Do you believe in an afterlife?

I'm honestly torn on the issue. I lost the love of my life to cancer, but we made an agreement before she died. If possible, she would reach out to me, and I would know it's her because we have a word that she'll use. It's been years now, and I've yet to see or hear that word. I've lost confidence that I ever will.

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SW-User

no. i believe some people experience an eternity within moments as a side effect of brain death, tho

i am truly sorry for your loss. i wish my comment wasn't so stark but that's what i believe

Eoghan · 31-35, M

@SW-User That reminds me of the Last Thursday belief. I'm not certain of the exact name of it, but the belief is that existence could've been started/created last Thursday, and every memory is artificial and was just installed at that time. I don't subscribe to it, but I find it interesting.

SW-User

@Eoghan yeah, the overall experience would be the same. i read a book when i was a teenager that had near-death accounts from around the world and they were all pretty similar, so the author took that to mean proof of an afterlife. but the theory is flawed because everyone in his book survived. there are chemicals in the brain that protect us during birth and death. this is how people arrive at such similar experiences, imo. but no, we are not alive before birth or after death, imo. this does not stop me from talking to my dad. i have half his dna, so he lives on in me and i keep in touch

Eoghan · 31-35, M

@SW-User I may be wrong, but I think the brain is flooded with DMT at those moments, and we have hallucinations. If we survive, we remember those hallucinations. I still talk to her, but I know deep down that she isn't there. She died, she was cremated, and that's the end of it. However, I'm fully supportive of whatever brings someone hope and comfort. After all, I could be completely wrong about everything regarding life and death. Not knowing, in my case, is what keeps me going.

Eoghan · 31-35, M

@SW-User I didn't think your comment was stark. I appreciate the conversation.

SW-User

@Eoghan it is DMT! you've been searching this out for a long time, i can tell. our opinions are nearly parallel, except i'm 99.9% sure of what i believe to be the truth. so we probably have differing comfort mechanisms that work for us. there is room for error on all sides and i support people believing whatever helps them through this life.

Eoghan · 31-35, M

@SW-User Maybe searching for these answers is our purpose in life.

SW-User

@Eoghan cool... i've enjoyed our exchange as well. i'm a person who tends to take on other's emotions, even though i'm not overly emotional myself. i try not to hurt people with my bluntness.

SW-User

@Eoghan could be... i know i've spent the vast majority of my life researching things like this and everything to do with biology. a life well-spent so far, imo

Eoghan · 31-35, M

@SW-User I think we need more bluntness in life. 🙂

SW-User

@Eoghan heck, yeah... after all, we don't have eternity to be beating around bushes ;)