Life After Death? Is there?

[biscuitrat 0]

Nah, this one's a different myth relating to the beginning of the earth. While there are a lot of "flood" legends, I know that floods are common in India and usually do such widespread damage as well as spreading disease and whatnot. I remember now that one of Vishnu's avatars was a giant horned fish. He pulled a boat with sages across the water to a new land because one of the sages saved his life. The boat may have had some small animals, but it was mainly the sages and their families. However the flood occurs so many times within Vishnu's avatars that I guess it's just a reference to how common floods really are.About the selected folktales - they're exclusive to region only, and as each region has its own way of practicing religion and telling stories, I think we should stick more to the Bhoomi Devi and the sages.I believe that we will have to live through a fallout, perhaps within our lifetime, and Nasa may make provisions to send up satellites or whatever to save those who are left. I still don't believe reincarnation would be a bad thing. Just because you may not know what happened in your past life doesn't mean that you won't be able to fix it unconsciously. It could be one act of charity, one kind word, or the pursuit of knowledge - essentially something you didn't do before in enough quantity and that you have the ability to do now. If we do have souls, such feelings would be locked up within them and when the soul moves to a different body (the Bhagavad Gita says that the soul of a dying person will leave and enter the body of a newborn), it could retain those memories. If not, there are always psychologists.

[shady772 0]

Oh i definatly believe thers life after death, i mean people say teh've seen ghosts or something like that but we look at them like their crazy. I dont kno what form or how thetre is life after deat, or even why...but i do believe there is..

[Joshua 0]

I still don't believe reincarnation would be a bad thing. Just because you may not know what happened in your past life doesn't mean that you won't be able to fix it unconsciously. It could be one act of charity, one kind word, or the pursuit of knowledge - essentially something you didn't do before in enough quantity and that you have the ability to do now. If we do have souls, such feelings would be locked up within them and when the soul moves to a different body (the Bhagavad Gita says that the soul of a dying person will leave and enter the body of a newborn), it could retain those memories. If not, there are always psychologists.

176609[/snapback]

Of course doesn't that imply that people keep getting better and better? That the ones living as people have gotten good enough to be people? I really have a hard time believing that people in general have been getting better and more moral.

 

You say that we'll be able to fix things we couldn't before, but I think people in general have become less caring and more self-focused in the last few years, less charitable and kind. Or perhaps you're just saying there's the possibility people could be fixing things but that they could also be regressing?

 

However, what do you think about the ultimate goal being just to get out of the reincarnations? To become good enough that your attempts at perfection finally succeed in you ceasing to exist? I'm a bit curious why people can swallow that as the whole reason to life. The whole point of life and our whole purpose is to keep getting better and better until we can finally cease to exist? That would suggest the reincarnations are just one meaningless, rat race of a cycle and that what is best is simply to finally get to escape it and cease to exist, right?

[biscuitrat 0]

I would think of it being more of a reward for accomplishing good for yourself and others...so it's not meaningless. So many people want to be able to go back and change something in their past to make themselves better people in the future. Reincarnation would allow you to do that from a different point of view.

[Joshua 0]

I would think of it being more of a reward for accomplishing good for yourself and others...so it's not meaningless. So many people want to be able to go back and change something in their past to make themselves better people in the future. Reincarnation would allow you to do that from a different point of view.

176641[/snapback]

Hmm... so the reward is ceasing to exist? Doesn't seem like a reward to me, but oh well. I guess I see the problem as whether or not we can have an ultimate purpose or meaning to our lives if there is no ultimate authority. If there isn't one, allpowerful God in control then what is our purpose and meaning for going on and for doing good?

 

Just because we should? If everything just keeps continuing on, what's the point of going on? Because we can? Because it can't be helped?

 

It seems such a belief would breed not only a sense of futility but that it would be fear motivating good deeds, rather then any compassion for others. Wouldn't people often be doing them so they wouldn't get turned into a snail for their next life?

 

It seems to me that's the ultimate extent of motivation for good deeds in such a belief system. Correct me if I'm wrong please, I am only speculating here.

[biscuitrat 0]

It's possible that you could be turned into anything. I'd like to think we all become humans but it wouldn't be bad to see how a dog lived its life or something. Just different viewpoints.Erm...isn't the point of doing good so you can better yourself, not so you can smile into the sky and say, "Look what I did today!" and expect a pat on the head? If you think of there being no reward for anything except the feeling that you have done some good, you might go further. I mean...material and spiritual rewards don't really mean anything to me compared to helping a friend out. And you will never cease to exist. Like I've pointed out before, your soul will probably always be somewhere. Not only that, but your human remains will become one with the earth. I think a nice representation of this is the awesome show which HBO cancelled (@___________@) - Dead Like Me. It's really impressive at times as well as being uber hilarious.

[wild20 0]

Yes biscuit that was a long post. Just with out any evidence. I actually believe that joshua is providing ample evidence for his claim. As a writer, I do expect a well written article. Evidence being the most important part. This debate grows old in my mind. I have, again, backed up my claim with both scientific, and religious evidence. I would like to see the same from others. Unless of course, you just don't want to do the research? Time and time again you tear down the same things that I bring up. wWhy not research and bring some evidence of your own. I will wait for your next post.

[biscuitrat 0]

So the myths and folktales that I've remembered through the years don't count as research? What about my DNA camp and biology classes? I'm not a "find and quote" person. I like to base my arguments off of what I know, not what someone else points out, because that way it feels like I'm actively participating instead of throwing quotes around. This is also because I don't think that there's anyone who feels the way I do about my religion and about my love for scientific research. I'm a terribly mixed up person as far as my interests go.

[wild20 0]

Then with that, let us sjake hands. Agree that we are both good debaters, and leave it at that. I will start up another debate soon. I just think that the main reason that people believe what they believe, is because they want to. I am not saying that all these people are wrong, or that they are sinners, I don't even mean that they are all wrong. I just think that a lot of people need to do more study and less "taking others word for it". Although I don't believe what you believe and believe that there is one God who created heaven and earth, I do believe that you should at least check out the bible a little. If nothing else, it will give you a little more knowledge about other religions. There are many questions out there, many like who created the earth, are very hard to understand. Others, like life after death, are easy if you study and read the bible. Even christians get confused sometimes. The most imporatant thing is to get your facts straight and make sure that what you believe is correct. This includes severely questioning your faith. A suggestion before we leave this debate, you really should try to get more information before going into a debate. Although you debate well and ask good questions, you don't have anything to back it up. It looks to other people as an empty statement or belief. It also makes the other person feel as if they are wasting their time because they feel more like they are in an interogation rather than a debate. Thanks for debating.

[biscuitrat 0]

But the thing is, this wasn't really meant to be a debate. That's how all of these controversial topics turn out though. You just state your facts and leave and I stated all the facts that I know. I believe that the best reference for how you feel about an issue isn't a Bible, or the Gita, or the Torah, Quran, or any other book. It's how you feel inside about said issue. Now they all have religious factors, sure, but quoting the Bible isn't how you feel about life after death. It's what the Bible says will happen to you after death. Maybe that'll explain why I never use any sources in my debates :/

[Blue0016 0]

Hmm, this is a series topic, cause its really unknown. To me, I still cant decide. On one hand, i guess its possible, the egyption beleived in it, and i really dont know if its not possible. If there is heaven or hell, then its possible i guess. I dont really remember all the myth and etc. but most say heaven exist. on the other hand, i look at reality and i dont really think its actaualy possible for someone to live after they die. It's really quite confusing, but i think its like 50/50 chance. xD

[wild20 0]

Yes, you are right Biscuit about the debate. It always turns into to something else at the end. Also, how you feel inside is very important, but it really won't get yoiu anyway during a "REAL" debate. I know because I have debated Pastors and very knowledgable people in terms of religion. You quickly turn yourself into an absolute idiot if you don't use evidence. And although this wasn't the case here, it can and will happen during harsher debates. Just a little advice.Blue:I think you are confused with some beliefs. Just because hevane exists, that doesn't mean we go there right after we die. The bible says we are resting when we are dead and only when Jesus Christ returns will we be alive again. So it is really not to confusing. You just go by what the bible says. Research for yourself, no where will you find that we go somewhere right after death. Quite simple really.

[Ambient 0]

I believe there is life after death but I don't believe in recarnation. but life after death is where wondering souls can walk the paths they once use to. But this is my opinion hehe

[ilona4-xxx- 0]

I believe that there's absolutely life after death. I just cannot imagine that everything's over after your death. I believe in reincarnation. I believe that everyone's at this world for a reason, to learn a lesson or to do something. If you're finished doing that, you die. And then you go on to a next 'level'. If you not learned your lesson or not did what you have to do, you reincarnate back to this world. So yes, i believe in life after death.

[Nue1 0]

Tons of people wanted to know that is there a life after death? Well nodoby knows because when you died you cannot come back and tell us right? :)I wanted to know to that is there a life after that but well I think I believe that our soul when died out of our body then it will be like, let say recycle", and then go to the other world and that when you are reborn again then when you are full growing up and all that I think you will have the same face with our last life we have.