I read a short story back in college about a woman who helped people remember their past lives. Somehow she gets transported to a universe where reincarnation is completely real and everyone remembers all their previous past lives. Suicide was rampant and the world generally sucked. She somehow transitions to helping people forget their past lives to make the world a better place. I really wish I could remember the title of the story.
For some reason this makes me think of something I read in a junior high English class. A group of surfers is driving to the beach when they drive through a tunnel and emerge into gridlock traffic. They inch forward for hours and it gets really hot. The driver finally flags down a passing cop and asks what the deal is. “Oh, you guys died in the tunnel back there and now you’re in hell.”
The story was called The Jam.
Frankly I think there’s already a gap on this with religious belief. If SO many people truly believe in god and an afterlife, there should be more suicides. Okay, it’s a sin. Fine. But then why aren’t people happier when a relative passes? It’s almost like no one actually really believes this shit at the end of the day.
I’ve always said that if I were to believe that there was an eternal afterlife that entry depended on how you lived your relatively short life on Earth, then why would I waste any time in life doing anything other than securing my chances at the good afterlife. Like if you actually believed that, then wouldn’t you live your life as a model person according to how the Bible says you should? It’s shortsighted to do anything else with your life.
Let’s say this life is all you get: wouldn’t you also do a million things to stay healthy and live longer, which most people do not do?
We invented the afterlife because it’s hard to deal with the fact that life is sometimes nasty, brutish, and short. Death is pretty hard to face too. So we lie to ourselves and each other about it. Simple as that.
And get chopped up in the bardo to return as a tapeworm? I don’t think so, you’re supposed to meditate so hard you return as a lotus flower
Isn’t there some religion that believes good people come back as dogs. Imagine coming back as a little dog owned by a rich white woman, pampered as heck… hell yeah.
I’m pretty sure in Buddha, where the concept of reincarnation comes from, suicide would negatively affect the karma, which would affect how one would reincarnate. CMIIW tho
If it were proven, and you could identify your previous identity, would you be able to claim your wealth and possessions from previous life?
that would go for debts too, or alleged debts.
Past life crimes bureau.
Yeah and get reincarnated as a stink bug, roll shit all day. And since you don’t have sentience you won’t be able to kill yourself again.
“Congratulations on your new baby! We wanted to inform you that there’s currently a $213,950 balance on their student loans due from their previous life. We’ve transferred the debt to their name and their credit is already in the toilet.”
Maybe it does and the queue is so long we just forget about our old life by the time our number comes up
The existence of a queue sparks the follow-up question: What happens if something is born while the queue is empty?
Miscarriage?
Donald J. Trump.
Cultists are already kinda like that, even christians that believe in the afterlife. They don’t care if they’re destroying the environment, because the real life begins after the current one.
I know a lot of Christians, and they have normal views on pollution and the environment. They are about as apathetic about the issue as the rest of us.
…they make similar arguments about atheists. “Since they don’t believe in sin, they are selfish and violent.”
Life sucks?
Have you tried turning it off and on again?
Hindus and Buddhists would be dying left and right. Wait, actually, we (Hindus) do believe that if your life’s ruined beyond saving, then ending it so your soul can go back to the universe/come back in a better form is a sensible thing to do. At least, we have legends and stories to that effect.
Heck, the Bhagvat Geeta has God saying that killing others or getting killed is not something to be afraid of, since the essence of a being can never be created nor destroyed.
I think this is why the Catholic Church declared suicide a sin, to keep people from killing themselves to get to heaven
There would be reincarnation preachers, coaches, and scammers, promising you an ideal reincarnated life.
If any religion with a good afterlife were proven suicide rates would rise.
Not if suicide excludes you from a good afterlife in that religion…
Interest in extreme sports would rise …
Welcome to a great method on getting soldiers to throw their lives away for someone elses glory. Has been shown to be extremely effective throughout the ages.
If I could be a bumblebee for 12 seconds I’d do it
You can still wiggle your butt and dance, sister!
Oh wait. That’s honey bees. Do bumblebees do anything fun?
fuck, man. I don’t even want THIS life, why would i want to come back?
It does get better. Gonna take some time though. You have to rest in your life for it to get less shitty every day.
i’ve been told for 3 decades that it gets better. when does it get better?
