Is there an afterlife

[lord bunberry]

I often think about this, but I don’t really know why. I don’t believe in god, so obviously I don’t believe in heaven. I also can’t take the scientific point of view that it isn’t possible as science is only based on what we know to be possible now. My gut feeling is that it’s a human need to think that death is not the end, but as we’re the first species on this planet to be able to understand what death means it seems logical to try and convince ourselves that it’s not the end.
What happens after we die is a basis of how many people live their lives, but is it correct or even credible?

[Scouse Hibee]

I don’t believe there is

[Jack]

We live in the memories of family as far as probably grandchildren and our close friends. Apart from that just dust.

[Pretty Boy]

It's an interesting question and one that I often think about.

Whenever religion is raised in conversation I often step back as it's increasingly common for people just to be quite insulting about it. I'd probably describe myself as an 'agnostic Catholic' if that isn't too much of an oxymoron. The truth is I just don't know if there's a God and in turn an afterlife. It's a very unfashionable thing to say but I love the traditions of the Catholic liturgy, I'm increasingly fascinated by the scripture and the different theological interpretations of it. I also like the community aspect of belonging to a church and have seen first and second hand how comforting that can be at times of difficulty. In saying all that I don't live my life in fear of being judged nor do I worry that when it's over then it's over.

One of the arguments I often hear aimed at people with a faith is that they are 'scared of death'. On a personal level I'd dispute that. I'm not afraid of death as such. Best case scenario is there is a benevolent God and I spend eternity in heaven. On the other hand there is nothing, lights out and that's it. In which case, much like before I was born, I'll know nothing about it. What's there to fear? What I do fear, to an extent, is the dying process but I don't think that's exclusive to those of faith, to agnostics or to atheists. No one wants to suffer and I'm certain all of us will feel a level of anxiety when we reach the point at which our mortality becomes a reality.

In answer to your question I just don't know. On some days I feel a pretty powerful certainty that there is a life after death. On other days I agree with your gut feeling that it's a need to convince ourselves. There's only one way to find out and I hope I don't for quite a while yet.

[SRHibs]

I find the idea of any sort of "eternity" to be a horrifying prospect. Hopefully it's very much lights-off when the time comes. None of the options are particularly appealing though, so I tend to try not to dwell on it too much.

[MagicSwirlingShip]

My experiences tell me no. Not in this dimension anyway

[lyonhibs]

For one as "an island", no, I - and rather more importantly science - don't think there is. Death is the end. But the memory of you in tales and recollections of your nearest and dearest lives on long after you're gone. Unless you were an insufferable **** of course

But there's no afterlife where we all get to head down ER, stand on the old East Terrace and watch the Famous 5 strut their stuff or whatever.

[Sudds_1]

I read sonething about quantum theory the other day...fascinating stuff. Issues of life and death mixed up with our existence in different dimensions...dead in one, alive in another....as PB says..we'll find out one day!😁

[Just_Jimmy]

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I read sonething about quantum theory the other day...fascinating stuff. Issues of life and death mixed up with our existence in different dimensions...dead in one, alive in another....as PB says..we'll find out one day!

Life on Mars.

I deal with death regularly. I think the best we can hope for is to make a difference when here. Try and leave a mark and die as quickly and painlessly after a long life as we can.

I don't remember before I was born I'm not sure Ill know I'm dead.

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[easty]

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I don't remember before I was born I'm not sure Ill know I'm dead.

It's as simple as that for me.

Does no harm to believe differently though, if it makes you feel better about death then that's great.

[Since90+2]

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It's as simple as that for me.

Does no harm to believe differently though, if it makes you feel better about death then that's great.

Nobody can remember being a week old but you were alive.

[easty]

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Nobody can remember being a week old but you were alive.

But it’s a fact you were alive. Whether you remember it or not.

[stuart-farquhar]

If there is it's being kept a big secret.

[Smartie]

I heard recently that you die twice. First, you actually die, then the second time you die is the last time your name is ever uttered.

We’ll all have ancestors that there are no records of and who have been long forgotten.

It will be interesting to see how this plays out in future as we have more information recorded than ever before.

[HUTCHYHIBBY]

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I heard recently that you die twice. First, you actually die, then the second time you die is the last time your name is ever uttered.

I heard that line at a funeral a couple of weeks ago.

[Smartie]

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I heard that line at a funeral a couple of weeks ago.

I heard it at a course I was on, it was in relation to business and social media.

The idea behind it was that you need to be visible, to have a presence and to have people talking about you. If people aren't talking about you, are you even there?

I was quite bored at the time, drifted off and ended up thinking a bit too deeply about stuff.

There is something quite funny about the thought of a keynote speaker being paid a 5 figure sum to talk at a large event struggling for material to fill his section, attending the same funeral as you and thinking "f*** it, I'm having that".

[Sudds_1]

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I heard it at a course I was on, it was in relation to business and social media.

The idea behind it was that you need to be visible, to have a presence and to have people talking about you. If people aren't talking about you, are you even there?

I was quite bored at the time, drifted off and ended up thinking a bit too deeply about stuff.

There is something quite funny about the thought of a keynote speaker being paid a 5 figure sum to talk at a large event struggling for material to fill his section, attending the same funeral as you and thinking "f*** it, I'm having that".

Quantum theory again...if you dont see it, it doesnt exi😁st

[lyonhibs]

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I heard that line at a funeral a couple of weeks ago.

It's the 2nd "death" that is more unpalatable to me personally. We'll all cease to be at some point, but how much of an impact will we have made on others during our stint on this earth is of more concern to me.

[marinello59]

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I often think about this, but I don’t really know why. I don’t believe in god, so obviously I don’t believe in heaven. I also can’t take the scientific point of view that it isn’t possible as science is only based on what we know to be possible now. My gut feeling is that it’s a human need to think that death is not the end, but as we’re the first species on this planet to be able to understand what death means it seems logical to try and convince ourselves that it’s not the end.
What happens after we die is a basis of how many people live their lives, but is it correct or even credible?

I don't think you have to believe in a Creator to think that there may be some form of life after death. Our spirit might live on in other ways. I'm open to the idea. The fact that we exist at all is a miracle to me so why couldn't our thoughts, memories, dreams etc continue to live on in some celestial form of the cloud?

[BroxburnHibee]

I'm not religious at all but my Dad who died just over a year ago was and I take some comfort from the fact that if he was right and I'm wrong then he can sense the pain I'm still feeling.

I'm trying not to let him down by giving him something to be proud of.

[J-C]

It's a very good question with many ideas regarding it. I used to be a member of ghost hunting group going round old buildings etc looking for signs. I've seen and heard many things that can't be explained by science or logic but it makes you query these things even more. I've seen shadows moving, heard footsteps when no one is there, intelligent knocks to questions asked, voices recorded when none were heard at the time and also voices heard that were disembodied. Now even after experiencing all that I'm still a bit sceptical because we still have no solid proof. The most common theory is after we go we leave behind an electrical energy that attaches to objects/buildings etc, some seem to be intelligent, with being residual and don't interact. It's a superb question and one I cannot answer but I think it's down to the individual as to how you look at it.

[Moulin Yarns]

Having been in Greyfriars churchyard at 21:30 tonight I hope that the afterlife were tucked up in their resting places.

[Fuzzywuzzy]

I don't think so. People need comfort so I don't think it's a bad thing for them to believe in. There's a tribe somewhere that cart their dead to the top on a hill and leave them to nature knowing that the birds will get them, digested and end up fertilising the plains. I like that concept

I read an article about an old Scandinavian woman that they had been carrying out research on they had said that there was something in the body/brain you are born with. As you progress through life they die off to the point where, well, we die

[HappyAsHellas]

When you're dead that's it - game over. Who the hell would want to live forever anyway? My idea of hell would be stuck somewhere nice with your family for eternity. Boxing day I never want to see half of them ever again!

[Fuzzywuzzy]

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When you're dead that's it - game over. Who the hell would want to live forever anyway? My idea of hell would be stuck somewhere nice with your family for eternity. Boxing day I never want to see half of them ever again!

Connor McLeod of the clan McLeod, the Kurgan and Juan Sánchez VillaLobos Ramírez

[Killiehibbie]

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Connor McLeod of the clan McLeod, the Kurgan and Juan Sánchez VillaLobos Ramírez

Until they lose the heid.

[lord bunberry]

I think that when you die that’s the end, but I’m always open minded on this subject. As I said in my op I don’t believe in a religious afterlife, but from a scientific point of view it can’t be ruled out. There’s so much we don’t understand about the universe it’s impossible to rule anything out. If I’m being honest though I still think it’s a human response to not want death to be the end. Self awareness is a miracle that we are all blessed with(apart from Jambo’s obviously) but it doesn’t mean we’ll continue on after we die anymore than your pet dog will.

[Hibernia&Alba]

Yes there is. Rangers FC died in 2012 and were then reincarnated!

[danhibees1875]

If I end up in hell and there's no dogs then I've played a blinder.

[matty_f]

I'm of the opinion that once you're gone, you're gone. There's nothing and you won't know anything about it as you'll cease to be. The point about it being like before you were born is pretty much what I think happens. I think we're all here as a happy accident, a result of billions of pieces of good fortune throughout history eventually leading to each of our own conceptions. The same can be said for mould, or funghi, or seaweed, etc... the big difference is that we had the good fortune to have brains for conscious thought and evolved through the ages to where we are now.

At the end of the day though, we're just matter, and so I think when the time comes that's that. It won't hurt, we won't be sad, we won't miss anyone.. we'll just cease to be (in my opinion).

At some point, in a few billion years time, the sun will stop burning and even before that point life on earth will be unsustainable through changes in carbon dioxide levels (that's if we don't screw things up with climate change ourselves). Our fate will be the same as other planets in other solar systems that have had their sun die.

That might all be compatible with the idea of an afterlife (which, in itself is pretty well tied in to the acceptance of religious beliefs) but I don't see it myself, and so that's what forms my opinion.