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Obsessing about the afterlife?

13K views 41 replies 26 participants last post by  Witan 
#1 ·
Does anyone else do this? Could it be OCD? The strange thing is, I'm an agnostic, but I've been obsessively thinking about scientific explanations for an afterlife and now I can't stop, it's driving me nuts. I went to see Avatar this afternoon and couldn't even concentrate. It's really taken over my mind. I wonder if it's a real problem or maybe I just have to much time on my hands, but I'm finding it impossible to focus on anything else now.
 
#4 ·
You beat me to the punch, I'd been thinking about starting a thread aimed at atheists asking what they think happens after death besides decomposition.

Anyways, I have had some recurring disturbing revolving scary(not scary as in gory) thoughts about creation and death and stuff, and I am scared of it, and I think about it, but I wouldn't say I do it as obsessively as you do.

The reason I do it I guess is cuz I'm afraid of death..........But while I was watching Saw a while ago, I think the way to get over this fear of death, to get over this obsession with what happens after death is by following Amanda's advice which was:

"The cure for death itself. The answer is immortality. By creating a legacy, by living a life worth remembering, you become immortal."

Us SA'ers don't exactly live life to it's fullest potential so we obsess with death because we're afraid to die having lived only a mediocre life.

Anyways, if you find any scientific explanations for what happens after death please post them here cuz I'm interested in that too. I don't believe in God, I don't believe in heaven, I don't believe in angels, but I do believe in psychics, in ghosts, maybe in reincarnation, I don't know, I havn't really done research in that.........

Also, there's something that sticks out in my mind that I've seen on some of the ghost specials or whatver I've seen on tv-See, I heard once that psychics or whatver can sense things when they're in a room because the body leaves behind electrical signals or electrical something long after they've left a a place......So I feel like after death, maybe we don't just decompose, maybe we become "energy" and that's what psychics sense as ghosts???? Maybe we live on another plane of existence, not some mystical heavenly plane, but a plane that can be explained scientifically.......Because like I said, I do believe in ghosts, yet I don't think that's connected to God or anything cuz I'm an atheist.
 
#8 ·
The reason I do it I guess is cuz I'm afraid of death..........But while I was watching Saw a while ago, I think the way to get over this fear of death, to get over this obsession with what happens after death is by following Amanda's advice which was:

"The cure for death itself. The answer is immortality. By creating a legacy, by living a life worth remembering, you become immortal."

Us SA'ers don't exactly live life to it's fullest potential so we obsess with death because we're afraid to die having lived only a mediocre life.
Agreed.

I've been thinking a lot about this as well. I'm an atheist too. I don't believe in the afterlife, I don't believe in souls or ghosts. The only part of you that can 'live on' after death is your name and your legacy. If you've achieved something in your life worth remembering - people will remember you, tell the grandkids stories about you etc.

But I haven't accomplished anything in my life. I haven't left any impression on anyone. That and I haven't lived. I can't say that I've had a happy, good life, because I haven't.

I go back and forth between fearing death because I haven't done anything worth being proud of and because I've never been truly happy with my life. and then to thoughts of accepting/wanting death (and ceasing to exist) because I think "it can't be any worse than what I've been doing with myself every day, nothing. And besides it doesn't matter if anyone cares about you after you've died. You wouldn't care or even know about it because you're dead."

but more importantly, I fear the physical pain that comes with death and I can only hope I get a painless death.
 
#6 ·
I think about this a lot too. I'm not afraid of being dead though because if there is an afterlife, great, but if this is it and we just turn to dirt (which is what I think is more likely) I'll be nonexistant, so I won't care anyway. It does make loved ones dying much harder to deal with though.

I obsess more about how I will die. That freaks me out a lot more because there are so many horrible ways to go.
 
#10 ·
Does sound like OCD. I can't concentrate on other stuff either when I'm obsessing over something.

I never worry about an afterlife. I assume we cease to exist upon death, just as we didn't exist before conception. I figure it's logically impossible to worry about non-existence. If you don't exist, it's not like you'll be there to worry about it. If you take that view, then I guess the only thing one could worry about with regard to life ending is the potential discomfort of the dying process and that being dead rules out the potential for ever doing anything that's left on your to-do list.
 
#12 ·
I love reading about the afterlife, love paranormal, and have personally found some good evidence that there is one.
I used to think about it alot, and how i would go.
 
#13 ·
I get obsessed about wanting to know... I've read many books, always looking for answers... I want to know so badly, and at one point I thought suicide would be my answer. I didn't understand why I was in such a state of mind, but even today I'm extremely curious about the afterlife... I'd love to get into paranormal research, as I'm extremely intuitive, thus have the ability to become psychic.
 
#14 ·
I think about it frequently. It is not OCD. I don't think people ponder their mortality enough. Death is too much of a taboo in our society. We really need to ask ourselves what happens after we die. I am fascinated by the Near Death Experience account. I have read several books, and I can't get enough of it.
 
#15 ·
I'm agnostic. Sometimes I think about it and it really scares me to think if reincarnation happened. If you kept getting reincarnated into different lives you'd eventually end up with a really ****ty life where you get Ebola or something. Of course, you would eventually land on a really sweet life, like being Tiger Woods.

Mostly I don't think too much about it though and just hope that death is the actual end to life. I don't understand why people want to believe in an afterlife. So it is probably more of your OCD that's keeping you thinking about it.
 
#16 ·
If I didn't believe in an afterlife, I'd have no problem doing what cannot be talked about on this forum. This life isn't worth it to me and the whole leaving a legacy thing does not appeal to me. I don't care what people think about me when I die, I want life now and if we cease to exist it won't matter anyways, neither will anything else I do here. Since I'm having such a sucky life, the only thing keeping me going is my belief.
To OP: I don't think you have OCD, I think you're human. We all think about these things. On a side note, is Avatar any good? :lol
 
#20 ·
If I didn't believe in an afterlife, I'd have no problem doing what cannot be talked about on this forum.
Me neither, but I wouldn't do it immediately. I'd like to have a little bit of fun first. I wish I knew for certain there was no afterlife, that would be so liberating. I think it would actually give me more of a reason to live.

And Avatar was awesome, you should check it out, especially if the 3d version is playing anywhere near you.
 
#18 ·
Remember what it was like before your were born? Well, that's likely what it will be like after you die. You didn't always exist in the past, so there is no logical reason to assume you will always do so in the future.

At least, I hope that is the case. It would be terrible if people were forced to exist forever no matter what. I've only been here twenty-three years and I'm already tired of it.
 
#25 ·
^Ultimately, it doesn't matter either way, eventually all the people who have any recollection of you will be gone just the same. Making all those good memories won't mean a thing, it's simply the better alternative. I agree though, if heaven does exist there's really no point in living your life to the fullest, after all, how could it ever compare to eternal happiness?
 
#28 ·
^Ultimately, it doesn't matter either way, eventually all the people who have any recollection of you will be gone just the same. Making all those good memories won't mean a thing, it's simply the better alternative.
The point I was trying to make was about doing worthwhile things during your life. Even if everyone forgot all about you the second you died, it wouldn't change the fact that your life would have had meaning!
 
#31 ·
I don't obsess over the concept of the after life. I find it quite comforting and liberating that I will cease to exist after I'm gone.
 
#40 ·
Same here. I'm religious and believe in afterlife, however, the idea doesn't appeal to me. Non-existence would be the ultimate reward, which is why I've prayed for it.

Just my two copper's worth to add to the piggy bank of pessimism here... :lol :um
 
#33 ·
I think Shadowmask got what I was saying a bit more & he summed it up quite well, so I'll add what I think ur other ?s appear 2 be. Firstly tho, I must apologize 4 my jumbling of words & whatnot due 2 being on here thru mobile. It also keeps me from multi-quoting so I'll do my best 2 get 2 everything since u said quite a bit & if I miss something u'll have 2 either let me know or let it be, whichever u wish :) U seem 2 be misunderstanding 2 certain theological truths(meaning what is true biblically whether u believe it 2 be true or not)1 of which I see is that u think we get saved by what we do or in essence we go 2 heaven by consistantly constantly doing good. That isn't true. I don't believe I can ever be "good enough" 2 be saved. Therefore, no, I don't do good just cus I want a ticket in2 heaven. Then u seem 2 be pointing 2 some form of morality(u refer 2 being decent/good)which if there is a true morality is fine. So how do u define goodness? Where does it come from? What is evil? I can say that in a world where there is no moral law, there is no true good & no true evil, it's all based on personal assumptions. Therefore; what does anything I do here matter if there is no consequence & we just end? What is a "good person" in ur worldview? No, I do what's right because I finally have a definition of what that truly is! If there is no absolute moral law, u can never tell me anything I do is wrong cus that's just ur opinion. Furthermore, I didn't say my first post 2 get in2 a theological war & 2 be frank I figured u or a certain other poster would come here & start bashing Christianity, even tho be4 u posted I didn't rly say anything flattly about Christianity so there was no need, so I don't really see the point in continuing this discussion if ur going 2 go off on a theological rant about things u claim not 2 believe in. If u don't believe it then ignore it, don't go all over the site trying 2 spread ur hate of it all over the 1s who believe. It's a SUPPORT site afterall, not a hate site & it turns ppl away.
 
#34 ·
I wish you'd waited until you could post this properly, it's a bit of a mess to read.

U seem 2 be misunderstanding 2 certain theological truths(meaning what is true biblically whether u believe it 2 be true or not)1 of which I see is that u think we get saved by what we do or in essence we go 2 heaven by consistantly constantly doing good. That isn't true.
I would really love to hear some of these "theological truths". They seem to be very similar to what are normally called "facts", and the Bible is not known as a good factual reference. Regardless of any theological handwaving it still comes down to heaven or hell in the end.

I don't believe I can ever be "good enough" 2 be saved. Therefore, no, I don't do good just cus I want a ticket in2 heaven.
I didn't believe your behaviour was based on that reasoning, but that is the impression you gave. Sometimes religious people ask atheists how they can have any morals at all, implying that they believe all their guidance on how to live their life comes from their religion.

Then u seem 2 be pointing 2 some form of morality(u refer 2 being decent/good)which if there is a true morality is fine. So how do u define goodness? Where does it come from? What is evil?
What is a "true" morality? As far as I'm concerned, everyone has to decide for themselves what is moral, obviously with input from the society they happen to be living in. I used words like "good" and "decent" in the accepted way, as shorthand for the long list of qualities commonly found in people widely considered to be "good" or admirable. Evil is easy to explain if you consider a scale of personalities similar to scales for measuring temperature. With temperature, there's no such thing as "cold", just an absence of heat. Similarly, "evil" is just the absence of "good".

I can say that in a world where there is no moral law, there is no true good & no true evil, it's all based on personal assumptions. Therefore; what does anything I do here matter if there is no consequence & we just end? What is a "good person" in ur worldview? No, I do what's right because I finally have a definition of what that truly is! If there is no absolute moral law, u can never tell me anything I do is wrong cus that's just ur opinion.
Where are you getting the idea that we have no moral law? I've already asked what "true morality" is, so what are "true good" and "true evil"? What does anything you do matter? Well, go murder someone and see what happens. I'll wait right here for you to get back. Shouldn't take long since there are no consequences, right?

Furthermore, I didn't say my first post 2 get in2 a theological war & 2 be frank I figured u or a certain other poster would come here & start bashing Christianity, even tho be4 u posted I didn't rly say anything flattly about Christianity so there was no need, so I don't really see the point in continuing this discussion if ur going 2 go off on a theological rant about things u claim not 2 believe in.
There is only one person ranting here and it isn't me.

If u don't believe it then ignore it, don't go all over the site trying 2 spread ur hate of it all over the 1s who believe. It's a SUPPORT site afterall, not a hate site & it turns ppl away.
Hate? Hate? Are you serious? I simply disagree with you and you turn around and start shouting about hate? :wtf

As for spreading my "hate" :)lol) over those poor persecuted believers, there is a subforum dedicated to religious discussion, which is specifically "not for debate". I make a point of staying out of there, so why not reciprocate and keep the religious stuff to a minimum in the other forums, especially if you don't like your beliefs being challenged.
 
#39 ·
.....I posted another post after that last one cus I ran out of space on the last one and it didn't go through apparently so I'll restate it. I made that last statement based on more posts I've seen of yours, yes even in the "no debate" area than just what you've said in this thread. And many non-believers go on this "spirituality" forum as well. It's quite obvious from the culminative posts that you hate Christianity which is your deal, have fun with that but that doesn't make it ok for you to go around finding places to spread that either and it doesn't help Christians who come here for support. And your example for morality isn't cutting it for me, but like I said, don't wanna turn shadowmask's thread into a big theological war. If you truly cared to understand or learn anything about what I believe and I believed that, I wouldn't have a problem, but I have a very strong feeling that's not the case...if I'm wrong, PM me please or even VM me, but I think I'm not. Sorry, I warned you before going into it and I haven't had computer internet for a loooonnnng time so you'll just have to take it as is. I don't have a problem with you just so you know, but you can understand when someone downs something/someone you love consistently(not just you in this case) how it can affect a person negatively. But please, if you want to seriously discuss, and I mean discuss(not either one of us attacking)beliefs, you know where to find my page :)
 
#41 ·
.....I posted another post after that last one cus I ran out of space on the last one and it didn't go through apparently so I'll restate it. I made that last statement based on more posts I've seen of yours, yes even in the "no debate" area than just what you've said in this thread.
I did indeed make one or two posts in the spirituality forum not long after I signed up here, and the outcome was my decision to avoid posting there in the future.

And many non-believers go on this "spirituality" forum as well. It's quite obvious from the culminative posts that you hate Christianity which is your deal, have fun with that but that doesn't make it ok for you to go around finding places to spread that either and it doesn't help Christians who come here for support.
I don't hate Christianity and I don't hate Christians. If I "hate" anything it is organised religion, of which Christianity happens to be the most prominent and popular example on the planet. I'm not actively going round looking for Christians to provoke here, I just feel an obligation to point out that Christianity (and other religions) have no special status or claim to truth.

but I have a very strong feeling that's not the case...if I'm wrong, PM me please or even VM me, but I think I'm not.
You're correct, I have no interest in doing that and I don't think it would be a good idea for either one of us.

but you can understand when someone downs something/someone you love consistently(not just you in this case) how it can affect a person negatively.
I do understand that, but I still don't think it should be cause to protect religious belief from any form of challenge or criticism, even on here.

And now I'm out of this thread...
 
#42 ·
I did something similar my year abroad. I heard about something called the quantum suicide experiment, which suggested that everyone is immortal. I wondered if it was true, and it scared the **** outta me (I don't WANT to live forever, especially the way QI puts it).

I don't think it's true, but it still threw me into a really deep depression where I just couldn't stop wondering/worrying if it was true. There was about a month straight where that was literally all that I thought about. Even to this day I worry about it from time to time, even though I'm fairly sure it's bull****.
 
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