People often asked me if believed in afterlife. It's always been hard for me to answer, as I don't care about what happen to me after I died, yet I don't want to live only for my living life. I think the common beliefs from both views are not sufficient for me.
Afterlife beliefs
Most major religion accept afterlife. Be it a temporary one that have its own afterlife (samsara), or a permanent destination (enlightment, heaven, hell). That I may be rewarded, or punished based on what I do in this life. Hence I should try to do good deeds in hope that it'll counts.
Denier rejects these notion. That I should live my life to the fullest because I would only live once. I should try to do good because I am a good person, and because it's good to be good. These beliefs rejects the major religion understanding, and thus not as organized. Some said that I should work hard and play hard to maximize my impact and happiness. While the other said that I should take it slow and maximize my enjoyment and fulfillment.
Why is it not enough for me?
I respect what people believed and how people choose to live their life. But these way of life is not without faults.
Religous afterlife believer often times indulge themselves too deep in their religion, and scrutinized those who don't. I experienced these issues firsthand all the time. But, I don't want this writing to become an attack against religion. I'm sure there's enough amount of critics about it already.
Agnostic afterlife believer don't differ much from many afterlife denier. They may not be certain of the existence of afterlife, but they hope their good deeds would count somehow. They don't have greater goals, and thus prone to be numb to the action of the greedy afterlife denier.
And the most destructive of them all, the greedy afterlife denier. These people don't have the checks that make afterlife believer to do good. Nor they have the integrity and values that makes usual afterlife denier respectable.
But all of these people are the same to me. Selfish in their own way. Believer cares about what would happen to themselves after death. While denier cares about themselves while they're alive. Some may care about their own offsprings, and even smaller portion care about the wellbeing of the future generation.
My beliefs: Future afterlife
I think of afterlife not as *my* life after death, but *other's* life after mine. I am but a biological processor made of neurons, controlling bone skeleton wrapped in a meat suit. When I die, my unconcious body will slowly decompose and after that there's nothing left. But my wife probably still have her life. And so does my childrens. And my childrens' peers. And maybe my childrens' childrens. And so on, and so forth.
Their life is my afterlife.
This put every action of mine with the consideration of the afterlife. Keeping myself healthy so my afterlife didn't suffer from me being sick. Spending time with family so their mental health is not impaired, and thus can prepare and do the same or better for their families later. Yet working hard enough so my family can have the financial support they needed. I am thoughtful of my enviroment-damaging actions so that my childrens can have a healthy environment, yet I don't drown myself trying to fix the environment.
My view of afterlife forces me to think of the human. Think of the means while also think of the ends.
I want to prepare myself for this afterlife.
And with this I am inviting you to consider my definition of afterlife.
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