Freethought & Rationalism Archive

crocodile deathroll · 07-03-2003, 07:55 PM

Of all the models of after lives, the one I find the least plausible is the one I was brought up with which is taught through xtian eschatology, such as heaven, hell or purgatory. That is the one what I was indoctrinated with when I was a kid and it worked for a while as a had countless nightmares about hell and eternal damnation.

Then I woke up the fact that although those cranky pious nuns that taught me spoke of such places they were very vague on the details and did not produce and evidence of such places.

I was later attracted to the idea ghosts spirits and vampires from age 10 to early teens. Oddly enough Scooby Doo seemed more plausible the religious dogma I was brought up with.

I ditched that concept in my teens and dropped any concept of an afterlife altogether.

In uni I fell for eastern mysticism as many of my peers were. I felt reincarnation was far closer to biological reality than ghosts angels demons and vampires. I did at that point in time like the anecdotal evidence of people's past life experiences.

Again I ditched that concept in my teens and dropped any concept of an afterlife altogether.

Later after reading Roger Penrose I gave it another rethink. This time in inclined to believe it in the absence of any memories of past lives. I am inclined to believe that we all emerge from the one "Blank Slate Consciousness," or a collective proto-consciousness which emerges as soon as the universe achieves a critical level of complexity. And when we die we default back to the Blank Slate as we have no possible recollection of ever been born in the first place. There is no Karma no God to punish you for the deeds you did in this life. I do not believe like some mystics that our life is heading for some higher plane, I just think life simply is , and that is good enough for me.

NonHomogenized · 07-03-2003, 09:04 PM

I voted for "Reincarnation where you cannot possilby retain memories from previous lives", because, not only is it plausible, it's extremely likely.

When I die, my corpse will probably have one of two things happen to it. Either a) it'll get pumped full of preservatives, put in a pine box, and buried, or b) it'll get burned to ash, and scattered somewhere.

If a), then my remains will get consumed by millions of creatures, so I'll be a part of them. Then my atoms might be consumed by other creatures, who may get fed upon by yet other creatures, etc etc etc.

If b), then I'll probably serve to fertilize plants, which will get fed upon by creatures (or fungi), and so forth.

Sure, it won't be me, per se, but it'll be the components that once were me. As I won't exist, that's about the best I can do, other than any progeny I might have, or others' memories of me, neither of which are, IMO, as much me as my component parts are.

ComestibleVenom · 07-03-2003, 09:13 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by NonHomogenized
Sure, it won't be me, per se, but it'll be the components that once were me. As I won't exist, that's about the best I can do, other than any progeny I might have, or others' memories of me, neither of which are, IMO, as much me as my component parts are.

I myself would downplay the importance of the material making up my body, atoms which are replaced periodically through the course of each of our lives.

That being said, I agree that your model of after-life is ironclad.

Biff the unclean · 07-03-2003, 09:37 PM

Your life is the product of the functions of your body.
Body stops functioning, life stops. No harps, no second chances. It ends, get used to the idea.

crocodile deathroll · 07-03-2003, 09:48 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Biff the unclean
Your life is the product of the functions of your body.
Body stops functioning, life stops. No harps, no second chances. It ends, get used to the idea.

Yes I agree you are a pruduct of the function of your body and not so much the material of much the body itself.

Marduk · 07-04-2003, 09:16 AM

I'm with crocodile deathroll on this one. The Blank slate time is irrelevant since you have no awareness, it could last trillions of years, like the time that zipped by before you were born this time.

kctan · 07-04-2003, 12:41 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by marduck
I'm with crocodile deathroll on this one. The Blank slate time is irrelevant since you have no awareness, it could last trillions of years, like the time that zipped by before you were born this time.

Or it could bring you trillions of years 'back'. Who could know what 'time' will be like in such a blank slate. Time can pass, but which way is everyone's guess.

Rima · 07-04-2003, 12:52 PM

I believe in life after death , otherwise our life (now and here) does not make any sense

if we live now this life just to die later , then there is no purpose of our existence

blessings

Calzaer · 07-04-2003, 12:55 PM

Who says there has to be a purpose to our existance?

Further, are you saying that things like animals, which nobody expects to have a shot at an afterlife, exist with the only purpose of pleasing humans?

JaeIsGod · 07-04-2003, 01:31 PM

I went for the last one , reincarnation without memories. I don't really believe in an afterlife , but all the other options are bull.

However , sometimes when I think about reincarnation , it actually seems to make sense somehow. I cant possibly explain it but somehow it seems to fit.

Probably wishfull thinking I guess , since death is quite scary at times and reincarnation is by far the most just form of afterlife (way better then that Xian stuff)

View Poll Results: Name your most plausible model of afterlife?
Christian eschatology like Heaven, Hell or Purgatory.	4	9.76%
Eschatology from another Judio-Chistian religion like Islam.	0	0%
You stay on Earth in supernatural spirit form and haunt the odd house of two.	2	4.88%
You rise again as a Vampire of some other serpernatural entity	5	12.20%
Reincarnation where you still retain memories from past lives.	3	7.32%
Reincarnation where you cannot possilby retain memories from previous lives	27	65.85%
Voters: 41. You may not vote on this poll

07-03-2003, 07:55 PM	#1
crocodile deathroll Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Darwin Posts: 1,466	What is your most plausible model of afterlife? Of all the models of after lives, the one I find the least plausible is the one I was brought up with which is taught through xtian eschatology, such as heaven, hell or purgatory. That is the one what I was indoctrinated with when I was a kid and it worked for a while as a had countless nightmares about hell and eternal damnation. Then I woke up the fact that although those cranky pious nuns that taught me spoke of such places they were very vague on the details and did not produce and evidence of such places. I was later attracted to the idea ghosts spirits and vampires from age 10 to early teens. Oddly enough Scooby Doo seemed more plausible the religious dogma I was brought up with. I ditched that concept in my teens and dropped any concept of an afterlife altogether. In uni I fell for eastern mysticism as many of my peers were. I felt reincarnation was far closer to biological reality than ghosts angels demons and vampires. I did at that point in time like the anecdotal evidence of people's past life experiences. Again I ditched that concept in my teens and dropped any concept of an afterlife altogether. Later after reading Roger Penrose I gave it another rethink. This time in inclined to believe it in the absence of any memories of past lives. I am inclined to believe that we all emerge from the one "Blank Slate Consciousness," or a collective proto-consciousness which emerges as soon as the universe achieves a critical level of complexity. And when we die we default back to the Blank Slate as we have no possible recollection of ever been born in the first place. There is no Karma no God to punish you for the deeds you did in this life. I do not believe like some mystics that our life is heading for some higher plane, I just think life simply is , and that is good enough for me.

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07-03-2003, 09:04 PM	#2
NonHomogenized Veteran Member Join Date: May 2003 Location: no longer at IIDB Posts: 1,644	I voted for "Reincarnation where you cannot possilby retain memories from previous lives", because, not only is it plausible, it's extremely likely. When I die, my corpse will probably have one of two things happen to it. Either a) it'll get pumped full of preservatives, put in a pine box, and buried, or b) it'll get burned to ash, and scattered somewhere. If a), then my remains will get consumed by millions of creatures, so I'll be a part of them. Then my atoms might be consumed by other creatures, who may get fed upon by yet other creatures, etc etc etc. If b), then I'll probably serve to fertilize plants, which will get fed upon by creatures (or fungi), and so forth. Sure, it won't be me, per se, but it'll be the components that once were me. As I won't exist, that's about the best I can do, other than any progeny I might have, or others' memories of me, neither of which are, IMO, as much me as my component parts are.

07-03-2003, 09:37 PM	#4
Biff the unclean Banned Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: an inaccessible island fortress Posts: 10,638	Your life is the product of the functions of your body. Body stops functioning, life stops. No harps, no second chances. It ends, get used to the idea.

07-04-2003, 09:16 AM	#6
Marduk Veteran Member Join Date: Aug 2000 Location: the 10th planet Posts: 5,065	I'm with crocodile deathroll on this one. The Blank slate time is irrelevant since you have no awareness, it could last trillions of years, like the time that zipped by before you were born this time.

07-04-2003, 12:52 PM	#8
Rima Junior Member Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: USA Posts: 90	I believe in life after death , otherwise our life (now and here) does not make any sense if we live now this life just to die later , then there is no purpose of our existence blessings

07-04-2003, 12:55 PM	#9
Calzaer Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Ohio Posts: 2,762	Who says there has to be a purpose to our existance? Further, are you saying that things like animals, which nobody expects to have a shot at an afterlife, exist with the only purpose of pleasing humans?

07-04-2003, 01:31 PM	#10
JaeIsGod Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Netherlands Posts: 760	I went for the last one , reincarnation without memories. I don't really believe in an afterlife , but all the other options are bull. However , sometimes when I think about reincarnation , it actually seems to make sense somehow. I cant possibly explain it but somehow it seems to fit. Probably wishfull thinking I guess , since death is quite scary at times and reincarnation is by far the most just form of afterlife (way better then that Xian stuff)

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