From: Steyr@yabbs
To: all@yabbs
Subject: Afterlife ?
Date: Tue Jun  7 22:55:10 1994

Terry Pratchett (in his book "Pyramids" I think) suggests the theory about 
the afterlife (somewhat similar to what Topi said), that the afterlife is 
whatever you imagine it to be.  If you imagine a heaven where you can 
catch up on old times with all your dead buddies and ancestors, then 
that's what you get.  If you imagine it to be nothing, then, for you, 
there is no afterlife.

This idea almost makes sense to me.  I think the only person/being capable 
of judging whether you have been good or bad in your life is you.  Hence, 
if you know you have led an evil life and you then suspect that you are 
going top hell, then to hell you go.  Whereas if you were nasty to ppl but 
always had good intentions despite outside appearances, then you may feel 
you should go to a "heaven" and off you go.

Just a thought on God/gods too.  If they do/did exist, then it makes sense 
that they are some sort of sentient being with an interest of sorts in us. 
We might have no idea what that interest is ... it may be far beyond 
mortal comprehension, but if they have an interest then it is almost 
undoubtably designed to benefit themselves in some way.  Therefore we 
humans are possibly being used, being farmed even, by these 
incomprehensible beings we call gods.

Please note that I am an atheist, and please direct all flames for my 
blasphemy to Steyr@gpo.swin.edu.au  :)  :)

Ummm ... just one more thing.  If we have an afterlife, what about other 
animals.  Do cats have a heaven ?  Do leeches go to hell ?  WHat about 
plants ?  They're alive too.

Oh well.  I know what my heaven/nirvana/uTOPIa is.
And I know exactly how to get there.  (About 45mins by train :)

                                 - Steyr