There's been a lot of religious topics being thrown around here lately (as if that ever isn't the case), so I figure it's about time I make one. Although, i'll be doing so in a manner a bit different from how this subject is normally approached. In fact, this is more of a thread about a specific concept that finds itself to be a part of most religious systems. As the title may tell, i'm referring specifically to the concept of an afterlife, and more specifically an eternal afterlife.
Now, i'm aware that not all religious systems incorporate this, but a large portion do, especially among those widely practiced in the modern day. Now, the specifics of what the consciousness or "soul" goes through differs highly between faiths, and within said faiths as well, but the same basic concept throughout is that in one state or another, your consciousness will go on without your physical body, for a very long time, if not eternally.
So this brings me to my question, what is your opinion on the idea of a state of eternal consciousness? Would you [i]want[/i] to live forever and be consciously aware of it? Does this idea sound horrid or pleasing to you? What factors would your sentiment on this matter be dependent on?
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Living on forever is a kind of grey area for me. If it was as most big religions portray it, as in having a spiritual form of yourself, body included, in some sort of paradise, then count me in. As long as my friends and family as of now joined me, that would be amazing, although, realistically, we'd all die at different times, and so there would be several years with gaps in my friend/family circle, which would be tough. Whether you believe in it or not, I can't see the concept of a kind of [u]good[/u] afterlife not appealing to people.