Do you think an afterlife exists? If so, what theories surround it's existence?

Question

It’s been in the news today that if a punter can prove the existence of an afterlife to a bookmaker he stands to make £1 million in winnings. You can read more about it here: http://uk.news.yahoo.com/itn/20070622/tuk-proving-afterlife-will-make-man-1m-dba1618.html

We'd also like to know your views on this mysterious subject.

Answer 1

There are beliefs that surround the existence of an afterlife, not theories. Theories are based upon observable evidence and can be tested to the point where they lose validity. Beliefs are based upon human needs, in this case the need to feel that we cannot cease to exist. As we cannot avoid seeing and experiencing death all around us, we choose to believe that it can be overcome by means of moving to another plane of existence, and therefore we cheat death. All faiths and systems of religion are founded by human beings - can anyone name a religious belief that has not sprung from human experience(however it is claimed to be informed by some God or other)? Can anyone produce credible evidence of Creation that does not have to be interpreted in accordance with some 'religious' text or other? Rational human beings can conclude that there has been no hard evidence produced that can be verified by independent witnesses(which means non-believers) of any kind of conscious existence after death. Yes we are all stardust, energy cannot be created or destroyed but it can be transformed, etc.etc, so in that sense we can be said to continue to exist after death - but only in the same way as we existed before life. Outside of our need to feel that, if death can be overcome life has a purpose, there is no evidence of anything once we have shuffled off our Mortal coil.

Answer 2

There are many theories surrounding the afterlife. Each of the 'major' religions except rastafarians (if i can include them in this group) proclaim the afterlife to be true as well as many ancient civilisations, like the ancient Greeks and Egyptians. So with almost every explanation for the purpose of life or set of beliefs that mankind has come up with, there is a different type of afterlife. Muslims will have loads of virgins in paradise, christians will hang out in heaven where it's all nice and pretty, budhists will achieve enlightenment and become buddha or be reincarnated, the Egyptians would go to some cool place with whatever else was put in the grave with them etc etc. So each of these religions, 'life' beliefs or explanations proclaims it's own marvelous afterlife.
Funny how they are all different in their odd ways but basically say "When you die things are going to be great, as long as you do what I tell you to whilst on earth."
So if each group of people has a different theory dependant on which belief group they belong to, it is apparent that the theory of an afterlife comes from living man, and if this is true then we have no proof of an afterlife because the people developing the theory are still alive and therefore have nothing to base their theories on.

Answer 3

I do believe an afterlife exists. The only thing I have for a Theory is the story of ME. As a child I had an afterlife experience that formed my basic existence for many years in ways I could not know or understand as a child. At 30 years many things were clarified for me as to the whys of my prior years on earth. So as a vessel for the God's to form,play with or extol I must admit and say with out doubt THERE IS AN AFTER LIFE.
Having gone beyond seeing the glory and beauty and feeling the enlightenment and peace flowing in the colors of a heavenly realm, never wanting to return to Earth but being forced to, yes by my soul there is existence after we leave this world.

Answer 4

This question cannot be answered, at least until someone returns from the grave. I know Jesus is said to have risen, but many other religions have the same occurrence, the Deity rising from the grave. As yet, no ordinary person has come back to tell us the truth.

Some scientists are exploring the possibility of alternate existences, perhaps several of them. It is possible that, after death, we slip through this veil into another world. It is also possible that Heaven exists for the Believers, untold wonders for the spirit. Then, too, there are those who believe in reincarnation. Then, too, there are those who believe in nothing at all!

We have found wonder drugs. We have traveled in space. We can replace a damaged heart with another heart. But we have not penetrated the mystery of just what is life itself. Once that spark is gone, there is no retrieval. Until we do understand that spark of life, there is no hope of examining death.

Is Afterlife a figment of our imaginations? Did it derive from our own Egos, unable to relinquish our vision of just how important we are? Or, in the end, are we no more important than a dead sparrow or a slapped mosquito?

We'll simply have to wait and see.

Answer 5

If an afterlife exists, it is most unlikely that anyone will ever prove it.
Some scientists have attempted to investigate this mystery, but so far no one has managed to come up with an answer. The reason is simple; life after death is not easy to investigate via the orthodox scientific method. That's not to say that survival doesn't exist, merely that science may have limitations to how much it can discover.
Sadly much of the evidence for the 'afterlife' remains subjective, taking the forms of spirit communications by mediums, dreams, apparitions by individuals and such-like, Some 'objective' proof appears to exist, such as that given by some 'physical' mediums in materialisations as well as the famous 'cross correspondences' etc, but not nearly enough evidence exists for scientists to form a definite answer.

Answer 6

No there is not after life, if based on the Bible, it says at Eccl:9:5 that the living are conscious that they will die, but as for the dead they are conscious of nothing at all. In fact the very first lie is recorded in Genesis:1-5 tells us that if Adam & Eve ate from the forbidden fruit then they would die.. Satan said they would not.....so we have a contradiction either we would die or not. They choose to eat and eventually died. Death was a punishment of their disobediance and that is why we have all inhereited it. If they lived on in an afterlife they would not have been punished. In fact still living happiliy wherever. This teaching continues to be based on what the Babylonians believed. And millions of religions teach it.
So this if this dude is trying to prove there is an afterlife, he'll never be able to do so. If he succeeds then he's a liar. Like the Devil really.

Answer 7

Well some of you have the answer there abouts and some are way off the beaten track,there is a god I believe as you look at the human body and view your cells how they are arranged and work.Also how the human body can reject things from the body and yet still keep a baby inside! did anyone watch the baby inside the womb on BBC 1 amazing to see but still gods doing. view the earth how things move live and breath the bible is the 1st place people should look and read ecclesiastes 1:6 -7 also psalms 36:27-29 which tells of the water cycle before man could even understand it himself which compared to the writer writing it man has only just learned about the water cycle.Everything has it's order and place which to me goes towards a grand creater who organised everything in to it's place though man has knocked some of this off it's balance abit. now then what happens to you after death read genesis 3:19 and ecclesiastes 9:10 which reads all that your hand finds to do,do with your very power for there is no work nor devising (planning) nor knowledge nor wisdom in sheol (or the kings james version states the grave) also look at ecclesiastes 9:5 which says the living are conscious that they will die but the dead are conscious of nothing at all.When jesus raised lazarus where did he go to while he was dead? jesus said he was sleeping ,when he raised him lazarus said nothing of where he had been just rather glad to have been woken up as it were john 11:11-14 and psalm 13:3 so there is your prove of a non existent afterlife from god himself in the bible.Some would say the bible is the creation of man but god only used man like a secretary is used at work by the boss to take notes she is writing them down but they are still from the boss.How can people speak to the dead well I believe that they are speaking to wicked fallen angels which have been cast out of heaven for a period of time before they are destroyed but alas they will try to make you beliveve in an after life even though god says otherwise to the fact.

Answer 8

I am sorry, but this question has been resolved already a few years ago, it takes a while for everyone to know I guess.
Off course there is life after death!! there is absolutly no question.
This has been scientifically proven since years now.
Some of the experiments on this are covered in the book:
'Have you lived before this life?' by L. Ron Hubbard.
Some people that will go unnmed for now are making a lot of money by making people belief is a one time thing. That 'Man is an animal' a souless thing. Ha! Ha!
Where does Art come from?
Where does affinity come from, and beauty?

NO WORRIES!!! Life will go on. In a different time and a different place, but you will always be able to bring your smile to this world.
If you did not finish your book, you will get another chance, if you could not afford the car you wanted, you will get another chance. IT is NEVER TOO LATE :)
There is reasons why we don't always 'remember' who we were, and why our memories are wiped out from one life time to the other.
Let's say that there are vested interests in keeping us ignorant. Right?.... You are in for a surprise.
Hope this helps.

Answer 9

Of course there is an afterlife. But not as we know it Jim. In some stage of their life all people have a deep belonging and emotion that they do not really understand. Although, it does make them more aware that there is another aspect of life. What most people do is push this to the background of their consciousness. This is mainly because they feel it is not normal to acknowledge or dicuss these strong but unusual feelings. Listen! They are not unusual, people feel it every day. Don't hide or shy away. The afterlife is not a hideous place that should be blocked away whilst you live here. One thing is for sure, you will experience it even if you detest or turn your nose up during your existence here. Don't worry, be happy.

Answer 10

One of the questions that has plagued mankind throughout mortality is the question does life exist beyond the grave. Yes it most definitely does and there is an abundance of evidence around for mankind to learn of it. If a person steps out of their box (if you will excuse the expression) and steps aside from the dictates of society and really studies it out in their mind, God (Heavenly Father) Through the third member of The Godhead - The Holy Spirit will testify to the individual that this is the case. However an individual must ask and nothing wavering, they must be sincere in their intent to find out. As they study the written works given to mankind (The Old Testament The New Testament, The Book of Mormon and additional reading of the Pearl of Great Price and The Doctrine and Covenants; King James version of the Bible is most accurate albeit harder to read) They will become enlightened and the more light a man obtains the more light and knowledge he will be given.Until he can say He Knows.
Lighter reading can be obtained also by going on-line to read Embraced by The Light by Betty Eadie an actual and truthful account of her prolonged afterlife experience. Go study and switch off the TV

Answer 11

When I was younger I felt a feeling of irrelavence, wondered what the point was of my existence, things would carry on evolving without me, I am not essential for the continuation of the human race, so what is the point? all the things I learn, all the moral dilemmas I've been through, ultimately wouldnt mean a thing.

Maybe its my own fear of nothingness that drives me to believe there is something afterwards so that I can avoid the thought that all of this is pointless, but nowadays it just seems more and more obvious to me that there is something after we die.

I used to think that God can't exist because I understand science and it answers questions, well at least the questions I had when I was 12 of how we are created, things we were taught at a young age that God took some sand and made a man compared to the undeniable process that science shows us what happens, led me to question and eventually discard that God made us, theories of evolution are still only theories, even if they we're proven, it is only the scientific side of the argument that they explain.

The way that people can start to realise that an afterlife exists is realise that science and God can co-exist. E.G. Look at a computer game, you press left or right on a joypad and the character follows, although underneath the visuals on the screen there is binary code working to display what we see, I see science as life's binary code so to speak, although life is not a game I only used this as an example but this is how I can understand how both science and God can both exist, I believe God uses science to create this world, its just now that we can see the makings, we are confused.

Science explains how, not why. So I come back to what I originally started with, Why am I here? If I am not going to make a huge impact on the world, which face it, hardly any of us will, then why do I exist? Why do I learn? Why do I have problems with things I perceive to be wrong? What would be the point of any of it if its only going to end and never be remembered?

Scientists state the miraculous odds which have occured for this world to even exist, from the mass and pressure of the sun being even the tinest bit different then it would burn faster and hotter leaving Earth in a situation close to mercury, to the intricate workings of our bodies, also the frequent appearence of phi (1.618) in the growth of all things, there is so much that comes together that in my opinion, it can't be an accident.

Scientists have theories that not only will the sun eventually supernova and incinerate Earth, but the entire universe will end up collapsing back on itself and everything that ever was will be destroyed, so no matter whether we colonise other planets, theoretically there's no escape from the ultimate fate of destruction, maybe it will all start again if the universe was to expand after its collapse but my point is there would be no recollection of previous existence, nothing to learn in this dimension, no point to any of it in the scientific/evolutionary sense.

So for me to take any belief that this life has any reason for being, I think there has to be something after, this is my evidence and my opinion, im not expecting you to agree with it, not trying to force it upon you, but this is my opinion and my own personal explanation as to why I believe there is an afterlife