Why believe in an afterlife?

Question

Well, there are a few other question about afterlife on here, but I'd like to ask one of my own. For information, I myself am agnostic. However, I have one friend who calls himself a "militant atheist" and another who is a Christian. We were discussing an afterlife, and the atheist pointed out that people want to believe in an afterlife because it is comforting to them; it is frightening to believe that nothing happens after you die. It's better to believe that you will have this wonderful eternal existence with all of your loved ones after life. My Christian friend basically agreed with this, and said that it was comforting for her to believe that after she dies, she'll be with her family again, etc.

My main question is: what is so scary about just dying? Personally, I'd be more frightened to believe in an afterlife because there's the chance of not going to heaven. But in any case, I don't understand why people want so badly to believe their is "life after death"?

EDIT:

I'd just like to clarify here. My question isn't really about whether there is or is not an afterlife. Fyi, I have read most of the bible as I was a member of the catholic church for most of my life. The isn't about my beliefs. I'm trying to ask why people find it frightening not to believe in an afterlife ...

Answer 1

Hey great question,
I am not sure anyone can give you a great answer. I think that life has taught us so much that our minds become overwhelmed and we choose either to shut down or push past it into a different level of existence. I believe many push forward - when we do this we open our minds to more possibilities which again reaches and overwhelmingly high level and forces us again to shut down or push forward. Each time opening our minds more open.
We become so knowledgable we feel the need to continue forever but by now we have reached either a point or age in our lives we begin to think about death - this is not a set age but more of a situation when we are forced into it.

True we become blind to think it could all just vanish away as quick as it came. we are always pushing to the next level and nw we start seeing more and more levels ahead. when we see that last level before us. No one wants to suffer and there is a possibility that we could even if within our own minds.
We look for ways to see if we can control that which we do not know. many times people vision ghost or spirits and their minds wonder is this a sign of life after death or is this a sign of a mad man. So our minds continue to think. Life after death can become burdensome and can worry many. I found through searching every form of spiritual enlightenment. From non believers to firm believiers. every kind of lifestyle and only found comfort in one lifestyle which I have been working on.
And that my friend is how I feel within myself - I do not lable myself a christain or anything for that matter - if anything I see myself as a child of God - I take from all walks of life what good I can find and I remove the bad - I determine not by a given religion but by what my own heart tells me. since I have done this I have noticed a change within myself - the feeling of knowing what I am doing grows stronger each day and the more I am convinced that I have choosen my path in life. I am forced by my own heart soul and mind to see an afterlife not because I fear death not because I fear hell but because I can see only good as my reward.
Doing this does not cause me any worry and I believe thats how it should feel. If there is no life after death what harm have I done and if there is then I have done good and can push on to that finally level. But while I am alive this life has given me a great feeling and isnt that what we all are after anyway?

Answer 2

I am neither scared of dying or living on after death . but i have had my own personal experiences of an after life , so I'm quite happy in that knowledge in fact cant wait ( but all in good time ) the evidence i have personally received doesn't suggest in any way that ill be going to a hell type place so that's another plus ..
the reason i wouldn't fear death if i had no personal proof of an afterlife is that i would simply be dead .. nothing to worry about really is it
so for me there are benefits either way ... if i die end of story then that's it
if I'm right and there is an afterlife then even better
so you see i don't believe in an afterlife as a means to comfort my fears ..
maybe I'm the minority though ?

Answer 3

Hi Dancer,
I think that the true importance of belief in the afterlife, is hope. If all we have to look forward to, is a life of struggle to provide for our needs, followed by nothing but death, then there is no reason to try to do what is "right". We might as well all stab our friends and neighbors in the back, grab what we can, and to hell with the rest. The result would be anarchy. It is the hope that there is an eternal reward waiting for us if we learn to live by the code of love, that keeps this world from falling apart. Without it, we would all be pirates, living in primitve conditions, surrounded by pain and suffering on a scale unimaginable to us.

Answer 4

Welllllll, just suppose that there really really is a God, that the
Bible is his divine spoken word (something for everyone here:
BIBLE: Basic Instructions Before Leaving Earth) and that every word of it is true. You can commit a lot of sins and still be forgiven and not go to hell- which by the way isn't fire and brimstone, but eternal- remember, ETERNAL, separation from
God- but the one guaranteed Do Not Pass Go ticket to this
destination is denying God. In fact, it says " you can even deny the Son, but he who denys the Father"....
Now, you don't have to believe in any of this of course,
but JUST IN CASE it's true, why not sign up? You could cancel
your subscription at any time. God doesn't mind people (although
I'm sure He'd like better reasons) signing in just for the
fire insurance.
So, in my view- if that realy is the fate for unbelief, I'll
put my money on believing, if for no other reason than that.
And yeah, that's why everyone is so scared of dying. Of course,
if none of this is true- you, anyone, has no reason to fear
death or anything else- but I'd be wearing an asbestos suit
just in case. Just kidding.
Bottom line: everybody wants to go to heaven, but nobody wants
to die. Why do you supppose that is?

Answer 5

Look at the world around you. I would have to believe that this world did not just happen by chance.

Also, the afterlife isn't just about seeing your family after you die, but also being with the creator of this world, who if you are a christian, loves and created you to be with him/her after you die.

Anyway, the thing I would worry about is not believing in God or an afterlife and then there actually is one. One that you didn't believe in, thus keeping you in hell (if there is one) or some other form of limbo.

Answer 6

Your atheist friend understands why religion exists in all cultures in the first place. It is far more comforting to assume your loved ones have gone to a better place. Most people who have suffered great loss in life look to religion as a way to hang onto their lost loved ones. It's what gets them through the tough periods. Unfortunately, this also prevents them from coming to terms with their loss and moving past their grief.

Answer 7

Death being scary is an opinion, and if youd on't want to belive there in an afterlife, then don't. Lets see what happens in time.

Answer 8

Its real. Our Creator has communicated with us through various Holy Books -- most of which have been corrupted by God. The last revelation from God is the Qur'an -- preserved until today.

Follow this and you will be golden and you will get your after-life!

Answer 9

Yes, because Jesus told us that we had places reserved for us with him and his father. That we are taught to have doubts by the very establishment that is supposed to represent Gods love could be another facter in our confusion. That Jesus tells us they would do this by their very nature is even more confusing! So, what we have is a need for faith in Gods LOve and our inheritence of it. Simple faith.

Answer 10

have you considered reading the bible to know gods plan in afterlife for us...i know god is real and he lives in my heart and yes i want to go to heaven.. i think life can be a sort of hell here on earth but the real hell will be everlasting pain and anguish....