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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To believe in life after death?

104 replies

organictwat · 13/06/2011 21:26

I've been doing some reading around the subject of near death experiences lately and am fascinated. Although I'm agnostic I believe the 'soul' lives in after physical death, aibu?

OP posts:
cherryburton · 14/06/2011 10:52

YANBU - I read an amazing book about reincarnation a while back, will link it...

GiveMeStrength - I feel exactly the same. Grin

Hope you're ok Vicar. Brew

Bluemoonrising · 14/06/2011 10:56

There is nothing that exists now that hasn't always existed (since the big bang anyway), in some form or other. All the building blocks have always been here, and everything that has been created with them will always exist in some form - ashes to ashes, dust to dust, until the end of the universe. That is scientifically shown, as far as I have read/seen.

Which leads me to believe that the soul has always been and will always will be. It doesn't make sense for a soul to appear from nowhere, and inhabit a being (whether human or not) without there already being something already in existence to allow that to be.

I can't say what form it takes though. Whether it is an individual thing or a collective thing. Who knows, but it is quite a fascinating subject.

pumpernickel10 · 14/06/2011 11:08

But don't most children have an imaginary friend? Who is to say he did not hear you talking about grandpa bee and made him into his friend,its easily done.

Rindercella · 14/06/2011 11:27

Since both my father and DH have died, I have had several experiences which have brought me comfort. I like to think it has been their way to let me know that they are still around and thinking of us. Of course, I will never have proof of this and there will always be a boring rational explanation. But the light show DH put on for me one night was particularly amazing. Smile

kreecherlivesupstairs · 14/06/2011 11:38

I would like to think there is, but can't quite bring myself to.
DH and DD are both RC, for them there is the comfort that their essential being or soul will go somewhere. In my bleak rational world, once you are dead, you are dead.

ChristinaEliopolis · 14/06/2011 11:51

You see, I am an Atheist and I don't believe in Heaven or Hell, and that when you die you are food for worms (which is a Good Thing)

But two things bother me and make me wobble in my theory - firstly, I find it very hard to imagine my two darling Grannies and my beautiful baby boy not existing SOMEWHERE. I sort of cling to the hope that they are all together waiting for me, so I can understand why religious people think that life goes on after death.

Secondly, we have lived in more than one haunted house and have seen and heard 'things' that were very strange - which could be just an echo of history or a time slip or....I don't know. And while most things just passed by (including three different apparitions, one which was viewed by three people at the same time) a couple of things that happened were quite responsive and really make me question my more logical thinking.

GiveMeStrength2day · 14/06/2011 12:13

It's one thing having an imaginery friend but quite another that a 2 year old is talking about (in not so many words) hydrocephalus! I'd assume that any child of that age might assume someone would die of "tummy ache" or some such but not "too much water on his brain" Shock . My DD (3yo) still doesn't know what death is yet alone the causes!

And it's that sort of thing that makes me cling onto death not being the end.

Christina - yes, exactly, it is hard to imagine that your loved ones aren't "somewhere". And that's why I HAVE to believe that souls go on to another "existence" (if you prefer that to believing in Heaven & Hell)

bruffin · 14/06/2011 22:50

DD ever say anyone came to visit her, she just talked about when she lived before. I have no idea where she could have got being murdered from.

bruffin · 14/06/2011 22:51

Sorry need to rewrite that

DD never said anyone came to visit. She jiust talked about when she lived before.

Blondeshavemorefun · 14/06/2011 23:26

sadly my dh killed his self just over 8 weeks ago :(

several friends have seen psychic's since he died ( for stuff for them and not dh) and in every case dh has 'come' to them and said things that only he would know and all say he is at peace

i am seeing tom smith july 8th in bournemouth - many swear by him

i HAVE to believe that there is something after you die, as tbh that is the only thing that is getting me through this awful time at the moment - and if dh comes and 'speaks' to me i shall hopefully find inner peace that he is at peace now

ChristinaEliopolis · 14/06/2011 23:31

Blondes so sorry, sweetheart.

My lovely Granny, who helped to bring me up, died about eight weeks ago too and I can't help but think she is somewhere.

vess · 14/06/2011 23:40

I find it very hard to believe that human beings are just... biological. There is so much more to a human being that it seems impossible for it to just die and disappear without a trace (other than food for worms).

I have a weird feeling sometimes. I know we are all scared of death, it's a basic instinct and completely normal. But sometimes I feel that it must be a very exciting experience, once you get past the pain - like floating away somewhere, being incredibly light...

mememummy · 14/06/2011 23:45

My 3yr old told me at 8 am after my grandad had died at 1am night before that grandad was dead, but it was ok and he was in the stars now, i hadnt told her he had died or even that he had been ill.
two weeks later she told me grandad just fanicid a honey sandwich for tea, his fave 11pm snack?
since then the odd comment but niether that have shocked me like the other two comments did

tigercametotea · 15/06/2011 00:01

YANBU. On the other hand, fellow agnostic here but I don't believe in the existence of "souls".

GiveMeStrength2day · 15/06/2011 01:06

Blondes - very sorry for your loss.
Whether your DH does "speak" to you on the 8th or not, I hope you're able to find some sort of inner peace soon.
I absolutely agree that you have to believe there is something after you die and hope this helps you to reconcile what has happened.

izzywhizzyletsgetbusy · 15/06/2011 01:25

I'm clairaudient, have been as far back as I can remember, but I haven't yet been sectioned for hearing voices Grin.

I've also had out of the body and other paranormal experiences which have served to convince me that there is far more going on around us than we can begin to understand.

I believe that our physical bodies are merely the garments we wear on this plane and that, at the time of death, we discard these clothes and move into another more vibrant reality.

IMO death is not the end but merely the doorway to our spiritual home where we can be reunited with our loved ones from this and previous lives and that, if we so wish, we can reincarnate with them again.

As I have commented on another current 'god' thread, 'Seth Speaks: The Eternal Validity of the Soul' by Jane Roberts (deceased) resonates deep within my being. The first time I read it I was blown away by the fact that it encapsulates my long-held instinctive spiritual beliefs.

It may not be suitable bedtime reading for some, but I have found that this particular book provides me with a deep well of comfort and hope every time I browse its pages.

I am so very sorry for your loss Blondes. You must be feeling raw and ragged, and I admire your courage in seeking solace outside of the box. If you get the confirmation you hope for it may help to alleviate your grief but, in any event, although time does not heal, the passing of time can dull some of the pain of being prematurely parted from our loved ones.

Bluemoonrising · 15/06/2011 07:24

tiger, soul is just another word for consciousness. The part of you that is not physical - when you die your body becomes part of the earth and then part of life again. What do you think happens to your mind? If, as scientists believe, everything that exists has always existed, surely that still exists in some form too?

Kallista · 15/06/2011 08:33

I went to the cemetary on monday to leave flowers for G/dad (died 8y/ago).
He wasn't religious although he said that as a soldier under fire in Burma WW2 - he and his mates would suddenly discover prayer!
So when he got dementia he often repeated psalm 23 from those times. He came back from India believing in reincarnation; he liked and respected the local beliefs.
The people he met were poverty struck and as he was from the slums he felt more akin to them than to the army officers.
He was also secretly scared he would go to Hell for killing Japanese soldiers - again this was when he got dementia.
I told him that i believe those who show true remorse don't go to hell.

cushionyet · 15/06/2011 09:58

'I know we are all scared of death, it's a basic instinct and completely normal'.

This just simply isn't true. I have no reason to be scared of death whatsoever- why would I?!

bruffin · 15/06/2011 10:54

I don't think I am particularly scared of dying myself. I am scared of my loved ones dying because they won't be in my life anymore.

exoticfruits · 15/06/2011 11:20

I'm not scared of death. I'm scared of the manner of death, or going too early. I don't want to live to an age where my quality of life decreases-at that point 'death is the next great adventure'.
I know that your body and mind are separate, I once had an 'out of body' experience when I was very young. I haven't seen many dead bodies, but they were a shell, the person wasn't there.
What happen afterwards, or even if anything happens afterwards, I have no idea. Either it is 'the end' and you don't know so it can't bother you, or you find out.
I think that it is a shame that death is a taboo subject-especially since it is the one sure thing in life-other than taxes!

CrapolaDeVille · 15/06/2011 11:23

I know other children who seemingly remember past lives.

Bennifer · 15/06/2011 11:47

As someone else pointed out, I'm not sure whether you're being unreasonable, but definitely irrational. It's a nice comforting thought but no evidence for it at all. Those who purport to have evidence are usually charlatans

SusanneLinder · 15/06/2011 11:48

I have watched programmes and read books on Life After Death. I am not 100% sure whether there is anything or not, and am sure there is far more to explore in this area.I think it is very arrogant of us to assume we know everything about the concrete and metaphysical world.Again what form it takes,no idea. I am non religious, so do not belief in heaven and hell, I think we create our own while we are here.

Also had 2 children talking about past lives, one described in full detail her previous life up till age of 4, and my 12 year still talks about hers.

My mother kept talking to my grandfather when she was dying,he had been dead 30 years,so I really don't know.

I have very little time for people like Derryn Brown and John Edwards,I am sure it's all made up for the TV. :)

exoticfruits · 15/06/2011 12:02

I agree with izzywhizzey-there is far more going on that we can understand. If there is life after death then I would think it is beyond human imagining. I don't believe people are speaking through mediums worried that you redecorated their bedroom!!