Will you still follow your religion if proof were found that there is no afterlife?

Question

I couldn’t find any similar, previously asked questions, so forgive me if this has been settled earlier, elsewhere. The question is; will you still follow your religion if conclusive proof were discovered that there is no afterlife. This will just about nullify each and every religion out there. It seems as if the basic formula for all religion to gain power and authority is the same: Tell people, even though it can not be proved, that there is an afterlife, you have a soul, you will be judged based on what you do on earth and, voila, the hard drive is formatted! Add any version of software you like! Now I can just hear people say, “It is so, cause the bible said so!” On that I can just say that from where I’m standing, there seems to be a lot of contradiction and lies in the bible, and as communications and our scientific knowledge grows, the contradiction and lies seem to grow with it.

From this I can only conclude that the bible was written by man [minus the divine intervention] and no man alive knows what happens when you die.
Point being, religion not only ask of me to gamble my soul on an uncertain afterlife, but expects me to follow their rules in this life [at least I’m certain of this life, got proof].

Isn’t it time people open their minds to the facts on the table. We are here, something had to put us here and there seems to be rules of physics laid down by something. Should we not consider rethinking religion? Should a new world religion not be created based on the solid scientific facts?

Answer 1

I think church pews would empty out very fast. Secular humanism is a good replacement for religion. it focuses on this world.

Answer 2

You have left a lot of religions out of your equation. So format that drive yourself, cuz Odinn ain't gonna do it for ya. Nor will Frigga or Freja or Vidar or Vali. Loki might, but only if you have your entire collection of Dimmu Borgir pirated videos on it and will completely freak out if you lose everything.

Not all religions preach an afterlife. I need the rest and would be highly upset by the very suggestion I would go to Valhalla and have to fight, feast and later march with the Einherjer during Ragnarok just to die again. As a matter of fact, only warriors who die honorably in battle go to the Valhall, so I don't think most people have much to worry about as far as an afterlife is concerned, do they?

If I am lucky, I will go to Angrboda's realm and have my rest guarded by Mordgorond, the pale battle maiden who has the power and authority to tell the All Father himself "you may not enter or disturb the rest of those who sleep here".

If I MUST suffer an afterlife, I would want to come back as a highly mischievous spirit thing. So if your 'good china' starts being smashed against walls, I've dropped dead and am just stopping in to say "Hello".

The lack of an afterlife does not invalidate my religion at all. Most people in my faith do not have an afterlife to speak of, really. We just use the words 'rest' and 'sleep' to speak of death. If a God or Goddess chooses to revive us, they could. Wouldn't mean we'd be especially happy about it though.

~Morg~

Answer 3

The physical and the spiritual are two different realms. Science can only cope with physical proof. There is no way science can disprove the existence of the spiritual which is invisible and eternal. Afterlife is possible because we are made alive in the spirit and are spiritual beings. I know without a doubt the spirit realm is real because I have God's Spirit, the Holy Spirit, in me who communicates and works with and through me. The spiritual realm is beyond the bounds of science and those who only wants to know the physical but not the spiritual realm. You have come short in the knowledge of and are ignorance of things spiritual. You therefore know less. Time for you to find out more.

Answer 4

To my mind, all religions are really just a form of insurance policy. People believe there is an afterlife because they WANT to believe. (And that is leaving aside the issue of power and control, which is a prime motivator for most religions).Take a look at the congregation of most churches, and you will find them mainly comprised of older people. As far back as the Egyptians they were storing up food and goodies to take into the next world with them, and we now find this faintly ridiculous. I wonder how ridiculous our "modern" ways of thinking about religion will look in future times.

In short, I would like to believe in an afterlife, but I don't. And if it were proven that there was none, then I wouldn't be surprised, and I think that if it were so proven, then religion would almost cease to exist.

Answer 5

The afterlife, if there is one, plays a very small part in Judaism. Judaism is about living Life and about making the world a better place for all mankind. We consider ourselves to be partners with God in finishing His creation. Perhaps we'll worry about the afterlife when creation is complete.
.

Answer 6

I would definitely still follow my religion. I'm a Unitarian. We generally believe in Heaven but not hell. Still, our main focus is doing good in this life because this is the one that we know for sure exists. The purpose of this life is to learn and grow, be the best person you can be and do good for your fellow man. Doing good is it's own reward.

If there is no afterlife, so be it. My goal is not to be 'good enough' to go anywhere but to do good here and now, for the good of all.

Answer 7

I don't have to wait for any new proofs to confirm my faith.
Science and religion clearly prove that composed elements will be decomposed into dust; spiritual entities will continue to exist spiritually.
Our body of dust will return to dust, our soul of spiritual reality will continue to exist in the spiritual world of the One True God under His eternal mercy. Humanity will inevitably enjoy the physical, intellectual and spititual education to attain greater hope, not to fall back as mere dust. If everything is dust, then man is really more miserable than the animals, because they are indulging into all physical pleasures with no worry about the future, and they don't have to labor and to bear suffering for the education of their children.

Answer 8

Maybe it is maybe it is not. Meditation is unchallengeable proof of the afterlife. anyone who disputes this fact does not meditate. anyone who dislikes and disagrees does not meditate and are therefore blind to true spirituality. Meditation exists in every religious organization in one form or another, the most common is called a prayer. Calming of the mind and body, silence of thoughts. only then can you feel whats been inside the whole time.

Answer 9

good question !
I am an Atheist, I am curious to see, if any believer will actually ANSWER the question, and not start the same old :..."there is proof that god exists".

just answer the question:
I do not believe in after life, so I cant answer it.
But if the question would be the other way around, thus, if there is proof (I mean PROOOOOF, not to tell me look at this plant, etc.)
if I would then follow religion. yes, I would.

Believers: this is not a discussion. just answer the question :)

Answer 10

I would still follow my religion. I'm not into my religion for the fact of just going to heaven and being promised eternal life. i'm into my religion because it sets standards for living a good life. It gives you the tools to deal with the problems of living in this world. You can't go wrong when you follow Gods' law.

Answer 11

Ya, your new one world religion is coming all right. The Bible prophecies all the details about it.

If you've studied the Bible thoroughly, there's no contradictions whatsoever, but you'll argue about that anyway because you don't know the facts.

Communications and our scientific knowledge has never come close to proving so-called contradictions or lies in the Bible, nor ever will because they can't.

There will never be any proof found that there is no after life. (Except when you arrive in it.)