Afterlife and Evolution: Do you believe in both?

[StClone]

If so how does life (us) evolve from a spark and some simple compounds to have a parallel "evolved" afterlife? If you believe in Evolution then you must believe we are just smarter versions of lower life and if we have an afterlife then so should any living thing.

I believe life is for the living and there is no afterlife. But after watching a show on the Lifetime channel, I was surprised how many have the belief of and afterlife.

Ghosts, near death and assorted experiences are pointed to to support the claim of an afterlife. The universe is complex enough without imposing this super-eternal preternaturalness to it.

[molly]

1. I believe in both and add in reincarnation

and evolution of the soul. Of course, there are "dark souls" that do not evolve - a good example would be *.

[billyskank]

14. You can't exclude anyone from your theory

even Dubya.

[Merlot]

2. Why not?

There's no reason to believe they would be mutually exclusive.

And why wouldn't any other living thing have an afterlife?

What's the difference between evolution and creation? Could be that evolution was just the slower version of creation (oh, I know I'm going to get hellfire for saying that!).

[cags]

6. I've always thought about that, God made the Big Bang happen

[StClone]

8. Mutual exclusivity is not a problem

It is lack of proof and a solid reason for there evolving life after death.

But, you could argue that life's start in the first place seems to come without reason unless there is a "God" creating it. From there the afterlife argument through a religious theme can be made.

[amazona]

3. you could argue that the afterlife is an emergent property

I believe in an afterlife of sorts but I do not believe in eternal life. I think in a relatively few circumstances there is something we don't fully understand that causes the dead person to continue to have a limited effect on human perception. However, the dead person himself is not aware of what he is doing, nor is he actually with Jesus, nor will he continue to grow or develop. Eventually his after-image will just peter out, and his "ghost" for a lack of a better word will be seen no more.

I don't think there is a scrap of evidence that anyone continues to have conscious awareness once their physical brain has rotted in the ground or been cremated. Once all humans die, there will be no ghosts, because there is no ghost without a living person(s) to perceive them.

Hard to put this into words, hope this makes sense.

It is equally reasonable to argue that ghosts, afterlife, etc. don't exist at all, and at times I have inclined toward that view. However, I am fairly satisfied that "weird stuff" goes on. I just don't believe that any of this "weird stuff" proves anything about dead people going on to glory with Jesus or getting to pick out a new set of parents on the astral plane.

I am aware that this is an unpopular view so anyone getting out a flame thrower...please be kind! I already know I'm odd.

[bowens43]

4. I believe in everything.

I like to cover all the bases.

[cruadin]

5. I don't see them as being mutually exclusive either.

I accept evolution as a scientific fact, but evolution only explains what happened AFTER life began. Non-living things don't evolve.
I don't know exactly what got the first spark of life going, but I believe that whatever it was it is probably both unknown and unknowable.
In other words there are aspects to life that I don't think anyone understands or will ever understand.

Why not an afterlife?

[bloom]

7. I used to believe

in an afterlife. Now I think that is mostly just wishful thinking. Not being able to accept that what is now is now and when it is gone it is gone.

[StClone]

9. Yes that is my leanings

Life evolved to live not to be in the here-after. Evolution is the energy to stay to the Earth as long as possible (both as as individuals in most cases and as species) because only dust is left when you leave life.

The movie "White Noise" irks me also. Voices communicating through modern appliances from the beyond, Red State rubbish.

[bloom]

10. It would be a sad thing

if the people who believe in an afterlife (or a lot them, anyway) don't see the need to worry about the planet because they think the real deal happens after they are dead.
IOW - why worry about this place? :shrug:

I wonder how many ways people might live differently if they thought this was it. Would people be more inclined or less inclined to care about others. Or would it make no difference at all?

[Merlot]

11. That's what's good about reincarnation theory

Whether it's true or not, it teaches that you reap what you sow. You'll come back to this earth again, and wouldn't you like it to be a better place?

I don't like the whole "heaven" story, the idea that there is a better place somewhere else, and we're just marking time while here.

[StClone]

15. Bloom the inspiration for this post is just that

Buggers that care more about making it to the nonexistent here-after and leave the here and now a mess. It's all around us and gaining as the Religious fanatics sway the increasingly gullible.

[Groggy]

12. I believe in both...

I think there are many things we don't understand, and I truly believe there is more than just our life here. I honestly don't think we are just molecules and tissue and that we when die thats it. I believe there is something beyond what we can see--something better than us..if that makes any sense. So yes, I do believe in God (or a higher power or whatever you want to call it) , the afterlife and reincarnation or at least in the possibility...

And that goes for animals too....

[MisterP]

13. absolutely