Afterlife (Introduction)

by dhw, Monday, November 28, 2011, 18:00 (4745 days ago)

Tony and I have agreed to indulge in a speculative, intellectual exercise on this subject, so I'm putting it on a new thread.

TONY: My best guess on the after life takes one of three forms, and in the end will probably settle somewhere in the middle. Either we die, and that is it, (which I have a hard time accepting), we enter a cycle of rebirth(reincarnation) as we progressively come closer to our spiritual perfection, or the cycle is imposed on us from outside and we are guided into that point of spiritual attainment a few at a time.
Personally, I think that, given the evidence, the last option is the most likely. I also think that would be a better fit with the archaeological evidence as well as the mythology of the numerous cultures around the world.

If we die and that is it, as far as I’m concerned God loses all relevance, other than as as a source of comfort to those who believe in his loving nature. Unlike yourself, I have no difficulty accepting it.

Rebirth/reincarnation doesn’t even require belief in any kind of god (see Buddhism), but I have a problem with it. My problem is that I have no recollection whatsoever of a previous life, and I do have a clear feeling that I am “me” and only me. What is the point in “me” being reborn if I don’t know it’s “me”? (See below for “perfection”.)

The cycle being imposed from outside presumably entails a god/angel/spirit who is interested in me and is guiding me. Same problem as before, since I remember nothing, but perhaps this means I’m not one of the chosen few. Alternatively, nearly 7 billion of us are only just starting out on Stage 1.

I have a huge problem with the term “spiritual perfection”. I really don’t know what it can mean. Does it entail my no longer being “me”? (I know you can’t answer – I’m just thinking aloud here.) Does it perhaps entail finding perfect peace, and being at one with BBella’s Gaia? If so, death as the end fits in on both counts. And how do I advance towards perfection if I can’t remember a damn thing about where I went wrong last time? I also recall BBella’s theory that “souls” might have the choice of returning to earthly life, though without their memories (I hope I’ve got that right). Attractive, though again if I’m no longer me, the new me might just as well be starting from scratch, so why bother in the first place with the waiting-room for souls? Unless the number of souls is rationed.

This sounds cynical, but we need also to consider the experiences of NDE-ers, who report that they were still themselves, consciously experienced feelings of overwhelming peace and happiness, and met up with dead people they knew. There are lots of other psychic phenomena involving contact with the dead (often with messages), and I’m not prepared to dismiss every single one as fraud, delusion, coincidence etc. The door remains open.

This is a big subject, especially because it calls into question the relevance of God to life on Earth, not to mention the promise offered by many religions that earthly suffering will somehow be compensated for by a loving, caring God in a better world to come.

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The exchanges between yourself and BBella are extremely interesting, revealing, and stimulating. I’d like to join in, if I may, but time’s up for today!