Where do you think we go when we die?

[kaze950]

I never said a serial killer couldn't repent, but I just find it unlikely. Its not just saying, "Oh yeah, um, God, I'm like sorry for what I did". Repenting isn't as easy as it might seem. And its not that a good man who doesn't believe in Jesus are refused heaven, its impossible for them to enter because of their sin. We are born with sin, and the only way to be absolved of it is through Jesus.

I think this debate is somewhat religious, because many of the people who believe in an afterlife, do so because of their religion. From a scientific standpoint, it is impossible to know because it is impossible to study something that isn't of this world. The afterlife is supernatural, not natural.

 

[Dirtie]

For those (especially Christians) that believe hell is a place of eternal torment and suffering, I suggest you read this: http://www.equipministry.com/studies/mythhell.htm

Evidence is quoted direct from the Bible and explained about why the traditional understanding of "hell" is incorrect (unless you want to believe Catholic doctrine).

And no I am in no way affiliated with the particular denomination/church/whatever that is associated with that site, I just thought the article explained everything quite nicely.

 

[Anonymous]

"The raven calls the crow black" eh? I find it ironic how a catholic will tell you to stop believing in a "pagan myth" and start worshipping the "scriptural truth", which in turn is no more than a "pagan myth" for any other religion. Interesting article anyhow.

 

[Xilef]

I haven't posted in this thread for quite a while...

Nothings can be destroyed or created, the world is at a constant. So any activity in the brain with nerve impulses etc has to go somewhere when it the body dies, could be that they go into the air and the impulses are carried around between the atoms contained in common air. So the thoughts of a person would live on in the form of an energy that could be picked up and read by other creatures and expressed as a ghost.

We are but shadows and dust.

Is that a quote from somewhere? Because similar words were used by an author that had similar ideas to life after death that I have.
It's a wonderful quote. It works in both a materialistic and a religious sense.

 

[Rhazdel]

I haven't posted in this thread for quite a while...

Nothings can be destroyed or created, the world is at a constant. So any activity in the brain with nerve impulses etc has to go somewhere when it the body dies, could be that they go into the air and the impulses are carried around between the atoms contained in common air. So the thoughts of a person would live on in the form of an energy that could be picked up and read by other creatures and expressed as a ghost.

Is that a quote from somewhere? Because similar words were used by an author that had similar ideas to life after death that I have.
It's a wonderful quote. It works in both a materialistic and a religious sense.

Ironically, this (in my opinion) deep and provocative quote comes from a Hollywood movie! It's from Gladiator (I can't trace it, nor do I recognize it from any earlier source, but I could be wrong).

And, in my example, theoretically memories and thoughts are stored as electronic impulses. It is the pattern of impulses that our brain interprets. So, once the impulses leave the brain, they no longer retain a pattern and the memories are lost.

It's like taking binary code (strings of 0s and 1s) and breaking it up into little, tiny parts and sending them to random other computers. These computers will never be able to interpret the number 0110 as part of your thesis paper you wrote. Same idea with the impulses.

 

[FoxDemonSoavi]

I think we go to the mourge when we die. After being examined for cause of death.

 

[blackiceadept]

In my opinion we go to a world of our choice, or perhaps we are reborn clean into another dimension. The whole "heaven or hell" thing got old real quick after I quit going to church.

 

[Jonathan]

Why did you quit church? not that it matters just interested.
As for that article thing, It seems to be making a good point, but completely misses passages in matthew when Jesus talks about hell:

41"Then he will say to those on his left, 'Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels." Matthew 25:41

Hell wasn't meant for humans, but after they sinned, "fell short of the glory of God", and identified themselves with satan, it became the innetivable place, unless they were forgiven.

Still interesting article.

EDIT: After searching the article for the above verse, i found they had completely misquoted it:

WHO WILL BE TORMENTED ETERNALLY IN FIRE?

The answer to this question is in Matthew 25:41 "Depart from me, accursed ones, into the everlasting fire which was prepared for the devil and his angles." What could be more clear?

This would be a good argument, except that they completely missed out the first part of the verse, and quoted it out of context. Those on his left (in the full quote above) is refering to humans. this is actually what Jesus is going to say to humans on judgement day.

If they quote something like this out of context, and twist the bibles words, then i would not rely on the rest of the article to be reliable.

 

[Culex]

Science is truly nifty and all, but there has got to be a point to this whole life thing. I've chosen to believe in the reward system:

Reward: Personally, and take it for what its worth, I think if Heaven were definable by human standards, then we couldn't be happy forever. It exceeds what our five senses can comprehend. I mean, if we could understand it, then couldn't we somehow attain it? And then there would be no point.

Punishment: It's one thing to think Hell is a fiery pit of pitchfork wielding devils, but honestly, I think mental anguish is far more cruel and disatisfying. Hell, to me, is just an endless, empty void. No one to talk to, no one to hear you scream, no one but yourself in an endless, dark plane.

I also believe in a very, very, very forgiving God. And I know I'm a close call! :p

 

[TheRealest187]

I know.....If you are a good ole fashion Christian who goes to church and beleives in an invisible sky man and his abnormally celibate son...and his best friend casper (Holy spirit) you get to go to a heaven where ya gotta praise a god who pretty much designed history so in the end he would be the ultimate hero and everyone would like him...(personality disorder????).....All others burn in an eternal fire that is impossible to actually burn unless it is BURNING something...in which it is not eternal because after everything is a crispy piece of fried chicken the fire will dissolve and god will say...."Hmmm that didnt work out very well...."......





Nah....I'm joshin ya...you just rot in the ground

 

[Kuri$u]

Well, I think if we die, we will lose our sub-concious (sp?) and blank out, and rot .
Death's not scary if you look at it another way.

Heaven/Hell... I don't believe that sort of stuff. Its created by a jew who want to become famous by writing bullshit.

 

[Andy6000]

Well, I think if we die, we will lose our sub-concious (sp?) and blank out, and rot .
Death's not scary if you look at it another way.

Heaven/Hell... I don't believe that sort of stuff. Its created by a jew who want to become famous by writing bullshit.

Now now, at least try to be respectful to others' beliefs. (also everyone else don't respond unfavorably to this either :>)

Come on kids I'm counting on you.

Also my thoughts on this are pretty much the 'whatever happens, happens' thing. It's most probable that you're going to rot in the ground, and the entity that is you (thoughts, feelings, etc) just won't exist any more, since those are all brain activity. And the brain rots away too.

 

[RobF]

Heaven or hell.

Side-Question: To those who believe we just rot.....If this is true, then why do we humans obey a basic moral code/standard?

 

[Andy6000]

Heaven or hell.

Side-Question: To those who believe we just rot.....If this is true, then why do we humans obey a basic moral code/standard?

Because we don't need an unquestionable future to make now better.

 

[Roman Candle]

I don't do good things because I think that otherwise I'll get punished. If that's it, then it's entirely selfish.

Think about it this way: Say that God exists. He tells us what's right and wrong. The question is, does he tell us that something is right because it is right, or is it right because he says so? If God said that toture is right, would it become right? Obviously not - obviously, God would not say that torture is right. However, if some things can only be said to be moral, and some things can never be said to be moral, then God isn't arbitrarily deciding what is and isn't good. If there is some property of an action which defines whether or not it is moral, then what God is doing is just pointing it out - in that case, do we need God to tell us at all? Some people certainly do. But if the only way to discover what is and isn't moral is to be told by God, then you're telling me that that I act without morality. And that's a bit much, really.

 

[RobF]

The question is, does he tell us that something is right because it is right, or is it right because he says so? If God said that toture is right, would it become right? Obviously not

[please do not stop reading after the first sentence]

I'm sorry, but if God said torture was right...it would be right. By giving the entity that is "God" the title of "God" you are by definition admitting that He is "God".

God = The Rule Maker. The Decider Of What Is Right And What Is Wrong. The One Who Created Everything And Is Therefore Justifide In Determining The Principles Of It's Behavior. The Standard Setter.

I know that torture is an extreme example, but let's go with it...Let's God said that torture was good and right. However, even though He said it, torture really wasn't good and right. What would this mean? It would mean that the standard of "rightness" to which torture belonged would be "above" God. In which case that standard would be "God", and God would cease to be "God".

So either you accept that there is a moral code which is similar to the Christian guidlines, yet transcends both them and their God, or you say that God is "God" and He gets to set the rules and if we break them...the poo is on us.

 

[Cal]

well you do not know what is going to happen, but I think you just take a new life of someone else, a even worse question, whaT happens when the universe ends, or the sun engulfs us.

the best thing you can do, is live you life to the max, as far as you know you only live once, do what you want, not what others tell you to.

 

[DESIRE]

The ground. Or to a furnace for cremation and then to an urn or scattered in the wind or whatever the fuck you want done with your ashes. Also some people get shot or some shit and get sunk to the bottom of a river so the fuzz doesn't find out.

Stay in school kids.

 

[Monk]

Because we don't need an unquestionable future to make now better.

That's probably the most succinct way I've ever seen that put! Kudos! :D

As a side note, I think it's weird to think about if the universe died its proposed "heat death". No life whatsoever. A reality with no sentience at all. Particles exists, but there is nothing to be aware of their existence, and it's basically just a bunch of stuff in complete darkness since there will be no light anymore (nothing left to emit it).

Of course, I like to believe Hawking's "Big Crunch" theory, but some have been critical of that recently. Not really sure what the fate of the universe is, but I wish I could find out.

 

[Torik]

There are so many things people can say about this... so many beliefs or ideas. My personal stand is that, like Cal said, is to just live your life to the fullest. You only have one shot (as far as we know) to make your dreams come true... Why waste it pondering a question that cannot be answered?