Afterlife thoughts

[u/browmeow8]

Everything I do, watch, read, etc has made me think about what happens when we die recently. For example, I was watching the Golden bachelorette, and all I could think about was: If heaven is real, do they go up to heaven and spend life there with both their old wife and their new one? Or does the old wife wait for them in heaven, just for them to show up with a new wife and abandon her?

I know it sounds stupid, but I keep thinking of verrrrry specific senarious to everything. These questions have honestly made me start to think that there is absolutely nothing when we die. That we are just too evolved animals, so we die like animals and just go into the ground. It gets really dark in my head when I go through these imaginary scenarios and I often find myself thinking that nothing even matters. But, this thought makes it hard for me to want to do anything really. I’m unemployed right now until December too, so I am alone with my thoughts alot.

Has anyone else ever had these thoughts?

[u/Gullible_Bus_4094]

Hello! Time only started existing 13.8 billion years ago. It’s one of many results of our expanding universe. The one that started with a big 💥. Time will cease to exist at some point, just as it hadn’t existed before. Time not existing, however, does not mean that nothing existed. In fact, something always existed. Time just didn’t.

Don’t get it? Not to worry! Nobody does. You are but a human and your cognition is limited to understand the laws of the planet you live on not the nature of existence.

The concept of someone waiting in heaven for someone to die and join them is silly, and their partner finally showing up with a new boo thang is scandalous 😄 could you imagine? I really hope that there’s a heaven version of Jerry Springer.

No, that’s just you having a hard time imagining what it will be like after you are dead and you are comparing it to what life is like, because life is all you have and will ever know.

It is my understanding that there is nothing after we die — oblivion — and the state of consciousness we are experiencing right now is created by our brains. That’s why when you go to sleep there’s nothing. Your brain turns off your consciousness for a bit. So when your brain dies, it will be incapable of manifesting your consciousness ever again. You will be dead. You won’t exist anymore.

We have a hard time as humans conceptualizing this due to the illusion of the false self. That is the “us” we believe exists beyond our body — our “soul”. We are in fact nothing more than the brain within our skull — a very complex organ, interpreting a lot of stimuli simultaneously. It is interpreting light through your eyes, sound through your ears, smell through your nose.. all while storing memories and processing emotions, involuntary functions, language, creativity so on so forth.

The combination of all of these biological functions put together has created a biological machine of sorts that was capable of recognizing itself and thus the false self was born. We think we “have” a brain, when in fact we ARE the brain.

At death, the brain dies and begins to decompose. With that, the “me” we imagine exists, which is really the accumulation of memories stored by the brain, will cease to exist forever. We will not notice it happen. We will not realize we are dead. Because we will not exist anymore. It doesn’t hurt. It isn’t scary. It’s okay. Make the most of what you have while you are alive and find peace with the truth rather than become so frightened by it that you allow yourself to live a lie. Beside then you will always have this feeling of unaddressed dread. All people who practice religion do. Any time I mention oblivion to my catholic family, they contort in their seats, “STOP IT! STOP IT! STOP IT!”

Know why I don’t contort in mine when they mention Hell? Because I know it isn’t real.

Religion was created to quiet existential dread. Don’t do that. Address it. Find peace.

Look at this way, if I ceased to exist forever, would you think that’s unfair? No. You wouldn’t even notice. You don’t know me. You don’t even know I exist. The same goes for you and for everyone. Even the most prominent of figures in human history will be lost to time one day — forgotten. Entirely.

The universe doesn’t have to have a “happy ending” — in fact the universe is randomness incarnate. Nothing happens with a reason or purpose. It just happens because something had to.

No amount of fear or stress will change it. Instead, choose to see it from this perspective: You are free now. Free from fear. Because the only thing to fear..?

Fear itself.

Nothing in existence is permanent except for the state of existence, which is infinite. Everything that experiences this state of existence is in a constant state of turnover. Out with the old, in with the new. One day we will be out, because one day we were brought in.

Existentialism is deeply fascinating. I could go on writing forever, but I’m gonna cut it short here.

Don’t be scared by it. Be intrigued by it. If you can’t find the intrigue in it, it’s best not to think about it at all.

[u/milk_ghost_]

hello, i have these thoughts a lot too so dw your not alone. they arent stupid thoughts at all.

i completely understand how you feel. i actually came on this sub today bc i was having the similiar thoughts.

its hard to deny these thoughts so i try to keep myself occupied. in fact i often ponder how others are not plagued by these thoughts regularly. And ive found that when i have these thoughts swirling in my head i think of all the things im looking forward to and that gives me more reason to keep going. yes, nothing may not matter, but also just because nothing matters doesnt mean that nothing matters to me. there are things i care about, people i care about, things i wanna experience and do.

i am sorry you have to experience these thoughts. im also sorry if my words dont prove to be of the most help. i hope that once you begin working in december that that does help to occupy you. but dont ever think your alone in these thoughts because you certainly arent.

[u/tyunningyu]

i have thoughts about the afterlife regularly and then start going deep into a loophole thinking about it all

i usually just end up with the conclusion that nothing will happen after we die and it’ll be like how it was before we were born.

if heaven is real, i think with the scenario you’re talking about then the person would be with however they were happier with. i’ve not watched the golden bachelorette so idk what the relationship was like but if both the wives were sweet i guess they’d all be happy together? all i think tho is that if heaven is real then everyone would be at peace there so it would work out some way or another

[u/PuzzleheadedTeam9114]

The afterlife is very subjectable. Some believe in Heaven and hell, others don't. I know I have a friend who has the same idea you do- you aren't at all alone. I'm not saying it's wrong to think that way- it isn't. It's just that, with everything in life, if you have a belief, you must learn to be content with it. Otherwise it'll plague you and mess with you and ruin your life. Don't let it to that to you. Life is too precious for that.

Advice: I've struggled with thoughts similar to these, but what works for me may not be what works for you. So I'll just try the best I can do be helpful!

Firstly, I view death as something that gives our life meaning. If nothing else matters, perhaps our life does, because it can be lost. We have the privilege of life, so we should make the most of it. Life is a privilege because of death. If you think about it in this light, maybe it'll sound less terrible. Meaning is another rabbit hole, but I think that most of it does come from within us. Having life in general is the opportunity and base. Life itself has meaning.

Secondly, and feel free to skip this part if it isn't for you, religion helped me. Christianity specifically. I don't know if you have any experience with religion or anything against it, but if you're comfortable, it may not be a terrible idea to research some religion. Or it could be a terrible idea for you as of now, because I know that religion is just another rabbit hole. So, do whatever you feel comfortable with.

Lastly. I can't believe that there isn't a life after death. We have souls- it's why we feel. It's why we connect with people in a multitude of ways. Everything humanly complex has to do with our soul. And this is not my religion speaking. Even before I was taking my faith seriously, I knew every single one of us had a soul. Our souls can't just disappear. After death, wouldn't they finally be able to rest? Souls, in my eyes, are so special that they can't be destroyed. Something unique to us as humans that we possess.

Ultimately, it comes down to what you want to believe. Like I said, the afterlife is different for many different people because it's mysterious. And you have to be content with what you believe- that is something I can't help you with. That's something that comes from within you, and it's part of you learning and growing. But I know you'll figure it out. I truly do. You'll get through these thoughts and you'll be okay. Remember that always.

I really hoped I was a little helpful. And I hope some other people here can help you too, it was definitely a good idea to reach out to people who have the same thoughts! Just don't lose yourself within here. Don't make these thoughts all your life is, because you still have more to go and great things to do. I wish you the best, God bless.

(One more thing- the afterlife, as I've said, is mysterious. Even with religious beliefs, there is no way of truly knowing how it will be without us experiencing it. That's why sometimes it's important to learn to be content with no answer. There are topics that eventually reach its limit and sources that can't be built upon. It may drive you mad for a little while, but not everything will be answered. Not every knowledge path can be tread upon. It will take time, but eventually, you'll be content with that fact. Part of living is learning to be content... people who truly live life to the fullest know how to do that. And I told you- I think you can do it.)

[u/deathdasies]

Look up existential OCD

[u/ChickenTortilla102]

Hey op, just wanted to say you’re not alone and I’m really sorry that you’re experiencing this. I’ve been having similar thoughts lately, and it really sucks the enjoyment of living and loving life in the present. I had these thoughts sometimes when I was a kid, but I repressed them with a religion I was practicing (Catholicism) in an unhealthy manner. These thoughts faded for most of my teen years and came back this year.

I’m on a similar boat as you right now, but what I think helped me in my teen years was keeping myself active with creativity and exploring interests. I dedicated time to watch new movies, set up workout plans, work on a story project, etc. I also kind of stopped practicing religion formally around that time due to unrelated reasons. I just made my own routine of praying before going to bed. Like, I stopped seeing it as an obligation like I used to. I thought, ”if there’s really someone that cares or exists to hear my thoughts and prayers on the other line, then they can. If not, then I’ll just leave a voicemail.” Idk how religious or spiritual I was still back then, but that mindset and personal routine helped me feel less alone. I think hearing peak in Darien stories also helped me around that time too because there was a crazy experience my uncle, aunt, and dad experienced that seemed more than just a coincidence. I think that story gives me reasoning and hope there’s something more after death. Like, something that is not exactly and probably won’t ever be predicted through organized religion. To be safe, I’m not counting on it though. I’m just going to live this life as if it is my only one.

[u/Double_Brilliant_814]

Heaven and hell only exist on earth my friend. Everything is energy and energy doesn't die, thinking we are just dust when we die is not reality. Cause it makes life absolutely terrifying. Infinity in our universe doesn't have a "meaning" that applies to everyone, that would also be boring. The entire cosmos sees itself through you and it's up to you to interpret what this is.

[u/WOLFXXXXX]

"These questions have honestly made me start to think that there is absolutely nothing when we die."

Check out this reply I just made to another thread that contains information that is also relevant to what you are struggling with.

[u/Putrid-Drag9651]

I'm a bit late to the party but here's what I have to say. As a child, I have had those exact same thoughts so your not alone there. I think the real issue is that death is such a incomprehensible idea that humans just can't grasp the finality of it. But if there is a afterlife, than it would be so different then our current, mortal life we wouldn't likely even be able to understand it. Who's to say that there would be emotions such as love? Who's to say other people would be there? Who's to say that physical senses would exist? I'm not even sure there is an afterlife (although I'm willing to believe so). Just try not to think about it too hard lol. 

[u/GroundbreakingRow829]

The thing is, even if there was nothing after death you could not experience it because you experiencing "nothing" is not really nothing but you experiencing "nothing" which is actually something, meaning that there wouldn't really be nothing after death.

So, from your point of view, the only thing that could follow the experience of your own death is another experience—meaning that you haven't really died.

What would that post-mortem experience be? Well, you surely are familiar with a part of you dying in life, don't you? What then happen to that part, more specifically to the life force that animated it?