What if there was no afterlife?

Suppose someone proved there was no afterlife how would this affect you, I don't mean regarding your beliefs as such, but would it make you more fearful of death?

i don't think it would make me any less or more afraid of death.. i think losing someone would just be amplified

I'm not sure. Hmmm...I don't think it would make me more afraid of death but it would probably change the way I live.

Hi Kaere that's an interesting thought, I suppose if we knew that this was all there was it could make a big difference to how we use this life.

I think if people knew this was all there is. They would probably be more reckless, and careless. Really what would they have to lose? Nothing really. They would probably do any and everything they ever wanted.
Some may become fearful of death. Thinking they haven't done enough, or that family and friends are gone forever.

Hello
NO death is just that death. If there be nothing to go forth to so be it really. Would it change in now I do things or live one's life no as one leads life on that path one for most part want to if one sets and stays with clear goals and sets in realisic expectations.

First breath in starts the last breath out......


Lynn

This question is similar in nature to the one which asks if you'd only got 24 hours left before the world was destroyed, what would you do....?

Reasonably and logically there's not a single one who'd know. We can speculate all we like and it wouldn't be any more than that - pure speculation.

It's a relief, though, that we know that death isn't the end of us, no matter what we believe to be the shape or form of life in the so-called hereafter. Well, those of us who have any understanding, that is, more-or-less the regular contributors - the visitor/readers whose names we see in the member list but who rarely or never express themselves may not be persuaded as most of us are....

It's a relief, though, that we know that death isn't the end of us, no matter what we believe to be the shape or form of life in the so-called hereafter.

I totally agree mac it would make life that much harder if this was all there was.

I don't know if I could handle it...If someone proved that there was nothing beyond this life I would be scared beyond scared should go. I don't know what's out there, I don't know if the afterlife will be peaceful and calming or if it will be a place worse than hell. But if this was it...If this was the one chance we had and after this it was just darkness and empty space I would go insane. But then again...why would we live through so much and experience so many spiritual things if alls we had to look forward to was a void?

I don't have a specific "God" or any idea of Heaven or any afterlife for that matter but I need, or maybe just want there to be something more. An epilogue to my life story, if you will.

I don't have a specific "God" or any idea of Heaven or any afterlife for that matter but I need, or maybe just want there to be something more. An epilogue to my life story, if you will.

I totally get you on this, it's like 'what would be the point'.

Exactly!

Fortunately, I know there is an Afterlife as I've spoken to the people who live there. It's not a question of belief.

If there was no afterlife,then there would be nothing at all to live for,would there,we would live our lives with no purpose.

Joanie

Nobody can prove there is no afterlife as it's impossible to prove a negative but, supposing they could, I would live in perpetual grief---for the total loss of my parents and my husband. I would mourn for the children I would not see again after I die and my fear of death would take on gigantic new proportions.

Viking wrote:Nobody can prove there is no afterlife as it's impossible to prove a negative but, supposing they could, I would live in perpetual grief---for the total loss of my parents and my husband. I would mourn for the children I would not see again after I die and my fear of death would take on gigantic new proportions.

But,I always say,Viking,there has to be a purpose for our life here on earth,so there must be a reason to live.

True, Viking, it is impossible to prove a negative.
But as there is an Afterlife all speculation about 'what if' is pointless.
Life (or energy if you prefer) cannot be destroyed - it can only change its form.

If we had the absolute certainty that there was nothing after death, then everyone would strive always to improve his own life, in the knowledge that it's all he'll have and he needs to make the most of it, even probably at the cost of others. Material things would become more important.
We would lose hope.
It would be hard to bear trouble and strife since we would no longer believe that it's a learning curve that will elevate us spiritually and take us to a better place after death.
Even though our bodies would break down and be recycled by the Earth we, our essential selves, would have disappeared.
If we knew there would be no afterlife on a conscious level where we would still interact with loved ones and progress spiritually, then life would lose it's aim and purpose.
There may indeed be nothing of our awareness left after death, but we need to believe that there is. This belief lifts our hearts, in particular when times are tough, it helps us overcome our grief when loved ones pass away and leave us bereft. It makes our life's journey worthwhile.
Without at least the belief in an afterlife, surely there would be anarchy, chaos and despair?

So science tells us, Zerdini, but it's not that simple for me. When the body decomposes or is cremated, it changes form. That doesn't mean it does so again into spirit form. Do you see my predicament? I have not had any of your wonderful experiences. That makes it hard for me to accept, without question, that spirit exists. If you had not had what is your proof, what would you think? I know that is an impossible question to answer but I ask it to try to show you where I'm at in all this. You don't know how much I wish it to be true. The hope alone keeps me from despair but I can't pretend to myself . That would be foolish.It doesn't help that I live in a remote place where there are no mediums. The ones I have consulted down south have all been poor in detail. Even the 2 I saw at the SAGB were hopeless, giving me info that meant nothing to me, info that was plain wrong and info that was so vague it could have been taken by most people. It was so bad that it has increased my doubts instead of banishing them.I've read 60---70 books on this topic over the last 5 years. I don't know what else I can do, frankly.

do you see yourself as your body viking? to me my mind is quite separate from my body. the body hopefully will fulfil its part in the life cycle, my mind and spirit do something else..i like to think.
i've always believed in an afterlife or whatever you call it, even before experiences. you could say i was conditioned to..it just made sense to me that all these awful things that happen had to be for a purpoise. too why would humans evolve to have intellect beyond survival needs, and a conscience, guilt etc?
i don't agree that ppl who don't believe in anything would be materialistic. i've found some of these to be the kindest, most decent and pleasant people. religious people usually just justify their shi£!y actions by having god on their side! so many atrocities committed in the name of the glorified one, and against the unbeliever. alot of religious people live like the sanitized version of themselves; who they think their god wants them to be, and for my money that sucks just a bit as well. i'm happy if they don't commit crimes, but there is something a bit stepford about them.
part of me would love no after life, coz this reincarnation/ ascension/ evolving thing is getting tired from here. on the other hand, i've done a lot of things to improve things for others and their development at great personal cost, so that would suck big time. worst of all, i only live because i think i would hurt some irreparably by leaving, and it would pee me off if that was going nowhere too.

I agree about a lot of religious people. I see myself as a physical being with a brain that causes me to be who I am in terms of values, traits, interactions, memories etc. If my brain were to be altered by eg a stroke, I would not be the same person any more. That doesn't encourage me to think something else other that the brain makes me who I am.

the brain is the medium for the expression of mind, and it's true if one area is restricted/ stimulated through illness, then the personality can be altered. i see this as a new opportunity for a look atwho we are from a new view point. you may enjoy watching videos of jill bolte taylor and reading her book, "my stroke of insight" she is a harvard brain doctor.
i guess i've witnessed two people communicating despite, brain dying/ death, so its easier for me to see the distinction. i hears ya.

sparkly wrote:i don't agree that ppl who don't believe in anything would be materialistic. i've found some of these to be the kindest, most
decent and pleasant people.

My post disappeared, have to write it again. Sigh...
Thanks for putting that point straight, sparkly. I was writing generally and agree that there are a lot of 'non-religious' people who dedicate their lives to others with no thought for personal gain.
Thankfully there are many good-hearted folk out there prepared to put themselves out to preserve the Earth and make it a better place for those who occupy it.

Viking wrote:So science tells us, Zerdini, but it's not that simple for me. When the body decomposes or is cremated, it changes form. That doesn't mean it does so again into spirit form. Do you see my predicament? I have not had any of your wonderful experiences. That makes it hard for me to accept, without question, that spirit exists. If you had not had what is your proof, what would you think? I know that is an impossible question to answer but I ask it to try to show you where I'm at in all this. You don't know how much I wish it to be true. The hope alone keeps me from despair but I can't pretend to myself . That would be foolish.It doesn't help that I live in a remote place where there are no mediums. The ones I have consulted down south have all been poor in detail. Even the 2 I saw at the SAGB were hopeless, giving me info that meant nothing to me, info that was plain wrong and info that was so vague it could have been taken by most people. It was so bad that it has increased my doubts instead of banishing them.I've read 60---70 books on this topic over the last 5 years. I don't know what else I can do, frankly.

Indeed I do see your predicament, Viking. I'll try to deal with the points you raise as simply as I can.
When a body is cremated it doesn't change into a spirit form - that is not possible.
You are already a spirit form temporarily living in a physical body and attached by what the Bible calls a 'silver cord' similar to the umbilical cord which joins the mother to her baby. When that cord is severed the baby then starts an independent life.
Similarly when the 'silver cord' is severed through natural means, or accident, the spiritual body is released to live full-time in the spiritual world.
The difference is that when you sleep the 'silver cord', the lifeline to the body, can stretch as far as is necessary to enable you to visit the next world which you will inhabit after the death of the physical body. This is to help you to become familiar with the afterlife so that it will not be a shock to you when you eventually pass over.
It's true that my experiences over fifty-odd years have convinced me that life is continuous but I do not expect you to accept them or others' experiences. You can only go by your own.
I am sorry to hear that your experiences have not, to put it mildly, been of the best.
My first experience was with a Scottish medium from Edinburgh who, as far as I can tell, had a unique gift of mediumship.
When she demonstrated in public and also in private sittings you could hear the spirit voices talking to her. I thought all mediums were like that!
Sadly, I found it wasn't so although, in my lifetime, I have come across some exceptional mental and physical mediums. They have all passed on but I still occasionally hear from them.
I don't know what books you've read but there are literally hundreds of books dealing with mediumship and survival - some very good and some absolute rubbish. It depends what aspect of the subject you are most interested in.
I wish you well in your search.

Are there any books you would particularly recommend, zerdini?

Yes I have read about the silver cord and, I think, most aspects of the spiritual. I am familiar with the notion of dimensions etc etc. What I lack is my proof. The desire for it is strong so what am I doing wrong? Am I not advanced enough to be at that stage? Even if I'm not, you'd think I would get evidence from mediums. Our family was very close and my Dad especially read as much as he could about spirit. You'd think he would come and give me a message. One medium at the SAGB mentioned him and then ruined it by saying Dad was keen on wrestling. Nothing could be further from the truth. He was a gentle soul who lived for his family and his classical music which he played in the living room of our home. Wrestling?? No way!!