If you knew for a fact that life ceased to exist after death, how would you live your life now?

[Anna_Scott]

as i write this a mortar was just shot down, that was coming my way. death is not just theory or conjecture with me. it is always a present possibility. let me just say, i would do nothing different. even if there was nothing after this life, i am still responsible for my fellow brothers and sisters here. even if it was all over for myself, i would hope i would be able to make it so these young people i serve with would continue to enjoy their life. just had another mortar shot down, wow, the adversary is active tonight. thank God for big guns! peace and love for all here. gonna be a long night. think im gonna pray the rosary. night all, will let you know how it turns out. peace

Soldier Benidict,
I am sending up extra prayers for you. We have no idea what you endure day after day serving our country.

May God’s peace, protection, and blessings cover you all this night and always,
Anna

 

[benidict]

Soldier Benidict,
I am sending up extra prayers for you. We have no idea what you endure day after day serving our country.

May God’s peace, protection, and blessings cover you all this night and always,
Anna

thank you Dear Sister Anna. i will rest easy with that thought. i think their done. they only shot off two. im going to pray the rosary, and go to sleep tonight. thx much for the extra prayers. lots of young people here i worry about. i think this is the first time weve ever conversed during an attack? your prayers mean more than you know! ive said it before and ill say it again. the prayers of a Texan availeth much. its in the bible…really…ill send you a quick message tommorow if my internet is up Anna. thanx again Christ love be upon you. your brother in Christ Benedict

 

[Friar_David_O.Carm]

Lets say, it was a proven fact that there was no god, no after life, no anything. That when we die, the party is over and lights are out.

How would you live your life differently? I know we all (well, for most members on this board) know that this isn’t the case, but what if it was? How would you live your life different or would it be any different than how you live it now?

I would be a good person as is written upon my heart. But it is the natural law that is written upon my heart by God. So without God to do that for me I have no way to answer this question.

I would also ask, how could we know this as a proven fact?

This is why hypothetical questions are really useless as they can never be that is why they are hypothetical.

 

[Anna_Scott]

thank you Dear Sister Anna. i will rest easy with that thought. i think their done. they only shot off two. im going to pray the rosary, and go to sleep tonight. thx much for the extra prayers. lots of young people here i worry about. i think this is the first time weve ever conversed during an attack? your prayers mean more than you know! ive said it before and ill say it again. the prayers of a Texan availeth much. its in the bible…really…ill send you a quick message tommorow if my internet is up Anna. thanx again Christ love be upon you. your brother in Christ Benedict

Yes, it is the first time we’ve had a conversation during an attack. I can’t bear the thought of it, so I have to put you in God’s hands and protection. You may trip over a few angels tonight. I’m praying for an army of them to protect you all.

Anna

 

[Sufjon]

as i write this a mortar was just shot down, that was coming my way. death is not just theory or conjecture with me. it is always a present possibility. let me just say, i would do nothing different. even if there was nothing after this life, i am still responsible for my fellow brothers and sisters here. even if it was all over for myself, i would hope i would be able to make it so these young people i serve with would continue to enjoy their life. just had another mortar shot down, wow, the adversary is active tonight. thank God for big guns! peace and love for all here. gonna be a long night. think im gonna pray the rosary. night all, will let you know how it turns out. peace

I pray for your safety my friend Benedict, and that peace will be the outcome of your hard work.

Your friend
Sufjon

 

[snowflakes]

I would be a good person as is written upon my heart. But it is the natural law that is written upon my heart by God. So without God to do that for me I have no way to answer this question. .

you did answer the question. Read what you wrote. *** I would be a good person as is written upon my heart.***

I would also ask, how could we know this as a proven fact?

Since it’s a hypothetical question, I will say hypothetically NASA some how found out and was able to prove life didn’t exist after death. I don’t know how they did because I didn’t watch the entire press conference. Hypothetically.

But realistically, The fact is, life after death isn’t proven or disproven scientifically. It’s proven that the earth is round and that is accepted all around the world. But as far as life after death, It’s only faith that people have that life exists after death and to those who believe, that’s the proof they need. I have faith that life exists after death that’s all the proof I need. Person down the street doesn’t believe life goes on. I can’t prove life goes on and he can’t prove life stops when the heart stops beating. How do you prove so they can’t deny life after death is real? How can they prove to me that life doesn’t go on? There is no scientific proof on either side.

This is why hypothetical questions are really useless as they can never be that is why they are hypothetical.

No, they aren’t useless. This is where you are absolutely wrong on this. This hypothetical question shows how god influence our daily lives. It shows how we would be if he didn’t exist. It shows a persons true moral character and it makes them aware of who they truely are deep down. It makes them ask if they are living their life to be on god’s side or if they are living their life the way they do because that’s what they really believe is the right way to live. One person said they would steal if they knew life didn’t exist beyond death. Maybe this question brought it to their attention to look into their life deeper of why they feel stealing is okay if they knew life didn’t go on.

This hypothetical question made me realize my faults and I am trying to work on those. And I am asking myself why would I do xyz if I knew life didn’t go on. Am I being on the up and up just to be on god’s good side? If that’s the case, then this isn’t the real me and I am just trying to impress god. This hypothetical question is a very good question that can make someone really think of who their true self really is about.

 

[snowflakes]

as i write this a mortar was just shot down, that was coming my way. death is not just theory or conjecture with me. it is always a present possibility. let me just say, i would do nothing different. even if there was nothing after this life, i am still responsible for my fellow brothers and sisters here. even if it was all over for myself, i would hope i would be able to make it so these young people i serve with would continue to enjoy their life. just had another mortar shot down, wow, the adversary is active tonight. thank God for big guns! peace and love for all here. gonna be a long night. think im gonna pray the rosary. night all, will let you know how it turns out. peace

Benidict, my prayers are with you. May god bless you, hold you and protect you.

Much love and peace to you

 

[Miriam1947]

Lets say, it was a proven fact that there was no god, no after life, no anything. That when we die, the party is over and lights are out.

How would you live your life differently? I know we all (well, for most members on this board) know that this isn’t the case, but what if it was? How would you live your life different or would it be any different than how you live it now?

Great question!

I probably would live my life as I did before I was baptized into the Catholic Church.

I was a pretty good person, I didn’t deliberately hurt anyone. Though obviously throughout a longish life I have.

The parable about the workers in the field fits my life. I came into the Church later in life but received the whole day’s pay. Baptism. Sins forgiven. The most awesome thing on earth and in Heaven.

But, I really didn’t know what sin is. I do now.

 

[Friar_David_O.Carm]

you did answer the question. Read what you wrote. *** I would be a good person as is written upon my heart.***

But it is written upon my heart as the natural law which is written by God.

So I can not even imagine a world without the presence of God.

We are made in His image, without Him we would not be what we are.

 

[PbloPicasso]

Seeing as after we die we wouldn’t exist to care, I would download illegal music, films, steal, judge others, not care about war if it doesn’t affect me etc… and have a physical relationship with my boyfriend

And I would with you. We could have a Roman Empire party. Greek? Toga Party.

Truth is I’d probably become a hitman. I already have at least 25 free first hits. Then I would tell my wife I want out, dump my children and probably eliminate or become a terrorist. After that, I find the easiest way to end my life and thank God its over…

Ah, but that’s why I’m not this evel. The only good in me is the good that God puts in me. Therefore, I choose to believe so I don’t go down that path. I know of quite a few church leaders that would make the top of my list. As I’ve said before, I was abused. But Jesus makes me whole.

Yes. I know it sounds bad.

 

[DanteAlighieri]

By the way, the law of government would still apply, so if you steal and get caught, you would go to jail.

Thanks for the replies! it’s really interesting to see how god affects us to do things differently because we answer to him. As compared to how we would do things differently if we didn’t have god to answer to.

But in this hypothetical, there is no arbiter of justice. By what authority would the government have the right to deem anyone’s actions criminal? I could then deem the government illegitimate, because why would my judgment count for less than that of politicians and police?

Your hypothetical is far too simplistic. One cannot simply remove God from the equation and assume that everything else holds its form. God, being the source of justice and charity, imbues human institutions with His authority. As Christ said, government would have no authority were it not for the fact that God wills it so. Thus, attempting to measure a man’s morality in such a hypothetical is not only impossible, it is also pointless since there would be no objective standard by which to measure it. The world would devolve into anarchic relativism in which no man has the right to say another man’s actions are wrong, and everyone would live according to selfish whim.

Peace,
Dante

 

[snowflakes]

Your hypothetical is far too simplistic. One cannot simply remove God from the equation and assume that everything else holds its form.

Not true, there would always be law. There are a lot of atheists in goverment and they create and abide by the law.

God, being the source of justice and charity, imbues human institutions with His authority. As Christ said, government would have no authority were it not for the fact that God wills it so. Thus, attempting to measure a man’s morality in such a hypothetical is not only impossible, it is also pointless since there would be no objective standard by which to measure it. The world would devolve into anarchic relativism in which no man has the right to say another man’s actions are wrong, and everyone would live according to selfish whim.

Peace,
Dante

Hypothetically, yes you can remove god from the equation and have law and order. You are going by what god said but hypothetically, if god didn’t exist, then what he said wouldn’t exist so you don’t really know how things would play out with the goverment. Did you know the government is in talks (or was in talks, I don’t know what is going on with that) about removing the “in god we trust” from money ? Church and state is seperated and the goverment is trying to force that more. There will always be laws because even an atheist would want laws to protect themselves from criminals. Law makers don’t want to be killed or stolen from whether they believe in god or not. There are many atheists in goverment that believe in creating and inforcing the law and they don’t even believe in god.

If it was true, and law and government existed only because of god, and in your quote "As Christ said, government would have no authority were it not for the fact that God wills it so.
Then it must be god’s will for goverment to protect the rights of woman by giving them the right to choose to have an abortion. So all those prochoicers had the right idea after all after all these years since 1973 when the goverment overturned roe vs wade which is considered the biggest mass murders ever brought to the world in many people’s eyes.

See why I am saying your statement doesn’t make sense? By the way, I love the way you end your posts with peace, it makes me feel good.

Listen, I believe in god, there were years I didn’t but even when I didn’t I still knew right from wrong and I never in a million years would of stole from someone knowing that in some situations I no doubt would of never got caught. So, when I didn’t believe in god, I still would of took a government position and inforced and created laws to help protect my fellow brothers and sisters.

 

[Friar_David_O.Carm]

Not true, there would always be law. There are a lot of atheists in goverment and they create and abide by the law.

Right, but regardless of these atheists beliefs, they do so with power that is given by God.

It does not matter what they believe to be true, what matters is what is True.

Just as I said, I can not answer what I would be like without God’s existence because without Him there would be no natural law written on my heart.

There would be no basis for morality, for right and wrong, for government, it all comes from God.

It just can’t be done.

 

[snowflakes]

There would be no basis for morality, for right and wrong, for government, it all comes from God.

It just can’t be done.

Yes it can because if you are right and if that is the case and all morality and right and wrong for the government is from god, then why is abortion allowed to be legal? If it’s all by god, then why did god give them the power to legalize abortion since 1973 and on going? Abortion is considered the biggest mass murder in the history of the world in many people’s eyes. Why is abortion an exception to the rule? This is why I believe you are wrong. No offense to you, I just want to make that clear.

 

[Friar_David_O.Carm]

Yes it can because if you are right and if that is the case and all morality and right and wrong for the government is from god, then why is abortion allowed to be legal? If it’s all by god, then why did god give them the power to legalize abortion since 1973 and on going? Abortion is considered the biggest mass murder in the history of the world. Why is abortion an exception to the rule? This is why I believe you are wrong.

This is because of the fallen nature of man. All power comes from God. What we do with it is another matter. Just because something is from God does not make it perfect especially when fall man is involved.

By the way, what I and Dante have stated is what the Church Teaches. You can look it up in the Catechism.

 

[snowflakes]

This is because of the fallen nature of man. All power comes from God. What we do with it is another matter. Just because something is from God does not make it perfect especially when fall man is involved. .

yes, I believe god gave man free choice. I still believe even if god didn’t exist there would be laws because the law makers don’t want to be stolen from or murdered. Laws prevent people (or most people, not all) from doing things that can harm others. It sets order.

I think this is where we can agree to disagree. But I understand what you are saying, that you can’t picture life without god so you can’t really answer this hypothetical question, I respect that… I can understand why some people can’t answer this question because god is still in their eyes when they view this question and they are going by what he said. Just like dante said, he stated what god said that he has influence over the government, but I am going by if god didn’t exist therefore god would of not said that he influeced government. So, if that’s the case, we really can’t say that there would be or not be law and order. But yes, I know what you are saying. I do believe in god and that he does have influence, but I am thinking of the “what if life didn’t have god”. Not that I believe that is the case.

By the way, what I and Dante have stated is what the Church Teaches. You can look it up in the Catechism.

Yes, I don’t deny it’s there, I am just going by the “what if life was like… or what if god wasn’t real…”.

This thread really helped me look inside myself believe it or not. I was very interested in the replies.

 

[FaithJoy]

First of all, I would say the world would be different. The world would be all communist rule, little freedom. Having said that, I wouldn’t be a very good person I’m sure.

 

[benidict]

appreciate all your prayers folks. still here. its a holiday over here, so its kill the unbeliever time…that would be us. we have a shirt that has a soldier with a rifle on it, kinda set up like the major league baseball logo. instead it says “major leauge infidel” on it! lol! you baseball fans will know what im talking about. again. thx for your prayers. just glad we are fighiting them here, than in our streets back home. also pray for the innocent Muslims and Christians over here, who want nothing to do with the violence, and are just trying to eek out a living to feed their families. Sufjon, i think you would be very familiar with this. Peace and prayers for all of you too.

 

[ryanoneil]

If the OP was reality, immortality would amount to leaving behind offspring and a legacy that would last. I’d have a large family and try to be the guy that was missed when he was gone, instead of the one who’s name is cursed.

 

[Publisher]

Friends believe in living a good life in the here and now…with no thought of what “rewards” we will be receiving in the “here after”…the “here after” will take care of itself…this life is what is important as it is the one I currently share with all of you.