Life after death........that is THE question....................

[Zosimus41]

Originally Posted by itullian

God, the Universe, the Bible, Mary, Jesus

all mean NOTHING if there's no life after death. And i don't mean ambiguous life,i mean self identity, take what you learned with you life. right?

i'm having trouble thinking this is real. seems so fantastic i just can't believe it.
how do we believe in something so fantastic?

and nothing makes any sense or means anything if we're just dirt, but...............

don't know, but there it is, right?

Its impossible to imagine eternity.

Take a physical look at eternity the only way to do so is the madelbrot set download an applet and just keep zooming!

[J_Peterson]

Originally Posted by Zosimus41

Its impossible to imagine eternity.

Take a physical look at eternity the only way to do so is the madelbrot set download an applet and just keep zooming!

A few weeks ago I was out on my porch alone smoking a cigar. I was enjoying it so much that there were no thoughts of the future or the past. I was truly present in the moment. Of course the moment I realized how perfect the moment was it was gone but that's how I imagine eternity.

One way to think about life after death is: If there is an "outside" of the universe than eternity exists (because time is of the universe). If when we die, we catch an infinitesimally small glimpse of "outside" the univese, it will last an eternity (because there is no time). As a Christian I hope to see God in that moment. Hell in this scenerio would be trying to find your self there. Not saying this is even close to what happens but it's one way to try to imagine it.

[Zosimus41]

Originally Posted by J_Peterson

A few weeks ago I was out on my porch alone smoking a cigar. I was enjoying it so much that there were no thoughts of the future or the past. I was truly present in the moment. Of course the moment I realized how perfect the moment was it was gone but that's how I imagine eternity.

One way to think about life after death is: If there is an "outside" of the universe than eternity exists (because time is of the universe). If when we die, we catch an infinitesimally small glimpse of "outside" the univese, it will last an eternity (because there is no time). As a Christian I hope to see God in that moment. Hell in this scenerio would be trying to find your self there. Not saying this is even close to what happens but it's one way to try to imagine it.

That sounds peaceful.

I have an acerage the wife and I go up there throw a blanket on the ground or just walk around looking at nature. This is were I contemplate God his universe and how life after death could be like.

[itullian]

Originally Posted by GEddie

Your body does not reside anywhere in death, it disintegrates. Anybody who has been dead more than about 100 years would not have a dead body to come back to.

A skeleton is not a body; a heap of bones is not a body; even a mummy is not a human body, as a human body holds life, and those objects cannot.

Rather, your body is reassembled on the other side of eternity, in Heaven, as you said. You need a body for being, because you are alive and your body holds and expresses your life. You will be a human body, but an upgraded version, as S. Paul said, pneumatikon soma.

ICXC NIKA

hope so.

[Pfaffenhoffen]

Originally Posted by Gaber

No kidding! I get that a lot, and no wonder. I was brought up in the old school Catholic system and my Dad's side of the family were all authors, both popular and obscure. On top of that, my views and exegesis are from an uncommon standpoint. Most people don't acknowledge my expereintial premise and think it impossible, and imaginary as well, I am not surprised, and even greatly expect, that only that community which has similar expereince to mine would "get" most of what I say. And mine isn't even a particualry spectacular example of that group. The few I've read on here of that ilk don't ususally stay long. Too exasperating.


Love Ortega y Gasset! Few people have mentioned him. I often have used his example of the dying man relevant to viewpoint, and his idea of the window pane as relevant to viewing art. Genius.
No, I'm not following Sartre. But if you express him accurately in that brief statement, then I would say he has it right, so as far as the personality is concerned. But we are not esentially personality, the root of that word meaning "mask," or what is spoken through. And while Essence underlies existence, it is "before" it onl in that sense, as Essence, like eternality, has no element of duration.
Yes, God is ALL of it, as we so readily confess but so little understand. And it has been discussed far far longer than just the last 1K years, lol! but if you can find the "off" switch for your discursive mind, you will do much better than if you think about it for several lifetimes!

But you could be kind to readers and explain better your thought, otherwise, in these running times, we have to come back to the text 3 times and we give up. It is easy to say difficult things in a difficult way and to say simple things in a simple way. What is difficult is, like for instance Carl Sagan, say difficult things in simple ways.


Essence come before existence, says the Church for Aquinas times. God Had the essence of us in His mind and made us into existence. Now, Sartre was an atheist. So, killing God, he make a play with words: Existence precedes essence (which is funny): meaning first you exist and you may be doctor, astraunaut, sailor. But as your decisions progress, you define progressively your essence: in the end of your life you are definiltely a stonemason or a teacher. It was defined by you not by God.

Now, Sartre knows better...

See how I explained things in a simple way?

[Gaber]

Originally Posted by Pfaffenhoffen

But you could be kind to readers and explain better your thought, otherwise, in these running times, we have to come back to the text 3 times and we give up. It is easy to say difficult things in a difficult way and to say simple things in a simple way. What is difficult is, like for instance Carl Sagan, say difficult things in simple ways.


Essence come before existence, says the Church for Aquinas times. God Had the essence of us in His mind and made us into existence. Now, Sartre was an atheist. So, killing God, he make a play with words: Existence precedes essence (which is funny): meaning first you exist and you may be doctor, astraunaut, sailor. But as your decisions progress, you define progressively your essence: in the end of your life you are definiltely a stonemason or a teacher. It was defined by you not by God.

Now, Sartre knows better...

See how I explained things in a simple way?

Thanks. I have no intention of writing for everyone, and the people I write for have little trouble "getting" what I;m saying. As for reading it only three times ang giving up? then either you can't come up with a question, as you admirabley have done, or you don't care and don't question or penetrate.

Case in piont: I was acquainted with a person of easily genius level intellect. Who would more easily understand something written? But he wanted to join a discussion group about a simple and short book called Basic Self Knowledge. He was asked to read the book and report back to the moderator about his insights. He did, he thought, and was told, "No; go and read the book." He tried again: "No, go and read the book. Long story short, he finally realized that he didn't get what the author was saying because he was always faced with looking at his own ideas instead of what the author was in fact saying. That took 26 readings. Twenty six. Three? What level of interest or pesistence does that show? I've read some of my books five or six times or more, mining more depth each time.

Simplicity is no assurance at all of being/Being understood. Here's one: "Gnothi Seauton--Know Thyself. Or: I AM THAT I AM. Hey--pretty simple, yes? Here's a good one; "I"