So you're dead... Now what?

Something I was thinking about the other day, probably a question as old as time itself. What happens after you die? What are your different theories or beliefs on the matter (and if it does tie into your beliefs, is that really what you want to happen after you die)?

Some of the ideas that I have come up with after death is that you simply do not exist anymore. I don't know how that would feel, I guess you can't feel it, since you don't exist anymore, but that sure would suck. Either that, or there is such a thing as ghosts and you turn into a ghost. But that way sucks as well, since you're not human, you can't really experience life anymore, you're just a wandering soul, or should I say wandering voyeur. Anything like this, where the end is just some routine or preset plan sounds boring as hell to me. If you're not living life, you're just not living, or it's not even worth it. Variety is the spice of life, and how much variety is there when everything is handed out to you?

Now, what I want to happen after death is some form of reincarnation, but not like being reincarnated into animals or some stupid thing like that, reincarnated into another human being, starting a new life with a whole new set of circumstances. Like for example, maybe you were born into a wealthy family, maybe next time you come back you'll be born into a poor family. Just something to mix it up and give life more variety, give you more life experience, although you wouldn't ever remember your past lives. There is just too much of life to experience to just have it be singled out to this one existence, to have just one destiny, or whatever you want to call it. I'll be pretty pissed if this isn't what happens though, because like they say, life is too short.

Jam it back in, in the dark.

Originally Posted by Yamamanama

I think that when we die, we go in the ground or get burned up, our bodies decompose and are eaten, plants grow on the dirt eaten by the bacteria and break the chemicals down into oxygen and water, animals breathe in the oxygen to provide energy to their cells, other animals eat the animals that initially fed on us, the animals and plants die, and the cycle continues. Eventually, the sun becomes a red giant and Earth is burned up before it reaches the photosphere. In other words, we go back to the starstuff that we initially come from.

Thread can be closed now.

Back on topic, however, I don't expect any form of re-encarnation to happen after I bite it. I'm hoping that it's just peaceful death and not something horrible like being shoved into a woodchipper feet-first.

There's nowhere I can't reach.

I'm hoping to become a zombie, which is the most entertaining form of an afterlife that anyone could hope for.

Braaains.

Honestly, though, I think reincarnation sounds most appealing, as I don't believe in any kind of god. Eternal life, in any form, seems to me more a blessing than a curse - what's the point in doing anything if you can put if off until tomorrow, forever? Plus, I hate the idea of all the wonderful stuff (amidst the awful stuff, of course) on earth being a mere "test" for the next life. Lame.

Anyway, I don't have any reason to believe that anything happens after we die, outside of decomposition and such, but simply ceasing to exist is all right with me.

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...a heaven of beautiful and unclad women who tend to my every need ::sigh:: one can dream

I am a dolphin, do you want me on your body?

Originally Posted by starslight

Eternal life, in any form, seems to me more a blessing than a curse - what's the point in doing anything if you can put if off until tomorrow, forever?

I think you mean "more of a curse than a blessing."

Reincarnation sounds interesting, but of course it doesn't work (where are the new souls coming from if the population keeps increasing?), and it would have an end (life on Earth gets wiped out, now what?).

As a Christian, essentially I believe in an afterlife. Either with God or without Him.

I was speaking idiomatically.

Originally Posted by Maico

Some of the ideas that I have come up with after death is that you simply do not exist anymore. I don't know how that would feel, I guess you can't feel it, since you don't exist anymore, but that sure would suck.

How can something suck if you can't experience it? It's like going to sleep and never waking up. You're not aware of "missing out" on anything. You can't even care. I guess it's "bad" in the sense that you won't be doing something TOTALLY AWESOME for eternity, but you can't assign value to it, really. Non-existence is non-experiential and has no place on the positive/negative scale.

What kind of toxic man-thing is happening now?

My attempted theory? After you die, you have to go through somewhat of a bureaucractic process to get yourself assigned to something when you're reincarnated. Similar to most religion's view on the afterlife, you'll be judged on what you did in your life. And when the proper subject is chosen, you'll be reincarnated as any living organism which isn't dependant on space or time. And there are a set number of spirits available for this in the world, so what ever number of organisms there are in the world plus a few is the limit. And it kind of works because as the human population grows, the population of other organisms become lower. It balances out.

That's my attempt to keep my mind off the fact that after death it's probably nothing. As in actually nothing. Your brain ceases to function, you disappear. There is no thought after that, no reincarnation. You get one chance at life and that's it. Every time I think of this and try to think about what it'd be like to be... nothing, my mind just goes blank. It's the strangest feeling ever.

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I was raised to believe that after death, you are judged by what you did in life(you're life is shown to you) and then you are sent to a world. One is where God lives and...it's been a while since I learned about it.

So, there are these different worlds, and then there is outer darkness/hell where the devil lives. Only the most wicked people would be there. But, eventually everyone would rise again(not the wicked though)...something like that.

I don't know what to think about it. It's been so long since I've been to church.

I don't know if I would want that to happen though.

What, you don't want my bikini-clad body?

Frankly, I'm a little too justice-loving to be comfortable with atheism. I mostly believe in a Heaven and Hell, but I don't know which deity is going to be in charge. I have read articles that prove the existence of reincarnation, but I've seen more proof in the Heaven/Hell scenario. Yes, the proof can be refuted, but that's for a more religious-focused thread.

Jam it back in, in the dark.

Originally Posted by starslight

Anyway, I don't have any reason to believe that anything happens after we die, outside of decomposition and such, but simply ceasing to exist is all right with me.

Pretty much the same as my thoughts.

There's nowhere I can't reach.

My friend's theory is that no one really ever dies and that in fact we die frequently. At each death our consciousness somehow finds itself an alternate dimension where we are still alive.

But that's assuming our consciousness is some transcendental entity with its own will, which I don't think I believe.

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The mind is very complicated, but at the same time, it is electricity. Certain flows and connections inside it make us who we are. The possibility that when we die, we become another human is possible. What makes you, me, and others is that conciousness that is created differently every time.

Of course, you would have no previous thoughts of a previous life, but being human again is possible through this idea.

Whether I believe in it fully or not, I am not sure. But its an interesting thought.

I am a dolphin, do you want me on your body?

I believed in a Heaven or Hell for a long time. But then, that was mostly due to believing in a God that would judge us based on our actions. I no longer really consider that an option.

I believe there's something probably out there, something powerful, and complex, and controlling to some degree. I don't know what it is, or if it's concerned about our existance or not. What happens when we die? Our brain stops, our memories fade, our consciousness dissipates into the void. It's a scary scenario for me, but it's the one I find most likely. Our personalities are so unique they're bound to carry on past death, right? Says who? Us?

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I'd actually really enjoy the fact if we get reincarnated. I love life too much to give it up after death. This is why I can't understand people who commit suicide. Life can never get me so low that I'd be willing to give it up. But I'd find it funny if I do get reincarnated and remember my past life. ^^ I'd laugh... on the inside.

What kind of toxic man-thing is happening now?

for me, you die, you die.

we're silly for thinking that we're going to go to heaven, or are going to be reincarnated... its all humans way of saying "no fear, i will last on, forever and ever".

It's all in the human mind, to believe we are superior enough to outlast ourselves and be 'born' again, in a cycle of infinicy

FELIPE NO

I guess in the end we will never know what happens.... I haven't seen too many people die, and tell the tale.

How ya doing, buddy?

Originally Posted by The Wise Vivi

I haven't seen too many people die, and tell the tale.

I saw something on tv once talking about a man who was run over by a car and died. So, when the dead guy was being examined, the worker pricked him with a needle or something, and the dead dude woke up...
he had been dead for 2 maybe 3 days. or was it four.
Anyways, it was an interesting story.

Jam it back in, in the dark.

I'm scared there might be an afterlife, and that it will suck. I can't imagine Heaven being my kind of a paradise. Hell would probably be bad, of course. An eternity of sufferent would certainly not be my choice. However, I have always associated Heaven with an eternity of suffering also, even if suffering of a different kind.

I sincerely hope that when I die, I simply cease to be.

There's nowhere I can't reach.

Originally Posted by Soluzar

I'm scared there might be an afterlife, and that it will suck. I can't imagine Heaven being my kind of a paradise. Hell would probably be bad, of course. An eternity of sufferent would certainly not be my choice. However, I have always associated Heaven with an eternity of suffering also, even if suffering of a different kind.

I'm a bit surprised, but I completely agree with you...there's just no place in the Christian afterlife for me. Unless you're completely self-centered, or the Bible has at least some contradictions or lies, or your God just wipes out your thoughts and memories, how could you be completely happy when a friend or someone you truly love is suffering in Hell for all eternity? I've never been able to come up with a satisfactory answer to that one question.

The thought is incredibly painful, but I do expect that we simply cease to exist and become nothing when we die. Perhaps our souls continue on and return in rebirth. There's no way of knowing what happens and returning to explain all to the world, which is why it hurts so much to think about.

This thing is sticky, and I don't like it. I don't appreciate it.

Originally Posted by JellyfisH

for me, you die, you die.

we're silly for thinking that we're going to go to heaven, or are going to be reincarnated... its all humans way of saying "no fear, i will last on, forever and ever".

It's all in the human mind, to believe we are superior enough to outlast ourselves and be 'born' again, in a cycle of infinicy

My thoughts exactly.
When people die, we cease to exist, we become food for the worms. That's all. No reincarnation, no floating up to Heaven (or going down to Hell), and no afterlife in general.

Sums up my thoughts on death fairly well, I think.

I am a dolphin, do you want me on your body?

Originally Posted by Kotone

When people die, we cease to exist, we become food for the worms. That's all. No reincarnation, no floating up to Heaven (or going down to Hell), and no afterlife in general.

I'd be inclined to agree but I think there will be a point in alot of peoples life where they'll believe in an afterlife or reincarnation purely for the comfort level.

I'd have the point of view that there is indeed nothing after we die but, well, nothing, but I could feasibly see myself change my outlook purely out of fear if I was close to death, I honestly think thats why people would turn towards the Church more as they reach old age, well, that and boredom.

How ya doing, buddy?

I don't really have any theories.I believe in a higher power and that we have to go somewhere after we're done. we didn't just appear here out of nowhere.

What kind of toxic man-thing is happening now?

After being in a really bad car accident a while ago, it sort gave me a feeling, or at least a theory, of what dying and death would be like.

Dying , at least the type I almost encountered, is like this huge shock and violent and ZOMG incident and you're not thinking clearly and literally (I mean literally), your life does flash before your eyes. I remember thinking about a lot of things, my mom, my home, all in the split second that this accident took place, it's just this tumultuous sensation of fear and confusion and sadness and deseperation and then, when it's all over, it's just really quiet and silent. That's probably what death would be like, a silence and whether you believe in Jesus and heaven or reincarnation, for me I thought the Egyptians had it right. Death is just darkness and silence for all eternity and you feel nothing and know nothing.

But being a Buddhist, I believe reincarnation is possible, it's just the transition between dying, death and rebirth that I'm not sure of.

FELIPE NO

This is a topic i've been obbessing for about a year since my Grandmother died. Now I was raised a Catholic, and I'm supposed to believe in an afterlife and what not. Since her death though...there's something going on with me. I'm feeling and seeing things differently. After watching someone slowly wither and die in front of me [she had a rare bacteria that was killed her slowly in a matter of a week], I think now "What if...there is nothing? What if I was raised and 'brainwashed' to believe was just an elaborate fabrication to make the REALITY of death, more simple and easy to go with?" I now think...if I die, I will not exist anymore, and to me, that is THE most frightening thing for me. Because, I don't want to stop existing, I don't want to cease and fade away. I want to continue on somehow. I want there to be an afterlife, and not just death and that's it.

It makes me crazy sometimes late at night when I just look up at my ceiling and wonder the reality of death. I mean, we're a society with death all around us...but I don't think we fully embrace it's reality. My whole view on life and death since her own death is so much different now. I am totally frightened by it, and I never want it to come to be honest. I guess behind the whole thing is the fact...I do not know what will happen, and it scares the absolute shit out of me. I don't know what to believe, what to think, what to feel about death anymore. I'm real messed up when now :/.

What, you don't want my bikini-clad body?

Probably our souls being combined into one super soul. Like what Christianity and many other religion says.

Jam it back in, in the dark.