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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To ask if you believe in the afterlife?

232 replies

recklessruby · 14/09/2018 13:08

My dm and I believe when you pass there is another better place you go to. Df disagrees and says when you are gone that's it.
I nearly died giving birth to ds (complications and pre eclampsia) and I know I was drifting somewhere lovely but was told I was too young and it was not my time and turned back. I awoke to chaos and pain and was very disappointed.
Some people will say it's the drugs you get in labour but I have had a few woo encounters over the years when I have been in a clear mind.
So what do you believe? Aibu there is something more after we die?
And that dearly loved pets will be there.
(Maybe not heaven but something).
Sorry this is long and weird.

OP posts:
BonnieF · 14/09/2018 22:13

Stories about heaven, afterlife, the soul, reincarnation etc are told by people to comfort themselves and one another, because people find the finality and loss of death upsetting and difficult to handle. We tell ourselves stories to help us cope. Most of us know, deep down, if we are completely honest with ourselves that, however comforting, they are just stories.

The reality is that there is absolutely no scientific evidence whatsoever to substantiate any of these stories, and it is extremely unlikely there ever will be.

Live your life to the full, because when you’re dead, you’re dead and that’s it.

Gottagetmoving · 14/09/2018 22:15

@Storm4star You may find the book interesting that I mentioned in post above. The choice thing is covered in Zukavs theory..

BonnieF · 14/09/2018 22:18

There is nothing that will convince those who do NOT believe in an afterlife to change their views.

Nonsense.

If and when proper, testable, peer-reviewed scientific evidence becomes available which proves the existence of an afterlife, I will be the first to accept that evidence, hold my hand up and admit that I was wrong. When the facts change, I change my opinion.

I’m not holding my breath, though....

Storm4star · 14/09/2018 22:24

Ooh, I will definitely check that out then. Thanks for that. As I say, as he got older he forgot whatever it is he “knew” back then so i’m Still quite baffled by it all. I had a daughter after that who never said anything along those lines so it’s interesting. He’s always been a bit “woo”. Like I had my daughter when he was 18 months old. At that time he used to go to bed fine at 7pm every night without fail. One night he just wouldn’t settle and kept getting up saying “baby, baby”. 3am I went into labour. I think there are definitely things outside our current knowledge. Does it mean there’s an afterlife? I don’t know. But my mind is open.

RedDwarves · 14/09/2018 22:25

No. I cannot believe that our bodies do anything other than rot and degrade. We die in the same way that everything else on the planet dies. There is nothing that sets humans apart, in that sense. I am confident that there is no afterlife.

Esspee · 14/09/2018 22:26

No, and I don't believe in the tooth fairy either.

sweethope · 14/09/2018 22:33

Yes i believe in an afterlife. 100%

BonnieF · 14/09/2018 22:34

What is it that animates us, gives us personality, thoughts, feelings?

The brain.

How do we become to exist?

On a species level : evolution by natural selection. On an individual level : sexual reproduction, as in all other mammalian species.

Thisgirlcant · 14/09/2018 22:36

My mum's a Christinan who believes you go to heaven and have a wonderful life. I've known many chrisians over the years who I have absolutely no desire to spend an hour with never mind eternity. Part of me would love to believe there's something more, another part thinks, who the hell wants to live forever, I'd be bored!

I'd like to be around for a while after I die to watch my funeral, check on my loved ones are ok, otherwise, no I don't believe there's an afterlife and I'm fine with that.

Saying that when I've lost people I love I'd love to think they come back to visit me.

AtSea1979 · 14/09/2018 22:38

No I don’t. I think it’s just like before you were born.

BlueKittens · 14/09/2018 22:40

I’ve always thought probably not and didn’t believe in anything woohoo. But yesterday something odd happened which made me question that.

My parents and I were staying at an old cottage by the sea a while ago. My dad walked around the cottage with his tablet filming the rooms, just to show any relatives that might want to book it. We forgot about it until we watched it yesterday for the first time. Halfway through the short film a very deep and gravelly voice says “I don’t believe it” clear as day. We did not say this, there was no TV or radio. This has made me question the afterlife now. I can’t think of any rational explanation. The comfort I take in this is it’s only the living that can hurt you. But I won’t be booking it again for sure!!

Neweternal · 14/09/2018 22:46

When I was 16 my best friend and I were walking down an unlit street at night in the country out of nowhere a Roman type soldier ran in front of us through the fences, didn't acknowledge us, just charged and ran across our path. My friend and I looked at each other screamed and ran. It was terrifying, it did happen. If someone told me this story I would think they're talking drivel but I can assure that's what we both saw.

someonekillbabyshark · 14/09/2018 22:53

Unfortunately for me and my DH we have many a nights seen a man walk through our hallway. When my uncle passed this year I was the only one that didn't get to spend time with him because I had all the kids whilst everyone went, a couple of days later I felt a hand on my shoulder whilst I was holding my phone ready to ring the morgue to arrange to 'view his body' which I really didn't want to do but felt I should since I didn't see him properly. People can say what they like until you see it why would you believe it ??? I'm still petrified of dieing though Confused

someonekillbabyshark · 14/09/2018 22:54

@Neweternal when my dad was younger he was going down the road on his motorbike and went through a man, he thought it was real and stopped.

BunsOfAnarchy · 14/09/2018 22:54

Yes i believe it.
I also believe that childbirth is when you are on the fine line of life and death. Its like you're going through a rebirth whilst giving birth. I can never grasp the enormity that we have the power to bring another life into the world. Yes i know its all explicable by science, but its just mindblowing how a whole new soul is born and they have their own little personality.
Im very spiritual. I like to think my loved ones are together up there too.

someonekillbabyshark · 14/09/2018 22:58

Anyway winters coming and there's bigger things to worry about!! All the bloody spiders that want to move into my house!!! I'll be part of the afterlife if I see any big ones SadSad

SpoonBlender · 14/09/2018 23:04

Nope. Dust to dust. We're just atoms. Which is a shame, but there we go.

MatildaTheCat · 14/09/2018 23:14

We leave a footprint on Earth by way of our achievements and any offspring we have. Some will be remembered but most will soon be forgotten.

I believe that is our afterlife. The warm and wonderful feelings described by people experiencing near death are scientifically explained as the brain flooding with endorphins. Now that really is a comfort and I sincerely hope that those who have lost their lives in terrible circumstances have experienced this.

BonnieF · 14/09/2018 23:20

@Bunsofanarchy

Cats, pigs, rodents, dogs, rabbits and many other mammalian species give birth to large litters of babies at a time, usually with little difficulty. What makes human beings, who make very hard work of giving birth to (usually) a single baby so special?

Original poster
recklessruby · 14/09/2018 23:33

I m back from work and can't believe so many replies, so many intelligent points of view.
My experience was I was 19 and giving birth prematurely to my son as he had to be induced my blood pressure was through the roof. I had severe pre eclampsia which came on suddenly.
Not long before the birth maybe an hour I don't know I drifted off to a peaceful place, no bright lights or tunnel, just a quiet garden full of birdsong. I wanted to go on but a voice told me to go back, it wasn't my time as I was too young and had things to do still.
I came round to agony and chaos as doctors and nurses were running around telling my mum we almost lost her then
My son was born not long after. It's true I had a lot still to do here as I had a daughter a few years later and have worked with children most of my adult life.

OP posts:
ericcartman · 14/09/2018 23:39

60% I think there is something beyond this everyday shit. There are too many stories about people in clinical death seeing things.

This is the about the best answer you'll have.

PickAChew · 14/09/2018 23:40

Nah.

Babdoc · 14/09/2018 23:40

Jesus brought people back from the dead (Lazarus, Jairus’ daughter) and then came back himself. He promised that he would prepare a place for us, and that we would follow him there.
That’s a pretty powerful demonstration of the existence of an afterlife.
And to the PP who said eternity would be boring - it’s outside of space and time, so there would be no sensation of years and years dragging on for ever, just the ever present joy of being in direct communion with the love of God, and reunited with your loved ones.
And you wouldn’t be forced to meet people you didn’t like - Jesus said “In my Father’s house are many mansions”, so you could be in a different bit!
I was a rabid atheist (of Dawkins proportions!) until I had a direct encounter with God over 20 years ago that changed my whole mind set and world view.
Science can only describe the observable universe of our space-time continuum. It doesn’t cover anything outside or beyond it, such as God, nor can it explain why there is a universe at all, as opposed to just nothing.
Matter and energy cannot be created or destroyed, according to our laws of physics, but somehow the Big Bang created a multiverse.
Christians believe that was God’s act of creation. Science can’t prove it wasn’t.

PlatypusPie · 14/09/2018 23:41

No

PickAChew · 14/09/2018 23:42

And my own near death experience was fucking terrifying. As far removed from warm and fuzzues as could be imagined.