What questions or comments do you have about "the afterlife"? Do you really think it is worth thinking about or should we focus more on the here & now? Explain.
What Happens to Our Digital Lives When We Die? | PBS NewsHour
http://www.pbs.org/newshour/rundown/2013/03/what-happens-to-our-online-lives-when-we-die.html
I feel like we must have a grasp on the here and now to understand what is coming after. Although I say this, we need to think about it because it is going to come eventually or even while I'm typing on my........computer and I'm still alive. But in all honesty I don't think that people focus on this topic enough and should be discussed with the class because our discussions are helping me to understand everything in a more comfortable way. I respect everyone's opinions and would like to dig deeper into the topic just to get an idea of where I'm going or maybe what kind of tree I'll be when I come back.
ReplyDeleteI have no clue for sure what the afterlife is going to be like, so I don't know where to even start with my questions other than what is the afterlife going to be like? From there I'm sure more and more questions would come. I like the teachings in Confucianism and how they say that we should focus on what's going on in lives now and not worry about what will happen in the afterlife because we have no control over it, whereas we have control over what we do now. I feel that this is a good teaching and that it can help drive some people, but I also feel that everyone is going to wonder about the afterlife at some point in their life. How can someone not think about the afterlife? Death is a big part of life. We are all going to die so we think about what will happen to us when are time comes, but we also may wonder what happens to the people close to us when they die as well. At the same time, I feel that people should look at death more. Maybe not sitting and thinking for hours on end about what they think is going to happen to them, but become more familiar and somewhat "comfortable" with the idea so that when the time comes it may be less of a shock. It is important to talk about death with your loved ones so that they know what end of life treatment you would want. All in all, death and the afterlife are two very scary things. I feel that we should not let them consume our every thought, and that we should focus on the things going on in our life now like Confucius teaches. I also think that we should spend some time acquainting ourselves to these things.
ReplyDeleteI agree with the Quakers and with Confucius that, instead of deliberating about the afterlife and what may come after death, we should instead work to "just do the next right thing", as Tom Bennett stated. Epistomologically speaking, I think that understanding what happens postmortem is beyond the grasp of human reason, relegating any discussion of afterlife from the realm of philosophy to theology. Therefore, while many people may have specific beliefs that they adhere to regarding what will happen to their bodies and souls after they die, they should (and I think largely do) focus on the here-and-now, doing what is right and moral while living.
ReplyDeleteI feel like Roslyn stated it well: We cannot control what happens after death, whether we attain salvation, damnation, or a nothingness, but we can control our choices now. In this regard, then, we should worry about what we have power over and let come what may come after we die.
One comment that I would like to make and that was addressed in class is that I share the kind of excited sentiment about death. While I do not want to die, it will be very exciting to see what happens, if anything, to me after my death. Only then will I know the answer to the question of what happens after we die.
I am a practicing Catholic and have been taught the typical Heaven and Hell afterlife that waits after death. But the one question that I have that will never be answered is what does our souls look like after we pass away? Do we have our human look and at what age are we? Or are we angels that can fly around and look down on our loved ones still on Earth? I definitely think that these questions about the afterlife are worth time to discuss. It is interesting to hear everyone’s different views of what happens after death and allows us to expend our knowledge and incorporate new ways of thinking about the afterlife. Also, we should think about the afterlife because we should live our lives in a way that will allow us to get in to heaven, therefore, our actions here and now are very relevant to what happens after death. However, this does not mean that we should only focus on what is to come after death. We should still focus on participating in life to the fullest and being the best person we can be.
ReplyDeleteI feel that we should focus on the afterlife because it would help us live better in the here and now. I feel this way because I was raised as a southern baptist and during church I was taught that the better you live in the here and now the better your afterlife will be.
ReplyDeleteI think that by focusing on the afterlife, one will make the choices here and now that they need to. It is important to be focused on the here and now, so that you can be cognitive and aware, but ultimately my place in the world it not here, its in the place after this. I do not see this as my life or my world, I am just here living in it so I can prepare myself for the next. With that being said, I do believe in life after death and I believe in a heaven, hell, and purgatory. I believe that my choices now will effect where I am at in the future on earth as well as life after earth. It is hard to think to much about my own death at this age, but I agree with Micheal, it is kind of exciting to think of life after death and what will be there. To think that heaven is on the other side for me is a very liberating thought...
ReplyDeleteI believe that we should focus on the here and now but with a small thought towards the afterlife. I agree with Lydia that by focusing on the afterlife we are able to make the reasoneable to choices now in order to attain said afterlife. However, by focusing on the afterlife I believe we are thinking too much about the future which is never promised to us. With that being said I believe we should focus on the here and now so that we are able to be happy and "accomplished" with all we have done incase the time does come and we are not prepared.
ReplyDeleteAs far our digital lives...
Oh.My.Lanta. I become paranoid whenever my sister and brother know my username/password because I'm afraid they'll post embarassing things like baby pictures. But when you put it into perspective that our lives are being remembered online and when we die someone might not have access to it, well that hurts. I would hate to think that if I died right now my mom and dad wouldn't be able to access my pictures and thoughts because I indirectly blocked them from it.
I really don't think about the afterlife. I don't even know what I think about God in the afterlife. I'm religious, but I always question what happens to the spirit that I believe everyone has. I like to believe that it continues on to another life, which is the heaven that I was always told there was. I would also like to believe that God is there to welcome everyone. For those who are sick with a severe illness, cancer, or anything that is life threatening, it's hard for them not to think about it. My mom constantly mentions her passing away because of her battle with cancer, but I stop her dead in her tracks with that conversation because I tell her to try to be positive, and that all will be okay.
ReplyDeleteI feel that we should think of the afterlife to help guide how we live today. I feel if we consider the afterlife and recognize our own mortality many will live their life to the fullest. Also, considering the afterlife will help guide people to be better individuals, especially those who believe in a heaven and a hell.
ReplyDeleteI dont think anyone can reall say what the afterlife will be like. I believe that it will be different for every person because everyone has different perspectives and have lived different lives. Although i believe we should focus on the here and no and not dwell on the past i still think that we should think about the afterlife and try to grasp what we would like ot to be like or think it will be like. I believe that thinking and talkin about the afterlife guides people in the here and now and gives everyone something to look for depending on the situations in each individual's life.
ReplyDeleteWow, reading everyones post makes me feel radically different. Seems that everyone does not know what kind of afterlife there will be or how you should focus on the now to guide yourself to heaven or hell. I don't think there is an afterlife, a heaven, a hell, a limbo. I think that once we die there is nothing. That being said there is nothing but focusing on the now.
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