Death: What happens?

WSUCougar · 03-10-2006, 11:12 AM

If possible, I'd like to keep this discussion on a basic level and not get into a religious argument. It will be obvious that, for some, an afterlife is inherent in any discussion of death. I would ask that people who don't believe in an afterlife accept it as "alternative ending" for discussion sake.

So the question is this:

What do you personally feel will happen when you die?

Not how you will die, or the medical condition of death, but once death comes, what happens next?

Dutch · 03-10-2006, 11:13 AM

I won't have to pay taxes anymore, I know that much.

Desnudo · 03-10-2006, 11:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WSUCougar

If possible, I'd like to keep this discussion on a basic level and not get into a religious argument.

Good luck. I really have no idea what happens. If my dream scenario comes true I'll come back as a really hot lesbian.

Raiders Army · 03-10-2006, 11:19 AM

I know for a fact there is an afterlife. Whether it's the Christian afterlife or an afterlife of booze and chicks, I don't know.

WSUCougar · 03-10-2006, 11:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Desnudo

I really have no idea what happens.

If you had to guess, what would you say?

WSUCougar · 03-10-2006, 11:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Raiders Army

I know for a fact there is an afterlife.

A fact? So you are personally 100% certain that when you die, you move on to something else. What would your guess be as to the next stage?

Qwikshot · 03-10-2006, 11:25 AM

The question really should be posed: Is all life sacred?

If yes: Then why are humans regarded as the only lifeform to venture forth to a potential afterlife or reincarnation or altered dimension?

If no: Then death is merely stasis, it is the final process, be it cremation or the natural process, death is finality. Once you die, there is nothing more, you are merely a cycle (whose purpose is yet to be determined) in completion.

Radii · 03-10-2006, 11:26 AM

I'm pretty sure I believe that nothing happens. That's it, its over. But I really, really, really don't want to believe that and struggle with it quite a bit.

Desnudo · 03-10-2006, 11:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WSUCougar

If you had to guess, what would you say?

If I had to guess, I would say that there will not be 77 virgins waiting for me. Besides that, there's what I hope will be waiting - something reasonably peaceful, and what I think will be waiting - nothing.

lungs · 03-10-2006, 11:29 AM

It's over until the universe collapses upon itself and the big bang reoccurs. Then everything happens again exactly as it was. I've probably lived my life an infinite amount of times already.

I hope I got it right the first time

path12 · 03-10-2006, 11:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Radii

I'm pretty sure I believe that nothing happens. That's it, its over. But I really, really, really don't want to believe that and struggle with it quite a bit.

I think I'm in this camp. Though I remember reading the Castenada books and liking the idea of my energy being fed to the giant eagle or whatever that was...

Raiders Army · 03-10-2006, 11:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WSUCougar

A fact? So you are personally 100% certain that when you die, you move on to something else. What would your guess be as to the next stage?

A fact. I cannot guess what it would be, but the way I've thought it out in my head is this:

You are you. Say your life is a timeline. From the moment you come into consciousness, you are you. When you die, your timeline has two choices: end or continue on. If it ends, then there is no afterlife. If it continues then there is an afterlife.

From present to the beginning of your timeline, you can remember everything that's happened to you, regardless of whether it was in your conscious or subconscious memory, right? If that is true, which I believe it is, and your timeline continues after you die, then you should still remember everything that's happened to you. Let's say you die and you remember nothing. Well, then essentially there is no afterlife, since you wouldn't be you, right? If that is true and you're able to follow me so far, you can prove there is an afterlife because if there is no you after you die, then your thoughts, feelings, memories have no meaning. Since we all know they do have meaning, you must continue on after you die as you. It's somewhat of a space-time continuum thing where you can "look forward" in time and know that because you're you now, you will be you in the future.

I don't know if I've explained this properly since I like to describe this theory with pictures.

VPI97 · 03-10-2006, 11:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WSUCougar

What do you personally feel will happen when you die?

Buffet for the worms

Desnudo · 03-10-2006, 11:39 AM

Forgot that we may be able to download ourselves onto a computer. So that's something.

Bubba Wheels · 03-10-2006, 11:39 AM

Biblical answer (I'll try to make it 'clinical' as opposed to 'preachy'). Man is made up of 3 parts, 1. body (physical) 2. soul (seat of your intellect and emotion, your 'consciousness") 3. spirit (along with your soul, the 'indestructable' part of you that that your body fits over like a glove).

Your body is your legal permission to exist on earth. Upon death your soul/spirit exits your body to either 1. continue to exist in the presence of God or 2. continue to exist outside of the presence of God.

At some point in the future, known only to God, the Judgement will take place. All humans ever alive on earth will once again be fitted to their earthly bodies. The forgiven by God will have a new, Christ-like (after the ressurection) body that can exist in both heaven and on earth. The others won't.

Mustang · 03-10-2006, 11:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Radii

I'm pretty sure I believe that nothing happens. That's it, its over. But I really, really, really don't want to believe that and struggle with it quite a bit.

I'm in this camp.

"Game Over man.. GAME OVER!"

st.cronin · 03-10-2006, 12:14 PM

How can this not be a religious discussion? This is perhaps the most fundamental religious question out there.

CamEdwards · 03-10-2006, 12:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by st.cronin

How can this not be a religious discussion? This is perhaps the most fundamental religious question out there.

Agreed.

And maybe it's because I'm just simple minded and refuse to believe that there is nothing waiting for us after we die, but I cannot look into the eyes of my children and think that one day they will be nothing more than worm food.

I don't know if I'll get into heaven (or if there are even requirements), but my idea of heaven is getting to be with my family and loved ones.

cthomer5000 · 03-10-2006, 12:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WSUCougar

What do you personally feel will happen when you die?

Rotting silently below the surface as I'm slowly recycled.

gkb · 03-10-2006, 12:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bubba Wheels

Biblical answer (I'll try to make it 'clinical' as opposed to 'preachy'). Man is made up of 3 parts, 1. body (physical) 2. soul (seat of your intellect and emotion, your 'consciousness") 3. spirit (along with your soul, the 'indestructable' part of you that that your body fits over like a glove).

Your body is your legal permission to exist on earth. Upon death your soul/spirit exits your body to either 1. continue to exist in the presence of God or 2. continue to exist outside of the presence of God.

At some point in the future, known only to God, the Judgement will take place. All humans ever alive on earth will once again be fitted to their earthly bodies. The forgiven by God will have a new, Christ-like (after the ressurection) body that can exist in both heaven and on earth. The others won't.

I've never thought of the soul and spirit as being separate...interesting theory. I'm not very educated when it comes to religion...is this common among the different Christian religions (e.g. Methodist, Baptist, Catholic, etc)?

King of New York · 03-10-2006, 12:30 PM

I will become one with the universe.

(I'm not sure what that means, actually...)

st.cronin · 03-10-2006, 12:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gkb

I've never thought of the soul and spirit as being separate...interesting theory. I'm not very educated when it comes to religion...is this common among the different Christian religions (e.g. Methodist, Baptist, Catholic, etc)?

Afaik, most religious/philosophical doctrines differentiate between spirit and soul. It's an extremely complicated subject.

Brillig · 03-10-2006, 12:40 PM

Quote:

I've seen things you people wouldn't believe. Attack ships on fire off the shoulder of Orion. I watched C-beams gliter in the dark near the Tannhauser gate. All those moments will be lost in time, like tears in the rain.

.

WSUCougar · 03-10-2006, 01:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by st.cronin

How can this not be a religious discussion? This is perhaps the most fundamental religious question out there.

By that I mean that I don't want to debate Christian concepts of the afterlife versus atheism or whatever other belief or unbelief system people follow. The question is simple, and can be answered without couching that answer in religious doctrine. If you got hit by the proverbial bus today, what would happen next?

Senator · 03-10-2006, 01:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WSUCougar

By that I mean that I don't want to debate Christian concepts of the afterlife versus atheism or whatever other belief or unbelief system people follow. The question is simple, and can be answered without couching that answer in religious doctrine. If you got hit by the proverbial bus today, what would happen next?

Cancel Christmas.

DaddyTorgo · 03-10-2006, 01:13 PM

when i die i will get buried in a box in the ground. the box will slowly start to become more porous and the maggots and flies and what-not will feast on my decaying body.

but i've made peace with that. i'm okay with it.

DaddyTorgo · 03-10-2006, 01:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brillig

.

that's pretty. where'd it come from?

st.cronin · 03-10-2006, 01:17 PM

Well, I think the question is meaningless, since it posits 'before' and 'after' the moment of death, when death is one's removal from the world of sensation - time being a sensed concept. But my cosmology is pretty bizarre even by Christian standards.

Maple Leafs · 03-10-2006, 01:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WSUCougar

What do you personally feel will happen when you die?

The Leafs win the Stanley Cup the next day.

Raiders Army · 03-10-2006, 01:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Maple Leafs

The Leafs win the Stanley Cup the next day.

LOL. Nice.

panerd · 03-10-2006, 02:04 PM

My guess is that I go to the same place I was at before I was born.

WSUCougar · 03-10-2006, 02:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by panerd

My guess is that I go to the same place I was at before I was born.

Which would be where?

Raiders Army · 03-10-2006, 02:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WSUCougar

Which would be where?

Must...hold...back...about...panerd...mother...comment...

WSUCougar · 03-10-2006, 02:17 PM

Okay, RA. You're on the spot here, since you've laid out your reasonings why you believe an afterlife is a 100% certainty, yet you have no clue what it might be. Explain.

Raiders Army · 03-10-2006, 02:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WSUCougar

Okay, RA. You're on the spot here, since you've laid out your reasonings why you believe an afterlife is a 100% certainty, yet you have no clue what it might be. Explain.

Well, I don't know if my reasoning made sense to anyone. I am totally not sure what lies out there after death. Being in the military and having an MSE degree, I have a hard time believing in a supreme being. This is because in the Army, everyone has a boss. As a pseudo-scientific guy, I look more at what we can prove as opposed to what we can't prove.

I think that it will be a plane of higher existence (sorry for being so trite). I think that it will be much like this life, but...different. Frankly, I haven't thought too much about it since there isn't too much I can do to prove what it is without dying and coming back to life. Sorry it doesn't help, but I can try to explain my theory in a different way if you didn't understand it.

Brillig · 03-10-2006, 02:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DaddyTorgo

that's pretty. where'd it come from?

It's Rutger Hauer's soliloquy from the end of Blade Runner.

WSUCougar · 03-10-2006, 02:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Raiders Army

I think that it will be a plane of higher existence

Beats the heck out of being maggot food.

So you think it might be something like a rebirth in a new world? Conscious awareness of your previous life, or not?

Raiders Army · 03-10-2006, 02:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WSUCougar

Beats the heck out of being maggot food.

So you think it might be something like a rebirth in a new world? Conscious awareness of your previous life, or not?

Well, according to my theory, when you die, you remain you, so you essentially have all of the memories, morals, etc. that you did when you died. It could be something like going into a 5th dimension of sorts where time and space don't matter and your "body" is something else.

Greyroofoo · 03-10-2006, 02:54 PM

I'll probably be posting here later tonight when I'm drunk

Marc Vaughan · 03-10-2006, 02:59 PM

I believe everyone gets the afterlife they believe they will recieve* ... that is a christian goes to heaven and an aetheist simply ceases to exist.

Personally I'm a great believer in heaven

*This idea stolen lock, stock and barrel from Terry Pratchett .... but it does appeal to me somewhat.

sabotai · 03-10-2006, 03:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by King of New York

I will become one with the universe.

(I'm not sure what that means, actually...)

When I die, want my ashes shot out into space.

Dutch · 03-10-2006, 03:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Marc Vaughan

I believe everyone gets the afterlife they believe they will recieve* ... that is a christian goes to heaven and an aetheist simply ceases to exist.

Personally I'm a great believer in heaven

*This idea stolen lock, stock and barrel from Terry Pratchett .... but it does appeal to me somewhat.

"I pray to God every god-damned day.....just in case." - Chris Rock

WSUCougar · 03-10-2006, 03:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Marc Vaughan

I believe everyone gets the afterlife they believe they will recieve

I like to think this as well.

The tricky part is the "how" of that. Does your consciousness pass beyond the physical limits of your dead body, or does your brain capture the essence of your heaven in some fantastic time-stopping moment?

Vince · 03-10-2006, 03:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Radii

I'm pretty sure I believe that nothing happens. That's it, its over. But I really, really, really don't want to believe that and struggle with it quite a bit.

Thirded.

Vince · 03-10-2006, 03:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WSUCougar

I like to think this as well.

The tricky part is the "how" of that. Does your consciousness pass beyond the physical limits of your dead body, or does your brain capture the essence of your heaven in some fantastic time-stopping moment?

As opposed to what I believe...this here is what I want to believe (the Pratchett, everyone gets their own way thing). However, like Coug, I have no idea of the 'how.'

Bad-example · 03-10-2006, 03:16 PM

Fade to black.

Bonegavel · 03-10-2006, 03:21 PM

With all the people that have lived and died, it would make sense if at least a few of them could have come back from the "other side" and made some big hubbub among us living (i know that would be the first thing I would do).

Hudini tried it and nothing (at least as far as we know). I promised my family that if I die before them I'm going to try my hardest to haunt their ass if there is an afterlife so that they would know for sure. Morbid but hey.

molson · 03-10-2006, 03:26 PM

Sometimes I wish I could believe in an afterlife - but I just don't. My personality, my memories, my morals: all of that is in the mushy stuff in my head . If someone shot a hole through that, or if it got ran over by a truck, it'd be gone. I suppose there could be some kind of uncomprehendable "energy" that survives, but it wouldn't be concious, it wouldn't be ME.

Religions exist to try to answer this question, and because of man's fear of this question, but I've sort of embraced the finality of existence. When you imagine yourself as a mass of cells improbably combined to form conciousness, living and breathing on this this random rock spinning around in the galaxy, and you're able to share this experience, for a brief time, with others - that's "meaning" to me. The lack of my belief in any kind of "judgment" doesn't alter in the slightest the way I treat people. We're all in this together, for no reason, for a cruely short time, and it's up to us to make the best of it.

Raiders Army · 03-10-2006, 03:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by molson

Sometimes I wish I could believe in an afterlife - but I just don't. My personality, my memories, my morals: all of that is in the mushy stuff in my head . If someone shot a hole through that, or if it got ran over by a truck, it'd be gone. I suppose there could be some kind of uncomprehendable "energy" that survives, but it wouldn't be concious, it wouldn't be ME.

Religions exist to try to answer this question, and because of man's fear of this question, but I've sort of embraced the finality of existence. When you imagine yourself as a mass of cells improbably combined to form conciousness, living and breathing on this this random rock spinning around in the galaxy, and you're able to share this experience, for a brief time, with others - that's "meaning" to me. The lack of my belief in any kind of "judgment" doesn't alter in the slightest the way I treat people. We're all in this together, for no reason, for a cruely short time, and it's up to us to make the best of it.

If that's true, then why not live a hedonistic life?

Bonegavel · 03-10-2006, 03:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Raiders Army

If that's true, then why not live a hedonistic life?

With a forum name of molson, there's a chance that he does.

03-10-2006, 11:25 AM	#7
Qwikshot Pro Starter Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: ...down the gravity well	The question really should be posed: Is all life sacred? If yes: Then why are humans regarded as the only lifeform to venture forth to a potential afterlife or reincarnation or altered dimension? If no: Then death is merely stasis, it is the final process, be it cremation or the natural process, death is finality. Once you die, there is nothing more, you are merely a cycle (whose purpose is yet to be determined) in completion. __________________ "General Woundwort's body was never found. It could be that he still lives his fierce life somewhere else, but from that day on, mother rabbits would tell their kittens that if they did not do as they were told, the General would get them. Such was Woundwort's monument, and perhaps it would not have displeased him." Watership Down, Richard Adams

03-10-2006, 11:39 AM	#15
Bubba Wheels College Starter Join Date: Jan 2004	Biblical answer (I'll try to make it 'clinical' as opposed to 'preachy'). Man is made up of 3 parts, 1. body (physical) 2. soul (seat of your intellect and emotion, your 'consciousness") 3. spirit (along with your soul, the 'indestructable' part of you that that your body fits over like a glove). Your body is your legal permission to exist on earth. Upon death your soul/spirit exits your body to either 1. continue to exist in the presence of God or 2. continue to exist outside of the presence of God. At some point in the future, known only to God, the Judgement will take place. All humans ever alive on earth will once again be fitted to their earthly bodies. The forgiven by God will have a new, Christ-like (after the ressurection) body that can exist in both heaven and on earth. The others won't. Last edited by Bubba Wheels : 03-10-2006 at 11:40 AM.

03-10-2006, 12:14 PM	#17
st.cronin General Manager Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: New Mexico	How can this not be a religious discussion? This is perhaps the most fundamental religious question out there. __________________ co-commish: bb-bbcf.net knives out

03-10-2006, 01:17 PM	#28
st.cronin General Manager Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: New Mexico	Well, I think the question is meaningless, since it posits 'before' and 'after' the moment of death, when death is one's removal from the world of sensation - time being a sensed concept. But my cosmology is pretty bizarre even by Christian standards. __________________ co-commish: bb-bbcf.net knives out

03-10-2006, 02:17 PM	#34
WSUCougar Rider Of Rohan Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: Port Angeles, WA or Helm's Deep	Okay, RA. You're on the spot here, since you've laid out your reasonings why you believe an afterlife is a 100% certainty, yet you have no clue what it might be. Explain. __________________ It's not the years...it's the mileage.

03-10-2006, 11:13 AM	#2
Dutch "Dutch" Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Tampa, FL	I won't have to pay taxes anymore, I know that much.

03-10-2006, 11:19 AM	#4
Raiders Army Coordinator Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: The Black Hole	I know for a fact there is an afterlife. Whether it's the Christian afterlife or an afterlife of booze and chicks, I don't know.

03-10-2006, 11:26 AM	#8
Radii Head Coach Join Date: Jul 2001	I'm pretty sure I believe that nothing happens. That's it, its over. But I really, really, really don't want to believe that and struggle with it quite a bit.

03-10-2006, 11:29 AM	#10
lungs Pro Rookie Join Date: May 2002 Location: Prairie du Sac, WI	It's over until the universe collapses upon itself and the big bang reoccurs. Then everything happens again exactly as it was. I've probably lived my life an infinite amount of times already. I hope I got it right the first time

03-10-2006, 11:39 AM	#14
Desnudo Coordinator Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Here and There	Forgot that we may be able to download ourselves onto a computer. So that's something.

03-10-2006, 12:30 PM	#21
King of New York High School Varsity Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Edge of the Great Dismal Swamp	I will become one with the universe. (I'm not sure what that means, actually...)

03-10-2006, 01:13 PM	#26
DaddyTorgo Hall Of Famer Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Massachusetts	when i die i will get buried in a box in the ground. the box will slowly start to become more porous and the maggots and flies and what-not will feast on my decaying body. but i've made peace with that. i'm okay with it.

03-10-2006, 02:04 PM	#31
panerd Grizzled Veteran Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: St. Louis	My guess is that I go to the same place I was at before I was born.

03-10-2006, 02:54 PM	#39
Greyroofoo Pro Starter Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Alabama	I'll probably be posting here later tonight when I'm drunk

03-10-2006, 02:59 PM	#40
Marc Vaughan SI Games Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Melbourne, FL	I believe everyone gets the afterlife they believe they will recieve* ... that is a christian goes to heaven and an aetheist simply ceases to exist. Personally I'm a great believer in heaven *This idea stolen lock, stock and barrel from Terry Pratchett .... but it does appeal to me somewhat.

03-10-2006, 03:16 PM	#46
Bad-example College Starter Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: san jose CA	Fade to black.

03-10-2006, 03:21 PM	#47
Bonegavel Awaiting Further Instructions... Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Macungie, PA	With all the people that have lived and died, it would make sense if at least a few of them could have come back from the "other side" and made some big hubbub among us living (i know that would be the first thing I would do). Hudini tried it and nothing (at least as far as we know). I promised my family that if I die before them I'm going to try my hardest to haunt their ass if there is an afterlife so that they would know for sure. Morbid but hey.

03-10-2006, 03:26 PM	#48
molson General Manager Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: The Mountains	Sometimes I wish I could believe in an afterlife - but I just don't. My personality, my memories, my morals: all of that is in the mushy stuff in my head . If someone shot a hole through that, or if it got ran over by a truck, it'd be gone. I suppose there could be some kind of uncomprehendable "energy" that survives, but it wouldn't be concious, it wouldn't be ME. Religions exist to try to answer this question, and because of man's fear of this question, but I've sort of embraced the finality of existence. When you imagine yourself as a mass of cells improbably combined to form conciousness, living and breathing on this this random rock spinning around in the galaxy, and you're able to share this experience, for a brief time, with others - that's "meaning" to me. The lack of my belief in any kind of "judgment" doesn't alter in the slightest the way I treat people. We're all in this together, for no reason, for a cruely short time, and it's up to us to make the best of it.

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