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

[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?

 

[LilyM]

Ah, but we’re not just dirt! We stopped being that when God breathed His own spirit into Adam’s nostrils. And we’re even less ‘just dirt’ when His own son ennobled humanity by taking on humanity Himself.

 

[itullian]

Ah, but we’re not just dirt! We stopped being that when God breathed His own spirit into Adam’s nostrils. And we’re even less ‘just dirt’ when His own son ennobled humanity by taking on humanity Himself.

I love you Lily. Your a wonder. I wish…

 

[Pfaffenhoffen]

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?

aS Jesus ressurrected, so do we.
for sure.

 

[fhansen]

The resurrection is one of the core and most crucial of Christian beliefs-without it the faith is pretty much worthless.

1**2 But if it is preached that Christ has been raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? 13 If there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. 14 And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith. 15 More than that, we are then found to be false witnesses about God, for we have testified about God that he raised Christ from the dead. But he did not raise him if in fact the dead are not raised. 16 For if the dead are not raised, then Christ has not been raised either. 17 And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins. 18 Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ are lost. 19 If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied. **1 Cor 15:12-19

**If the dead are not raised,
“Let us eat and drink,
for tomorrow we die.” **1 Cor 15:32

We can ask for faith -it’s a gift:

**24 Immediately the boy’s father exclaimed, “I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!” **Mark 9:24

 

[GEddie]

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?

Indeed!

But it is no more wonderful that HE can restore our seeing after our eyes roll back, than that HE could begin it in the first place

Like a priestly friend of mine said, “When God makes a Human Being, HE wants them to last for ever.”

We are called human beings because our incredible bodies are made from the “humus” of the ground. And humus is topsoil; it’s not strong or durable stuff. But as Saint Paul said, “There is a natural Body, and there is a Spiritual Body” (1 Corinthians 15). A new body for a new life. A new human skin to pour everlasting life into.

Your self identity or mind will be preserved because that makes you “you”.

God Bless and ICXC NIKA!

 

[JRKH]

I think that we all struggle with this at times. Especially when we are sick, or when we face the death of a loved one or some other great sorrow or trial comes on us.

We become like the man in the Gospel who says, “I believe! Help my unbelief.”

Truth is we live in a fantastic little corner of a fantastic universe full of fantastic and unbelievable and incomprehensible beauties and astounding structures shades and levels. The things that science has uncovered - or proposed as being possible or likely - things that can only leave us slack jawed and wide eyed as we try to wrap our heads around them - only adds to the wonder of God’s creation and the glorious possibilities in the next life.

That is my take on these things.

Yes we sometimes struggle to grasp and hold onto our hope. But our God is both Glorious and Loving. He has given us a great blessing and a greater hope. We must have faith in Him and Love Him and Trust Him.

All will be well.

Peace
James

 

[Sair]

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?

Why do these things mean nothing if your existence, as “you”, is temporal? The Catholic trappings are what you believe in, therefore they mean something to you right now, right? The stories we tell about ourselves are part of what gives us a sense of meaning and purpose in our own lives, even if this purpose and meaning ends when we die. Doesn’t make it any less significant or important while our lives last.

 

[ASimon]

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?

Actually, of all the claims that religions make, that life could continue after death is one of the easiest ones to believe for me.

 

[fhansen]

Actually, of all the claims that religions make, that life could continue after death is one of the easiest ones to believe for me.

The main purpose of the resurrection was simply to prove that fact, so that we don’t have to wonder. Does your allowance for the possibility of an afterlife make the resurrection potentially believable/possible to you as well then?

 

[ASimon]

The main purpose of the resurrection was simply to prove that fact, so that we don’t have to wonder. Does your allowance for the possibility of an afterlife make the resurrection potentially believable/possible to you as well then?

No, I take them as separate claims.

 

[TimothyH]

aS Jesus ressurrected, so do we.
for sure.

That’s it for me. The man walked out of his own grave. That makes him trustworthy.

And when it gets difficult, I do what the man in Mark’s Gospel did, I cry out…

“I do believe, help my unbelief!” (Mark 9:24)

-Tim-

 

[fhansen]

No, I take them as separate claims.

Well, yes, they’re separate claims. The one (the resurrection) simply claims to prove the other in practical terms.

 

[FurtherSuntime]

If we have infinite capabilities, the individual potential or self reality would have always existed. Something cannot begin and exist infinately, and then turn around and say here is the starting point. We must of always been, although in a sleeping or dormant consciousness…either that or theres no good reason outside of religion for the inifinite self question…problem is, all religion is rooted in reason so…its pretty hard not to realize things are being explained or prophesied in a parable form. Reliable? I think so for all we need to know. Curiosity is only a support system for the job, not the primary job. Were here more then likely getting a nice set of cloths to wear. Some anyway…I just had a terrible argument with a couple of violent alcoholics…they would be down to half skeleton only, never mind a nice shirt…sheesh

 

[Qoeleth]

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?

“Life after death”- of course, there is life after death. Not necessarily your life, though. It is all a mystery. Personally, I would be happy with non-existence after death- I think that would be pretty close to Heaven. Maybe this is what Heaven is But maybe Heaven is a great place, with gardens, rivers of wine, and virgins. It makes no difference to me- I would still follow Jesus- because He died for love of me.

 

[Julia_Mae]

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?

Right. IMO. The most important thing anyone ever learns is that life is eternal. Not after we die, right now. This is the part I know for sure.

I believe what we take, besides self-awareness, is knowledge and love. I believe the amount of the first we have and the amount of the second we do, determines on which step of the long stairway that leads to the Presence of God we land when we pass.

But knowing we never die is of paramount importance. I think Jesus went to a lot if trouble to make that clear to us.

 

[itullian]

i wish i could believe it.

 

[Julia_Mae]

i wish i could believe it.

Think about the things you do believe. Why do you believe them?

I think we believe things for only a few reasons. Experience is one: we believe because we experience it ourselves. Enculturation is another: most believe you should wait 30 minutes after you eat to go swimming so you don’t get cramps. “Everybody knows that.” Authority is another way we decide what to believe: the teacher says the sun is 96 million miles away, the test question is marked “wrong” if we don’t write that, so, we believe the sun is 96 million miles away.

But let’s say someone in a forum tells you that chimpanzees make tools. You don’t believe it. But the person is not an idiot, you don’t think, but still…

…so you go research it yourself.

So I’m wondering if you know why you have not come to belief. Eternal life is a fact, not a matter of faith. So is the phenomena of ice caps melting. So is the fact that Carbon Poker is rigged. But a lot of people don’t believe those things.

Maybe you need to research it for yourself.

 

[itullian]

Think about the things you do believe. Why do you believe them?

I think we believe things for only a few reasons. Experience is one: we believe because we experience it ourselves. Enculturation is another: most believe you should wait 30 minutes after you eat to go swimming so you don’t get cramps. “Everybody knows that.” Authority is another way we decide what to believe: the teacher says the sun is 96 million miles away, the test question is marked “wrong” if we don’t write that, so, we believe the sun is 96 million miles away.

But let’s say someone in a forum tells you that chimpanzees make tools. You don’t believe it. But the person is not an idiot, you don’t think, but still…

…so you go research it yourself.

So I’m wondering if you know why you have not come to belief. Eternal life is a fact, not a matter of faith. So is the phenomena of ice caps melting. So is the fact that Carbon Poker is rigged. But a lot of people don’t believe those things.

Maybe you need to research it for yourself.

a fact? how so?

 

[Julia_Mae]

a fact? how so?

Go find out.