I never wrote that the act of risking one’s life cheapens this life. There are good solid evolutionary reasons that might explain why we risk our lives in some situations but not in others.
I wrote that a belief in an afterlife cheapen’s this life.
The argument might run like this:
All else equal, we will do that which makes us happy (in the Aristotelian use of ‘happy’).
Living in eternal bliss would make us happy.
Passing into permanent unconsciousness would not make us happy.
Therefore, if we believe that the performance of a particular act entails a significant risk of the loss of our life in this world we will be much more likely to perform that act if we believe that we will pass into a state of eternal bliss upon death than we would if we believe that we will pass into a state of permanent unconsciousness.
I believe there is an after life. However I do not think there is streets paved of gold or even eternal bliss. I cant imagine siting on top of clouds. I know me and I would trip over the edge and fall.
I believe hell is here, and that would be what we make of life.
Gads, more metaphysical fluff … (tentative’s “oldness” is showing … LOL)
The body, as with any matter, is energy in waiting. That the energy leaves the body …
But that would be too rational of an explanation. So my non-educated guessification would be that being faced for X years, with a hostile and emotively devoid Universe, we conspire to create scenarios that enable us to believe we continue as “something else”.
Oh sure! Sneak in after I’m out on the limbs grasping at twigs…
While I find it perfectly acceptable to look for an ‘out’, I just don’t accept the notion that I should take someone else’s word for it when they haven’t been there, or know anyone who has. But it seems to be a strong need to create such an elaborate fantasy. That it is often counter-productive in THIS life is fairly obvious.
And yeah, my ‘oldness’ at least gives me the impetus to raise the question knowing full well there ain’t no answer… Just another round of stirring the bucket. But stirred enough, it might just splash…
The notes by Xunzian are certainly entertaining, (in the intellectual sense, I’m really starting to find him to be a bugger of mind, I may have to make BBQ of him, it’s really becoming rather annoying), and would appear to be a rather lucid and pragmatic explanation for the whole scenario.
I could add to it, and throw in some of the noble Satyr to really make a mess, and then a dash of empiricism …
Nah, screw it, that would just be a waste of digit energy … stir away tentative, your hope of the light coming on is commendable, in that Zhuangzi sort of way … LMMFAOROTFL … sorry, that just slipped out.
That way, when I die, I cease, like before I was born. I can’t care because I can’t be conscious.
But! If heaven exists eternally, I could get bored. And if lucifer rebelled, why couldn’t I? And if i’m in bliss, nah… I’d rather just cease.
And of course… eternal burning would be horrible. How much more frightening could someone make an afterlife. Burning for eternity? Stopping to ponder that idea… makes me cringe. Actually eternity itself makes me cringe.
Urgh, this reminds me of those late night sleepover talks or bus ride trip talks with friends. Where we stop and think about burning in hell forever or flying around in heaven forever lol, and either way scares us, and were ready to get back to our normal lives.
Why would eternity be such a scary thing… I wonder.
In my experience religious say things that indicate that this life is to serve the Lord and not for their own growth, enjoyment etc.
Do you think these people that were blown up enjoyed this process?
It was honorable in their world but i think it’s safe to say suicide is not admirable or honorable, although they thought it to be.
Without this belief in an afterlife would they have deemed it honorable to kill themselves?
It only becomes honorable when they believe in an afterlife.
The only “thing” that is eternal is Being Itself. In so far as one can connect with Being Itself, therein lies the possibility of experiencing eternal life. Fantasies about the after-life are superfluous. We are all in the the same boat as Socrates who said “The hour of departure has arrived, and we go our ways - I to die, and you to live. Which is better God only knows.”
Just another round of stirring the bucket. But stirred enough, it might just splash… 
