People have devised different ways to cope with their
mortality. Consider three ways it’s
been done in the past. There is a fourth way, however, and it's the only way that we can rely on, if we hope to know the truth.
Epicurus promoted a lifestyle of serene simplicity and made
the social value of friendship the basis of enlightened living. For seven
hundred years his philosophy claimed the allegiance of followers from Europe to
India and Asia Minor. People wore
signet rings with the portrait of Epicurus engraved on them. Women and folks from
all grades of society were invited to join. In this way, the Epicureans were like the early Christian
communities.
But despite persisting for about seven hundred years, they faded
from history, and the Christian movement emerged as the dominant Western
religion. Is there a reason for
this eclipse of Epicurean society?
I think there is.
The two schools of thought had very different solutions to the problem
of mortality. The philosopher Epicurus had a facile argument for dealing with
death. As long as you’re alive, he
said, death is not; when you die you are
not. It will be as it was before
you were born. Problem solved.
The Christian solution to death is quite different, more
hopeful and attractive, one reason for the appeal. The promise to early Christians was resurrection of the body
for all who accept Jesus as their
savior. The Epicurean way as well
as the Buddhist way presuppose a high degree of enlightenment for dealing with
one’s mortality.
Christianity requires simple faith and piety and relies on
the beneficence of the Creator.
Unlike the Epicurean who doesn’t have to worry about having a bad time
after death, even if you’re Adolf Hitler or Donald Trump, Christians have to
worry about hell and Buddhists about rebirth.
So we have Epicurean extinction, Buddhist reincarnation, and
Christian resurrection,
What’s the best option? Squeeze all the possible joys into one life and forget
about death (Epicurean). Aim for
enlightenment, even if you have to keep coming back to life again and again
until you hit the jackpot (Buddhist).
Hope for eternal bliss but risk misery in hell forever (Christian).
I find none of
these three options satisfactory.
My view is as follows. Most
religious views of life after death are boring, cruel and absurd. They may have served purposes of
consolation and edification in the past—but not anymore.
But with the rise of modern psychical research, we’re in a
position to form opinions on the subject—if,
that is, we do some homework. Actually, there’s quite a bit of data; the
issues can get abstract, and require a little philosophical reflection. But this is a totally new way to
approach the question. Epicurus, great thinker, was wrong about assuming there
was nothing in the big ‘after.’ He
just assumed without testing his view.
It is possible infer
that there is (or isn’t) a life after death by virtue of experiences that
people have. Certain experiences can
lead us to believe that we will survive our bodily demise. Apparitions, near-death experiences,
mediumistic revelations, reincarnation memories—and so on. You can decide for yourself what all
the data means.
And there’s another way to form an opinion on this. Some people have experiences that don’t
just imply the reality of another world; they have experiences of entering the
‘next’ world now. In this special
state of mind, it becomes luminously self-evident that they are immortal. For an overview of the issues and the
types of evidence, try my book Experiencing
the Next World Now (2007).
My main point. We’re at a new place to deal with the
question of our mortality.
Religion is no longer able to be of much help. And for the most part science and philosophy
are indifferent or dogmatically negative. But there’s enough data and understanding of the issues to
make up our own minds.
And there’s a kind of inner experiment, disengaging
consciousness from the inner chatter, learning to lose oneself in the Great Mind.
A kind of fear/concern that I have developed over the years is that the afterlife will largely depend on how we have interpreted our life experiences. Surely, you will recognize that my views have been shaped by your own teachings, Michael, readings in psychical research, Buddhism, etc., all of which you introduced me to, and even my own Catholic upbringing. There is probably nothing original in what follows but, anyway, here is an example of what I have in mind: Even if we have lived a ‘correct life’ a la Tolstoy’s Ivan Ilyich, we might still end up having a crappy afterlife even if, like Ilyich, our agonizing death was followed by a positive NDE. Specifically, I suspect that in the afterlife our mental life will consist on whatever it is that occupies a central aspect of our mental life while we are still living, even if we are not always fully aware of whatever it is that is bothering us. My own take is that perhaps we might continue to agonize over regrets, lost opportunities, etc., beyond the stage of dying (re Ilyich). If so, these key mental experiences may end up continuing into the afterlife. Thus, in spite of any positive imagery of a benevolent, forgiving being, loved ones that greet us at death, the all-embracing bright light, etc. of the traditional NDE, the afterlife might be characterized by a continuous dream-like imagery stemming from whatever images, thoughts, concerns, etc., that are pre-occupying our minds as we transition toward death. On the other hand, if, unlike Ilyich whose life was driven by self-interest, you have spent your life dwelling on the positive, prayer, the love and grace of God, etc., then perhaps THAT is the type of imagery that will permeate the afterlife and that the individual will experience. This view of the afterlife may be the justification for some of the religious traditions’ emphasis on the need for a disciplined mind, whether through prayer, unquestionable faith, mindfulness, etc., as preparation not just for death, but for the expected continuation of our mental lives after death. Frankly, I hope the above is not entirely correct, for I sure have my share of regrets, lack a disciplined mind, etc. I suppose that I still have time, but …
ReplyDeleteAnyway, just some rambling thoughts on this most important topic. :)
You might consider the afterlife ideas conveyed to Emmanuel Swedenborg in visions. Although they included a kind of hell (hells, really), it is not seem as a place of punishment but rather as a way of accommodating the warped state of some people. There is a strong logic tio Swedenborg's ideas, as well as consistency with modern NDE accounts.
ReplyDeleteMiguel, I agree that the being of light may just be an introduction to life after death, just as in the Tibetan Book of the Dead it also begins with a light after which things are likely to go downhill as perhaps in the afterlife, the subconscious memories of our lives will flood our consciousness and send us through hells of recrimination or long broodings where we keep obsessing on what might have been--and that could be a long purgatory. Purgatory could one day end and the disembodied mind could then figure out ways to have some fun in heaven, like trying to make love with somebody without a body. I think like after death may be very boring for some people and then they become peeping toms of live folk making love to each other, and that's how they get sucked into the worst possible fate--reincarnation.
ReplyDeleteTodd, thank you for reminding me of Swedenborg who had such an impact on Henry James Senior and hence William James, one of the great explorers of the subliminal mind. You should write a paper on Swedenborg and the NDE.
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