Afterlife (Endings)

by BBella , Friday, January 11, 2013, 08:11 (4333 days ago) @ dhw

[dhw]...It [religion] requires a strong faith to believe in a power for whose existence there is no evidence other than inference, for whose presence there is no evidence whatsoever, and whose nature and intentions are totally unknown.-Most scientist these days would agree with your claim above, that there is no evidence of God. But can we really discount billions upon billions of people for thousands of years across every continent, even in the deepest remote regions with no communications with the outside world, the wisest, the young, the most scientific minds and the greatest and most humble philosophers, that have not only believed in a God or Great Spirit, etc., but many have claimed they could feel it's presence and even claim to know it's intentions or will? You would think that just the overwhelming number (altho diverse in expression) would be more than enough evidence and would at least carry some weight, even with science. This kind of circumstantial evidence would even hold sway in a court of law. But, as it stands, science is an "it's not true until science says it's true" kind of organization. But that doesn't mean that what these billions upon billions of people have experienced (each in their own way) across time and space is just a fabrication. Science cannot negate what people experience. And maybe God is a multi-dimentional aspect of consciousness that is experienced only in a collective or personal way at the consciousness level that science has yet to understand. -I think, possibly, belief in God/Spirit/UI, etc, or faith in an afterlife is like consciousness itself. It is not like matter that can be measured or calculated, but can only be understood by the unseen conscious self because it dwells in that realm. And no matter how many books and religions try to convey it or pin it down to facts, it still is only truly understood within the realm of consciousness. -For me, I believed as I was told to believe from religion/boos and people for many years. But then, when in my darkest time, that way failed me. Then I found my own way through my own consciousness. Maybe faith, belief, has been introduced to us in a collective way (through religion and books), but is ultimately meant to be found in our own personal way thru our own experiences. -It reminds me of the NDE's. As long as mankind can remember, these reports from billions of people claiming the same thing were poo-poohed by scientist until finally a few became intrigued (or was paid or had the NDE's themselves) and so began to study it and so now the door has been opened. Yet, it will not be pinned down or become fact because it dwells in the realm of the unseen, except by the consciousness itself. -So, again, can we really say the evidence isn't there? Maybe it is there...it's just not here. And "there" is where everyone experiences it.-> Thank you [David] for your ideas about an afterlife....I ask such questions, as I did with Tony, because although NDEs and other such phenomena compel me to keep an open mind, no concept of an afterlife has ever made much sense to me. I am genuinely looking for answers.-It is obvious that you are genuinely looking for answers, dhw, but at some point, if you haven't already realized it, the kind of answers to these kind of questions (God, the afterlife, etc) can only be truly answered or understood through personal experience. The proof is obviously not in the pudding (matter), so can only be understood through the conscious realm that is connected with these realms. How we all experience our consciousness (and our own personal realm of faith and belief) is very different, yet similar in that it can only be experienced thru the consciousness. We can read about or hear about what others experience in their belief, faith or consciousness, but when it comes right down to penning down the facts, they elude us with their diversity. Obviously billions upon billions of people thru time that have experienced a relationship with their God, or had NDE's, etc all cannot be delusional, can they?-In the meantime we discuss our findings, knowings and experiences here, and the diversity of belief could not be more symbolic in one place as we have here, even with so few. -Here is a question I know I've asked you before about how you would like an afterlife to be, but this time from a different angle, I would like to ask you what kind of an afterlife (saying there is one) would make sense to you? -Sorry for the ramblings from one subject to another...I've had all day to myself today and tea too late.