from other people's assembly.

Why not just accept you don't know?

Agreed, we don't know. Now, can we agree that it seems utterly absurd?

 

[frigidweirdo]

I don't believe anything. Believing is thinking I know something I don't.

When I find out the truth, I'll then know.

Some people believe based on available information. The mind is a funny thing. There are things I believe - even simple things like whether or not the person in the office is having an affair. NOMB, but, still, the mind keeps going.....

The biggest problem is that people are born into religion, taught to believe without any knowledge at all. Once you've been indoctrinated then your mind is much more open to believing rather than knowing. But also to reject for no reason to.

If information from other lives were made available in your current life, then every current life would be ruined and would lose its meaning and purpose.

So you are stuck without knowledge. So the only choice you have is some belief system that you can pick from other people's assembly.

Why not just accept you don't know?

Agreed, we don't know. Now, can we agree that it seems utterly absurd?

"it" being what?

 

[Fort Fun Indiana]

Some people believe based on available information. The mind is a funny thing. There are things I believe - even simple things like whether or not the person in the office is having an affair. NOMB, but, still, the mind keeps going.....

The biggest problem is that people are born into religion, taught to believe without any knowledge at all. Once you've been indoctrinated then your mind is much more open to believing rather than knowing. But also to reject for no reason to.

If information from other lives were made available in your current life, then every current life would be ruined and would lose its meaning and purpose.

So you are stuck without knowledge. So the only choice you have is some belief system that you can pick from other people's assembly.

Why not just accept you don't know?

Agreed, we don't know. Now, can we agree that it seems utterly absurd?

"it" being what?

The idea to which you correctly referred as being one we do not know the truth of. Absurd, right?

 

[frigidweirdo]

The biggest problem is that people are born into religion, taught to believe without any knowledge at all. Once you've been indoctrinated then your mind is much more open to believing rather than knowing. But also to reject for no reason to.

If information from other lives were made available in your current life, then every current life would be ruined and would lose its meaning and purpose.

So you are stuck without knowledge. So the only choice you have is some belief system that you can pick from other people's assembly.

Why not just accept you don't know?

Agreed, we don't know. Now, can we agree that it seems utterly absurd?

"it" being what?

The idea to which you correctly referred as being one we do not know the truth of. Absurd, right?

Totally, but then again we're so used the absurd, because religion is a fully entrenched part of life.

 

[task0778]

Funny, many believe that IS THE LIFE! But they call it the after life... anyway.

Do you believe in an afterlife? If so, what do you think it is?
If not, why do you think we are here - or is there no reason?

I don't believe anything. Believing is thinking I know something I don't.

When I find out the truth, I'll then know.

Some people believe based on available information. The mind is a funny thing. There are things I believe - even simple things like whether or not the person in the office is having an affair. NOMB, but, still, the mind keeps going.....

The biggest problem is that people are born into religion, taught to believe without any knowledge at all. Once you've been indoctrinated then your mind is much more open to believing rather than knowing. But also to reject for no reason to.

If information from other lives were made available in your current life, then every current life would be ruined and would lose its meaning and purpose.

So you are stuck without knowledge. So the only choice you have is some belief system that you can pick from other people's assembly.

Why not just accept you don't know?

And why not keep an open mind on what you don't know?

 

[Fort Fun Indiana]

I don't believe anything. Believing is thinking I know something I don't.

When I find out the truth, I'll then know.

Some people believe based on available information. The mind is a funny thing. There are things I believe - even simple things like whether or not the person in the office is having an affair. NOMB, but, still, the mind keeps going.....

The biggest problem is that people are born into religion, taught to believe without any knowledge at all. Once you've been indoctrinated then your mind is much more open to believing rather than knowing. But also to reject for no reason to.

If information from other lives were made available in your current life, then every current life would be ruined and would lose its meaning and purpose.

So you are stuck without knowledge. So the only choice you have is some belief system that you can pick from other people's assembly.

Why not just accept you don't know?

And why not keep an open mind on what you don't know?

Are you open-minded about Ouija Boards? Vampirism? Werewolves? Astrology? Zoroastrianism? How about Wicca? All of them? Just some?

 

[Divine Wind]

Funny, many believe that IS THE LIFE! But they call it the after life... anyway.

Do you believe in an afterlife? If so, what do you think it is?
If not, why do you think we are here - or is there no reason?

I don't believe anything. Believing is thinking I know something I don't.

When I find out the truth, I'll then know.

Some people believe based on available information. The mind is a funny thing. There are things I believe - even simple things like whether or not the person in the office is having an affair. NOMB, but, still, the mind keeps going.....

The biggest problem is that people are born into religion, taught to believe without any knowledge at all. Once you've been indoctrinated then your mind is much more open to believing rather than knowing. But also to reject for no reason to.

Disagreed. I was born into a Christian family but was an atheist until almost 17.

Psychologically, "brainwashing" doesn't last a lifetime, unless the person chooses to let it be so. If that is true of "brainwashing", then how can it be true of parents raising their children in a religion? Yes, they can make the kids go to church and/or Bible school, but once those kids are 18 years old, they can do as they choose. It doesn't matter if it is religion, cultural or anything else. Human beings have the capacity to choose their own opinions and thoughts.

How Brainwashing Works
While most psychologists believe that brainwashing is possible under the right conditions, some see it as improbable or at least as a less severe form of influence than the media portrays it to be. Some definitions of brainwashing require the presence of the threat of physical harm, and under these definitions most extremist cults do not practice true brainwashing since they typically do not physically abuse recruits. Other definitions rely on "nonphysical coercion and control" as an equally effective means of asserting influence. Regardless of which definition you use, many experts believe that even under ideal brainwashing conditions, the effects of the process are most often short-term -- the brainwashing victim's old identity is not in fact eradicated by the process, but instead is in hiding, and once the "new identity" stops being reinforced the person's old attitudes and beliefs will start to return.

 

[Fort Fun Indiana]

Funny, many believe that IS THE LIFE! But they call it the after life... anyway.

Do you believe in an afterlife? If so, what do you think it is?
If not, why do you think we are here - or is there no reason?

I don't believe anything. Believing is thinking I know something I don't.

When I find out the truth, I'll then know.

Some people believe based on available information. The mind is a funny thing. There are things I believe - even simple things like whether or not the person in the office is having an affair. NOMB, but, still, the mind keeps going.....

The biggest problem is that people are born into religion, taught to believe without any knowledge at all. Once you've been indoctrinated then your mind is much more open to believing rather than knowing. But also to reject for no reason to.

Disagreed. I was born into a Christian family but was an atheist until almost 17.

Psychologically, "brainwashing" doesn't last a lifetime, unless the person chooses to let it be so. If that is true of "brainwashing", then how can it be true of parents raising their children in a religion? Yes, they can make the kids go to church and/or Bible school, but once those kids are 18 years old, they can do as they choose. It doesn't matter if it is religion, cultural or anything else. Human beings have the capacity to choose their own opinions and thoughts.

How Brainwashing Works
While most psychologists believe that brainwashing is possible under the right conditions, some see it as improbable or at least as a less severe form of influence than the media portrays it to be. Some definitions of brainwashing require the presence of the threat of physical harm, and under these definitions most extremist cults do not practice true brainwashing since they typically do not physically abuse recruits. Other definitions rely on "nonphysical coercion and control" as an equally effective means of asserting influence. Regardless of which definition you use, many experts believe that even under ideal brainwashing conditions, the effects of the process are most often short-term -- the brainwashing victim's old identity is not in fact eradicated by the process, but instead is in hiding, and once the "new identity" stops being reinforced the person's old attitudes and beliefs will start to return.

"Psychologically, "brainwashing" doesn't last a lifetime, unless the person chooses to let it be so."

Maybe when faced with some serious evidence to the contrary, then choosing...?. But the very term "brainwashing" at least infers some degree of loss of self-control.

 

[Divine Wind]

Funny, many believe that IS THE LIFE! But they call it the after life... anyway.

Do you believe in an afterlife? If so, what do you think it is?
If not, why do you think we are here - or is there no reason?

I don't believe anything. Believing is thinking I know something I don't.

When I find out the truth, I'll then know.

Some people believe based on available information. The mind is a funny thing. There are things I believe - even simple things like whether or not the person in the office is having an affair. NOMB, but, still, the mind keeps going.....

The biggest problem is that people are born into religion, taught to believe without any knowledge at all. Once you've been indoctrinated then your mind is much more open to believing rather than knowing. But also to reject for no reason to.

Disagreed. I was born into a Christian family but was an atheist until almost 17.

Psychologically, "brainwashing" doesn't last a lifetime, unless the person chooses to let it be so. If that is true of "brainwashing", then how can it be true of parents raising their children in a religion? Yes, they can make the kids go to church and/or Bible school, but once those kids are 18 years old, they can do as they choose. It doesn't matter if it is religion, cultural or anything else. Human beings have the capacity to choose their own opinions and thoughts.

How Brainwashing Works
While most psychologists believe that brainwashing is possible under the right conditions, some see it as improbable or at least as a less severe form of influence than the media portrays it to be. Some definitions of brainwashing require the presence of the threat of physical harm, and under these definitions most extremist cults do not practice true brainwashing since they typically do not physically abuse recruits. Other definitions rely on "nonphysical coercion and control" as an equally effective means of asserting influence. Regardless of which definition you use, many experts believe that even under ideal brainwashing conditions, the effects of the process are most often short-term -- the brainwashing victim's old identity is not in fact eradicated by the process, but instead is in hiding, and once the "new identity" stops being reinforced the person's old attitudes and beliefs will start to return.

"Psychologically, "brainwashing" doesn't last a lifetime, unless the person chooses to let it be so."

Maybe when faced with some serious evidence to the contrary, then choosing...?. But the very term "brainwashing" at least infers some degree of loss of self-control.

No need for "serious evidence". Just enough evidence to create doubt. Look at kids believing in Santa Claus. As they age and mature, they start putting minor clues together to form their own opinions about Santa and Rudolph regardless of what their parents say.

Look at the statistics of young adults drifting away from dogmatic religions but retaining a favorable about a spiritual existence, an "afterlife".

 

[frigidweirdo]

I don't believe anything. Believing is thinking I know something I don't.

When I find out the truth, I'll then know.

Some people believe based on available information. The mind is a funny thing. There are things I believe - even simple things like whether or not the person in the office is having an affair. NOMB, but, still, the mind keeps going.....

The biggest problem is that people are born into religion, taught to believe without any knowledge at all. Once you've been indoctrinated then your mind is much more open to believing rather than knowing. But also to reject for no reason to.

If information from other lives were made available in your current life, then every current life would be ruined and would lose its meaning and purpose.

So you are stuck without knowledge. So the only choice you have is some belief system that you can pick from other people's assembly.

Why not just accept you don't know?

And why not keep an open mind on what you don't know?

Who siad I wasn't keeping an open mind?

Saying "I don't know what happens in the afterlife, there are many possibilities, but I won't say one is right" is keeping my mind open.

 

[task0778]

Some people believe based on available information. The mind is a funny thing. There are things I believe - even simple things like whether or not the person in the office is having an affair. NOMB, but, still, the mind keeps going.....

The biggest problem is that people are born into religion, taught to believe without any knowledge at all. Once you've been indoctrinated then your mind is much more open to believing rather than knowing. But also to reject for no reason to.

If information from other lives were made available in your current life, then every current life would be ruined and would lose its meaning and purpose.

So you are stuck without knowledge. So the only choice you have is some belief system that you can pick from other people's assembly.

Why not just accept you don't know?

And why not keep an open mind on what you don't know?

Who siad I wasn't keeping an open mind?

Saying "I don't know what happens in the afterlife, there are many possibilities, but I won't say one is right" is keeping my mind open.

Okay, okay, I was't implying anything. Just suggesting that accepting what you don't know is good but one should also keep an open mind about what actually is possible.

 

[frigidweirdo]

The biggest problem is that people are born into religion, taught to believe without any knowledge at all. Once you've been indoctrinated then your mind is much more open to believing rather than knowing. But also to reject for no reason to.

If information from other lives were made available in your current life, then every current life would be ruined and would lose its meaning and purpose.

So you are stuck without knowledge. So the only choice you have is some belief system that you can pick from other people's assembly.

Why not just accept you don't know?

And why not keep an open mind on what you don't know?

Who siad I wasn't keeping an open mind?

Saying "I don't know what happens in the afterlife, there are many possibilities, but I won't say one is right" is keeping my mind open.

Okay, okay, I was't implying anything. Just suggesting that accepting what you don't know is good but one should also keep an open mind about what actually is possible.

I know. The problem is most people aren't like that. They decide what they want the truth to be.

 

[Divine Wind]

If information from other lives were made available in your current life, then every current life would be ruined and would lose its meaning and purpose.

So you are stuck without knowledge. So the only choice you have is some belief system that you can pick from other people's assembly.

Why not just accept you don't know?

And why not keep an open mind on what you don't know?

Who siad I wasn't keeping an open mind?

Saying "I don't know what happens in the afterlife, there are many possibilities, but I won't say one is right" is keeping my mind open.

Okay, okay, I was't implying anything. Just suggesting that accepting what you don't know is good but one should also keep an open mind about what actually is possible.

I know. The problem is most people aren't like that. They decide what they want the truth to be.

True. So why is that your problem? If they try to impose their ideology, culture or religion upon you, speak out. That's not the case here. YOU came into a thread about the afterlife by choice.

If you want to state your belief that there is no afterlife, that we're all soulless meat computers of no lasting value, fine. Just be honest enough to admit it's your belief and nothing more.

 

[rightwinger]

Funny, many believe that IS THE LIFE! But they call it the after life... anyway.

Do you believe in an afterlife? If so, what do you think it is?
If not, why do you think we are here - or is there no reason?

I look at life as writing a book

You add to it every day. Some books are interesting, some are quite dull. At the end of your life you are evaluated on how good your book was

Some books are just put on the shelf and forgotten, others live on long after you are dead

 

[Divine Wind]

Funny, many believe that IS THE LIFE! But they call it the after life... anyway.

Do you believe in an afterlife? If so, what do you think it is?
If not, why do you think we are here - or is there no reason?

I look at life as writing a book

You add to it every day. Some books are interesting, some are quite dull. At the end of your life you are evaluated on how good your book was

Some books are just put on the shelf and forgotten, others live on long after you are dead

Agreed in concept. Who does the evaluating?

 

[rightwinger]

Funny, many believe that IS THE LIFE! But they call it the after life... anyway.

Do you believe in an afterlife? If so, what do you think it is?
If not, why do you think we are here - or is there no reason?

I look at life as writing a book

You add to it every day. Some books are interesting, some are quite dull. At the end of your life you are evaluated on how good your book was

Some books are just put on the shelf and forgotten, others live on long after you are dead

Agreed in concept. Who does the evaluating?

For most people it will be your friends and family. They will periodically discuss your book for the good and the bad. Eventually, your book will be forgotten outside a title and when you were born and died

Some books are timeless and they are discussed for centuries

 

[MarkDuffy]

Funny, many believe that IS THE LIFE! But they call it the after life... anyway.

Do you believe in an afterlife? If so, what do you think it is?
If not, why do you think we are here - or is there no reason?

I don't believe anything. Believing is thinking I know something I don't.

When I find out the truth, I'll then know.

Some people believe based on available information. The mind is a funny thing. There are things I believe - even simple things like whether or not the person in the office is having an affair. NOMB, but, still, the mind keeps going.....

The biggest problem is that people are born into religion, taught to believe without any knowledge at all. Once you've been indoctrinated then your mind is much more open to believing rather than knowing. But also to reject for no reason to.

Disagreed. I was born into a Christian family but was an atheist until almost 17.

Psychologically, "brainwashing" doesn't last a lifetime, unless the person chooses to let it be so. If that is true of "brainwashing", then how can it be true of parents raising their children in a religion? Yes, they can make the kids go to church and/or Bible school, but once those kids are 18 years old, they can do as they choose. It doesn't matter if it is religion, cultural or anything else. Human beings have the capacity to choose their own opinions and thoughts.

How Brainwashing Works
While most psychologists believe that brainwashing is possible under the right conditions, some see it as improbable or at least as a less severe form of influence than the media portrays it to be. Some definitions of brainwashing require the presence of the threat of physical harm, and under these definitions most extremist cults do not practice true brainwashing since they typically do not physically abuse recruits. Other definitions rely on "nonphysical coercion and control" as an equally effective means of asserting influence. Regardless of which definition you use, many experts believe that even under ideal brainwashing conditions, the effects of the process are most often short-term -- the brainwashing victim's old identity is not in fact eradicated by the process, but instead is in hiding, and once the "new identity" stops being reinforced the person's old attitudes and beliefs will start to return.

"Psychologically, "brainwashing" doesn't last a lifetime, unless the person chooses to let it be so."

Maybe when faced with some serious evidence to the contrary, then choosing...?. But the very term "brainwashing" at least infers some degree of loss of self-control.

I say God damn and oh God. That is residual from being brainwashed as a child. Even my capitalization of God is that also. It might even be possible that when I die I might get spiritual in the last moments when the brain starts to fail.

 

[Divine Wind]

Funny, many believe that IS THE LIFE! But they call it the after life... anyway.

Do you believe in an afterlife? If so, what do you think it is?
If not, why do you think we are here - or is there no reason?

I look at life as writing a book

You add to it every day. Some books are interesting, some are quite dull. At the end of your life you are evaluated on how good your book was

Some books are just put on the shelf and forgotten, others live on long after you are dead

Agreed in concept. Who does the evaluating?

For most people it will be your friends and family. They will periodically discuss your book for the good and the bad. Eventually, your book will be forgotten outside a title and when you were born and died

Some books are timeless and they are discussed for centuries

But even "friends and family" pass. What percentage here know a lot about the life and effect a great-grandparent had on their friends and family? I'm guessing it will be a very low percentage unless you're related to a very famous historical figure.

In short, as far as mortal timelines go, the vast majority of us are only remembered for one generation, three at most. Geologically, our mortal lives are inconsequential. Completely meaningless to the planet Earth, much less the Universe.

 

[rightwinger]

Funny, many believe that IS THE LIFE! But they call it the after life... anyway.

Do you believe in an afterlife? If so, what do you think it is?
If not, why do you think we are here - or is there no reason?

I look at life as writing a book

You add to it every day. Some books are interesting, some are quite dull. At the end of your life you are evaluated on how good your book was

Some books are just put on the shelf and forgotten, others live on long after you are dead

Agreed in concept. Who does the evaluating?

For most people it will be your friends and family. They will periodically discuss your book for the good and the bad. Eventually, your book will be forgotten outside a title and when you were born and died

Some books are timeless and they are discussed for centuries

But even "friends and family" pass. What percentage here know a lot about the life and effect a great-grandparent had on their friends and family? I'm guessing it will be a very low percentage unless you're related to a very famous historical figure.

Such is life
That is why you need to make a difference while you are here

I wrote my family history going back over 200 years. I know quite a bit about my great grand parents