If there is an afterlife

[pleinmont]

In the unlikely event of there being an afterlife what will it be like? Would we be the same people we are here on earth or totally different? If someone passes into the afterlife as a child, will they stay as such, not growing into an adult? If a person has a disability or illness will they continue to suffer from it?

What do others think?

[Diagoras]

The most significant things that orthodox Christians have said over the years about the afterlife (aka the age to come, eternal life, the new heavens and the new earth, etc.) is that it is different. It is not just this life longer. We are still ourselves, but we are also in a significant sense changed (1 Cor 15:51).

The Bible most often describes the afterlife by saying what is not there. There will be no sin or law or death or suffering. One possible explanation for this approach is that the afterlife is so different that it can only be explained by describing what will not be there.

Getting back to the OP, I thought this was at least an interesting approach. The supposed afterlife seems to be variously imagined as the immediate after death spirit world where your soul goes, or as the back on a material, earthly paradise once the final judgement has been sorted out.

In the former case, we can more confidently state that what is not there is pretty much everything material. No senses, voice, brain. No time or space or energy. Nothing of the physical universe whatsoever. Exactly equivalent, in other words, to no afterlife existing at all. I dont see how we can still be ourselves when we no longer have a brain.

In the latter case, its my experience that people who believe in this sort of thing get to make up whatever sounds good to them. So, murdered babies might get to grow up rather than staying an infant. Octogenarians whod been riddled with painful cancer for thirty years would somehow appear the same as when they were in their twenties (or close to whatever the ideal age of the person imagining this is, I suspect). Amputees might get their limbs back, and so on.

Or, of course, you get allocated some new body (reincarnation) - bringing all sorts of other questions and a wide range of answers, depending on whom you ask. Where have all these new bodies been stored beforehand, ready to receive your soul? I dont expect anyone to know (how could they?) but theres no harm in speculating, if thats your thing.

Ultimately, the idea of an afterlife is (in my view) simply a psychological crutch for people who are more fearful of death. Whatever goes on in your head that helps you acknowledge that one day youll cease to exist - which certainly explains the vast number of imagined scenarios out there. Theres absolutely nothing wrong with using a belief to help you cope with the idea of death, as long as it doesnt come to the detriment of living a happy and fulfilled life.

[William]

[Replying to post 31 ]

Diagoras: Ultimately, the idea of an afterlife is (in my view) simply a psychological crutch for people who are more fearful of death. Whatever goes on in your head that helps you acknowledge that one day youll cease to exist - which certainly explains the vast number of imagined scenarios out there.

William: This view comes up now and again. I think we will all be experiencing something after this present life experience, not because I need a 'psychological crutch' because I am 'afraid of death'.

Perhaps the thought of living on - perhaps eternally - frightens some folk so badly that they decide it is better for them to believe it impossible, so they can function relatively okay in their present circumstance ?

[Diagoras]

I think we will all be experiencing something after this present life experience,

It will probably feel to you like the time before you were born.

Perhaps the thought of living on - perhaps eternally - frightens some folk

I can definitely agree that some people fear things from their imagination. Demons, an eternal hell, chemtrails, lizardmen overlords, etc.

[William]

[Replying to post 33 ]


Diagoras: Ultimately, the idea of an afterlife is (in my view) simply a psychological crutch for people who are more fearful of death. Whatever goes on in your head that helps you acknowledge that one day youll cease to exist - which certainly explains the vast number of imagined scenarios out there.

William: This view comes up now and again. I think we will all be experiencing something after this present life experience, not because I need a 'psychological crutch' because I am 'afraid of death'.

Diagoras: It will probably feel to you like the time before you were born.

William: While I agree, I also suspect that we each have a different idea of 'what it was like before you were born."

• Perhaps the thought of living on - perhaps eternally - frightens some folk so badly that they decide it is better for them to believe it impossible, so they can function relatively okay in their present circumstance ?

Diagoras: I can definitely agree that some people fear things from their imagination. Demons, an eternal hell, chemtrails, lizardmen overlords, etc.

William: Agreed. This is why they shut the door on the possibility of experiencing any kind of afterlife.
Those who don't, tend toward developing situations they would rather experience than those you have listed. As a result, they don't have fear or concern for the idea that the possibility of an after-this-life might be true. It is not a 'psychological crutch' in regard to those who do not fear the possibility.

I am one such Entity.

Demons, an eternal hell, chemtrails, lizardmen overlords, etc do not scare me or turn me from investigating said possibility as far as I possibly can under present circumstances.

[Diagoras]

[Replying to post 34 by William]

I think we will all be experiencing something after this present life experience

What sort of something? The OP asks what it will be like, and I proposed two broad categories: the spirit world-type, and the earthly paradise-type. Perhaps you could elaborate on your thoughts here.

[JehovahsWitness]

NOTE All posts I write represent my personal faith based beliefs as one of Jehovah's Witnesses

In the latter case, its my experience that people who believe in this sort of thing get to make up whatever sounds good to them.

Some do but others like Jehovahs Witnesses refer to what the bible says will be the reward of the faithful. We know this planet earth exists and its on this our planet earth the bible says faithful humans will live forever.

This will be achieved by means of a miracle from Almighty God.


JEHOVAHS WITNESS

To learn more please go to other posts related to...

THE KINGDOM, THE MILLENIUM and ...THE EARTHLY PARSDISE

[William]

[Replying to post 35]

Diagoras: What sort of something? The OP asks what it will be like, and I proposed two broad categories: the spirit world-type, and the earthly paradise-type. Perhaps you could elaborate on your thoughts here.

William: I think it most likely - due to various studies of stories of afterlife experiences people have glimpsed - and other related data - that we will each experience what can be regarded as our own creations.

I elaborate upon this idea through the sub-forum Around The Camp Fire, especially in the "Musing On The Mother" threads.

The gist of it is as follows;

Upon finishing the experience of life on Earth, my consciousness transfers through the Tabula Rasa to The Hub of The Hologram Dimensions.
The Hologram Dimensions represent every individual human-created afterlife experience as well as some which are not created through human imagination.

These creations are grouped as Realms - areas which a separated by The Tabula Rasa - and there are two main Realms.

1: The Realm of Judgement

2: All other Realms created without judgement.

The Realm of Judgement is specific to those who are judgmental and require justice, and create their new reality experiences based upon those judgments. There are many Heaven and Hell-like Realms within the Realm of Judgment.
Creations are spcific to an individuals attitudes and beliefs - on both conscious and subconscious levels. The Creations are instantly manifested as Reality Experiences.

The experience of The Physical Universe and Earth is part of The Realm of Judgment and thus, also part of the Holographic Universes.

[bluegreenearth]

[Replying to post 37 by William]
How would you be able to rule-out the possibility that this perceived after-life wasn't just another holographic simulation?

[Menotu]

In the unlikely event of there being an afterlife what will it be like? Would we be the same people we are here on earth or totally different? If someone passes into the afterlife as a child, will they stay as such, not growing into an adult? If a person has a disability or illness will they continue to suffer from it?

What do others think?

I've always thought it would be whatever you wanted it to be.
If you like nature, it would be a endless world of nature
If you like fashion, it would be an endless world of fashion

If there is a punishment of evil, the 'bad' people would go to a place where it's their worse fear forever.

But eternal punishment seems a bit of an overreach for an (assumed) all knowing and all powerful creator

[William]

[Replying to post 36 ]

JehovahsWitness: This will be achieved by means of a miracle from Almighty God.

William: How will you know if it isn't demons pretending to be "Almighty God" since your doctrine also has it that demons have such power.
This question follows on from other questions I have asked you to answer which you have so far chosen to ignore. [post #29, 30]
While, of course, you are allowed not to reply to anyone's posts, I remind the reader that it does not bode well for one's doctrines if one is not able or willing to explain the discrepancies pointed out in ones doctrines.

It makes such statements as "This will be achieved by means of a miracle from Almighty God." iffy at best.