Evidence for afterlife?

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Is there any evidence of afterlife? If not, why would we believe it?
 
There is no evidence for many things that we hold. As an example: we cannot give you any direct evidence for the existence of God, only indirect. No one can point to God, but the existence of God is plainly obvious in the existence of the Cosmos. This is an indirect proof. I venture to guess that proofs for the afterlife will be of this nature as well, but I have no answers for that. I’m just trying to show you that not everything needs direct, empirical proof.

Abstract logic has almost nothing to do with physical evidence. Metaphysics are not something we observe, but something we hypothesise about. Asking for evidence of the after-life from beings who live in life is ontologically fallacious, because if it’s “after life” there CAN be no evidence in life.
 
Technically this is not an atheism thread. A monotheist can believe in God and believe there is no afterlife. 🙂
 
It is very simple, Faith is the evidence of things not seen. If you have faith you will know that there is an after life.🙂
 
sharptiger999 said:
Is there any evidence of afterlife? If not, why would we believe it?
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This happened. It was reported on TV. I have had surgery under this doctor.

A woman with a brain aneurysm was prepared for surgery. She was packed in ice and her body temperature was reduced to slightly above freezing. The blood was completely drained from her body. Her heart was stopped. Without blood and heart activity, she had no brain function. She was flatlined, dead, by every medical definition of the word… The neurosurgeon and his team repaired the brain aneurysm. Her temperature was gradually raised, her blood was slowly pumped back into her body, her heart was jump-started, and her brain waves resumed.

She later told the neurosurgeon of her experience. She watched the surgery, heard the conversation, told the surgeon what was said, went on a journey (I don’t recall the details of that), and returned to her body.

It is clear that my brain and my mind are two different things. My body is merely a shelter for my soul – for the real “me.” My mind functions apart from my brain. My body is where I live until God frees me from the need of it. “I” am other than my body.

Asked what he thought about his patient’s story, the neurosurgeon said, “I think medical science needs a new definition of ‘dead’.”

Jim Dandy
 
thistle said:
There is a temporary ban on atheism threads.
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Who said anything about atheism? If I’m not mistaken this is the apologetics thread which consists of defending posed questions. I would assume the “ban on atheism” post is about the ban on promoting atheism or being disrespectful to believers. I am just asking questions, which is allowed on this forum. I respect that this is a Catholic website, and again with all due respect, an interesting, respectful question I think has merit, rather than the old hands over our ears trick when we don’t have a good answer. There have been many evidence threads allowed amongst this forum.

This reminds me of a few hundreds of years ago when the church tried to silence Galileo Galilei when he discovered the real reasoning regarding the relationship of planets, their moon(s), and the sun. We should all have an open, honest discussion, and as long as we remain respectful of ideas without proselytizing on someone else’s forum, I protest we allow freedoms of dialogue.
 
I’ve always though the resurrection would be evidence of life after death.
And the saints bodies that walked around Jerusalem after the burial of Jesus
And the saints that have come back after life to verify such things
And the appearances of the BVM to so many people (maybe she didn’t die)

Of course we could say there is no ‘afterlife’ because we have not experienced the resurrection of the body (save my 1st 2 examples) because in death, we sleep (meaning of ‘cemetery’) till the resurrection, then we will be fully alive again, then there will be a complete ‘afterlife’. So, as the Count of Monte Cristo said: [A]ll human wisdom is contained in these two words,—“Wait and hope.”
 
He tackles faith and evidence…

Same Evidence, Different Conclusions: Is “Objective Belief” an Oxymoron?

John Lennox

University of Southern California 2011

Science claims to be one of the few objective ways of understanding the world. But science itself is deeply affected by our pre-existing beliefs and these a priori commitments color the way we assess the so-called ‘evidence’ for or against theism. Come and hear Dr. Lennox discuss how it is possible for two people to examine the same data and come up with vastly different interpretations. The lecture will be followed by an audience Q and A.
 
BigDave31 said:
It is very simple, Faith is the evidence of things not seen. If you have faith you will know that there is an after life.🙂
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Let’s test the logical structure of this:

“If you have faith you will know that there is an after life”

so it should also follow, for example:

“If you have faith, you will know that there is a job for every unemployed person etc.”

No, that does not seem to follow at all.
 
cho_pilo said:
Let’s test the logical structure of this:

“If you have faith you will know that there is an after life”

so it should also follow, for example:

“If you have faith, you will know that there is a job for every unemployed person etc.”

No, that does not seem to follow at all.
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Interesting Analysis! Perhaps you are overlooking a given factor in the statement.
“If you have faith [in God], you will know that there is an afterlife.”
To make your statement follow accordingly, it should read:
“If you have faith [in Business], you will know that there is a job for every unemployed person.”
And of course, if you put your faith in money, you will fail!

I like to think of the concept like this:
I know of five different theories that validate the existence of God (Aquinas’ Theories).
I know the Greatest Commandment is the only philosophy to instantly and eternally obtain and spread the greatest peace, happiness, and energy, which validates the Word of Jesus, The Bible, and His Church.
Therefore, without tangible proof of the afterlife, I know, through unchangeable faith, it exists.
 
Amen Jochoa! thats it exactly. And cho pilo, the faith that you need to have is in God and Hid Holy Word. So no it wont help in finding a job.
 
buffalo said:
how it is possible for two people to examine the same data and come up with vastly different interpretations.
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That would be true if both of those people would be naive realists in their outlook.

I contend that theists and atheists are not examining “the same evidence” and that they are not epistemic peers.

I think theists have a lot more or different evidence than the atheists; but the theists are not being accurate in what they list as “evidence” and they leave out many things when they talk to other people; things that may actually be crucial to the theistic faith.
 
Our Blessed Mother has appeared and asked for prayers for those in Purgatory.

There’s some evidence for the after life (along with the Bible and Church Teaching).
 
Too late on my end to get involved in a philosophical debate on this and the place of faith. I read D’Souza’s book awhile back I think but I thought I’d post a link to ABC Nightline which did a program on near-death experiences. I though it interesting because Bob Woodruff, an ABC anchor and a fellow I recall being injured severely covering the Iraq War, was fascinated by what happened to him on death’s doorstep and interviews others. Just posting for those who haven’t seen it.
(p.s. I remember reading Hans Kung also dealing with this subject).

Have a look here: it’s in several parts should anyone be interested and, of course, it does not “prove” an afterlife.

abcnews.go.com/nightline/beyondbelief
 
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