The only thing we know that happens when we die is the brain stops sending electric impulses. There is no evidence that anything else. It would be nice to know that all our deceased loved ones get to continue existing in the afterlife.
There are far too many conflicting ideas of what it could even be. Across all countries, religions, and time periods. If you asked someone from Ancient Athens what they thought happened when they died, they would've told you that a person crosses the river of Styx into Hades, or ask a Mayan, and they say to bury yourself with maize to embark on the voyage to the otherworld, Xibalba.
What afterlife are we referring to? What god? Anu? Zeus? Buddha? Allah? Yahweh?
The definition of faith is "belief without evidence," and that's
wonderful. I respect everyone's choice to believe what they want to
believe.
As for the Bible-- it's claims that the universe is merely 6,000 years old is not true. It's so far off, it's almost unbelievable. The universe is 13 billion years old, and the Earth is 4.5 billion years old. Every human, animal, plant is related by a microbe known as LUCA.
There is also the kind of god that Einstein or Spinoza talked about, which simply put is the laws of the universe. There are certainly laws in the universe, and if it brings you comfort to believe that's what God is-- that's great.
There is certainly a romantic and whimsy to the basic law of physics that "nothing can be created nor destroyed."
The things you are made out of-- carbon, nitrogen, hydrogen, oxygen are the same things that stars are made of. You are the universe.
As Carl Sagan said, "Science is not only compatible with spirituality; it is a profound source of spirituality."
When you look up at the night sky, there are stars that provoke a sense of awe and cosmic wonder. There is a humility in understanding how small you are in the universe.
But the person you are will stop existing. There's nothing wrong with that. Were you scared before you were born? Were you conscious then? No. The only reason you fear death is because you are alive.
Being alive is rare. There have only ever been 100 billion people that have ever been born on Earth, and 8 billion alive now. There is no one like you. You are special. You are 1 in 300 trillion, and probably rarer than that.
If you never died, why would you feel compelled to do anything? You could simply put it off. Knowing that you are going to die someday makes you do things you want to do, it's why you tell people you love them, it's why you want to make every moment count.
I'm comfortable knowing that nothing happens when I die. I'm more comfortable than I've ever been with it. I grew up Catholic, and it simply never felt right. I've been spiritual, I can tell you everything about tarot and astrology (I don't believe in it anymore.)
I'm living my life how I want. I want to see the world, help others, and tell people I love them.
I want to leave something great behind. The Greeks often spoke about something known as kleos (κλέος), or everlasting fame, that everything people do, have children and desire recognition is to be immortalized. It would be nice to achieve, but I'd also be content with being loved by my chosen few and doing what brings me joy.
Thanks for reading <3