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You've answered my question! Now I understand. I'm in pretty much that position. Only difference is I do not believe in an afterlife although I have considered the possibility as a result of experiences following the death of my son two years ago.
Well, not to sound preachy or anything, but I personally believe there is a wonderful surprise in store for you. Look me up when you see your son again. I'd like to meet you both.
I am in no way a religious scholar, far from it. However, I tend to cling to the concept that Man was created in the image of God and it is these God-like qualities which separate Man from Animals. Because God is a spiritual being, we know that Man is partially comprised of Spirit, aka the Soul. Another thing that we "know" is that the spirit of God is eternal, it never dies. Consequently, I choose to believe that the spiritual part of men is likewise eternal and thus, never dies. It is clear that God wanted man to exist in His image. Absolutely EVERY other living thing created by God or Nature dies. Everything. I choose to believe that this one thing, the eternal soul, is the difference that God intended. Now, I have absolutely no idea how this eternal nature of the human spirit might manifest itself, but I believe that it does.
I am in no way a religious scholar, far from it. However, I tend to cling to the concept that Man was created in the image of God and it is these God-like qualities which separate Man from Animals. Because God is a spiritual being, we know that Man is partially comprised of Spirit, aka the Soul. Another thing that we "know" is that the spirit of God is eternal, it never dies. Consequently, I choose to believe that the spiritual part of men is likewise eternal and thus, never dies. It is clear that God wanted man to exist in His image. Absolutely EVERY other living thing created by God or Nature dies. Everything. I choose to believe that this one thing, the eternal soul, is the difference that God intended. Now, I have absolutely no idea how this eternal nature of the human spirit might manifest itself, but I believe that it does.
Well, not to sound preachy or anything, but I personally believe there is a wonderful surprise in store for you. Look me up when you see your son again. I'd like to meet him.
Thank you.
He was a wonderful person, loved by all who knew him (liked anyway but loved by quite a few). I wish you are right. If you are, I will look you up.
And my thoughts would be... why bother? To me, memories of past pleasures are pretty much equal in value to the pleasures themselves. To believe that nothing I do or learn or feel or experience has any permanence at all would honestly make life pretty much not worth living to me.
A lot of people think that way, yes. I was the same way when I was a theist.
I think it's a form of "all or nothing" thinking: "if I don't last forever then my life is completely meaningless!"
I still feel that way at times, but what's the alternative to a finite lifespan? Living forever? Could you really handle that?
Sure, the first trillion years might be fun, but after that I'd probably go insane. And there'd be no escape. I wouldn't even be able to commit suicide as a last resort, since I'd already be dead! Eternal life would be a kind of ultimate prison.
Nonetheless, the concept of eternal life appeals to our reptilian brain, which wants to survive and avoid death no matter what.
A lot of people think that way, yes. I was the same way when I was a theist.
I think it's a form of "all or nothing" thinking: "if I don't last forever then my life is completely meaningless!"
Well, yeah... that about sums it up. Really, though, where is the meaning in something that lasts but a fraction of a second of eternity? You're gone, everybody you know is gone. There aren't even any memories left. What was the point of it all? The greatest thing you ever did in life will be stamped out like a bug and you're okay with that? I mean, I'm glad it doesn't bother you. I just don't get it, that's all.
Well, yeah... that about sums it up. Really, though, where is the meaning in something that lasts but a fraction of a second of eternity? You're gone, everybody you know is gone. There aren't even any memories left. What was the point of it all? The greatest thing you ever did in life will be stamped out like a bug and you're okay with that? I mean, I'm glad it doesn't bother you. I just don't get it, that's all.
The point of it all?
The point of it all is to make some/one/thing's life better for your presence. To be a plus factor for the planet in some way, shape, or fashion.
The point of it all is to make some/one/thing's life better for your presence. To be a plus factor for the planet in some way, shape, or fashion.
To add.
I hope you do get it, before your lights go out.
Just in case they don't come back on....
And your last sentence said it all, TroutDude, my dear. "Just in case they don't come back on." If neither my lights nor yours nor anybody else's come back on, what difference does it make whether I was a plus factor or not? I mean, what do a bunch of electrical signals care?
I feel I must add one thing. I will always try to be a plus factor, but it is because I believe we are eternal beings, and that this life has meaning within a much larger framework than we are capable of understanding at present.
Well, yeah... that about sums it up. Really, though, where is the meaning in something that lasts but a fraction of a second of eternity? You're gone, everybody you know is gone. There aren't even any memories left. What was the point of it all? The greatest thing you ever did in life will be stamped out like a bug and you're okay with that? I mean, I'm glad it doesn't bother you. I just don't get it, that's all.
It took me about three years to "emotionally adjust" to non-belief in an afterlife, for many of the reasons you describe above. I'm still not completely adjusted. Talking about it helps, as well as writing down any negative thoughts that pop up.
One big problem I had was the worry of "being gone and forgotten" or being "insignificant in the grand scheme of things." Most of the fears related to those things went away when I realized I wouldn't be conscious of "loss" or "non-existence" or "being forgotten." When you're sleeping, you don't really care about any of those things, right?
I don't know about you, but ever since about age 10 it's been more pleasant for me to be asleep than awake. Why would unconsciousness after death be so bad? I think the invention of the snooze button is pretty good evidence that unconsciousness isn't so bad. I actually dislike the return of consciousness most mornings, especially those dark Monday mornings in January.
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Look me up when you see your son again. I'd like to meet you both.
