What makes people want to believe in the afterlife?

A couple of things I have learned throughout a fairly long life is....oh yea, we already gave our opinions on what "wisdom" IS. So, I feel like this subject is unanswerable. I just am too weary anymore to mess with my own head about who is right or wrong, or even who has the preponderance of evidence. I just don't care anymore. It does nothing to THINK my concepts have meaning and value that are somehow special. It just validates my own bias. I wonder if it is possible to stop forming personal opinions? If mankind does not stop arguing over every possible thing we conceive of, we are in for some very difficult times. Our old habits of conditioned bias needs to end, and very soon. It is a tall order, and one in which there is not very much feedback (both positive or negative), so we have to "walk that lonesome valley, we gotta walk it by ourselves, nobody else can walk it for you..."
 

@Paco Dennis, thing is i felt most of us on this thread and the one about what happens when we die have been just sharing our thoughts, not arguing. Much better than most internet platforms with the exception of some very specific groups i've belonged to where damn near all the members were capable of differing without making/taking it personal.

Tho i agree we really need to learn to communicate more clearly with each other if humanity is to survive.
 
Paco Dennis said:
A couple of things I have learned throughout a fairly long life is....oh yea, we already gave our opinions on what "wisdom" IS. So, I feel like this subject is unanswerable. I just am too weary anymore to mess with my own head about who is right or wrong, or even who has the preponderance of evidence. I just don't care anymore. It does nothing to THINK my concepts have meaning and value that are somehow special. It just validates my own bias. I wonder if it is possible to stop forming personal opinions? If mankind does not stop arguing over every possible thing we conceive of, we are in for some very difficult times. Our old habits of conditioned bias needs to end, and very soon. It is a tall order, and one in which there is not very much feedback (both positive or negative), so we have to "walk that lonesome valley, we gotta walk it by ourselves, nobody else can walk it for you..."
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Hub and I were just talking about the fact that it seem like all people can do is "argue" about everything.
What ever happened to having a good laugh and enjoying life? We watch the Three Stooges and Abbott & Costello just to "enjoy" the old slapstick humor You hit the spot with this post Paco!
 

You have to feel ( grok ) that by claiming that there is evidence for life after death CREATES the opposite. They are the same coin. One creats the other. There would be no life without death, there is no dark if the is no light... when we discuss concepts we are so used to using the good versus bad strawmen. Afterlife good, and no matter what you have it. That statement seems like it is one sided, and will create it's opposite. It feels like your promoting this not so uncommon new philosophy. Of course there has been blow back. It is a good feeling for martyrs. If we are just energy fields would it not be a more productive way to communicate would be through unconditional love?
 
Mr. Ed said:
Higher consciousness and awareness?
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This, plus a sense that human spiritually is at core our interconnectedness-- including intelligence, emotion and spirit and that that continues past death in some other form. What I hope for after death involves a continuation of connectedness--especially with loved ones--and a stronger, more pure experience of that collective energy.
 
Liberty said:
Hub and I were just talking about the fact that it seem like all people can do is "argue" about everything.
What ever happened to having a good laugh and enjoying life? We watch the Three Stooges and Abbott & Costello just to "enjoy" the old slapstick humor You hit the spot with this post Paco!
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Unfortunately we are in a time where we are swamped with masses of information. Overload. PTSD. So we are diving deep to find solutions, and we are using outworn tools. It is making for a very continuous time. Maybe we will learn to start seeing our existence as universal, maybe not. I don't care anymore. Like I said it is painful for me.
 
My belief in an afterlife didn't happen because I "wanted" to believe in it. it came as a step in the process of drawing succesive conclusions. First I became convinced that this complex, extremely interdependent, world simply had to be created and could not have developed simply due to chance. From there I looked for religious beliefs which incluced an intelligent creator. The Christian explaination seemed to be most credible, especially given that I simply could not explain away the life of Christ and the overwhelming evidence of His resurrection in the changes in the apostles and their writings. The belief in an afterlife simply came from becoming that Jesus was who he said he was, and that he taught about the afterlife. Now I'm delighted to believe in an afterlife because if this world is the all there is, there would be no basis for hope in this world full of hate, violence, injustice and suffering.
 

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The real trick to life is not to be in the know, but be in the mystery​

Yes, the real trick of life is not to be in the know, but be in the mystery. It is the mystery that keeps us seeking and finding, and rejoicing whenever we discover the hidden treasure within ourselves, like in a treasure hunt. It is like living life with wide-eyed wonder of little children exploring the universe.


This brings to mind this quote that I read earlier.


“For a lighter life, a more playful life, you need to be flexible.
Become more and more innocent, less knowledgeable and more childlike. Take life as fun – because that’s precisely what it is! You have to remember that freedom is the highest value, and if love is not giving you freedom then it is not love.” -Osho
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Unknowing
 
If this is all there is, why succumb to the restriction of the arbitrary exercise of power by laws. If I want that big house and fancy car and am strong enough to take it, why shouldn't I?

I believe laws of right and wrong are written into our hearts at the time of conception. Whether we follow these laws is another topic.
However, there is a higher purpose for doing right or wrong and we see that even man's laws have consequences if we break them, so how can anyone suppose the same wouldn't be true of universal laws.

That's my take on it.
 
I believe life is simple. We are created by Father Sperm merging with Mother Egg. After a short period of time we simply cease to exist. Thus, there is no meaning to our temporary lives.
 
I certainly don’t have the keys to the Great Mysteries. All I know is what works for me. I require a purpose in order to coexist with my demons. I am blessed to have found this through service toward others. Add love and laughter, lots of play, life is good. 🤗
 
Mitch86 said:
I believe life is simple. We are created by Father Sperm merging with Mother Egg. After a short period of time we simply cease to exist.
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I agree. People believe in an after-life simply out of fear of dying. To my way of thinking, death will "feel" exactly like before birth. I was born after Pearl harbor, I have absolutely no idea of what that felt like , much less having been aware of it. I honestly believe that after death, I will feel/think/be aware of … absolutely nothing.
 
I've always liked that Iris Dement song. It's the only song about agnosticism I've ever heard.
 

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