Is there life after death? What is it like?

2015-05-19T16:57:17-04:00

Is there life after death? What do YOU say? Where do you get your beliefs? What form does life after death take? How does your belief in life after death - or lack of such belief, inform the way you live THIS present life?

Response by SPC Charles Brown made May 19 at 2015 5:37 PM

2015-05-19T17:37:02-04:00

Other.

The Bible tells us in the story of Lazarus that Jesus referred to his (Lazarus') death that he is merely sleeping.

Exact quote from the King James Version in John Chapter 11 v 1-11

"11 Now a certain man was sick, named Lazarus, of Bethany, the town of Mary and her sister Martha.

2 (It was that Mary which anointed the Lord with ointment, and wiped his feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was sick.)

3 Therefore his sisters sent unto him, saying, Lord, behold, he whom thou lovest is sick.

4 When Jesus heard that, he said, This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God might be glorified thereby.

5 Now Jesus loved Martha, and her sister, and Lazarus.

6 When he had heard therefore that he was sick, he abode two days still in the same place where he was.

7 Then after that saith he to his disciples, Let us go into Judaea again.

8 His disciples say unto him, Master, the Jews of late sought to stone thee; and goest thou thither again?

9 Jesus answered, Are there not twelve hours in the day? If any man walk in the day, he stumbleth not, because he seeth the light of this world.

10 But if a man walk in the night, he stumbleth, because there is no light in him.

11 These things said he: and after that he saith unto them, Our friend Lazarus sleepeth; but I go, that I may awake him out of sleep.

John Chapter 11 v 16-26

"14 Then said Jesus unto them plainly, Lazarus is dead.

15 And I am glad for your sakes that I was not there, to the intent ye may believe; nevertheless let us go unto him.

16 Then said Thomas, which is called Didymus, unto his fellowdisciples, Let us also go, that we may die with him.

17 Then when Jesus came, he found that he had lain in the grave four days already.

18 Now Bethany was nigh unto Jerusalem, about fifteen furlongs off:

19 And many of the Jews came to Martha and Mary, to comfort them concerning their brother.

20 Then Martha, as soon as she heard that Jesus was coming, went and met him: but Mary sat still in the house.

21 Then said Martha unto Jesus, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died.

22 But I know, that even now, whatsoever thou wilt ask of God, God will give it thee.

23 Jesus saith unto her, Thy brother shall rise again.

24 Martha saith unto him, I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection at the last day.

25 Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live:

26 And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?

Response by Sgt Aaron Kennedy, MS made May 19 at 2015 8:13 PM

2015-05-19T20:13:26-04:00

In Terry Pratchett's - Wee Fee Men, the title character's make a point.

They believe they're already in heaven. They can drink, fight, cavort, etc.

That said. This is Heaven. I'm surrounded by my family, my friends. People I can talk with, argue with, fight with. People who love me. What more could I possible want? If there is something beyond this, how could it be greater? If there was something before this, what could I have possible done to reserve this reward?

From a more scientific view however, we're all atoms, billions of years old. Hundreds of years ago, I was someone or something else. Hundreds of years from now, I will be someone or something else. Whether it is my matter moving to be some other matter, my energy going somewhere else, or my knowledge & mistakes being shared later on.

Response by PO1 Jason Taylor made May 19 at 2015 8:21 PM

2015-05-19T20:21:02-04:00

At this point in my life, I'm good ether way!

Response by MSgt Brian Welch made May 19 at 2015 8:41 PM

2015-05-19T20:41:09-04:00

Yes, I believe there is life after death. I don't know what it's like anymore than anyone else. Some will say I have no proof, therefore it doesn't exist. I'll tell them to live a good moral code and I'll discuss it with them there. I picture a place of solace, where I am surrounded by all that I ever loved or loved me. A placed with out pretense and filled will wonder. Ok, so you think I'm nuts, but where does your faith lie in the end?

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made May 20 at 2015 2:57 PM

2015-05-20T14:57:34-04:00

The same Divine force responsible for humans is also responsible for Nature. It's not hard to see that Nature operates in cycles, I see no reason to believe that we would be exempt from that process. That said, we do not know how that process unfolds.

Knowing and believing are not the same thing, even if we have good reasons to believe as we do.

What do I believe it's like? I don't believe the mind is built to allow us to really understand understand what happens, all we have is crude metaphor. The energy that is our consciousness returns to that part of the Tree which is most appropriate, and within that tree we are made whole with all consciousness. As that great tree of consciousness evolves we incarnate/reincarnate in ways that are designed to benefit the whole.

Response by SPC Private RallyPoint Member made May 27 at 2015 12:30 PM

2015-05-27T12:30:37-04:00

Of course there isn't. There's no good reason to believe there is. I really don't understand how people could believe otherwise. It sounds too much like a ridiculous fairy-tale one tells to make those under duress feel better.

A non-existent afterlife says informs little as to how I conduct myself. I probably should be inspired to live to the fullest while I have time, but I don't. Not much interest in doing so.

Response by SrA Edward Vong made May 27 at 2015 1:35 PM

2015-05-27T13:35:07-04:00

Honestly, I really don't know what to believe, I would like there to be. I try to live life to it's fullest, and see where that takes me.

Response by SrA Matthew Knight made May 27 at 2015 7:02 PM

2015-05-27T19:02:50-04:00

My personal belief is yes, there is. Being a Christian, that is a standard.

What form does it take? I believe in Heaven so I guess exactly that. A place in Heaven where we live with God for eternity. I like to also believe that when they say we get our own place that means Heaven is personalized for each person. This would make sense if it is a place of eternal joy for it to be unique to each person as we all have different things that make us happy. But in the end we shall see.

How does it inform or affect the way I live my current life? It motivates me to keep going that's for sure. That it will all be worth it in the end, especially when the 80 or so years we live here on Earth isn't even a fraction of what an Eternity would be.

Response by SGT Kevin Brown made May 28 at 2015 12:57 AM

2015-05-28T00:57:38-04:00

With time being as irrelevant as inches and kilometers and space the same (irrelevant) as the molecules that make our physical bodies, I believe that in more then one sense their is life after death. Whether you believe in the existence of a soul or not, the human body eventually returns to the earth and in doing so becomes part of the process of life again (as nutrients for other living things). Aside from that concept, I believe in the existence of heaven (but not necessarily in the pearly gates, streets of gold depiction), in that it is a parallel universe, a new earth (existence), in which we transfer to after our physical bodies cease to function. Since time is a man made form of measurement and space is a concept that explains what we can see and comprehend, I fully believe that the existence of such parallel universes exist right here and right now, even though we cannot see them or measure them.

All that aside, I believe even though we all seek the same answers of existence, regardless of religious affiliation or lack there of, even if proof was evident, we would not be able to comprehend it. There is no doubt in my mind that there is only absolute truth, in all things, but that we as humans cannot comprehend absolute truth and therefore cannot truly answer this question until after death. That is where faith comes in, whether you believe in God and Heaven, Nirvana, Valhalla, or nothing at all, it is your faith in that belief that drives the way you live your life.

For me, I am a Catholic, converted from Atheism, with a somewhat scientific view of the supernatural, touched on above. It is my strong desire to learn, question and grow that motivates me to use critical thinking, logic, science and faith to find answers, evolve (mentally) and drive on (live my life).