Those of you saying that an afterlife is a fantasy novel, how do you know?

There is no way to know for sure. If I had to guess, I would say there is no afterlife. Life, after all, is nothing but complex chemical reactions on the face of it. Again, you can't tell whether or not there is a god, but If I were guessing, that's what I'd say.

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"Moreover, I am cognizant of the interrelatedness of all communities and states...Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. We are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly. Never again can we afford to live with the narrow, provincial "outside agitator" idea. Anyone who lives inside the United States can never be considered an outsider anywhere within its bounds."



~Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

I don't think that anyone can know for sure because the truth is beyond human understanding so we can each only guess based on our experiences and perspectives. Scientifically, it is claimed that energy cannot be created nor destroyed; it can only be changed from one form into another. Since there is an energy, or life force that animates our bodies, it is reasonable to conclude that this force will continue in some other form after it leaves the body at "death."

From personal experience,when I had to put my seriously ill kitty companion of 14 years down, his spirit stayed with me for awhile afterwards, bombarding me with strong feelings of love, relief, and joy that he was no longer in that painful, sick body. I had no doubts before this powerful experience, but it was nice to have it confirmed by this great, loving being that had been in that furry, little body.

BTW I don't believe that an afterlife is a fantasy novel; I believe that the concept that you have to do certain things in order to go to either a heaven or hell is childish.

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Walter Mondale: "George Bush doesn't have the manhood to apologize." George Bush: "Well, on the manhood thing, I'll put mine up against his any time."

Definitely true. Your thoughts on this one are pretty similar to my own.

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"Moreover, I am cognizant of the interrelatedness of all communities and states...Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. We are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly. Never again can we afford to live with the narrow, provincial "outside agitator" idea. Anyone who lives inside the United States can never be considered an outsider anywhere within its bounds."



~Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

I've thought about the lack of an afterlife, and it's a little...ah, disconcerting, if there isn't something out there, you know? Well, not disconcerning but disheartening, I suppose. I mean, think about it: Millions work throughout their life here to ensure that they do well in the next one. But if the next life's not there...then what happens to your soul after the body's gone?

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In a thread "Why are there Chrisians?"

Well, I find it rather pointless to think about it. What can I do?

I'd rather live my life well thinking that there is a God, die and be disappointed because there isn't than to live my life not worried thinking there is not god and be surprised and screwed when I find out there is!

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steve

Igitur qui desiderat pacem, praeparet bellum!
NOTE: If you agree with what I have said in this post, there's a new feature on Political Fever that allows you to express agreement. Look in the top right-hand corner of my post, and you should see a little silver scales button. Please, use that.However, sign it with your username so I know who sent it please...thanks all.

I don't fear death to speak of, I fear the pain of dying, but having been out of my body on occasions, I accept that my body is not "me" and that my consciousness is not dependent on a physical body. Unlike religion, no one has to take my word for this, get a copy of Robert Monroe's JOURNEYS OUT OF BODY which is available from Amazon for a few bucks. He explains a very simple process for lifting your consciousness out of your body, give it a try and it may very well change your whole perspective on life and death.

If one is to accept the scientific method as any basis of truth, they must consider several things. First, if there is a beginning, there must be an end as science suggests that the universe is in the process of thermodynamically running out of energy or winding down due to the fact of energy disbursement as shown by hypothetical conclusions of man in his study via scientific theory. Second, if indeed there was a beginning, there must have been a creation. And a creation, logically suggests a "creator", due to the "physical fact" that nothing can create itself.

Then there is always the most obvious question concerning God. If God is the creator, who created God. The simple scientific answer is, NO ONE. God is eternal, without end, thus He has no beginning. He simply is the great "I AM" and has always been, for He is the "CREATOR" not the "CREATED". In fact the very concept of time and space was created by some powerful force, which has no "scientific" explanation. No one can even offer a logical "theory/hypothesis" as to where the material...i.e. Mass/Matter came from to explain the "Big Bang". As far as science can take us indeed is the proof of creation, for all the theory of random creation is a paradox when taken to the extreme extent of man's knowledge, that being.....MASS/MATTER did not just spring into existence due to the fact that Time is scientifically proven to be not only chronologically sequential but limited by motion, as that is how time is measured, the length of space between between physical travel, be it light or any other observable mass/matter, thus the Theory of E=mc2. As I said, indeed a true paradox, for the created cannot create itself.

Thus whoever or whatever exists outside of time and space and is responsible for our creation....IT IS GOD, to those that live and exist within the realms of that which was generated via creation. Not only that, but just as claimed, IT(God) is omnipresent, as IT(God) exists outside of that which was created it must have the ability to view the entirety of that which was created....time and space. YES, THERE IS A GOD and science proves it when taken to the extremes of its capacity to have "THE KNOWLEDGE OF TRUTH". RD

No god no hope!
With God we live forever and that means a lot to me. The 48 years I have been here has flew by so fast. If I live another 48 it would only be by his "God's Grace" other wise the bugs will just eat my rotten body and its over.

I am locked inside the World of Homeworkcraft. :DD

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I truly believe that anyone who says without a doubt that they do not fear death is someone that either doesn't understand things about him or herself, or someone who is so good at convincing him or herself of something that they actually believe it.

This goes for the ultra-religious as well as the die-hard-atheists. No matter how strong your belief is, if someone truly believes he or she does not have fear of death, I think there's something rather scary about that person.

There are also several levels of fear.