What do you believe about an afterlife? -- Final End

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Date Posted: 19:44:01 05/29/02 Wed
Author: Drummond
Subject: What do you believe about an afterlife?

Lona, you have quite a diverse group of people here. A small group, but no two in the same epistomological camp, so to speak.

I'm curious as to what each of you believe about the afterlife. How does our life affect the afterlife, if any?

I have no idea what to expect personally. But I'm starting to think about it. When I was a child, I was very lucky. I lost very few loved ones, only two that I can think of and I was pretty young. I went through my 20s without losing anyone. I never knew my grandfathers. My grandmothers just died within the last few years, and I've now lost a few friends to cancer, AIDS, and other causes.

Moreover, I'm about to attend my 20th high school anniversary, and of the 52 members of our graduating class, about 6 of us died, which seems high to me.

There's a line in Man of La Mancha, where Cervantes describes the death of aquaintences in war asking not why the were dying, but why they had ever lived. As I approach middle age according to the mortality statistics for white men, I am sort of wondering if there is more to our experience than our experience. I was never a really strong atheist, actually. I tried Christianity, but it didn't take. I dabbled with Buddhism, but lost interest pretty quickly. Nothing provided answers. Everything just produced more questions. I knocked, but I don't know if the door was opened. Did I miss the call?

But my personal introduction to death has me thinking, and I have these moments of truth, not always late at night. My mother has heart problems. I was in the Bay Area for a work related trip, and stopped at my parents' house. They weren't home. I was tired, so I sat in her chair, and looked at the furniture and decorations I'd been raised with. My mother's expression was all over the room. I had a flash of a time down the road that the room would be all of her that's left. I'm not usually so morose, but a lifetime sheltered from death left me reeling after the latest deaths, including a longtime friend who was diagnosed with spine cancer two months ago, and died two weeks ago at 59.

I have no regrets in my own life. I'm not having a midlife crisis that's going to make me go out an buy a sports car, a pound of cocaine, and a young blonde. I don't have that kind of money anyway. But I am wondering more profoundly than ever why I am here. Anyway, that's why I'm at this forum. I've been to many, and I've narrowed my posting to a few. Good group here actually, nutty as we all are.

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Replies:

Okay, let's put this in the form of a poll -- Drummond, 23:33:56 05/29/02 Wed
- You missed one M. -- PAUL., 05:17:11 05/30/02 Thu
  - Sorry Paul. I did forget that one. -- Drummond, 09:35:38 05/30/02 Thu
    - I dont think you would Drummond, -- PAUL., 19:20:52 05/30/02 Thu
      - Wise to me? -- Drummond, 21:32:13 05/30/02 Thu
Re: What do you believe about an afterlife? -- sue da babe, 11:38:15 06/02/02 Sun