Halloqueen
Senior Member
I'd consider myself agnostic, so I'm of two minds on it.
My primary expectation, and what I would personally hope would be the case, is that we simply cease to be. I don't fear that since, lacking a consciousness at that point, there would be nothing to be afraid of because "you" ended already. It seems scary initially since all we know is existence and, thus, non-existence is somewhat difficult for some to comprehend, but to me it seems peaceful and something to look forward to.
There's a possibility that I don't discount that there might be something afterward though.
As I was raised in the church (before leaving organized religion) and live in the United States where Christian beliefs are a big thing, my most thoroughly conceptualized version of the afterlife is Heaven. If that's how it is, fine, but I'm not really a big fan of the idea and my perspective on humanity and the world doesn't make the "reward" all that enticing. I didn't ask to be made and don't particularly like that I was born just to die someday. I've had a bummer of a life in a number of regards but I also know that it's quite cushy compared to many, so the popular notion that life is a "gift" doesn't really resonate with me.
All this said, I acknowledge that in the grand scheme of things this possibility doesn't necessarily hold that much more weight compared to others since the world is a vast, diverse place and each of our experiences and the environments in which we all are raised paint how we see the world and I just so happened to be exposed to this specific one.
(PS: Not looking to get into a debate in the thread about Christianity if anyone's bothered or wants further discussion. Feel free to contact me personally if you feel so inclined I guess, but I'm just stating my own perspective like anyone else has and will, so yeah. No offense inherently intended toward anyone, it was half clarifying/half venting and by the nature of the country I'm in Christianity gives me more to talk about because I've been exposed to it more.)
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On that note, because of how big of a factor Christianity is and always has been in the fabric of American society since the country was colonized, my exposure and the exposure others have received of other possible alternatives are vastly limited in comparison.
Reincarnation seems like one of the worst outcomes because you have to come back to Earth, but at least you don't remember your previous existence, I guess. Then again, from what I've seen, it seems some of the people that believe in reincarnation as a concept see it as something you should want to escape from through living a virtuous life, which is pretty nice.
Some people say it's all just a simulation. It sounds ridiculous on its face and like some tech geeks just too wrapped up in their work but hey, option's there.
Ghosts would be cool but I'm not one to believe in their existence.
LambdaDelta could well be right that it's nothing like anything humans have conceptualized.
But to finish things off and get back to my previous point about ceasing to be, I don't know why I should want to exist in some afterlife. Life on Earth is exhausting enough. Ceasing to be sounds the most optimal.
My primary expectation, and what I would personally hope would be the case, is that we simply cease to be. I don't fear that since, lacking a consciousness at that point, there would be nothing to be afraid of because "you" ended already. It seems scary initially since all we know is existence and, thus, non-existence is somewhat difficult for some to comprehend, but to me it seems peaceful and something to look forward to.
There's a possibility that I don't discount that there might be something afterward though.
As I was raised in the church (before leaving organized religion) and live in the United States where Christian beliefs are a big thing, my most thoroughly conceptualized version of the afterlife is Heaven. If that's how it is, fine, but I'm not really a big fan of the idea and my perspective on humanity and the world doesn't make the "reward" all that enticing. I didn't ask to be made and don't particularly like that I was born just to die someday. I've had a bummer of a life in a number of regards but I also know that it's quite cushy compared to many, so the popular notion that life is a "gift" doesn't really resonate with me.
I often think about all the terrible stuff that has occurred throughout human history, continues to occur, and will continue for so long as humans exist and, in particular, I think back sometimes to a picture of kids in concentration camps and I don't see how life was some gift for them.
I have people I love and cherish and enjoy in my life, but at the same time if given the choice I'd sooner opt either to just be an animal or preferably not to exist in the first place because human existence is a bother and, if this afterlife is true, I have to conform to the arbitrary rules of a creator because the decision to exist was forced on me, lest I face punishment. I choose instead to do good of my own accord to limit suffering and increase well-being in the world and if that is insufficient, so be it. So yeah, Heaven, not really pumped about the idea and I sometimes feel like if it exists and I was found worthy then I'd probably just debate the point and ask to go back to being dead after seeing how humanity has conducted itself with the teachings (and, frankly, some of the teachings in the first place just causing strife by their nature).
And yes, people who have done awful things wouldn't be in Heaven, but to go on more about that would make this wall of text on an Animal Crossing forum even longer and I didn't want to go on this long in the first place.
I have people I love and cherish and enjoy in my life, but at the same time if given the choice I'd sooner opt either to just be an animal or preferably not to exist in the first place because human existence is a bother and, if this afterlife is true, I have to conform to the arbitrary rules of a creator because the decision to exist was forced on me, lest I face punishment. I choose instead to do good of my own accord to limit suffering and increase well-being in the world and if that is insufficient, so be it. So yeah, Heaven, not really pumped about the idea and I sometimes feel like if it exists and I was found worthy then I'd probably just debate the point and ask to go back to being dead after seeing how humanity has conducted itself with the teachings (and, frankly, some of the teachings in the first place just causing strife by their nature).
And yes, people who have done awful things wouldn't be in Heaven, but to go on more about that would make this wall of text on an Animal Crossing forum even longer and I didn't want to go on this long in the first place.
(PS: Not looking to get into a debate in the thread about Christianity if anyone's bothered or wants further discussion. Feel free to contact me personally if you feel so inclined I guess, but I'm just stating my own perspective like anyone else has and will, so yeah. No offense inherently intended toward anyone, it was half clarifying/half venting and by the nature of the country I'm in Christianity gives me more to talk about because I've been exposed to it more.)
---
On that note, because of how big of a factor Christianity is and always has been in the fabric of American society since the country was colonized, my exposure and the exposure others have received of other possible alternatives are vastly limited in comparison.
Reincarnation seems like one of the worst outcomes because you have to come back to Earth, but at least you don't remember your previous existence, I guess. Then again, from what I've seen, it seems some of the people that believe in reincarnation as a concept see it as something you should want to escape from through living a virtuous life, which is pretty nice.
Some people say it's all just a simulation. It sounds ridiculous on its face and like some tech geeks just too wrapped up in their work but hey, option's there.
Ghosts would be cool but I'm not one to believe in their existence.
LambdaDelta could well be right that it's nothing like anything humans have conceptualized.
But to finish things off and get back to my previous point about ceasing to be, I don't know why I should want to exist in some afterlife. Life on Earth is exhausting enough. Ceasing to be sounds the most optimal.
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