My inner guidance, the wise one or living God within, who knows the way of all things and the answers to every question we may ever care to ask, tells me that this is the truth. Therefore, it IS my truth - even if it were not anyone else's. With love - Aquarius
Much like the cat in the box / Schrodingers Cat where if a cat is in a box whether it is alive or dead is dependent upon a persons belief and the ability of particles to exist in multiple states so both are equally possible (the experiment is not based on simply "you do not know so could be", it is based on subatomic particles can exist in multiple states at one time , and since all matter is made of subatomic particles therefore it could be simultaneously existing in multiple states as well, both living and dead).
I tend to think as mentioned above, "my truth" had more importance for any individual and it is their truth that a persons actions are based upon. The fact that what a person believes and what are persons says are not always one and the same, and the fact many people are not sure what they believe simply adds more mystery and interest.
No way to prove the existence of Heaven and Hell
Afterlife or something more than life/death is not dependent on the existence of heaven and hell as realities or concepts in any way.
While many point to science as the proof to their belief there is no afterlife, the existence of subatomic particles in multiple states at the same time can do more to aide in proving a soul or some other form of conscience or awareness outside of the typical physical body than to disprove it. On only the very most rudimentary level of science is thought and life explainable as nothing more than electric impulses and chemical reactions- none of that explains self awareness or conscience (not the good vs bad conscience- the very literal awake and aware conscience as opposed to simply an ongoing series of random electrical impulses and chemical reactions. The absence of the ability (thus far anyway) to make a computer or any other contrived machine or substance self aware despite the seemingly thorough knowledge of "the spark of life" theory where it has been repeated in labs to turn inanimate into animate matter does not result in conscience or awareness- simply a repetitive process of cell division.
The explanation that "awareness" is simply a matter of the electronic impulses leaving impressions - while yes- we can make electronic impulses leave an impression- feeding electric current through the brain causes feelings/ hallucinations/ pain/ etc, and obviously the same can be said of chemical reactions- but what is left out of that explanation is the "what are they making that impression on?" That is the conscience or self awareness that is being impressed upon by the electronic impulses or chemical reactions in many opinions.
For those interested in reading about multiple areas where science has begun to either support or make possible the existence of "life" as far more than simply reactions that start and cease (if you are nto into advanced physics which really have started to support the concept despite many attempts to disprove it) a google list -
Biocentism theory
Two slit experiment
Schrodingers cat
Quantum interference of large molecules/molecular octopus
All of these "science" and physics experiments prove that only through observation/memory are physical things effected on some levels - that many subatomic particles cease to exist without a conscience to observe them and that observation of something makes a physical change at a molecular and subatomic level- therefore "life" or conscience" is what ultimately determines how subatomic particles react, which determines atomic particle reactions, which determine molecular reaction etc etc etc- that conscience is the deciding factor in how things exist and how things are ordered in the universe.
My personal belief? Does not matter in the least, but much like the discussion of whether there is life on other planets somewhere in the universe, it is a mighty big universe and would sure be a pity if there were not. Perhaps better said by Arthur C Clarke, in reference to both afterlife and life on other planets-
"Does it/Do they exist? Yes or no, both answers are terrifying." In explaining the un-explainable his thoughts were-
"Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic". I find those statements to be very applicable and truthful. I find it highly unlikely things like personality can be defined as simply random electric impulses - and if that were the case then altering personality and conscience(good vs evil conscience), and values system would be unaffected by counseling and by things like loving parents, love, attachments to people, etc and instead would be effected far more by physical environment as opposed to emotional environment. The existence of mental pain and anguish or individuals on here while living in close proximity to all being "happy" around them as is so often stated simply makes no sense. The concept of feeling suicidal does not really even make sense lacking more to "life" than chemical reactions. It seems there would be far less diversity in small sets of people living and working and eating and existing in close proximity to each other as all would have the same limited chemical and electric reactions. All simply opinions. And I completely agree many things in the world make no sense.