Is an afterlife pointless?

[Exalted Inquellian State]

Yes, reincarnation in most religions that I am aware of do not treat it as a good thing. Rather it's a form of suffering that a soul goes through until it reaches enlightenment and can break free of it.

My mom hopes reincarnation exists. She better stop that.

It's better than your consciousness going away. I don't want to be in Hell, but if it turns to being at the bottom of the electron for trillions of years or stopping existing, I'm going there. At least I'll get to think, to feel something, even if it's searing pain, and if my interpretation is correct, I'll help another soul not go there when the universe is reborn.

[Borderlands of Rojava]

My mom hopes reincarnation exists. She better stop that.

It's better than your consciousness going away. I don't want to be in Hell, but if it turns to being at the bottom of the electron for trillions of years or stopping existing, I'm going there. At least I'll get to think, to feel something, even if it's searing pain, and if my interpretation is correct, I'll help another soul not go there when the universe is reborn.

Wait what's the last sentence supposed to mean?

[Valentine Z]

I suppose you can live life like it is right now. I'm not saying to just YOLO it, as the days of 2012 or something would say, but maybe just appreciate the little solaces of life here and there. A little worry for the future is good - that keeps you prepared for what's up ahead (non-COVID stuff, like your job, your school assignments, family matters, etc.) It's okay to worry!

Endless drivel of mine aside, I do thought and imagine what it would be like after we die. Are we going to be flung so far away to another universe? Reincarnation? Void of purgatory? Heavens, or Hell? That one place where you are permanently going to be there while reconnecting with all the dead souls, with a choice to leave but forget everything? No one knows!

With that, it's not pointless to think about it, but your life should not revolve around worrying too much about what Fate has for you after this life is over.

And with that, have a good day! ♥️

[Exalted Inquellian State]

It's better than your consciousness going away. I don't want to be in Hell, but if it turns to being at the bottom of the electron for trillions of years or stopping existing, I'm going there. At least I'll get to think, to feel something, even if it's searing pain, and if my interpretation is correct, I'll help another soul not go there when the universe is reborn.

Wait what's the last sentence supposed to mean?

The first part is that's it's better to feel pain that to not only feel nothing, but remember or feel nothing. My interpretation of Heaven and Hell is bizarre, and I worry it counts as a cult, but that specific part is me believing that after our universe dies, all the sinners of hell will be sent to the reborn version of their universe into someone else's body. That inner voice you hear telling you something is wrong? It's either you, or one of them.

[Resilient Acceleration]

I've been terrified on the concept of the afterlife since I was very little. Looking back, I think when I was like 6 I cried in fear during religious study. Apocalypse, sadistic and brutal eternal torture in hell that contravenes all passages in the Geneva Convention almost pushed me to radical Islamism, while heaven is this just random and undesirable eternal sex orgia I found, uh, unsatisfying for the Ultimate Goal. Ironically I found life far more peaceful now, knowing that you can 1) search for reliable explanation and 2) set your own purpose in life.

[Resilient Acceleration]

My mom hopes reincarnation exists. She better stop that.

It's better than your consciousness going away. I don't want to be in Hell, but if it turns to being at the bottom of the electron for trillions of years or stopping existing, I'm going there. At least I'll get to think, to feel something, even if it's searing pain, and if my interpretation is correct, I'll help another soul not go there when the universe is reborn.

Eh, personally I view death as just like sleeping, your consciousness fades away, and then that's that. Heck, your emotional parts shuts down first before your logic, so when you're at that point you'll just be like "welp, this is it then."

[Valentine Z]

It's better than your consciousness going away. I don't want to be in Hell, but if it turns to being at the bottom of the electron for trillions of years or stopping existing, I'm going there. At least I'll get to think, to feel something, even if it's searing pain, and if my interpretation is correct, I'll help another soul not go there when the universe is reborn.

Eh, personally I view death as just like sleeping, your consciousness fades away, and then that's that. Heck, your emotional parts shuts down first before your logic, so when you're at that point you'll just be like "welp, this is it then."

Death while sleeping is possibly one of the most peaceful ways to go. You are just lying down, sleeping, possibly to live another day and the next moment, you drifted off into a deep sleep, forever never waking up.

It's morbid, albeit a bit fascinating, if I have to say so personally.

[Exalted Inquellian State]

It's better than your consciousness going away. I don't want to be in Hell, but if it turns to being at the bottom of the electron for trillions of years or stopping existing, I'm going there. At least I'll get to think, to feel something, even if it's searing pain, and if my interpretation is correct, I'll help another soul not go there when the universe is reborn.

Eh, personally I view death as just like sleeping, your consciousness fades away, and then that's that. Heck, your emotional parts shuts down first before your logic, so when you're at that point you'll just be like "welp, this is it then."

Yeah, in foresight(?) does not sound pleasant. I'd rather be with Hades, Satan, and whatever other death/evil god there is. Though living forever is preferable to heaven, which is why I aspire to make man biologically immortal one day.

[Resilient Acceleration]

Eh, personally I view death as just like sleeping, your consciousness fades away, and then that's that. Heck, your emotional parts shuts down first before your logic, so when you're at that point you'll just be like "welp, this is it then."

Yeah, in foresight(?) does not sound pleasant. I'd rather be with Hades, Satan, and whatever other death/evil god there is. Though living forever is preferable to heaven, which is why I aspire to make man biologically immortal one day.

Ah, I see you're a person of culture as well.

[Twicetagram and JYPe]

I'm still young, but sometimes I worry myself over this. Why? Most religions that have an afterlife favors those who follow the region, while those who don't get sent to hell. This makes me wonder if the afterlife is actually true. Because if we have so many religions that promoted afterlife, and with their stringent criteria to enter heaven, it's the matter of who you trust the most.

If I were irreligious I definitely wouldn't care about what comes after my life. But really, I'd rather be reincarnated in another universe than spend the rest of my eternal life somewhere.

[Suriyanakhon]

Most people are reborn again and again with no memories of their past births, so it would be hard for them to find their afterlife in heaven pointless even if they've been there repeatedly billions of times. The end of rebirth is Nibbana, then it's not boring because Nibbana is beyond the conceptual range of thought which boredom originates from.

[Borderlands of Rojava]

Wait what's the last sentence supposed to mean?

The first part is that's it's better to feel pain that to not only feel nothing, but remember or feel nothing. My interpretation of Heaven and Hell is bizarre, and I worry it counts as a cult, but that specific part is me believing that after our universe dies, all the sinners of hell will be sent to the reborn version of their universe into someone else's body. That inner voice you hear telling you something is wrong? It's either you, or one of them.

So I went to hell last time and know better now?

[Exalted Inquellian State]

The first part is that's it's better to feel pain that to not only feel nothing, but remember or feel nothing. My interpretation of Heaven and Hell is bizarre, and I worry it counts as a cult, but that specific part is me believing that after our universe dies, all the sinners of hell will be sent to the reborn version of their universe into someone else's body. That inner voice you hear telling you something is wrong? It's either you, or one of them.

So I went to hell last time and know better now?

Not you. If I'm right, there's a voice in your head nudging you into being good. That voice is from the previous universe who got sent here from hell, or someone from heaven who choose to go here. If you want to, I can explain my beliefs.

[Borderlands of Rojava]

Most people are reborn again and again with no memories of their past births, so it would be hard for them to find their afterlife in heaven pointless even if they've been there repeatedly billions of times. The end of rebirth is Nibbana, then it's not boring because Nibbana is beyond the conceptual range of thought which boredom originates from.

I know you're buddhist. When someone goes to nirvana, it often gets compared to a flame being snuffed out, but Nirvana isn't non existence, right?

[Resilient Acceleration]

Most people are reborn again and again with no memories of their past births, so it would be hard for them to find their afterlife in heaven pointless even if they've been there repeatedly billions of times. The end of rebirth is Nibbana, then it's not boring because Nibbana is beyond the conceptual range of thought which boredom originates from.

I mean, if our memory is completely erased after being reincarnated, is there really any difference with us dying and then a completely unrelated person was born?

[US-SSR]

Across the world many religions depict there being a world after this one that a person goes to when they pass away. A place that for the most part is better than this one (except for hell), where people reunite with family. For thousands of years, mankind has had special rituals for this world of the hereafter and has given significance to its imagery. But would the hereafter really be that fun? Or would eternity become...well, boring? Dull and lacking in the change that exists in life? I don't know if I believe in an afterlife or not but I can't help but wonder if there really is no good outcome regarding the hereafter (unless Valhalla exists). What do you think NSers? Is an afterlife really desirable and would it truly be enjoyable?

Back in the day -- the V Dynasty or so -- the only people who thought they might enjoy a hereafter that wasn't pretty monotonous were Pharoahs and priests and such. "Sheol" as used in the Old Testament pretty much meant "the grave" and was a state of not being involved in much of anything. The genius of Christianity was to democratize the upper-class afterlife and more or less promise it to anyone fearful and/or foolish enough to put up with its sillier rules. So, not pointless if you're a priest or a king or suchlike and using it to rope in your flock and encourage them to support you financially and otherwise. Otherwise, living forever seems a strange thing to want for people who get bored on a rainy afternoon.

[Borderlands of Rojava]

Most people are reborn again and again with no memories of their past births, so it would be hard for them to find their afterlife in heaven pointless even if they've been there repeatedly billions of times. The end of rebirth is Nibbana, then it's not boring because Nibbana is beyond the conceptual range of thought which boredom originates from.

I mean, if our memories is completely erased after being reincarnated, is there really any difference with us dying and then a completely unrelated person was born?

Good philosophical question. What makes us even us?

[Exalted Inquellian State]

Most people are reborn again and again with no memories of their past births, so it would be hard for them to find their afterlife in heaven pointless even if they've been there repeatedly billions of times. The end of rebirth is Nibbana, then it's not boring because Nibbana is beyond the conceptual range of thought which boredom originates from.

I mean, if our memory is completely erased after being reincarnated, is there really any difference with us dying and then a completely unrelated person was born?

I guess it's my little "nudging voice", without having to wait billions to trillions to erjvbliefuhvnlihsf years.

[US-SSR]

Most people are reborn again and again with no memories of their past births, so it would be hard for them to find their afterlife in heaven pointless even if they've been there repeatedly billions of times. The end of rebirth is Nibbana, then it's not boring because Nibbana is beyond the conceptual range of thought which boredom originates from.

I know you're buddhist. When someone goes to nirvana, it often gets compared to a flame being snuffed out, but Nirvana isn't non existence, right?

Suri probably has a better handle on this one but I'll toss this out. Nirvana is the cessation of desire. With it comes the end of the cycle of death and rebirth. More than that I don't think the Buddha said, other than that people with different ideas about it annoyed each other with their opinions. What to do in the next moment is generally more important than how one might spend whatever eternity there might be.

[Resilient Acceleration]

Across the world many religions depict there being a world after this one that a person goes to when they pass away. A place that for the most part is better than this one (except for hell), where people reunite with family. For thousands of years, mankind has had special rituals for this world of the hereafter and has given significance to its imagery. But would the hereafter really be that fun? Or would eternity become...well, boring? Dull and lacking in the change that exists in life? I don't know if I believe in an afterlife or not but I can't help but wonder if there really is no good outcome regarding the hereafter (unless Valhalla exists). What do you think NSers? Is an afterlife really desirable and would it truly be enjoyable?

Back in the day -- the V Dynasty or so -- the only people who thought they might enjoy a hereafter that wasn't pretty monotonous were Pharoahs and priests and such. "Sheol" as used in the Old Testament pretty much meant "the grave" and was a state of not being involved in much of anything. The genius of Christianity was to democratize the upper-class afterlife and more or less promise it to anyone fearful and/or foolish enough to put up with its sillier rules. So, not pointless if you're a priest or a king or suchlike and using it to rope in your flock and encourage them to support you financially and otherwise. Otherwise, living forever seems a strange thing to want for people who get bored on a rainy afternoon.

Yeah, I think ultimately the purpose of the concept of afterlife is for things like keeping public order, increase charity funds, increase the votes for your party so you can boost foreign investment by curtailing labor rights, etc.

[US-SSR]

I mean, if our memories is completely erased after being reincarnated, is there really any difference with us dying and then a completely unrelated person was born?

Good philosophical question. What makes us even us?

I think I think, therefore I think I am, I think. -- Descartes (first draft)

The mind thinks thoughts about things. The no-mind not-thinks no-thoughts about no-things. -- Buddha

[Suriyanakhon]

Most people are reborn again and again with no memories of their past births, so it would be hard for them to find their afterlife in heaven pointless even if they've been there repeatedly billions of times. The end of rebirth is Nibbana, then it's not boring because Nibbana is beyond the conceptual range of thought which boredom originates from.

I know you're buddhist. When someone goes to nirvana, it often gets compared to a flame being snuffed out, but Nirvana isn't non existence, right?

Back in the day, when Indians spoke about a flame being extinguished, it didn't mean that they thought that the flame no longer existed, but that it was unbound (no longer being dependent on its fuel).

Consciousness without surface,
without end,
luminous all around:
Here water, earth, fire, & wind
have no footing.
Here long & short
coarse & fine
fair & foul
name & form
are all brought to an end.

[Borderlands of Rojava]

Across the world many religions depict there being a world after this one that a person goes to when they pass away. A place that for the most part is better than this one (except for hell), where people reunite with family. For thousands of years, mankind has had special rituals for this world of the hereafter and has given significance to its imagery. But would the hereafter really be that fun? Or would eternity become...well, boring? Dull and lacking in the change that exists in life? I don't know if I believe in an afterlife or not but I can't help but wonder if there really is no good outcome regarding the hereafter (unless Valhalla exists). What do you think NSers? Is an afterlife really desirable and would it truly be enjoyable?

Back in the day -- the V Dynasty or so -- the only people who thought they might enjoy a hereafter that wasn't pretty monotonous were Pharoahs and priests and such. "Sheol" as used in the Old Testament pretty much meant "the grave" and was a state of not being involved in much of anything. The genius of Christianity was to democratize the upper-class afterlife and more or less promise it to anyone fearful and/or foolish enough to put up with its sillier rules. So, not pointless if you're a priest or a king or suchlike and using it to rope in your flock and encourage them to support you financially and otherwise. Otherwise, living forever seems a strange thing to want for people who get bored on a rainy afternoon.

Tfw you reach the afterlife but it sucks ass and everyone's bored.

[Borderlands of Rojava]

I know you're buddhist. When someone goes to nirvana, it often gets compared to a flame being snuffed out, but Nirvana isn't non existence, right?

Back in the day, when Indians spoke about a flame being extinguished, it didn't mean that they thought that the flame no longer existed, but that it was unbound (no longer being dependent on its fuel).

Consciousness without surface,
without end,
luminous all around:
Here water, earth, fire, & wind
have no footing.
Here long & short
coarse & fine
fair & foul
name & form
are all brought to an end.

So it's like being a ghost?

[Arkhane]

Most religions hold the idea of an afterlife as an ideal existence where suffering is non-existent.

Boredom is a form of suffering since it implies that one is trapped in a stupor where nothing new happens. In an ideal afterlife, we wouldn't be bored.

But on the other hand, who knows? Maybe we really are immortal and powerful beings that got bored with creative mode and decided to temporarily erase our memories and live like mortals just for fun or a dare amongst ourselves. The whole universe existing and its laws could have been threatrical backdrops to further confuse and make us feel helpless. If we can build worlds and universes through simulation, who's to say we're not currently living in a very advanced one?

60-70 yrs of suffering in this world is just a few seconds slap on the wrist for such eternal beings.