Is believing in an afterlife stupid?

[morrisseyshair]

Believing in an afterlife seems like fairy tales for adults. Something to make people feel good because being dead for eternity is too scary a thought, so we made up this nice story about an afterlife when it's far more likely it goes dark and that's it.

[apathy]

I'm losing brain cells to this thread now. I'm struggling to find anything substantial enough worth responding to.

Αναρτήθηκε αρχικά από TwisterCat:

Αναρτήθηκε αρχικά από apathy:

According to the Jewish texts, you ARE the living soul.

No, I'm not entirely that. But I do have reason to believe some people are nothing more. Kind of like animals, though I wouldn't think about that idea too much.

You're confusing soul with spirit. Humans don't have spirits.

Αναρτήθηκε αρχικά από Gay Muslim:

No it isn't stupid. You'll find Allah soon enough, whether it's pre-death or post-death.

Unless I'm Kratos I don't want to find that god.

Αναρτήθηκε αρχικά από yesskillch:

Pre-existence shows anything could've happened and anything still can happen.

Pre-life? You have proof of a life before this one?

Obviously you don't. That was a rhetorical question pointing out your bold unverifiable claim.

Αναρτήθηκε αρχικά από Xray38:

Here is some science for you: Energy and matter can't be destroyed, only changed into each other. Your body works because you have energy. When you die your "energy packet" leaves. Maybe it seeks out the right kind of receptor (like sperm) to re-energize a new target with its eternal traits.

You have proof that energy is sentient and consciousness continues after biological death?

Why do people keep making unsubstantiated claims? You have nothing to gain and all your self respect to lose.

[mai72]

Αναρτήθηκε αρχικά από Grand Ayatrollah:

absolutely not.

whats stupid is thinking this is evolution.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KQLPL1qRhn8

wtf's that. lol. really. you get natural selection, evolution, and this is what you get?


sorry no. thats not normal. im calling all you big bang people out.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KQLPL1qRhn8

how is this normal. someone is ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ with us. wait and see.

Are you a biologist? yes or no.

[mai72]

Αναρτήθηκε αρχικά από Moogal™:

Αναρτήθηκε αρχικά από mai72:

Also, the universe has been in existence for 13.7 BILLION years, not centuries. As far as we currently know today.

As far as is commonly misconcepted among atheists yes.

No. Scientist have shown that the universe is over 13b years old.

Both theist and non-theist scientist.

[mai72]

Αναρτήθηκε αρχικά από xDDD:

No.
Why SHOULDN'T somebody believe in the afterlife?

Believe the Afterlife:

    
• You're right and go to the afterlife.
      
• You're wrong and just cease to exist.

Disbelieve the Afterlife:

    
• You're right and cease to exist.
      
• You're wrong and are (maybe) pleasantly surprised.

The difference is that if you believe in it, then you feel better about the concept of life and death during your life. If you don't believe in it, you are probably more nihilistic and jaded about the concept of life and death.
In my experience, the believers tend to be the happier people 99% of the time.

Do you know what we call that. Anecdotal evidence which is HORRIBLE.

I also know non believers. They do not take life for granted because they believe that THIS IS IT. They aren't nihilistic and jaded about life and death. They LOVE LOVE LOVE life and realize that death is just the final stop. That its just a part of life.

OTOH, I know many theist who are jaded and just ignorant people. Mean spirited people. These people are not happy at all, and say that they believe in a God.

You are making sweeping generalizations. Its true that Christians and Muslims have a good support of friends who they meet at churches and mosque. But, the same can be said for Buddhist who don't pray to a creator. And Buddhist are very happy.

So no. You are incorrect.

[TwisterCat]

Αναρτήθηκε αρχικά από apathy:

Αναρτήθηκε αρχικά από TwisterCat:

No, I'm not entirely that. But I do have reason to believe some people are nothing more. Kind of like animals, though I wouldn't think about that idea too much.

You're confusing soul with spirit. Humans don't have spirits.

I do. I've not confused it, not this time. As for others, I don't know. I don't believe everybody does.

You don't need to believe me though. Things are what they are, it would be like trying to describe a color that doesn't exist.

[Tsubame ⭐]

To each their own.

But I know for a fact there is none.

We are all just a bunch of molecules grouped and organized together.

Memories are just energy gradients stored in specific ways by the extremely complex network of neurons in your brain.

Once we die, the molecules go their own way, the memories vanish, and you are gone.

[Stingray_tm]

Αναρτήθηκε αρχικά από xDDD:

Sure.
But from this you can also deduce that the idea of an afterlife (and broadly religion/spirituality) is arguably essential for society to function due to the aforementioned fear of death, whether or not it's real.

No. Because there are societies that function without wide-spread believe in the supernatural.

As mentioned before by someone, you make very narrow-minded, broad generalisations and ignore the experiences of everyone else, that doesn't agree with you.

In my circle of friends, almost no one is religious and almost no one believes in an afterlife. We all lve normal lives.

[Shodan]

Αναρτήθηκε αρχικά από schil:

Αναρτήθηκε αρχικά από Shodan:

Yes, obviously. Why would you believe in something like that when there is absolutely no valid reason to do so? If that isn't stupid and gullible, I don't know what is.

Do you believe in consciousness? There's no proof for it.

Well... Consciousness isn't some magical thing that suddenly exists out of nowhere after we're born as suggested above... It obviously exists if we're arguing about it to begin with, if we're able to understand how life works, see the big picture of it, think outside of the box and so on. I'm definitely not the right person to explain this, but I'm sure it can be explained since it's just consciousness, nothing special.

[xDDD]

Αναρτήθηκε αρχικά από mai72:

The difference is that if you believe in it, then you feel better about the concept of life and death during your life. If you don't believe in it, you are probably more nihilistic and jaded about the concept of life and death.
In my experience, the believers tend to be the happier people 99% of the time.

Do you know what we call that. Anecdotal evidence which is HORRIBLE.

I also know non believers. They do not take life for granted because they believe that THIS IS IT. They aren't nihilistic and jaded about life and death. They LOVE LOVE LOVE life and realize that death is just the final stop. That its just a part of life.

OTOH, I know many theist who are jaded and just ignorant people. Mean spirited people. These people are not happy at all, and say that they believe in a God.

You are making sweeping generalizations. Its true that Christians and Muslims have a good support of friends who they meet at churches and mosque. But, the same can be said for Buddhist who don't pray to a creator. And Buddhist are very happy.

So no. You are incorrect.

"Anecdotal evidence is HORRIBLE so here's some anecdotal evidence!"
Lol.

And my point stands that you have nothing to lose by believing in an afterlife.

[Stingray_tm]

Αναρτήθηκε αρχικά από xDDD:

And my point stands that you have nothing to lose by believing in an afterlife.

You do. You can make decisions based on that belief, that are wrong and seriously impact your life. Suicide bombers possibly wouldn't do it if they wouldn't believe in an afterlife.

It's Pascal's Wager all over again. I am interested in truth, not what makes me feel good. And if I simply believe things without evidence, I am farther away from an accurate understanding of the world. You might not care. Fine. But you need to accept, that other people do care what is real and not.

To me it seems you want to convert people into your belief system, because the fact that others don't agree with you, makes you afraid that you might be wrong. This is how this currently looks like to me.

[xDDD]

Αναρτήθηκε αρχικά από Stingray_tm:

Αναρτήθηκε αρχικά από xDDD:

Sure.
But from this you can also deduce that the idea of an afterlife (and broadly religion/spirituality) is arguably essential for society to function due to the aforementioned fear of death, whether or not it's real.

No. Because there are societies that function without wide-spread believe in the supernatural.

As mentioned before by someone, you make very narrow-minded, broad generalisations and ignore the experience of everyone else, that doesn't agree with you.

In my circle of friends, almost no one is religious and almost no one believes in an afterlife. We all lve normal lives.

I believe that's you.
Across his whole thread you (and several others) have given off an air of arrogance and superiority over the believers. I see the same thing in literally every religion-related thread. Meanwhile I don't think any less of you for not believing, even though I think your stance is wrong and ridiculous,

[Stingray_tm]

Αναρτήθηκε αρχικά από xDDD:

I don't think any less of you for not believing, even though I think your stance is wrong and ridiculous,

I sugggest you read this sentence very carefully and think hard about what you just said.

Also I would like to point out, that you were specifically asking people, why they would not believe in an afterlife and when people answered, you were trying to invalidate their experience and opinion repeteadly instead of acknowleding that other people do have a different view than you. Going as far as claiming, that everyone that doesn't share your view is jaded, nihilistic, "redditor-edgy" and unhappy. This is arrogant and honestly, pretty insulting.

If you don't like those answers, then maybe don't ask questions that can result in answers that you don't like. Ask your questions in your local church, those answers might be more comforting to you.

[tmwfte]

Believe in nothing.

It's less disappointing.

[mai72]

Αναρτήθηκε αρχικά από xDDD:

Αναρτήθηκε αρχικά από mai72:

Do you know what we call that. Anecdotal evidence which is HORRIBLE.

I also know non believers. They do not take life for granted because they believe that THIS IS IT. They aren't nihilistic and jaded about life and death. They LOVE LOVE LOVE life and realize that death is just the final stop. That its just a part of life.

OTOH, I know many theist who are jaded and just ignorant people. Mean spirited people. These people are not happy at all, and say that they believe in a God.

You are making sweeping generalizations. Its true that Christians and Muslims have a good support of friends who they meet at churches and mosque. But, the same can be said for Buddhist who don't pray to a creator. And Buddhist are very happy.

So no. You are incorrect.

"Anecdotal evidence is HORRIBLE so here's some anecdotal evidence!"
Lol.

And my point stands that you have nothing to lose by believing in an afterlife.

Of course...

You have nothing to lose if you believe that the earth is the center of the universe and we live with dinosaurs. As my Buddhist Thai girlfriend would say "up to you."

[Moogal™]

Αναρτήθηκε αρχικά από tmwfte:

Believe in nothing.

It's less disappointing.

Prolly i disagree but i defend your right to think so :)