I think the question I asked in the title of this blog post is an excellent one. After all, most religious people believe in these two things.
(1) God exists
(2) Life after death exists
So what if only the first proposition was true? Would religion have such a hold over billions of humans if God was real and so was the finality of death?
Meaning, no life in heaven. No life in hell. No life after reincarnation. No life at all after we humans take our last breath.
I strongly suspect that religiosity would lose a large part of its appeal if the world's religions didn't have theologies along the lines of (1) and (2).
Which points to the seeming fact that while religious people talk a lot about their love of God, actually much of that love is based on a feeling of "If I do what God likes, such as worshipping her and obeying her commandments, then God will give me good things -- like a pleasant life after death."
Part of what got me to thinking about this was a conversation I overheard in a grocery store checkout line this week.
The checkout employee was telling a customer that the past few days had been tough for her. I didn't hear all the details, but apparently a friend, or relative, was in a car accident that led to them losing their legs. The checker then said:
I guess God had a plan for them that didn't include going back to Him now, but rather losing their legs.
In other words, it wasn't their time to die. Yet when they eventually do, God will welcome them. I can certainly understand the appeal of this faith-based belief, since it provides meaning to what otherwise would seem to be a senseless accident.
And I have no doubt that billions of people around the world find it easier to live their lives by believing that God is watching out for them and will take care of them after death.
However, just because a belief makes us feel good doesn't mean it is a pointer to something real. In many countries young children get a lot of joy out of believing in Santa Claus. Which, of course, is how atheists like me view God -- as a nice idea that doesn't have any foundation in reality.
Placebos work because the human mind is highly suggestible. Religious belief is akin to a placebo, since it has no active ingredients, yet provides benefits to many who imbibe it because they believe it works.
Isn’t the Jewish faith kind of like this? Correct me if I’m wrong but I thought Judaism doesn’t believe in life after death? I have a Jewish friend who insists her faith believes in a God but that the afterlife is how you’ll be remembered. She doesn’t believe in heaven or hell... just believes there’s a God. And Jehovah Witnesses don’t believe in a soul or in hell... their belief system is a little more complicated though.
Posted by: Sonia | December 19, 2019 at 07:25 PM
Any specific religion's definition of god is probably wrong, but Ive never heard a good argument against the existence of god. If nothing else, god is existence itself. The totality of the material that we perceive and beyond.
It's easier to appreciate an incomprehensible god without any anthropomorphic limitations which even creep into religions which claim their god is indefinable. And it's easier to appreciate nature and life if we don't grasp at hopes for a second chance in another life, be it here in another body, or by striving for heaven, enlightened states or salvation
Taoist philosophy is the only popular thought that I've encountered that really seems to embrace and accept the mysterious nature of it all.
Posted by: Jesse | December 20, 2019 at 01:30 AM
Sonia, I've listened to a number of talks by various rabbis and it seems there's no single agreed upon theology or belief in or denial of an afterlife, but you're correct that there are Jewish schools of thought that don't believe in those things.
Jehovah's witnesses believe in heaven but it's only for the elect with "the heavenly hope" who will govern the earth with Jesus. The rest will either remain dead like a permanent sleep, but not in hell, or they'll be bodily resurrected on earth which will be paradise after armageddon and some other events.
Posted by: Jesse | December 20, 2019 at 01:37 AM
We are living in world of energy in various forms heat, light, mental energy, emotional energy, energy of desires, energy of greed, lust and so on. It would be foolish to assume that these energies in human being would die with death of body. They would take one form after another till exhausted or transmuted or absorbed in some higher energy. What Christians are doing today is be fooling the whole world by taking full advantage of energy in universe and telling others to remain gullible to half baked ideas of confused or cunning Christian Ranters.
Posted by: Vinny | December 20, 2019 at 01:58 AM
Vinny, I can't even comprehend what you're attempting to say. Lust and greed are not material, and it would be as foolish to assume those "energies" would continue on after bodily death as it would be to assume they didn't. Nobody knows, least of all you.
WTF does Christianity have to do with "taking full advantage" of energies or trying to keep others gullible and confused? Nothing is the true answer, but what was your intent in expressing those almost thoughts?
Posted by: Jesse | December 20, 2019 at 07:38 AM
God is concept. So, just as a perfect triangle doesn't actually exist, the concept of God is at best an effort to express something that isn't perfectly understood.
How does one explain flying through the stars within?
Or the sense of peace and a higher power that pulls us from our worries?
We try to ascribe technical attributes, anthropomorphic attributes.
But anyone who worships a divinity, either as a very subjective presence or experience, or an ideal that inspires that internal experience of balance, peace, wholeness, authority, or at least a higher level of integration, is trying to put words and attributes to something they don't fully understand. The mind can't fully understand.
In that heightened state, personality and worries both evaporate.
And from that state comes many calm and balanced decisions, deeper insights only available to a calm but caring mind, and many great inventions and solutions.
Does that mean there is a life beyond this one?
Life existed long before we arrived, as individuals, and will continue long after we, as individuals, are gone.
But that transcendent experience isn't of our individuality. It is a universal experience that has moved us out of ourselves. And it is the most constant source of happiness.
What if this is where we go after we die? Melting or rising into that?
What if this is what cawaits? What we have seen, if through a glass darkly, or experienced, if momentarily in the midst of worshiping what we vaquely understand as God, The Holy Name of God or Christ?
Not what we might have thought or been told, but all happiness?
I signed up for that long ago. Who could resist?
Posted by: Spence Tepper | December 20, 2019 at 10:14 AM
Here’s a thought, maybe we shouldn’t use the word “God”. Maybe it should just be referred to as “love”. Nobody can deny that love exists (I hope). So what if you believe in an afterlife or not or if you choose to follow a certain religion, philosophy or spiritual practice. Ultimately all that really matters is learning how to love. And clearly that’s a life long process. If your path doesn’t lead to love then that’s something you have to deal with.
Posted by: Sonia | December 20, 2019 at 06:15 PM
What you do with your life after death is your business, no one else’s. 🙃
Posted by: Sonia | December 20, 2019 at 06:35 PM
Judaism is just too old to recognize it's true origin, it's been through revival mysticism like kabbalah etc, but originally came out of pre iron age spiritual influence where sacrifices were the order of the initiative to pledge allegiance and please the highest deity / ies.
Christianity a mixture of Judaic influences with Roman catholic convolution of pre Christian culture and traditions.
Christ's true teaching is pure mysticism as are John the Baptist, or Paul's treatise to 'die daily' or be 'born again' to higher realms of reality.
All or most Eastern schools from vedanta to Buddhists from every sphere of influence, Taoist or Tibetan Buddhists or the Hindu cumulative facets of religion with various influences from Vedantist Vedic Brahmanic Navriti Shivaism and various forms of different Yogas, all align or link their values of philosophy and beliefs to reach higher states of consciousness.
Atheists on the other hand deny any form of higher state of existence other than the physical material realm that they can observe, and by which their gross senses can perceive their immediate physical environment and conditions.
So by effectively denying any element of elevated conscious awareness they limit their ability to recognize their own fundamental nature, which is most definitely other than purely material or purely physical.
Posted by: Whodunit | December 21, 2019 at 03:43 AM
God is perfect illusion as beyond logics or reason or senses and yet is the staple food for thought and action for most in World as Allah, Wahe guru , Ram et al.
Most good things in World are due to concept of God , in particular, fear of God.
One way to reach Him is to look into each creature as living temples of God.
And to visualise Him in action is to die a perfect death after a perfect life - life of compassion and empathy.
Its what i have learnt and I believe. One can be sure of facing Him by all probability post life.
The other way. as being taight by Mystics is to release oneself while living, in meditation as Believers and Exers of RSSB are well aware. *
*Conditions apply.
The conditions are tricky, huge and not easily workable by many. But easy for those who are just simple, humble and lonely from heart. Perhaps the right affinity for Him is the trigger that may pull us towards that Infinite Power.
Posted by: Meditator | December 21, 2019 at 07:18 AM
I'm all for it!
Let the tyranny end.
(And be backdated)
The bonus to the supposition that there's no life after death, is that this %$#@ then also hasn't been going on for eons. That deserves a paaartey.
Posted by: E | December 22, 2019 at 08:38 PM
"(1) God exists
(2) Life after death exists
So what if only the first proposition was true? Would religion have such a hold over billions of humans if God was real and so was the finality of death?
Meaning, no life in heaven. No life in hell. No life after reincarnation. No life at all after we humans take our last breath."
Posted by: Brian Hines, in God, Religions | December 19, 2019 at 04:24 PM
The Great Maharaj Ji, the spiritual teacher you once followed Charan Singh answered this very question.
If I recall correctly he said that "As long as a man (meaning disciple; one of his disciples) did his/her work (meaning adherence to the Vows made at Initiation), and did their work in Earnestness and without motive. Working on a lifelong path which is Sant Mat (the Path of the Saints). There could be no question of God not fulfilling His promise of wages:
E.g.
-An Eternal Afterlife
-Escape from Reincarnation
-Knowledge of Self
-Knowledge of God" (Divine Light, ltr. 107)
All the masters have said it. They have said the prize (wages) could even mean God Himself. For they've left it up to us, how devoted we will be..
Posted by: Karim W. Rahmaan | January 04, 2020 at 08:12 PM
Karim, you do understand that just because a guru/master says something is true, that doesn't mean it is true, right? Holy books and holy people say lots of things that aren't true. So no matter how many quotes you share about gurus saying there is life after death, that results in zero proof of life after death.
Posted by: Brian Hines | January 04, 2020 at 08:44 PM
Brian, I just added Charan Singh Ji's book as a reference.
Posted by: Karim W. Rahmaan | January 04, 2020 at 11:02 PM