Discuss the afterlife with me!
I think there IS an afterlife
This lens records various religious beliefs - and gives you the option of really deciding which is best. From Ancient Egypt and Plato, to Christianity and Buddhism... most religions I know of have an afterlife of sorts - but modern science reduces us all to our most physical parts and denies an afterlife as a matter of course.
This lens will tell you about the afterlife in various spiritual and religious traditions, as well as give you the opportunity to vote for the afterlife (or lack thereof) you personally believe in.
Lots here about the afterlife - or is there one?
- There IS an afterlife - links from various religious traditions
- There isn't an afterlife - links
- Heaven, Hell and Purgatory
- Egyptian Myths about the afterlife
- Books on the afterlife and Near Death Experience
- Protestant Christianity
- Heaven in Islam
- Show what believe about the afterlife
- Plato's views on death and the afterlife
- Heaven and Hell in Buddhism
- Heaven and Hell according to Theosophy
- Bid on afterlife stuff
- There is NO afterlife - according to most atheists and agnostics
- So which after life state appeals most to you?
- Is there an afterlife? What is your belief or opinion?
- More about the afterlife
- What did you think about this lens about the Afterlife?
- More Spiritual Lenses
- My newest lenses
There IS an afterlife - links from various religious traditions
I don't think there is proof about the afterlife, but these sites make it's existence likely
Add links on life after death in various spiritual traditions. Vote for the one that you believe in or that appeals to you most.
karma and buddhism - Buddha's World
Articles on Karma and reincarnation or rebirth wit more...1 point
Purgatory explained
A place or condition of temporal punishment for th more...1 point
Karma and Reincarnation in theosophy, buddhism and with J. Krishnamurti
A selection of articles on reincarnation and karma more...0 points
Devachan - theosophical heaven, H. P. Blavatsky
Life after death? Devachan (roughly heaven) explai more...0 points
What's left after we die?
Jiddu Krishnamurti in conversation after the death more...0 points
Jiddu Krishnamurti: Death and Life
On death as the end - letting go.0 points
Heaven in Roman Catholicism
In the Holy Bible the term heaven denotes, in the more...0 points
Purgatory: History and current beliefs
With biblical quotes to support various beliefs.0 points
Six Realms of Existence in Buddhism
Six States of Existence (Samsara) and Tibetan Whee more...0 points
Many Mansions
2 In my Father's house are many mansions: if it we more...0 points
Suicide is not death
On what happens to the suicidal soul after 'death' more...0 points
Views of the Afterlife: The Realm of Hades
Three major ancient authors taken together provide more...0 points
There isn't an afterlife - links
Proving there ISN'T an afterlife
So why isn't there an afterlife? Please help me find links on that (they are hard to find, so I do need help).
Heaven, Hell and Purgatory
Roman Catholic Church on the afterlife
Egyptian Myths about the afterlife
Before a soul could go to the afterlife, their heart had to be weighed. Had you been a good girl? Your heart would be weighed against the feather of Ma'at, goddess of truth and justice. If the heart was heavy with sins and bad deeds, your heart would be eaten and that would be the end of you. If however the heart was lighter than the feather of truth, you were lead to Osiris, the king of the afterlife.
Books on the afterlife and Near Death Experience
90 Minutes in Heaven: A True Story of Death & Life
Amazon Price: $11.19 (as of 08/08/2008)
Hello from Heaven: A New Field of Research-After-Death Communication Confirms That Life and Love Are Eternal
Amazon Price: $7.99 (as of 08/08/2008)
Journey of Souls: Case Studies of Life Between Lives
Amazon Price: $10.17 (as of 08/08/2008)
The Tibetan Book of the Dead (The Great Book of Natural Liberation Through Understanding in the Between)
Amazon Price: $12.24 (as of 08/08/2008)
The Tibetan Book of Living and Dying
Amazon Price: (as of 08/08/2008)
Protestant Christianity
The belief in protestant Christianity is simpler than the one in Roman Catholicism: There is no place for souls to get purified - souls get saved or not, based on the grace of God. Souls that will get saved are ones that are more devoted to God in this lifetime.[I know that there are various ways in which this may pan out in Protestant theology - please express your precise version in the comments]
Source of the picture
Heaven in Islam
Muslims believe in a version of Heaven and Hell are pretty close to the Christian versions.Hell is the abode which Allaah (swt) has prepared for those who do not believe in Him (swt), those who rebel against His (swt) laws and disbelieve in His Messengers. It is the punishment for His (swt) enemies, the prison for evildoers.
Source of the picture
Show what believe about the afterlife
Plato's views on death and the afterlife
First of all: Plato makes a differentiation between what kind of soul you have. There are sinners and virtuous people. The virtuous people are the philosophers. Don't think he meant cerebral people. Philosophy didn't just imply thinking, but also trying to live right. We might translate his 'philosophers' as those who practice mindfulness...
In both cases each soul got a thousand years of afterlife. After that, they had to drink from the river of forgetfulness, before going into a new life.
This afterlife could have two forms. The virtuous people, the philosophers, got a thousand years of bliss and rest. The sinners, those who hadn't lived mindful, got a thousand years of torment. The torment depending on how sinful the person was. Very sinful people never got to leave the afterlife.
Heaven and Hell in Buddhism
This is where it gets interesting. Classical Buddhist texts talk about six realms of existence, of which the human realm (the one we are all in) is one.These are the six - starting with the most hell-like end ending with the heavenly realm:
1 Hell
People in Hells; the lowest and worst realm, wracked by torture and characterized by aggression.
2 Hungry Ghosts
Characterized by great craving and eternal starvation.
3 Animals
The realm of animals and livestock, characterized by stupidity and servitude.
4 Asura
The realm of anger, jealousy, and constant war; the Asura (Ashura) are demigods, semi-blessed beings; they are powerful, fierce and quarrelsome; like humans, they are partly good and partly evil.
5 Humans
The human realm; beings who are both good and evil; enlightenment is within their grasp, yet most are blinded and consumed by their desires.
6 Deva
The realm of heavenly beings filled with pleasure; the deva hold godlike powers; some reign over celestial kingdoms; most live in delightful happiness and splendor; they live for countless ages, but even the Deva belong to the world of suffering (samsara) -- for their powers blind them to the world of suffering and fill them with pride -- and thus even the Deva grow old and die; some say that because their pleasure is greatest, so too is their misery.
Nirvana
Nirvana is the release of all these realms - only in Nirvana is one out of the cycle of existence. Heaven and hells are merely distractions from the true goal.
Six states and More on the six worlds
Heaven and Hell according to Theosophy
If your highest dreams and wishes are about heavenly virgins - that's what you will get in devachan if your life has been reasonably well lived. Only the very wicked don't get devachan - they get a hell-like experience, because they did not have high dreams and wishes.
Bid on afterlife stuff
Fetching new data from eBay now... please stand by
There is NO afterlife - according to most atheists and agnostics
So which after life state appeals most to you?
Is there an afterlife? What is your belief or opinion?
Is there an afterlife?
Fetching blurbs now... please stand byYes, there is some sort of life after death (tell me which kind you believe in)
Mysticshakra says:
Only those who develop a soul are able to continue to exist beyond the death of the physical body. Building a soul takes effort like everything else in life. There must be an exchange of energy. The majority of people do not have souls and have no afterlife.
Posted July 09, 2008
FlashAllen says:
Yes there is an afterlife if there wasn't what would happen eventually every one will die and if there wasn't an afterlife the universe would be empty and eventually every thing will become a big black nothing and if there was nothing time would end and what would happen after there was no time nothing and how could the universe exist if there was nothing.
Posted May 19, 2008
Tiddledeewinks says:
Yes I believe there is life after death, but that a lot of us are already here in a hell of sorts. We are in a sort of school on probation and to work out what we haven't yet learned the right way. And I believe in karma. What goes around, comes around.The Golden Rule, do unto others as you would have them do unto you. I believe in what Jesus Christ said, and that He will return with great punishment to those who knew, but chose not to listen, and followed their evil ways of hurting others. The blood of the murdered cries from the ground like Abel's did, even animals. My hope is in that heavenly city where no one who is evil in their hearts can enter in. And that will be their hell, knowing they chose not to. What animates our bodies if not a spirit? And where does it go? We are not allowed to know. But even animals have something that animates them when they are alive. Check out my lens on Do Animals Gop To Heaven.
Posted May 17, 2008
EelKat says:
Wither or not there are heaven and hell is debatable, however, I do believe there is an afterlife of some sort.
I do not unnecessarily believe in either heaven or hell. I do not think life after death is all very much different from life here and I believe we well be reunited or even reborn again into the same family circles in the next life as this one and that we have already done so in past lives as well.
Heaven, the way I see it, would be spending eternity with those you love in a peaceful place free of heartache, sickness, and war. If there was a hell, I think it would be a place where we are separated from those we love: our friends, our families, and our pets.
Posted May 17, 2008
spirituality says:
I do believe in life after death - and in reincarnation. What I believe is that our consciousness goes to a place of rest (theosophists call it devachan) before venturing back into this world as a new being.
Posted April 26, 2008
No, we die - our bodies decay, nothing is left but mud.
flowski says:
No, and I've seen belief in an afterlife result in poor decisions, compromises and complacency in real life. It steals your personal power. What I do believe, is that everything you do is a vital part of the fabric of eternity for all of infinity, your ripple effect goes on forever. I feel it's more empowering personally, but to each their own!
Posted May 19, 2008
EelKat says:
Yes, our bodies decay, and nothing is left but mud; however, by that time our spirit bodies have already left of physical bodies. I believe that it the actual act of the spirit (or soul) leaving the body that causing one to die.
Posted May 17, 2008
spirituality says:
Our physical bodies do die. I don't believe in resurrection of the physical body. Why would it just reassemble at the end of all time?
Posted April 26, 2008
More about the afterlife
Some of these lenses take heaven for granted, others wonder if there is even a soul... Without a soul, no afterlife, is there? Anyhow - happy exploring.-
How To Know You Are Going To Heaven
-
Many people don't know that the Bible gives us a way to have assurance of our place in heaven. God loves us and has a perfect plan for us.
-
Karma and Reincarnation: are we reborn?
-
Karma and reincarnation are linked. Karma is the idea that what we do and have done influences our circumstances, talents and options. Reincarnation means that what we do and think will not just influence our present life, but also our future ex...
-
Do Animals Go To Heaven?
-
Do Animals Go To Heaven?
-
We DO have a soul
-
There is no way to describe what I experience without a soul that transcends the personality. There is something in us which is more than my habits, limitations and combined past. According to Christianity and Islam we each have an immortal soul, tha...
What did you think about this lens about the Afterlife?
|
|
flowski
When you read revelations ask yourself. Do I really want to dedicate my energy towards fulfilling these prophecies? Resist with force the temptation to participate in religions that preach death and destruction, fire and brimstone. If you really think about it, it's very negative. Seriously, if you need religion in your life, please worship one that has a positive message and ditch the gloom and doom, it's better for you, me and reality. Posted May 19, 2008 |
|
|
Tiddledeewinks
Check out the New Testament especially Revelation. Posted May 17, 2008 |
More Spiritual Lenses
More spiritual and religious inspiration-
Spiritual Lenses - Katinka Hesselink Net: religion and spirituality
-
A lensography of my best spirituality lenses as well as a summary of my website. I feature information from various religious traditions like Buddhism, Sufism, Fourth Way and Theosophy. I also pay attention to various spiritual teachers, whether the...
-
Spiritual Teachers - my favorites and yours
-
These are some of the teachers - past and present - who will keep reminding us that there IS more to life. There is more to US... Spiritual teachers are the salt that gives flavor to our otherwise somewhat dry western culture. With all the focus on...
-
The Ultimate Questions - religion and spirituality
-
These are the ultimate philosophy questions we all ask ourselves about religion and spirituality. Vote, get inspired and share. Part lensography, part hey monkeybrain lens - I hope you all enjoy.
My newest lenses
Each of these is less than a month old.
Squidcasting - how to squidcast on squidoo
7-17: Squidcasting is THE way to let people within more...2 points
What is Spiritual Growth? What is Wisdom?
7-12: Spiritual growth and wisdom have something t more...1 point
Lensrank explained (really)
7-21: Well, squidoo lensrank has, by common consen more...1 point
Tibetan Buddhism
7-26: Tibetan Buddhism has been called 'Vajrayana more...1 point
Blavatsky Collected Writings
7-21: The best series of occult and spiritual lite more...0 points
