Author Topic: The Afterlife (Read 23285 times)

Toad · « **on:** September 23, 2008, 02:43:36 PM »

Do you believe there is an afterlife? Do we continue to exist when this life is over, or do you think that once we die, that's it?

Personally, I have a hard time believeing that once we die, that's it. I like to think that we retain everything that we learned/remember, and take it with us to.. wherever we go. As to being able to communicate with those who are still around, I would like to think we could do it without scaring or haunting them, like visiting them in their sleep/in their dreams (that's apparently the way my relatives do it: I had a dream about grandpa after he died [before I knew he was gone] and he said he was fine, not to worry about him).

Let's try not to fight about it, please.

Turtlekid1 · « **Reply #1 on:** September 23, 2008, 03:23:00 PM »

You confess and believe Jesus Christ is Lord (not do good deeds or have good karma), you go to heaven. Everyone that doesn't goes to Hell.

Glorb · « **Reply #2 on:** September 23, 2008, 03:42:45 PM »

Darn. Guess I'd better watch out for Cyberdemons.

ShadowBrain · « **Reply #3 on:** September 23, 2008, 04:33:07 PM »

I haven't got a frickin' clue. Unlike most people, however, I just deal with it.

Lizard Dude · « **Reply #4 on:** September 23, 2008, 04:51:32 PM »

There is obviously not an afterlife. While alive, your brain processes sensory input from all your organs and tricks you into thinking you're something more than a collection of molecules hanging together only to help replicate and spread a certain type of molecule that happened to become very good at doing so. Once that brain stops functioning, "you" will be no more, not that you'll have the abillity to care about such a thing anymore, and the protons, neutrons, and electrons that happened to be forming your body when you kicked the bucket will eventually part ways and spread among the stars once more.

nensondubois · « **Reply #5 on:** September 23, 2008, 05:06:32 PM »

Since logic cannot dictate an afterlife, I have no clue.

PaperLuigi · « **Reply #6 on:** September 23, 2008, 05:38:30 PM »

Quote from: Lizard Dude on September 23, 2008, 04:51:32 PM

There is obviously not an afterlife. While alive, your brain processes sensory input from all your organs and tricks you into thinking you're something more than a collection of molecules hanging together only to help replicate and spread a certain type of molecule that happened to become very good at doing so. Once that brain stops functioning, "you" will be no more, not that you'll have the abillity to care about such a thing anymore, and the protons, neutrons, and electrons that happened to be forming your body when you kicked the bucket will eventually part ways and spread among the stars once more.

The question is though...why? Why does the brain do that? Was it programmed to do that or did thought just come about from nothing? If you can think for yourself, doesn't that make you more than just a "bunch of molecules?"

I just have a hard time believing that I'm nothing more than a bunch of molecules interacting with other molecules. If I am, then why? Why the hell am I interacting with them? Why can I think for myself? What's the point to life if I'm just a bunch of molecules tied together?

I guess I could be apathetic about it, but I'm curious to discover the answers to these questions. Even if I do find out that I'm really just a bunch of molecules being tricked into thinking I'm a person, I'll still want to know why that is.

Lizard Dude · « **Reply #7 on:** September 23, 2008, 06:09:34 PM »

Thinking for yourself helps you survive to further replicate the DNA your meat shell protects. Thinking definitely does not make you more than molecules.

The point to life is to spread and copy DNA, because that's just what DNA does and it has built many varied ways to spread. But there's really no point the way you mean. So have fun while it lasts! Being alive can be a blast. Who cares that we're actually just moist robots?

PaperLuigi · « **Reply #8 on:** September 23, 2008, 06:23:28 PM »

So...why does DNA want to spread? Because it wants too? If so, than why does it want to? To protect/advance itself? Why does it have the desire to protect/advance itself? Just 'cause?

DNA would be pretty useless (and we'd be useless) if it didn't have a "built in desire to protect itself" (I love quoting lines from my favorite movie). So why does it protect/advance itself? Does it think for itself also?

The Chef · « **Reply #9 on:** September 23, 2008, 06:37:12 PM »

Quote from: Turtlekid1 on September 23, 2008, 03:23:00 PM

You confess and believe Jesus Christ is Lord (not do good deeds or have good karma), you go to heaven. Everyone that doesn't goes to Hell.

Hell must be at least 100 million times larger than Heaven.

Quote from: LD

moist robots

I'm taking you off my "mortal enemy" list. :D

PaperLuigi · « **Reply #10 on:** September 23, 2008, 06:38:45 PM »

You were mortal enemies with Lizard Dude? ;)

I'll say again Turtlekid. Unless you want to be judged yourself, I suggest you stop passing judgement on mankind.

Lizard Dude · « **Reply #11 on:** September 23, 2008, 06:55:33 PM »

You're anthropomorphizing DNA. It doesn't feel or want anything. Things are too basic on that level to use those terms which are our way of describing fiercely complicated chemical reactions that make organisms do things.

Long ago, chemical reactions happened to create some type of molecule that had the funny property of being able to make more molecules like it. Due to environmental factors changing some molecules in ways that didn't mess up the process (mutating), some got better/faster at reproducing. Obviously this new version would outpace the old and perhaps completely replace it. Nowadays, billions of years later, this has happened so many times and in so many different ways, there are an incredible amount of different molecule replicating devices!

Some are so vain as to think they have free will.

Chupperson Weird · « **Reply #12 on:** September 23, 2008, 07:04:29 PM »

* Chupperson Weird brings up the possibility of sentient machines!

PaperLuigi · « **Reply #13 on:** September 23, 2008, 07:11:22 PM »

Quote from: Lizard Dude on September 23, 2008, 06:55:33 PM

Long ago, chemical reactions happened to create some type of molecule that had the funny property of being able to make more molecules like it.

Okay, that's all well and good, but why did the chemical reactions happen? What made them react? Were they just...here for no reason? You seem to know the answers, so I'm asking you.

Chupperson Weird · « **Reply #14 on:** September 23, 2008, 07:17:10 PM »

Because some chemicals were sitting together in a puddle of goo.