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Well, I saw that the philosophy section had only very little activity, so I thought I'd pick a little on one of the most asked questions throughout history: What happens after death?

Do you think your religion has the answer, or are you believing that we're nothing but chemicals and elements binded together in a clever way.

Another thing is, what about animals? Both the one we love and the ones we slaughter everyday. Do they come to the same place as us humans?

Post your opinion, but please respects other people religion, opinions, beliefs.

I believe in God as defined by Christianity, so I believe we either go to heaven or hell when we die.

I believe I will haunt people, then cross over into heaven :)

I would prefer to believe, or I would rather say, presume, that these respectable scientists, whom we are taught to be almost always correct since childhood, are right on this point, that we are just become some mysterious chemicals after our death, maybe food of worms, insects, flies, or bacterias.
However, the theory isn't as firm as it seems to be, even though it's "proved" by centuries of researches and experiments -- there's no way can we ensure that what we see, hear, feel, or smell are true, and there could be an "invisible hand", some sort of godlike power, that craftily deceive us, all the time.
There even no definite proof that we are living in a real world, as described in the theory of Brain in a vat. Chances are, we are not real humans, but brains connected to a central computer, living in a world entirely simulated by a computer program designed by some super-intelligent creatures. Our world is just a toy of a kid in the species. And our glorious science improvements are just learning something about the program that simulates the cosmos, and our death is just... The kid come and presses the power button. Well, this all seem to skeptical and unbelievable, but it's just not possible to prove it's "impossible". :D
(Well, it just reminded me a story: A man asked a famed Japanese monk what will happen after one's death, and the monk replied: "Try it yourself".)
Overall, since it's a question that cannot be solved with human power, and thinking about it probably does not actually help one to get close to the right opinion, why thinking about it? :)

(11-11-2010, 12:39 AM)RichardGv Wrote: [ -> ]However, the theory isn't as firm as it seems to be, even though it's "proved" by centuries of researches and experiments -- there's no way can we ensure that what we see, hear, feel, or smell are true, and there could be an "invisible hand", some sort of godlike power that craftily deceive us, all the time.

True, you never know.

(11-11-2010, 12:39 AM)RichardGv Wrote: [ -> ]A man asked a famed Japanese monk what will happen after one's death, and the monk replied: "Try it yourself".

I think that's illegal, here. And it sure would hurt, I suppose..

(11-11-2010, 12:46 AM)HiddenKnowledge Wrote: [ -> ]

(11-11-2010, 12:39 AM)RichardGv Wrote: [ -> ]A man asked a famed Japanese monk what will happen after one's death, and the monk replied: "Try it yourself".

I think that's illegal, here. And it sure would hurt, I suppose..

Hmm, in eastern culture it's not that bad... We actually consider that a very wise answer. There are some facts in the world that seems sour and cold, but they are true: The only way to learn what happens after one dies, is to die yourself. Of course, the monk isn't encouraging one to try it, it's just an "artistic" way to state he cannot answer the question, and nobody can answer it. (Well, as you probably know, in China or Japan we usually imply more things than we say directly, so you sometimes would have great difficulties comprehending the actual meaning of our words if you only consider the literal meaning.)
Also, a small notification: I slightly modified my last reply.

Either you go to hell or heaven.

Your life passes by infront of your eyes. You have a chance to fix mistakes you have done.

I believe the very reason we exist is to improve our imperfections, so we constantly reincarnate after death to learn different life lessons. If we were to have one life, and then go to heaven as if we learned all of our life lessons in one life wouldn't make very much sense, and being doomed to "hell" really wouldn't make sense, considering there technically is not "right" or "wrong" when there is only "one". Quantum physics tells us that nothing really dies, it just changes form. (energy)

Thats just my opinion though! :D

My opinion:

The matter which forms our body returns back to the Earth's environment, but everything that defines us as a person (mind/spirit/thought patterns) will disappear into nothingness. My view could change of course if the Neuroscientists come up with some damned good scientific proof that some other type of "afterlife" was scientifically possible.

Maybe it's a little cold, but everyone has their own belief system.