Why Are We Here?

[Lady Die 63]

Wow, that's all very profound.

 

If there is life after death what will we do for all eternity?  Will there be sport to watch? Or books to read?  Or what?

Plenty of people find 20-odd years of retirement hard to fill let alone all eternity!

Yeah well I had a hangover and you can't spend all day doing hostile take-overs and sacking people.

 

I think you have to modify your idea of entertainment a bit a regards an eternal herafter. There's a great essay in the History of the World in 10 1/2 Chapters if you're interested. The guy spends aeons meeting everyone interesting in history, learning everything, having sex with gorgeous women and practising golf until he can do every course in 18 shots. When he's done everything and is bored he's allowed to just drift off into a dreamless sleep.

That's all a bit academic really as I don't believe in life after death. I was only wondering what people might do if there was such a thing.

[VileBody 11]

Get a bit of f*****g peace and quiet would be a good start...

 

But don't you agree, it's bonkers not to believe in life after death - what have you go to lose? It's not as though you're going to be around to be disappointed if you're wrong.

[Lady Die 63]

Get a bit of f*****g peace and quiet would be a good start...

 

But don't you agree, it's bonkers not to believe in life after death - what have you go to lose? It's not as though you're going to be around to be disappointed if you're wrong.

I guess you have nothing to lose by believing in it but is belief enough to guarantee entry?

[VileBody 11]

Well you'd feel damn silly if it was necessary even if not sufficient!

[Josco 48]

Some thoughts....

 

The lack of evidence suggests no life after death. However, being (apparently uniquely) self-aware, and therefore "death-aware", is there any downside for humans in believing that there is an afterlife of some sort? Difficult to see any rational basis for not believing in one. On this basis, any religious construct to formalise this and give it all a bit more "body" is probably helpful.

 

As to whether there is an actively interventionist God doing miracles, visiting plagues and hurricanes, and getting Kevin Pietersen dropped in his first over, I think it's entirely personal. If you think believing in a third party helps deal with life's vicissitudes, then go ahead.

 

Personally I don't buy into this because you disappear up your own fundament worrying about a vicious and arbitrary deity, who stomps about, "testing people's faith" by giving them stomach cancer, running over their kids or making them commute on the North Kent Line.

 

The trouble with religion comes when it gets confused with race, social issues and politics and you start killing people because you don't like them or feel threatened by them or you want their piece of the pie (or just some pie). Religion then becomes as good a reason as any to dress up baser motives. More cynically, it's also easier for governments/kings/dictators to get people to fight wars for an abstract idea (religion, patriotism, "freedom") than persuading them to get killed to keep the fat bastards at the top eating all the pies (pace Blackadder).

 

 

In short, it seems mad not to believe in some form of afterlife and religion gives the belief colour and structure. But take it or leave it with the "Meddling God" Just don't get it confused with "I'm going to blow this bus up cos it's the will of Allah".

Well VB, I thought that was a very succinct and coherent point of view. Food for thought.

Thank you

[Lady Die 63]

Well you'd feel damn silly if it was necessary even if not sufficient!

That's my point. Believing is obviously necessary but it would be a shame if there was some other requirement too which, if it was missing, would disqualify you.

 

Am I making sense? (I think I know the answer to that. It's been a loooooong day)

[Tempus Fugit 212]

.

[VileBody 11]

Well, is believing necessary? I'm not sure it is obvious that it should be. You could remain a skeptic in life and then get a nice (or nasty) surprise in the Great Beyond if it turned out to exist. The only qualification for entry might be that you always kept your elbows off the table, or liked marzipan or had once visited the Natural History Museum. I guess it's just more appealng that you get a better deal if you're generally pleasant and considerate towards people rather than raping and killing them.

 

Except that twunt MacCartney, of course...

 

Nonononono - I didn't mean I want to rape him!!!! no no no nooooooooo....urghhhhhh....

[Lady Die 63]

The only qualification for entry might be that you always kept your elbows off the table, or liked marzipan or had once visited the Natural History Museum.

I hope this is true because that means I'll qualify.

[Boudicca 702]

I recently had a reading by an alleged "psychic medium". She claimed to have my late grandmother on the line, so to speak. I wasn't really paying much attention, as she told me details about her death, and things that she used to do in life. The medium didn't ask me any questions, but I was still thinking it was all guesswork.

Then she mentioned my mother and uncle by name.

How the hell did that woman pull those names out of the air like that?

I wouldn't mind, but I only had the reading because I'd arrived too early for an event, and was bored.

Come to think of it, I was also told that I have been thinking about death of late. Does that mean she knows I've joined this forum?

[Paul Bearer 5,686]

 

 

I recently had a reading by an alleged "psychic medium". She claimed to have my late grandmother on the line, so to speak. I wasn't really paying much attention, as she told me details about her death, and things that she used to do in life. The medium didn't ask me any questions, but I was still thinking it was all guesswork.

Then she mentioned my mother and uncle by name,

How the hell did that woman pull those names out of the air like that?

I wouldn't mind, but I only had the reading because I'd arrived too early for an event, and was bored.

Come to think of it, I was also told, "She says death has been on your mind, in the last few months." Does that mean she knows I've joined this forum?

I can't believe there is a 'supreme being' if there was, everything would be smelling of roses so to speak.

People like Doris Stokes used to go round the clubs etc. with the knowledge that alot of the info the used was geographical. i.e. When in Scotland, she would ask if there was anyone called 'McGregor or McDonald' and so on, I see him/her clutching their chest, did they have heart problems? Died of a heart attack maybe and continuing along those lines.

Sorry, but as I said can't believe it until I see it myself.*

* See 'Do you believe in ghosts' thread

[poppet 0]

I think that if there is a god then somthing had to create him, so you just end up going chicken or egg. makes ya think

[Banshees Scream 107]

We are all born, and we all die. Though what happens after

we take our last breath?

[Entropy 5]

We are all born, and we all die. Though what happens after

we take our last breath?

 

We stop eating and start being eaten.

 

Oh, yes - and our entropy increases.

[Guest lived so lets die]

I would like to think theirs an afterlife, possibly you should ask people who've seen

ghost's. To my knowledge i've never seen a ghost, and then think of the age of folk. Because my gran was born 1914 and died 2002, and i was born 1969 which makes me 35 yrs old. And if life goes on after death my gran would be now 2 or 3 yrs old, it's a strange way of looking at it.?

[Banshees Scream 107]

I would like to think theirs an afterlife, possibly you should ask people who've seen

ghost's. To my knowledge i've never seen a ghost, and then think of the age of folk. Because my gran was born 1914 and died 2002, and i was born 1969 which makes me 35 yrs old. And if life goes on after death my gran would be now 2 or 3 yrs old, it's a strange way of looking at it.?

 

I want to see the opinions of others on this issue.

 

With your grandmother it sounds as if your making an example about reincarnation which is when one is born again. This is stated in the Bouddist religion. Although from what I know and from experiences that I am unable to explain, I strongly believe all religions in the end are one. Even though reincarnation is not said in Jesus Christs bible, it just might be the truth.

[Lady Die 63]

AAAAAARRRGGGHHHH!! Everyone's gone all "spiritual".

[Captain Oates 21]

AAAAAARRRGGGHHHH!!  Everyone's gone all "spiritual".

There, there! Calm down m'Lady. ( Cup of tea?)

 

"Spiritual" exists, and surely it's better for all of us to consider that aspect of our lives in a cool, ordered manner, in order to avoid the dangers of extremist lapses.

[Lady Die 63]

AAAAAARRRGGGHHHH!!  Everyone's gone all "spiritual".

There, there! Calm down m'Lady. ( Cup of tea?)

 

"Spiritual" exists, and surely it's better for all of us to consider that aspect of our lives in a cool, ordered manner, in order to avoid the dangers of extremist lapses.

I already have a cuppa thanks.

 

Disagree with you about "spiritual"

[maryportfuncity 10,017]

In common with many West Cumbrians I find myself wondering if there's life BEFORE death!

[Boudicca 702]

We are all born, and we all die. Though what happens after

we take our last breath?

Child Killer Jesse Pomeroy appears to have been reincarnated as a rather famous pop star

 

[Tempus Fugit 212]

.

[in eternum+ 20]

This is stated in the Bouddist religion

Is this a new religion founded by one of our Mods?

[Six 22]

I didn't know where to post this, so I picked a thread that seems to fit...almost...ish.

 

What happens when I die?

 

Although I'm not in any way famous, (or, in fact, aware that I'm dying) I was wondering that as I'm a DL member, do I get a mention here when I die?

 

I was on TV once. When I was 13 and the pupils in my school went on strike because the teachers were striking too much, I was on the news as one of the ' striking' youths. I took that as a compliment, by the way. Doesn't count does it??????

Anyway, getting back to my point, , should I put a note in my will to have someone inform the DL of my demise, which will then be posted in the RIP DLMembers thread?

 

 

[Moved from the Deathlist Howto thread - ff]

[Captain Oates 21]

Anyway, getting back to my point, , should I put a note in my will to have someone inform the DL of my demise, which will then be posted in the RIP DLMembers thread?

 

If the "RIP DLmembers" thread existed, there would be some danger that certain members would place certain other members in it somewhat in advance of the event!

 

We lack a complete-fool-proof (and April-Fool-proof) code that would verify the change of member-status. Possibly a substantial bequest to each of us, payable by email, would be convincing.

 

There is no doubt that all DLers will die so perhaps we should all be thinking seriously about providing (clues) for those who are left behind.

 

As for what happens to the deceased afterwards, I refer you to this?

 

regards,

 

a future Gorilla!