How would you react if the afterlife wasn't what you expected?
 

Say you are a devout christian and all your life you believed that you would go to heaven when you died, but when you got there, there was nothing. How would you react? And vice versa for aethiests, you expect that your brain and body would just shut down, but you end up in some heaven/hell/or afterlife type place. How would you react?

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I don't think there will be an afterlife, but if there were, I'd have a lot of explaining and grovelling to do.
Oh yeah, I'd have a few questions to ask and a bit of an axe to grind too.
In fact I'd kick off.
What were you thinking of, God ? I mean really, what's the deal here ? Oh yeah ? Put that pint of ambrosia down and lets step outside and settle this like immortals !

I won't react. There is no afterlife.

That would be a sweet ending to a wasted life.

Interesting question - there are so many predictions of the afterlife, we know they can't all be right.

Or can they?

I'm not sure how I'd react... I guess I'll just have to wait and find out.

An interesting side note... a lot of people say that they'd rather die after their normal lifespan instead of living forever, because death is what drives you to make the most out of life.

But if there's an afterlife, isn't that basically immortal life, after death?

What's the difference between being immortal in this life, and being immortal in the next?

i guess what immediately comes to mind is - DOH!

My reaction:
OH SHIT!!! DO I NEED TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR WHAT I'VE DONE???

sue God.

;)

I don't belive in afterlife or god or something like that. so it I would "wake up" in heaven (or hell) I would be a bit surprised.

But I really would be pissed if this reincarnation thing is true, but maybe thats why all the babies are crying when they are born...

I'd have to agree with sixate. If by some weird turn of events I found myself in heaven or hell I'd probably figure that I was crazy and wasn't actually dead.

I honestly don't know how I'd react. I'd prolly be a little disappointed to know I was wrong. I hate being wrong.

"You mean that I could have taken it all with me?"

Then I would bitch slap St. Peter.

i'd be shocked since i dont think there is one... but i'd recover quickly

I have no expectations. I often wonder why were all here in this life.

I would probably react with surprise and curiosity.

I'll have to go with Sixate on this one, buuuuut for the sake of conversation -

I'd suck it up and admit that I was wrong, although I probably wouldn't need to because God would already know that...

I would likely just say "Mmkay.." and go on about my business. Really.

what if i dont believe there is an afterlife?

if there is an afterlife, i don't believe that it would be divided into sinners and saints. even good people have evil in them and evil people have some good

I dont belive in an afterlife,..heh...I guess my reaction would be
'Life is learning, even after life..' :p

I am not expecting an afterlife.

I am under the impression that when you die you are gone. That's it, roll end credits.

Death is the end. I am thinking it will be much like getting put to sleep for surgery, minus the waking up part.

Afterlife? This actually might be it you know! :)

Actually I'd probably get as far as a "DOH!"

i will laugh because i am gonna kick satans ass and see what happens because i know i am going to hell so god just might trow me a bone if i kill satan

like i do with all things... go with the flow.

i think i'll think about it then, if there is one

i would be neutral, hopefully pleased.....i try not to put expectations on what the after life will be like...who knows it could just be a nuked version of earth with only 1000 people

I would find myself an internet-connected computer ASAP, come to the TFP right away, and find out what to do.

I'd probably kill myself.

I'd be happy as hell if it turned out to be anything except what I believe.

Tilted Advice - What to do in Afterlife
:D

If there is no afterlife - well there would be nothing to consider.

Since I think there is one, and if it turns out, say, that you spend eternity walking around as a ghost, yeah, that would suck.

But no matter what it is it can't be bad.

I'm generally athiest, so I don't much believe in an afterlife. That being said, if there is one, I think I'd be pleasantly surprised.

I am dead already, cant bitch, I guess I would have to deal with it

talk about your pointless question

Does anybody else see the irony? What could you possibly be expecting? It isn't about expecting anything! If you want to talk about an afterlife, it's all about the biggest leap of faith that possibly exists (to us mere mortals). If true faith is a blind leap into the unknown (which I believe it is -- a delicious paradox to chew on) then any afterlife would have to be the totally unexpected

Well as an agnostic/closet atheist, if I die and there's an afterlife, I'm going to be scared shitless because I'll certainly be in hell.

There is no afterlife

Demand a refund!

It would just be another adventure. You don't seem to get a choice and there is no warranty so I would just make the best of things and see what happens.

what could you do, you're dead.

I guess you wouldn't be able to do much about it, but deal with it.

i'll believe that there is an afterlife when i see it with my own eyes.......

As an agnostic I'd just shrug my shoulders and say "well that's nice".

If I were in Hell (the physical place) and I was being made to suffer, I'd consider God unjust in usurping my free will.

I hate how modern christianity has portrayed hell as a physical place. Hell should be a state of mind where you bring mental and emotional suffering on your own shoulders by your own free will and by your knowledge of the kind of life you led.

It shouldn't be a physical place where God "punishes" you for not listening to Jerry Falwell.

ask for a refund?

Bang all the angels :D

Or something, you couldn't die so I'd do pretty much anything.

I am not christian.
I do not believe in god/afterlife.
I do not disbelieve in god/afterlife.
I am pursuing buddhism.

I have no expectations for the afterlife.. I'll just be pleased if there is one.. =)

I would think to myself, well if this is the decision i made and its wrong then there is nothing i can do about. You can't learn from this mistake, but you can look forward to see the outcome.

I'd just deal with whatever is there. Not much else I can do, I mean what can you say, "Uh, I don't believe in heaven can you make me just go away?"

I also think that those of you who have nothing to say on the subject would be quite pleased if you turned out to be wrong and did end up in heaven

First off... I would thinking nothing of it if there weren't an afterlife. I'm living my life the way I like it, thus no regrets.

I don't see it as an AFTERLife tho.. Merely our energy does not die, only our physical body does. As for how it feels? I've felt it. Sure maybe I'm insane, but i truely believe I've felt the feeling before. Its undescribable, but when there is no concept of time.. like there is here on earth, you don't feel bored.. you don't feel like youcan't wait until its all over... That feeling doesn't exist, its very relaxing.

I don't think there is an afterlife.I believe it is all made up to appease and justify the existence of organized religion and for those who support it.

Don't worry, just listen to the wise words of Black Adder the first (Edmund).



Edmund: Well, well, let's take Hell: You know, Hell isn't as bad as it's cracked up to be.

Graveney: What?

Edmund: No, no, no, no. No, you see, the thing about Heaven, is that Heaven is for people who like the sort of things that go on in Heaven, like, uh, well, singing, talking to God, watering pot plants...

Graveney: Ew...

Edmund: Whereas Hell, on the other hand, is for people who like the other sorts of things: adultery, pillage, torture -- those areas.

Graveney: Really?

Edmund: Mm! Give your lands to the Crown, and once you're dead, you'll have the time of your life!

Graveney: Adultery? Pillage? Through all eternity?

Edmund: Yep!

Just adapt and carry on the best I can

Nad Adam, sage advice there from Blackadder the First - but I still bloody don't want to die the way he did...

codling grinder *shudder*

I think I keep missing the point of these hypothetical ones, so bear with me...

um. if the afterlife wasn't what I expected...
OK then, that depends on what I expect the afterlife to be, I think.

I think this life here is the afterlife. OK, so is it what I expected?

no. I don't remember expecting anything.

I want to play but can't seem to get the knack. I'll think about it some more and get back to you - thanks.

wait. a sec,

If I expect this life here to be the afterlife, then yes! it's exactly what I expected...OK then how would I react?

I would just accept it.

I would stamp my feet and whine about how unfair it all is.

i would be pissed. All these years of trying to do the right thing to avoid judgement then the judgement never comes.

Hard to say as I have absolutely no expectation of an afterlife.

But if I were to expect something and subsequently found that I was duped by false advertising, I suppose my reaction might be influenced by who turned out to be the actual 'chosen' people.

I mean, if I were to show up at the gate and was greated by L. Ron Hubbard, John Travolta, Tom Cruise, and Kirstie Alley, I think I'd blow a gasket and demand a refund or at least another trip around.

:D

go with the flow baby, just go with the flow

Keep a very close eye on which arrow on the elevator lit up.

id say id be fucked...after all im not religious at all, and id be meeting satan....id flip out

I'd demand a "DO OVER" just like in elementary school.

Christian here,

severely bummed.

I would be happy, that there is anything. I belive that I myself am infinite. I neither started or will finish.

I would be totally pissed - I'd pick up my toys and go somewhere else.

That sounds about right. :cool:

In the afterlife I fully expect to make my eternal presence known in the form of glorious, nutrient rich worm castings - no more, no less.

-

Who cares about your virginity? As long as you've got the box it came in.

:D

What if they'll only give you in-afterlife credit?

<center>First thing I'd do?......

start kickin' sum ass!!!

If I awoke and found no afterlife I think that I'd kill myself.

Well, if I awoke after death, then there's an afterlife. If heaven isn't what I thought it'd be, but I'm still alive in the afterlife? I'd basically say "Meh, close enough."

However, if by nothing, you mean....NOTHING; then my thoughts would be just that--nothing. I'd be a rotting corpse and that's all.

As I believe that there is no after life... I suppose I would be surprised to be certain and forced to reassess my world view.

I would do the same thing I do now... stand around saying

"what the hell is this?"

First of all, the answer would strongly depend on where I end up. If I ended up in Heaven despite all my sins, I would be happy. If I ended up in Hell despite all my virtues, I would be anguished. If I ended up born as an untouchable despite all my Karma, I would be sort of confused because I don't really understand how Hinduism works. If death is the end, I wouldn't be anything.

Second of all, I'm a little confused by some of the responses on these boards. If all you respond to a hypothetical question in philosophy is, "Man I don't give a fuck that wouldn't happen anyway," or the ever popular, "I'm not a Christian and don't believe in god so fuck that," aren't you missing the point of philosophy? The goal is to stretch your beliefs and your understandings, not to regurgitate the moral meal you've already eaten.

"shit! i knew i should have turned left at the giant halo"

it would be okay cause it's just somethin new

If the afterlife is not what I expected...

I expect heaven and hell, I expect people who love and worship god to go to heaven, and people who don't love and don't worship god to go to hell. I think that maybe some people get into heaven that aren't meant to and maybe people can go to hell even after being accepted into heaven, satan was banished so it shows that there is free will in heaven, at least amongst angels.

So, what are the believed other possibilities other than heaven and hell. There is nothingness in which case I wouldnt be surprised because well.. nothing..

There is rebirth. Most people dont remember their previous life so again... nothing to expect... I dont know the rules of rebirth so if its like your are bad this life you'll be punished in the next. Well if I'm not going to remember it, why the hell do I care what happens?

Ghosts- Not much is believed here.. they exist, they roam, but nothing ever really explained other than they are seen sometimes, maybe reliving their life over and over not knowing they are dead...so...again....nothing...

I think its impossible for me to understand athiest. I mean, if your a good person, nothing happens. if your a bad person, nothing happens. If God is real at least I followed him, but if I'm following a non-existant god then nothing is going to happen so why does it matter? The "right" religion might have died 100 million years ago. I don't KNOW but I have faith that I got the right one.

How do you know you're not dead now?
(a tip of the hat to William Burroughs)

I like to imagine that the afterlife would be like something in an RPG or anime, like say, when I die, I'll be taken to the Galatic Leyline http://evildog.50megs.com/whatsaleylineold.html or that I'd be taken to that endless grass field that they show in the beginning of Final Fantasy 8 where Squall and Rinoa make a promise to meet... or umm... maybe become one with all of humanity, like Human Instrumentality Project from Neon Genesis Evangelion... or become a conscious encephalon... or something like that. If things turned out to be different, like I end up in Heaven, I hope that I can receive the same enlightenment like if I were to end up in the Galatic Leyline, or if I end up in hell, well, can't really hope for anything now can I.

Well it's not like i'd get that much say in it....

but i'd probably just decide adjust my expectations.

It's not like i won't have any time to get used to it

Is that why ur sig says:

"Hell was full so I came back"???

:p

well i think there is an afterlife, so if there isn't any... well I guess I wouldn't know it now would I? ;)

my favorite reaction prediction is surprise. I consider myself Christian, but am pretty well agnostic about if there is an afterlife...which makes for a strange belief system. The reassurance i find is in Matthew 25, the semi-famed passage in which Jesus tells the loyal sheep that "for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me..."

They are welcomed in to heaven, but ask their Lord why. They do not recall the service that he describes, and are startled to be in heaven at all. This comes right on the heels of several passages about how one must be alert, and awake to what will happen. This dichotomy is really cool to me-it seems that we are to always remember that there is judgement and respobsilbilty for what we do with the chances we are given to make the world better, but that in the end, everyone will be blindsided by God's reconciliation with humankind. So i figure its quite alright not to know, but to expect great things nonetheless.

luckily for me, i have absolutely NO expectations. I keep myself like this because I know that there is no way of knowing what happens after you die until it's too late.