Religion

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I religiously stay in bed on Sunday mornings, instead of going to church!

I'm not sure we need to know if death is the complete end. It certinaly isn't the end of our impact upon the earth.
Our bodies go back to the earth and whether that is the same for our souls can only be answered by either faith or death.
An interesting topic though.

matter dies...the soul is eternal.

If I get mummified then I hope they include "my bits and pieces"
Norman

They charge extra for that Norman

the "soul" aspect of this subject confuses me...anyone offer some enlightenment?

Sorry britboy only soul i know about is the ones under mi shoes

to late brit lad...if ya dont know now, no one here can reach ya bud. =

as an independent thinker I look for answers to all sorts of questions, this being one of them...what is the "soul".

I have yet to receive a coherent and useful answer.

As individuals Humans are not eternal, they have a finite life span.

Whatever we chose to do within that lifespan is very much up to the individual.

unquestionably. no one at a later date can take the rap for yours or mine goofs, in the game of life.

I go to church every sunday. I don't like praising myself up because I could work on myself.

think religion has caused many wars i believe in god and i dont think you have to go to church you can pray anywere i do believe in life after death

I AM A VAMPIRE I AM THE UNDEAD

yep he is.

I believe that some form of consiousness survives death.Call it the soul or whatever word you want to use. All religions are man made including my own. They are just the way we express our interpratation of what we call Divine.Such beliefs go back as far as when man first walked upright. If this was a shift in conciousness or intelligence i don't know, but it is still believed today and will be for some time in the future.

We don't have any proof of an after-life or that we have souls, so is believing in a religion that promises an after life a fail safe way of guaranteeing you a place up there if there is one?

Tonker, classic

I am not a religious person but I think that the majority of people need to believe in an afterlife and a soul because they can't believe that once you die that may be the end of everything!

when i go i want to be turned into a diamond, told the hubby, take me on holiday with you and drop me in a glass of vodka and coke for a couple of hours once a week and i'll be happy in the afterlife! seriously though, dont know what i believe in terms of religion but i know how i want to lead my life in terms of morals and how i want to bring up my kids. that is my religion. ps my kids are at catholic school because i believe it gave me a good foundation, do i believe in catholicism...not sure. do i believe that there are some good lessons to be learned within the catholic school system...absolutely. Am i right...who knows?

I think the question that needs to be asked is why mankind found it necessary have gods in the first place.It is my belief that when man first became aware of his environment the natural elements caused him concern,then along came one of the more advanced members of the community and used this to his advantage,thus the birth of gods and demons. As mankind evolved this advantage became more sophisticated,involving ceremonies and rituals leading to what we call organised religion.Throughout the ages the interpretation of these beliefs has become quite diversified resulting in conflicts between the various creeds.
With a few exceptions man has created god(s) in his own image and as for life after death,a contradiction in terms,I have previously given my view,and your "soul",if I can use the expression,is the spirit within you that inspires you to survive and becomes extinct when the brain ceases to function.

"I BELIEVE THAT BECAUSE THERE IS no life before death"
then there has to be a life after death...if not, why has all this ingenuity of creation been foisted on us all?????for what purpose??

"Do you think that death is the complete end or do you think there is something beyond it?"

I believe there is something beyond death, but my biggest fear about death is leaving behind all I know now: this earthly life, 'me' as I know 'me', and all my loved ones. My real experience of others' deaths is missing them not being here in person anymore.

About whether we exist in some way when we die doesn't worry me - I don't know anything about my existance or lack of it before my life began and that doesn't frighten me. When I sleep and then wake it doesn't concern me that I have been conciously unaware of anything while I slept. It certainly doesn't out me off going to sleep again - it's part of being human, as is death.

What we can do while we're alive is be there for others and give them the best of ourselves - that way we might still live on in their hearts after our death and 'guide' them 'in spirit', even if we don't actually exist as a spirit. I believe wholeheartedly that my loved ones who have died are still here with me - even if it is just the loving imprint they made on me while alive.

Believing in an afterlife and a God are two very distinct things to me. I had a CofE upbringing and still go to church - I think many of the manmade religious ceremonies are daft, and the church hierarchies have power which is nothing to do with people's faith. I do feel at home in my local church though, I enjoy singing the hymns and listening to the sermons, but I actively listen with an open mind and decide for myself what lesson I take from them. I believe in the moral values Jesus stood for and was willing to die for - loving others as yourself is a worthwhile challenge to me.

I don't know if I believe a God exists, but I pray religiously - even if my doubt is strong I can't stop - praying for others is part of me and I think it's a positive action.
I cherish and wonder at worldly things all around me - my family, my children, other people, animals, nature.. even if there isn't a God I love so many things about life. I don't want to leave it quite yet.

YA CANT DIE FER THE LIFE O YOU...TRUST ME.

Cath,We are but a mere dot on a page in the works of the 21st century,yes and morals are the backbone of that 21st century and learning children right from wrong is paramount and by the way that vodka and coke and your diamond sounds coolenjoy our dots worth

Your right thr doc re:children

Most of us have part of our dot on a page or so of the 20th century, too, so that's not bad, Doc
And there's nothing 'mere' about any one of us. ...

i am mine own heaven and hell.


think positive about yourself, and god who made you,to keep on remaking you.

he/she, who doesnt fear death
dies only once.

Hell is on Earth. Heaven is Happy Hour in Harry's bar. When all workers come in. Very happy or laugh =

jo anne,Me aswell jo but thats giving ages away?the swingin sixties were something else?Doc,x.

Going to heaven!
I don't know when,
Pray do not ask me how, --
Indeed, I 'm too astonished
To think of answering you!
Going to heaven! --
How dim it sounds!
And yet it will be done
As sure as flocks go home at night
Unto the shepherd's arm!

Perhaps you 're going too!
Who knows?
If you should get there first,
Save just a little place for me
Close to the two I lost!

The smallest "robe" will fit me,
And just a bit of "crown;"
For you know we do not mind our dress
When we are going home.

I 'm glad I don't believe it,
For it would stop my breath,
And I 'd like to look a little more
At such a curious earth!
I am glad they did believe it
Whom I have never found
Since the mighty autumn afternoon
I left them in the ground.

How interesting, what could have and normally would have been a touchy subject and no personal abuse or attacks.
Wonders never cease!!!!!

Was thinking the me self Sydneylass,I think the subject scares folk into being nice.

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Don't get me wrong xrh, I like a good debate as much as the next one but I couldn't be bothered with the antagonists that just come on here to stir people up, I wouldn't waste my breath. And before you say anything Getwom I am certainly not directing my comments at your post merely congratulating everyone for being able to express their views without malice towards anyone else. It's a rarity when this subject is braced.

I take your point, Getwom, my comparison of sleep with death is flawed.

You've made my day by saying my comments are interesting. Thank you. I thoroughly enjoyed reading your starter post for this interesting thread.


I think you're right, Xrh - death seems too serious a matter for people to generally be 'naughty' while discussing it. Beware - nothing is sacred in WW, I suspect!

Did we live BEFORE we were born? Those who believe in reincarnation think so. "Me" I " "myself" "my name" are all discriptions of my body. What inhabits that body is not "me". When "I" die that is the end. What lives inside returns to the one consciousnes. Like a drop of rain falling to the sea. It merges with the whole. When we are born this drop is pored into a new vessal. Like poring a glass of water into another glass. It is the spirit that lives on not "I".