1 hour ago, Hummin said:

What if we are nothing more than numbers, mathematics, or information arranged in a particular way? Consciousness could simply be what matter does when it reaches a certain level of complexity. Death would then be the end of that arrangement. The information disperses, much like a whirlpool disappears when the water stops flowing. Nothing goes anywhere because there was never anything separate from the physical process.

An interesting train of thaught. Science has made breathtaking progress over the last 200 years. Astronomy especially. But then "quantum theory" entered the scene. Robbing scientis of undisturbed sleep.

On top of everything: Dark matter and dark energy is the major force in the universe. We know nothing about it.

This opens doors for astro-phisysist to veer towards a combination of Einstein/quantum theory and science fiction. As they have no clue how our universe actually functions. Not after 200 years. No wonder, that the "science fiction" element among astro phisysits is gaining momentum.

Astro phisisyts will have to go back to the drawing board: With billions and billions of galaxies, containing billions and billions of stars (the mass is indescible), and all this should have had its origin from a "hot spot" smaller than an atom?

My personal opinion: Bovine droppings. But as long as our most respeted scientists can not explain to us how the universe works, religions and other spiritual hokus pokus will remain as the main compass for humanity. Unfortunately.

Therefore: "Religions" will be with us for a long time, with the remaining question "Where will our decomposed body and our souls end up".

Irrelevant.

The past is over.

The future isn't determined yet.

All you have is now.

Now is the most novel, complicated thing you ever experienced.

What do I do now?

Biggest question in your entire life. 😀

18 hours ago, fredwiggy said:

Garden of Weeden.

So your concept of life after death (ie Heaven) is sitting around smoking weed with Jimi Hendrix?

But I can't stand Jimi Hendrix and I don't like sitting around smoking weed.

So do we get any other options?

Do they have tennis courts out there? I want to play tennis with Bjorn Borg.

Edited July 17Jul 17 by save the frogs

1 hour ago, SiSePuede419 said:

What do I do now?

Right now, I'm reading your post.

And if "now" is all we got, then that sucks.

3 minutes ago, save the frogs said:

So your concept of life after death (ie Heaven) is sitting around smoking weed with Jimi Hendrix?

But I can't stand Jimi Hendrix and I don't like sitting around smoking weed.

So do we get any other options?

Do they have tennis courts out there? I want to play tennis with Bjorn Borg.

It's socializing with everyone. If God can make the earth like it is, I'm thinking he has a much better place waiting for those who believed in him. Things we like should still be available, like eating, fishing, sports, all nature without bugs or snakes.We're supposed to be given a new body, perfect without flaws.

Edited July 17Jul 17 by fredwiggy

2 minutes ago, save the frogs said:

And if "now" is all we got, then that sucks.

Don't blame me for your bad decisions to read this instead of putting down your phone and go for a walk in the pouring rain. 🫡

1 minute ago, fredwiggy said:

It's socializing with everyone. If God can make the earth like it is, I'm thinking he has a much better place waiting for those who believed in him. Things we like should still be available, like eating, fishing, sports, all nature without bugs or snakes.

Without a body you can't do anything.

21 hours ago, fredwiggy said:

And?

And..... if somebody feels better believing / hoping for something to be true, then I say more power to him!

Whatever gets ya thru the night.

Me personally, I need hard evidence. I need to KNOW.

For me Hope does not equal Know.

I know nothing about the truth of consciousness or if we go on past death.

Nobody else knows either.

6 minutes ago, Woke to Sounds said:

And..... if somebody feels better believing / hoping for something to be true, then I say more power to him!

Whatever gets ya thru the night.

Me personally, I need hard evidence. I need to KNOW.

For me Hope does not equal Know.

I know nothing about the truth of consciousness or if we go on past death.

Nobody else knows either.

God isn't going to show himself but wants faith which is a lot stronger than proof.

John 20:29

 Then Jesus told him, “Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”

Edited July 18Jul 18 by fredwiggy

14 hours ago, Hummin said:

Until you reach Nirvana

Reincarnation does not tell you what you will become, where you will be born, or who your parents will be. If you believe in reincarnation, karma may also be part of it. Do not wish for something when you do not know the full truth behind it.

There is also a theory that you go where you go based on what you believe. As for me, I hope for total silence. I hope the fuse goes black, and I’m gone.

There is an interesting idea in Lucifer Morgenstar. You don’t end up in Hell because God sends you there, but because your own guilt keeps you there. Whether you believe that or not, it makes you think about how much our own minds shape our reality.

Hell is not someplace we visit later. It is a state of mind we create now, if we are incapable of lifting ourselves up and avoiding misery. Guys like Trump are in hell. Their words and deeds reflect that daily. And their desire to inflict that hell upon others.

21 hours ago, ColeBOzbourne said:

There are two sides to that coin. No one can prove that there is not life after death either.

If there was life after death we would've known about that .

Someone would've Come back to Earth to inform us /or let us know .

9 minutes ago, digger70 said:

If there was life after death we would've known about that .

Someone would've Come back to Earth to inform us /or let us know .

Both Heaven and Hell have one-way doors, they are programmed to receive. I thought everyone knew that. A bit like 'Hotel California', "You can check out anytime you want, but you can never leave".

7 minutes ago, ColeBOzbourne said:

Both Heaven and Hell have one-way doors, they are programmed to receive. I thought everyone knew that. A bit like 'Hotel California', "You can check out anytime you want, but you can never leave".

Pretty much like Thailand.

11 minutes ago, ColeBOzbourne said:

Both Heaven and Hell have one-way doors, they are programmed to receive. I thought everyone knew that. A bit like 'Hotel California', "You can check out anytime you want, but you can never leave".

Heaven and Hell aren't Real Only Religion believes . So it's all BS

Thai spouses will often say, I want to find you in my next life. If there is any kind of rebirth as humans, we could be a different gender, maybe even the wrong gender.

No, I don't want another round of this. Once is enough. If I could be reborn as a bird or a squirrel, with no fear of death and drops when and where it drops, that's not too bad.

LSD opened the eyes of psychiatrist Ian Stevenson who hosted a chair on reincarnation at University of Virginia. His short essay, "Some of My Journeys in Medicine", is mind-blowing.

https://med.virginia.edu/perceptual-studies/wp-content/uploads/sites/360/2015/11/some-of-my-journeys-in-medicine.pdf

15 minutes ago, digger70 said:

Heaven and Hell aren't Real Only Religion believes . So it's all BS

Heaven and Hell exist side by side right in front of your eyes.

Some people are in war-torn cities, some people are drug addicts, on prozac, living in poverty.

Some people are famous, rich, living in mansions.

Arnold Swarzenneger says he is dreading his death because he has had such a great life.

And that still doesn't mean there is "nothing" after death.

7 minutes ago, unblocktheplanet said:

Thai spouses will often say, I want to find you in my next life. If there is any kind of rebirth as humans, we could be a different gender, maybe even the wrong gender.

No, I don't want another round of this. Once is enough. If I could be reborn as a bird or a squirrel, with no fear of death and drops when and where it drops, that's not too bad.

LSD opened the eyes of psychiatrist Ian Stevenson who hosted a chair on reincarnation at University of Virginia. His short essay, "Some of My Journeys in Medicine", is mind-blowing.

https://med.virginia.edu/perceptual-studies/wp-content/uploads/sites/360/2015/11/some-of-my-journeys-in-medicine.pdf

What would be the sense of reincarnation if each life doesn't remember the previous ones? One chance, one soul makes a lot more sense.

14 minutes ago, fredwiggy said:

What would be the sense of reincarnation if each life doesn't remember the previous ones? One chance, one soul makes a lot more sense.

Well, this is just one theory, probably widely held in Eastern religions.

https://somananda.org/blog/what-is-reincarnation-and-why-is-it-important-in-modern-day/

According to tantric yogis, there is a natural blockage or barrier that comes at the level of the subconscious mind every time a soul reincarnates into a new body. It’s like a mental wall that prevents the soul from seeing its previous lifetimes.

The reason for this subconscious wall is simple — it’s meant to protect the soul. If a human mind could see all the things that had happened in previous lives, it would almost certainly suffer and may regress its evolution. For example, consider the effects that post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) can have on people who have been through terrible trauma, such as wars or abuse. It can be devastating, and a person can barely function at times.

Can you imagine remembering all the traumas your soul has ever experienced? You’ve likely been through thousands, or even more, lifetimes already. If any human remembered all the experiences of their previous incarnations, they would not be able to handle it. Their mental structure would simply break down and collapse.

17 minutes ago, fredwiggy said:

What would be the sense of reincarnation if each life doesn't remember the previous ones? One chance, one soul makes a lot more sense.

Maybe this is describing what Jesus was ... bodhisattva

Steely Dan even had a song about bodhisattvas.

Progressive rock rules!

https://somananda.org/blog/what-is-reincarnation-and-why-is-it-important-in-modern-day/

Yes, reincarnation comes to an end when a soul reaches full self-realization. At that point, all karma is obliterated, and there is no need for that soul to reincarnate.

As they are fully self-aware, they can then choose the next stage of their evolution, without the limitations of karma. For example, some fully enlightened souls are said to have taken vows to continue reincarnating into human form indefinitely so they can help others also achieve enlightenment. Buddhism calls these beings bodhisattvas.

Other enlightened beings may choose to operate in even higher states of consciousness and help others energetically from those elevated states. But this is done on a higher plane without a body, because a self-realized soul no longer needs a body.

2 minutes ago, save the frogs said:

Well, this is just one theory, probably widely held in Eastern religions.

https://somananda.org/blog/what-is-reincarnation-and-why-is-it-important-in-modern-day/

According to tantric yogis, there is a natural blockage or barrier that comes at the level of the subconscious mind every time a soul reincarnates into a new body. It’s like a mental wall that prevents the soul from seeing its previous lifetimes.

The reason for this subconscious wall is simple — it’s meant to protect the soul. If a human mind could see all the things that had happened in previous lives, it would almost certainly suffer and may regress its evolution. For example, consider the effects that post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) can have on people who have been through terrible trauma, such as wars or abuse. It can be devastating, and a person can barely function at times.

Can you imagine remembering all the traumas your soul has ever experienced? You’ve likely been through thousands, or even more, lifetimes already. If any human remembered all the experiences of their previous incarnations, they would not be able to handle it. Their mental structure would simply break down and collapse.

So the "last" soul ends up in heaven, where the previous ones are null and void? That's what I meant by one chance, one soul, but where God takes away all the bad past memories you had so they wouldn't harm your thinking in heaven.Yes, progressive rock is a favorite, from the beginning to the present, where some great music is still being made.

Edited July 18Jul 18 by fredwiggy

1 hour ago, digger70 said:

Heaven and Hell aren't Real Only Religion believes . So it's all BS

Would you be willing to swear to that on a stack of bibles, on top of a mountain, during an electrical storm, with your penis duct-taped to a lightening rod? If not, then I don't believe you. ☠️😇

1 hour ago, fredwiggy said:

So the "last" soul ends up in heaven, where the previous ones are null and void?

theory still has some kinks that need to be worked out.

1 hour ago, ColeBOzbourne said:

Would you be willing to swear to that on a stack of bibles, on top of a mountain, during an electrical storm, with your penis duct-taped to a lightening rod? If not, then I don't believe you. ☠️😇

I Don't believe in the Bible That's Religion BS.

An electrical storm I can See

Not going to duct tape the little fellow to an lightening rod ,one never knows what could happen 😆

2 hours ago, fredwiggy said:

What would be the sense of reincarnation if each life doesn't remember the previous ones? One chance, one soul makes a lot more sense.

Like a factory reset and a software upgrade? That is the whole point. You get another chance to improve until you nail it. Not just one life, one chance, then paradise or Hell and for some nothing, as in your religion.

3 hours ago, fredwiggy said:

What would be the sense of reincarnation if each life doesn't remember the previous ones? One chance, one soul makes a lot more sense.

I think it is more of a cellular memory than a brain memory. Stevenson found that children who remembered past lives only last till about age five.

Even if we just go back to universal energy, that's Heaven.

2 hours ago, save the frogs said:

Well, this is just one theory, probably widely held in Eastern religions.

https://somananda.org/blog/what-is-reincarnation-and-why-is-it-important-in-modern-day/

According to tantric yogis, there is a natural blockage or barrier that comes at the level of the subconscious mind every time a soul reincarnates into a new body. It’s like a mental wall that prevents the soul from seeing its previous lifetimes.

The reason for this subconscious wall is simple — it’s meant to protect the soul. If a human mind could see all the things that had happened in previous lives, it would almost certainly suffer and may regress its evolution. For example, consider the effects that post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) can have on people who have been through terrible trauma, such as wars or abuse. It can be devastating, and a person can barely function at times.

Can you imagine remembering all the traumas your soul has ever experienced? You’ve likely been through thousands, or even more, lifetimes already. If any human remembered all the experiences of their previous incarnations, they would not be able to handle it. Their mental structure would simply break down and collapse.

"My" guru, the late Swami Venkatesananda, believed that many beings, such as trees, are already enlightened. Humans have to work at it and rarely get there. Better luck next life, eh!

1 hour ago, ColeBOzbourne said:

Would you be willing to swear to that on a stack of bibles, on top of a mountain, during an electrical storm, with your penis duct-taped to a lightening rod? If not, then I don't believe you. ☠️😇

Why? Does swearing on a Bible actually do anything special? It is a psychological ritual, not something with any demonstrated supernatural effect. Psychological rituals can be powerful, though. They influence behavior, reinforce commitment, and in vulnerable people they can even contribute to guilt, fear, or trauma.

I'd be more worried about standing on a mountain during a lightning storm. I experienced it once. Our hair stood on end, we got a metallic taste in our mouths, and lightning struck somewhere nearby

1 hour ago, ColeBOzbourne said:

Would you be willing to swear to that on a stack of bibles, on top of a mountain, during an electrical storm, with your penis duct-taped to a lightening rod? If not, then I don't believe you. ☠️😇

That's how old Moses got the tablets. I think they were LSD.

7 minutes ago, unblocktheplanet said:

"My" guru, the late Swami Venkatesananda, believed that many beings, such as trees, are already enlightened. Humans have to work at it and rarely get there. Better luck next life, eh!

A lot of charlatans are making up all sorts of stuff.

Then it sounds so silly that the entire theory is discounted by people.

4 minutes ago, Hummin said:

Why? Does swearing on a Bible actually do anything special? It is a psychological ritual, not something with any demonstrated supernatural effect. Psychological rituals can be powerful, though. They influence behavior, reinforce commitment, and in vulnerable people they can even contribute to guilt, fear, or trauma.

I'd be more worried about standing on a mountain during a lightning storm. I experienced it once. Our hair stood on end, we got a metallic taste in our mouths, and lightning struck somewhere nearby

At least you sinners weren't struck down. Were you in the act of celebratory copulation have reach the top?