All you people who believe in life after death...

But that was my original point: Some of us who believe in life after death do not believe in a soul.

 

If something lives on after death, what else could that something be other than what we refer to as a soul?

 

I didn't say that something lives on after death. That's your interpretation based on your own beliefs. I don't believe that.

What is it that provides continuity from one moment to the next during life? It isn't anything physical, like cells or molecules, because we have already established that they are ephemeral.

Those who believe in souls will call it the soul, but giving it a name only reinforces the illusion that there is something. Take away the name, and you cannot point to anything to which the word soul refers. Because there isn't anything.

So if there is nothing providing continuity during life, but we experience it anyway, why should it be a problem if there is continuity after death? There is no need to use the word "soul".

The word "soul" (or any synonym, like "something that lives on after death") is as insubstantial as the "it" in the sentence "It is raining". It doesn't refer to anything.

Not believing in a soul doesn't prevent one from believing in life after death any more than it prevents one from believing in life before death.

 

What you say about souls is not far from my own opinion as well, although I don't really have a problem with the use of the word to cover a "non-something". The problem I have is that our experiencing continuity is a process based upon ephemeral existence. After all, isn't it the memory that provides continuity? I experience one event and store that experience in my memory, then a second event which goes next to it with a space between them which we call time. Unless that continues after death, I don't see a possibility for the continuation of life.

 

i think after death new life is begine.

 

"Awareness." You are always "aware," even in your sleep. You may not be conscious of things and situations at times, but you are always "aware," regardless. "Awareness" and being conscious are two different concepts. One is your essence; the other pertains to your mental processes. In the end, our "awareness" will get erased when we merge with God. The God Mode will instantly switch on. And then, one is all alone in an Infinite Void. It's the reason why God is one and full of love.

 

Does that mean that a person with amnesia is dead?

If your world view is such that you associate life and consciousness with the physical processes, then your conclusion is inevitable. It's just not the only world view.

Another is that consciousness is caused by the accumulated chain of cause and effect. The association of effects with their causes gives the appearance of continuity. And since effects can occur after the death of the perpetrator of the cause, there is no problem extending continuity over death.

 

According to dictionary dot com, energy is "the capacity for vigorous activity," and "an adequate or abundant amount of such power." Therefore, energy is measurable. On the other hand, the reality that moves us is none of the above. It is "no-thing." It's not even light, but yet, it is, just is. It's certainly not a spirit. It's not alcohol, gas, or some ephemeral thing. To experience it at its subtle best, one must "awaken." It's the only way to dispel all doubts. I respect, however, your belief system.

 

I'm not sure how that follows from what I said. I didn't mean to say the memory is the life in the body, ignoring the entire physiology.

I had trouble understanding this part, maybe because I misunderstood what you meant by 'continuity'. What would be the cause you are talking about in this case?

 

Everything you do is a cause for some effect. No act is without consequences.

People do things while alive whose effects only ripen after they die. Young people experience effects whose causes were set up before they were conceived. Pretty much everything we experience is an effect created by a cause somewhere in the past.

The fact that causes and effects are linked in a perpetual web is the continuity I was referring to.

 

Keith:

But life itself provides continuity during life.


The only "after-life" we ever have is eachother. It's conceivable that we may yet learn how to stick around. : D

 

I agree that our actions have consequences, but did the young people, who are experiencing the effects now, take part in creating these effects from previous lives (as in past lives) since you mentioned, "...whose effects only ripen after they die"?

 

Energy Can Not be destroyed, I and everybody else am energy!

 

Are you sure about that? My essence is not an energy.

 

I am about the energy thing. I dont know about your essence ha ha. I believe in karma and pasts lives, so im sure shit will happen after I die. I look forward to exploring the otherside.

 

If you are sure, why do you need belief?

 

Yes.

 

How do you know there's something to explore on the other side? Has somebody told you that, or have you read about it? How do you (personally) define "karma"? Since I gave you a couple of definitions, what is energy to you since you insist it's what you are? And since you think you are energy, why would "shit" happen to you (because you wouldn't have a body after you die)? Do you think that some kind of "fire" from hell would hurt you, diminish your "spirit"?

I am, however, all for your enthusiasm about your "spiritual" adventure because I believe that you, alone, is your teacher, no matter how much truth in what people tell you. When one is not ready, nothing else matters, except one's so-called belief system.

 

I know of the consequences of our current actions, but I find they could only relate to the current timeframe. Since I have no way of proving to myself the accrued consequences of my past-lives deeds, I could only go by what the moment-to-moment "script" has given me, in the "now." This in-the-present "script" dictates the majority of my current reactions. The "script" is the reality maker that never stops dictating while one is "aware." I am not saying, however, that you're wrong. Right or wrong, on the other hand, the "script" will pump out its stories, non-stop, regardless. It's beyond our control. Besides, we have no control. If surrender is a form of control, then it wouldn't be called as such.

 

Well thanks i guess i mean you can bitch about what karma is, or what Spirits are, but you are thinking with your earthbound brain! you wont know noone will know til they die. So i can only belief in something til that time comes. I could be wrong you can be wrong noone can prove it so quit acting like you know shit about this.