I've noticed on this site a lot of different perspectives on religion and spirituality(wow what an enlightened statement ). I've also read different theories or beliefs about reincarnation and such. My point being is, with so many different beliefs and points of view, could most of us be wrong? Or are we all right?
I have a feeling we're all right personally. Whatever you see the afterlife as, so it shall be.
If you see dying and being with your loved ones in heaven, so shall it be. If you see being reincarnated in another life, so it shall be. And so on. But what about the undecided? Maybe these are the spirits that linger here on earth, who knows. Just a theory.
Let me hear your thoughts.

That would be awesome if it were true.

I think when we die we are in an unconscious state like before we were born. Thinking about it gives me a headache though hah. I'd like to believe our soul would go to some other galaxy or planet, but according to my religion I would be reincarnated.

If you believe that honestly, then maybe you will

When I die I want to be with my loved ones and only hope that its true too

I think most would want that. But where would that be?

This is precisely my belief, that you will be granted your own idea of Heaven. I'm certain I stated this in another thread (Heaven question), but I can do it again.

If this were not true, there is a chance we could be disappointed. Disappointment is not a part of heaven, in my opinion. Personally, I wish for nothing after death because I could never be peaceful when people I loved were back on Earth. I would always be concerned for them. Nothing would mean I could have eternal rest.

In Heaven of course

and I could get my battles with past warriors for an amount of time, then get reincarnated

Artymoon, a person can't believe in something so whole heartedly, lovingly, or so much that one can 'will' something to exist. You can't get something out of nothing.
The afterlife- 'dying- passing over' is going to happen as equal as it does for anyone, it's what is decided after you realize your there- after you died and you know you did- that is when decisions are made as to heaven, hell, purgatory, wherever your supposed to go.

Just my theory, its just about you asking about the 'undecided', which is what I am. But I make decisions now about where I belong after I die. Not worrying that I will be there... because I can "see" and "hear" them... So I think of being there everyday...

Of course this is my opinion, and a theory, & my thoughts... not entirely a belief.

Well I don't think that there is just one path to God. And to a certain degree there is wisdom in all the religions and beliefs (from my own observations). It would seem impartial that only one is right, in my opinion.
And there are religions that have reincarnation as a part of the belief system (in the Bible originally, Buddhism, Hinduism). I don't think that organized religion is necessary to find God or whatever higher power one seeks.

If there is such a thing as reincarnation, I think to keep it fair we should have been born with a book of rules. A tome that would outline those things we could and could not do. Think of after life insurance. Those things that we could choose to commit to this life's policy, or not , so as to insure the next time around we end up a certain way. And show options. Pictures of probabilities. Like, if I am very good, I can come back as like unto Donald Trump, only with enough money to afford a better head for cultivating real hair.

Because in this life, I figure if there is a second chance after, I have to wonder just how bad I'd have to screw up to reincarnate as a Tick, Dung Beatle or Intestinal Parasite.

It's only fair after all, if that may be what's for in the after. A book of rules and choices. With nifty pictures, (animated gif imagery would be extra special) ,so one could move through life , a choice at a time, knowing full well the potential of their actions awaited on those subject tabs ahead.

You know. The one's marked T, D, and I as potential starters?

Maybe becoming a tick our dung beetle is blissful?
Depends on how you look at it.

I agree Yelekiah. I think where certain religious people go wrong is when they discount every other religion out there besides their own.

Well when I die, I would like to be with my loved ones who have gone before me . . I have faith in that. Our individual 'heaven' will be what our soul is comfortable with.

QUOTE(artymoon @ Feb 2 2006, 04:37 AM) [snapback]1045083[/snapback]

Maybe becoming a tick our dung beetle is blissful?
Depends on how you look at it.

True. Which probably explains while dung beetles utilize their front pincers to roll dung, the god's gave them a very tiny nose for the job! Yes, life may be bliss, but holding the potential of big stinky right in your face is another matter entirely.

Very true.
The idea of faith itself comes from a Higher Source, God, Almighty, whatever you wish to call this Being.
Although the paths differ in their minor details, the larger idea, the biggest detail, which is the Divine, or many divines, which could be seen as fragmentations of God.

They are roots, no matter how different shaped, leading to the same tree.

We're all living in such an uncertain and changing world that there cannot be a true religion. So instead of wondering and putting so much effort toward our own ambitions of getting into heaven, Valhalla, Nirvana, etc. Why not put the best effort forward to bring good to the world around us? If you die and there is no afterlife, at least you've left a positive mark on life around you.

Very good post Koenig.
I think that if you make a good impact here, your gods, God, or whatever it is you believe in, will see that, and accept it as a good deed, a VERY good deed. So you sort of fulfilled what God wanted you to do, so the reward is Heaven.

reality is what each perceives. if one perceives that there is a god...then there is a god..
if one doesn't believe in a god.. then there isn't one.
just like re-incarnation and what not...
for those who believes in a heaven... in my theory, when they die they will either go to their verison of heaven or suffer in their own version of hell because of all the guilt they brought with them to the other side when they died... like a self induced punishment.

imagine how pissed off or angry a person's ghost will be when he/she dies and finds out that there really isn't a heaven or hell nor was there a God because he/she wasn't a mindless devout believer.. just an occasional worshiper... the truth to the matter is... just like in our dreams, whatever we think its real, will be real..and that applies to our ghosts when we die..those of us who "moved on" are actually resting in peace, dreaming of their heaven or hell... while those who aren't sleeping and resting become haunting ghosts.

All I know is this I am going to Heaven and I'm taking my NB friend Sheri with me should it be by the scruf of the neck ner ner how do ya like them apples girly? titter!!

I agree. I think we are capable of conjuring up negative or 'evil' spirits just from are thought processes, from 'pinned-up' emotions. And the same goes for positive feedback, ie good karma.
Now I think most can accept this opinion when it comes to everyday life and circumstances.
I think we've all experienced the feedback from our actions and thoughts. Why shouldn't this carry over to the afterlife? Maybe it is as a dream would be, where our emotions shape its content?

Look out Heaven! Here they come!

I personally don't believe anyone's got it quite right, and there's nothing wrong with that. We're all imperfect, and we've all got our different ideas about things. My belief system may not agree with a Buddhist for example, however, the basic principles behind life still exist in that religion. I think it's feasible that each religion, each faith, etc, may possibly be right to it's followers. What I mean is that although I believe in the Bible, and I believe in God, I think there's a possibility that other religions, etc... may be following their own correct paths. I can't see God sending a Shaolin Monk who dedicates his entire life to his faith, living each day as righteous as he can to hell. We may all in fact be going in the same direction, but just taking different paths.

This isn't a belief of mine, just a thought. I just imagine God being just, and loving, as well as understanding. I guess it's more of a hope, than anything.

So yes, I believe there is an afterlife. I believe in heaven and hell. I've had many dreams about it... and the last time I had a dream where I died, it was the first time I wasn't going to hell. I feel at peace with the thought of death, and seeing what's on the other side. It's a very exciting thought, and when my time comes, I look forward to seeing the other side.




To a tick, dung beetle, or any other organism, it's all they know, so it might not be the same as how we view it : )

Very good point

I guess I'm going to be the oddball here.

It would be delightful if everyone could enter into their own personal view of heaven when they die! But I just can't buy it. Regardless of whether we fully comprehend it or not, there is only one reality. I, like anyone else, think that my theories are truth but that does not necessarily make it so.

Having said that. I think that when you die, that's it. Your consciousness and all that it knew is forever gone. There is nothing else... so best take care of each other and treasure every moment while you can. And take care of the rest of the planet, too, because the energy and matter from your body may well become part of a tree or a flower. Everything is really just one and the same. We should respect it as such.

The spirits lingering on the Earth are devils and deceptive spirits. They pretend to be the ghosts of people that have died. The purpose is to deceive people so that they won't believe the bible. If they don't believe the bible, the New Testament, they will go to hell. These evil devil spirits are trying to deceive as many men to destroy them in hell, as they can.
You either become a real born again Christian, and go to heaven, or you don't become a real Christian, and go to hell.
Eternal happiness is balanced against eternal misery.
Those are the only two options for all men in the afterlife.
Believe in Jesus Christ as your Lord and Saviour, and repent of practicing sin and go to heaven to be happy. [Only Jesus died as a sacrifice to pay for the sins of the world. Only those that believe in Him will have their sins forgiven.]
Read the King James version New Testament to find out what God, your creator, wants you to believe and do.

And how the heck do you know who will go to hell and who wont?...only God himself can make that judgment now some born again christian proove me wrong sunshine

Yes indeedy Arty and when you get there you better watch out LOL I'll have plenty of practice with my harp but not in the way you would lik so yes get ready

Only one Lord created this entire universe. He should have told the same knowledge everywhere in the world. The contradiction is only due to misunderstanding. In Hinduism also Sankara says that again human birth is almost impossible (Jantunaam Nara Janma Durlabhamidam). Sankara was the incarnation of Siva and so what He told is also authoritative. Even Gita says that the soul comes back to this world but does not say that the soul gets again the human birth (Ksheene Punye Martyalokam Visanti). In the second chapter, Gita speaks about rebirth but not about the human rebirth. Islam and Christianity say that the human birth is given only as a single chance. After this the final judgement is given.

The soul either goes to the Lord or goes to the hell permanently. In Gita also there are two ways for the soul. Either the soul goes to the Lord and does not return back or the soul returns back to the world (Abrahma Bhuvanath, Yat Gatva). According to Gita, if the soul does not go to the Lord (Brahmaloka), it returns back after enjoying the fruits of incomplete spiritual effort. Therefore in this human birth, if the spiritual effort is completed, the soul goes to the Brahmaloka permanently.

If the spiritual effort is incomplete the soul may go up to any world below Brahmaloka, it will return back to this earth after enjoying the fruits of its incomplete spiritual effort. The soul may go up to the sixth world, it cannot go to the Brahmaloka, which is the seventh world by doing the remaining spiritual effort in the sixth world. The reason is once the soul leaves this earth all the upper worlds are only Bhogalokas i.e., the worlds in which the soul can enjoy the fruits, but cannot do any work (Karma).

Therefore the soul has to return back to the earth. The soul will not get again another chance of human birth because once it is failed it can never succeed. Therefore the soul comes to the earth and falls into the cycle of animals and birds only. When the soul is trapped in this cycle of animal births, it is treated as a permanent hell.

If the soul goes to Brahmaloka it always accompanies the Lord either in Brahmaloka or may come back to the earth along with the Lord who takes the human incarnation. In such case the soul is born as a divine servant of the Lord. Such soul will not take rebirth in the cycle of animals. Thus for the divine soul also there is no such rebirth. In this way Hinduism, Islam and Christianity are correlated as one concept preached by the one Lord.

Christians and Muslims are putting up sincere spiritual effort because there is a threat that this human life is the only chance. There is no reexamination according to these religions. This human birth is the only one examination and the soul either passes or fails and will not be allowed for any reexamination. But in Hinduism such threat is not there.

People have taken a lenient view on the spiritual life because they think that the human rebirths are possible and so they can put up the spiritual effort slowly in the future human births. The Lord cannot say different theories to different people. The rule must be same for all the human beings of the world. Therefore whatever the Lord told in Christianity and Islam also told the same in Hinduism. Hindus misunderstood the concept. Therefore what ever may be the religion, every human being should think “Now or Never”.

The human rebirth is only for Yoga Bhrashta i.e., the soul, which has reached Brahmaloka and fell due to some slip. Such a soul is suspended from Brahmaloka and comes down to the earth and takes rebirth as a human being only. You have passed the P.G. Degree and obtained the post of the lecturer. But you were suspended for a month due to some mistake. You will be re-appointed.

Similarly the Yoga Bhrashta will be born as a human being for some time and will come back to Brahmaloka. The case of incomplete spiritual effort is different from Yoga Bhrashta. The incomplete spiritual person is like a B.A. Degree holder who never achieved the lecturer post. You cannot argue that you can be appointed as a seventy five percent lecturer since you reached seventy five percent of the total educational period (from school to P.G.Degree is hundred percent) by getting a B.A. Degree.

Thus there is no partial achievement by partial spiritual effort. The grace of the Lord is either hundred percent or zero. If it is hundred percent you are reaching Brahmaloka. If it is Zero percent you are falling back to the earth in the cycle of animals and birds. There is no third way in between these two. When this truth is revealed, only one in thousands will try to put the real spiritual effort as said in Gita (Manushyaanaam Sahasreshu). By this Hindus will become alert in spiritual effort like Christians and Muslims.

I have read it(and a most of the OT too), but what does that have to do with anything?
If you believe reading it gives 'you' answers then that works for you.

This is why I started this thread. There are so many faiths and beliefs out there, neither one can prove theirs' is more valid than the other. I accept that everyone has their own spirituality, to them it makes sense. Maybe we create our afterlife due to our spiritual beliefs, regardless of what they are.