Saturday, January 30, 2021

The Hereafter: A Thought Experiment

 Imagine you are buying a car and you have two salesmen trying to get your business.  They are both selling you the same car.

The first salesmen offers you a perk: buy from him and all fuel and repairs will be free in the hereafter (after you die).

The second salesmen offers you a different perk: buy from him and you get a free upgrade whenever a new model car comes out in the hereafter (after you die).

At first you compare the offers.  How much will gas cost in the hereafter? Will things break down and need repairs? For the other offer, you wonder how often upgrades happen in the hereafter?

Then you start to think more profoundly. How do people travel in the hereafter? Will you even need a car in the hereafter? 

Then you think more practical. How can I be sure the salesmen will deliver on their promises? What means do I have to hold them accountable?

Then you think skeptically. How can they possibly have any influence on the hereafter? What evidence is there that they can deliver on their promises? Do they maybe have a motive to make promises that can't be proven or unproven? 

What if you asked them these questions and they held two fingers up to their forehead and said "Hold on, I'm getting communication from my manager on the other side...wait...Yes, he said they can guarantee the deal"?

Conclusion

Every religion has made some claim about the hereafter. It's impossible in this life to know which religion has the best deal or even if the deal is valid.

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