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ateista
Guest
Since these questions do belong to a different thread, we can explore them elsewhere. The basic questions should be: what is “evidence”, “credible evidence” and “compelling evidence”. Do you agree?
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Newbie2
Guest
Check your PM. Since there’s only a couple of us left in this thread, I’d just as soon continue the discussion via PM.
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KingAlfred
Guest
Don’t want to hijack the thread, but how many of you would remain dedicated Christians if somehow you found out for sure there was no afterlife? Just curious. Not trying to start any mischief here.
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HelenaMT
Guest
I would, even if I lost that belief. I have not always been assured that there is an afterlife, or even God,but I have always believed that the Christian moral code is correct.
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KingAlfred
Guest
I agree…and Jesus was a truly great exemplar of service to the poor and suffering.
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crowonsnow
Guest
That would seem to me to be the purpose of Christianity as I wish to understand it. Some call it humanism. I think beliefs in personal afterlives get in the way of that.
Don’t Christians generally value an afterlife more than an earthly life? And I use the phrase “earthly life” simply because it is necessary religious parlance.
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KingAlfred
Guest
You should study the doctrine of Liberation Theology. Some of it – and I emphasize some of it – can involve the demytholization of Christianity. I follow it to a great extent.
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HelenaMT
Guest
Since a Christian believes that the only way to have a valuable afterlife is to have a valuable* earthly* life (meaning do the most good with the least sin possible), it should sort of work itself out. Worry about the afterlife is only an obstacle if you don’t understand what Christ calls you to do to get there. If you’re only worried about your own salvation and not the comfort and salvation of others, you’re probably not going to get there anyway.
The afterlife is a promise from God that we believe in, and if we do believe, it enriches our life on earth because it helps us see ourselves as part of a whole continuum of life, not just random individuals plodding through on our own.
For me personally, belief that one God created us all makes me feel a kinship with my fellow man, even when they are not acting in a kindly way towards me. It makes everyone feel more like family, maybe dysfunctional family, but family nonetheless.
Without that universal origin, it’s hard not to see people more in terms of nationality, race, culture, other religions, etc. For me Christianity, in following Jesus’ example,strives to obliterate those boundaries. Whether Christians themselves fall short of that with any regularity in no means changes the ultimate good of the faith.
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crowonsnow
Guest
That sounds decent enough.Since a Christian believes that the only way to have a valuable afterlife is to have a valuable* earthly* life (meaning do the most good with the least sin possible), it should sort of work itself out. Worry about the afterlife is only an obstacle if you don’t understand what Christ calls you to do to get there. If you’re only worried about your own salvation and not the comfort and salvation of others, you’re probably not going to get there anyway.
The afterlife is a promise from God that we believe in, and if we do believe, it enriches our life on earth because it helps us see ourselves as part of a whole continuum of life, not just random individuals plodding through on our own.
For me personally, belief that one God created us all makes me feel a kinship with my fellow man, even when they are not acting in a kindly way towards me. It makes everyone feel more like family, maybe dysfunctional family, but family nonetheless.
Without that universal origin, it’s hard not to see people more in terms of nationality, race, culture, other religions, etc. For me Christianity, in following Jesus’ example,strives to obliterate those boundaries. Whether Christians themselves fall short of that with any regularity in no means changes the ultimate good of the faith.
For me, belief in gods gives meaning to death, not to life. Afterlives seem a way to rationalize death. Death for me simply has no meaning. I even feel as if I have been dead before, odd as it sounds, such as before I was born. I have no memory of a heaven or hell, so I think it will be so again.
Rather, the afterlife you speak of is what I would call a futurelife. We are our ancestors when you get right down to it, and we’ll become our descendents. Our ancestors, human and not, endured much so that we can live. We carry on their life or lives. So lets get it right, even if the pace seems glacial.
One perk to my futurelife philosophy is knowing I’ll still be around, whereas people who believe in an afterlife will never get a second chance. They’ll never be able to change anything once they’re gone. Like you, I feel a kinship with life generally, not just the human variety.
Have you read Sagan’s Pale Blue Dot?
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rinnie
Guest
I guess to be perfectly honest I can see how someone who doesnt believe in the afterlife would not believe in Jesus. Think about it, If not for Jesus telling us how would we really know. It was Jesus who came back and showed us how wonderful it would be. And the Holy Spirit who led the apostles to teach us, and show us in the bible how wonderful the next world will be. So to be honest if I didnt believe in God, I probally would not believe in much of anything really. I would feel dark, ugly, depressed, sad, and hopeless to be honest. Why? Because God is the opposite of all of the ugly things in this world. God is perfect in his Love, he has a wonderful world waiting ahead for us, and it can be wonderful here too most of the time, if you ask for his help. Its just without him that would be hell on earth. Even suffering isnt so bad knowing he is here with you, Its like having someone hold your hand when you are sad, hugging you when you are depressed, making you laugh when you are sad, Look how sometime ONE PERSON can make a horrible day kinda great. So in the defense of anyone who wont, or cant believe, I can understand your darkness. And look at the evil in the world today because of the devil he dwells on that darkness. He loves it, He loves to keep people sad, depressed, feeling ugly, thats how he is winning. Look how ONE PERSON can lift you up, but look how ONE PERSON can bring you down too. Maybe we could somehow pray and ask Jesus to make us all better examples to be the Up Person and then the world would be such a better place. ONE PERSON can make a big difference. I know it can sure set off my day. Have someone help me and try to make my life better and I want to pass it on, But have someone set you off, and look how miserable you yourself can be that day, I have one wish today that someone can be that Light for anyone who doesnt believe and give them hope and lead them into the light! Its there i swear, but sometimes its hiding behind the clouds.
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zmyr88
Guest
skimmed the thread so i partly sure this horse may have been long been beat…
For the scientists…
you can NOT prove something does not exist, we can ONLY prove what DOES exist.
anything not in this “dimension” will NEVER be able to be proven/disproven via science, as it won’t affect anything here, can’t detect, cant detect it affecting anything on this plane(yet), unless you maybe push some advanced quantum theory.
for the bible followers: you actually DO NOT want it proven. its all through out the bible (shame i cant remember the verse/s) don’t look for signs “proof”… you must have faith.
proof invalidates faith, and without faith, you can’t be saved. at least that is what i thought was one if not the only requirements of salvation at least for Christianity.
faith is trusting when you do not have all the facts, otherwise its not faith.
…
if we reincarnate, it matters very little. as most i know can’t remember their past life. (darn shame too, would have been nice to remember being a king) so i doubt they are going to remember THIS life either.
the only proof we will get from the after life is A; when we get there B: some one comes back somehow to tell us, and we don’t believe them! : and how many times have people claimed b
For the scientists…
you can NOT prove something does not exist, we can ONLY prove what DOES exist.
anything not in this “dimension” will NEVER be able to be proven/disproven via science, as it won’t affect anything here, can’t detect, cant detect it affecting anything on this plane(yet), unless you maybe push some advanced quantum theory.
for the bible followers: you actually DO NOT want it proven. its all through out the bible (shame i cant remember the verse/s) don’t look for signs “proof”… you must have faith.
proof invalidates faith, and without faith, you can’t be saved. at least that is what i thought was one if not the only requirements of salvation at least for Christianity.
faith is trusting when you do not have all the facts, otherwise its not faith.
…
if we reincarnate, it matters very little. as most i know can’t remember their past life. (darn shame too, would have been nice to remember being a king) so i doubt they are going to remember THIS life either.
the only proof we will get from the after life is A; when we get there B: some one comes back somehow to tell us, and we don’t believe them! : and how many times have people claimed b
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Jean_Anthony
Guest
Before posting to a thread, please note the age of the thread. Threads this old have long been abandoned and not all the posters, even the OP are necessarily posting any more. Please start new threads if a thread is older than 6 months. Thank you all.
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