Death?

[Sporkman]

In terms of a film;
It's ridiculous because the [basics of the story has plot holes] without [reasonable] explanations.

A perfect, oval-shaped egg could be stood up perfectly with forces like wind not acting upon it, it would just be extremely hard to do. When you crack the base you are modifying the egg to fit the problem and you could be cheating, what if I were then to say "stand the egg up right without propping it up against something or cracking the base, etc". But it is still possible without the crack or propping up to do. Just extremely hard.

EDIT: I know 'afterlife' is more than reincarnation, Pustulio, but it is one of the theories and heavily discussed here.

 

[commonyoshi]

In terms of a film;
It's ridiculous because the [basics of the story has plot holes] without [reasonable] explanations.

There you go. It's rediculous, but that doesn't make it impossible.

<_< The post wasn't really about the egg. Do you understand what I was trying to say about achieving the "impossible"?

 

[Jazzy Jinx]

I think a bunch of organisms that evolved over time on a rock flying through space around a giant ball of fire in the middle of nothingness is pretty extreme and to somebody living in the old days, impossible.

The infinity argument always comes to mind in these debates. Neither side can explain the beginning without a contradiction of some sort.

 

[pikachun00b7]

Our lives are trivial and unimportant so is mankind. but even though there may be an afterlife, it wont be the same. We live to feel an immense amount of pain at death you are relieved and will never get pain again. Still pain is what makes life beautiful especially we will never have it again in the afterlife.

 

[Monk/Honkey/Banana]

Life really has no meaning when you think about it the human race is just a bunch of parasites feeding off the planet we are no better then a tapeworm or AIDS. The only people that know what happens when you die is the dead I can't post anything more simpler then that so I figure I'll just wait and find out what happens

 

[Virgilijus]

I can imagine an afterlife, but it is surely impossible.

Why? Because we have no physical proof? That alone debunks what may be? That is to say that we already know everything that can ever be true because as of now there is no evidence of some other truths. But that statement is ridiculous because we constantly find new truths through new experiences and evidence. And to say something can never be a truth because we have yet to find evidence enough of it's validity does not follow.

But if you are religious and you are wrong, then your beliefs were pointless and your life capped by religous restrictions.

As opposed to them being right, and some one's belief in nonexistence ends will eternal ****ation. Either way, having belief in a god does not hurt the believer, as religious restrictions do not equate to self imposed pain and foolishness.

 

[Skywalker]

Life really has no meaning when you think about it the human race is just a bunch of parasites feeding off the planet we are no better then a tapeworm or AIDS. The only people that know what happens when you die is the dead I can't post anything more simpler then that so I figure I'll just wait and find out what happens

Or you could just examine the Bible. So yes, I sway to Christianity.

To be honest, there isn't a universal truth (read: spanning every religion) to the afterlife. Only the dead will know which theory is right. Touché.

(This is a lot like Evolution versus Creation)

 

[psicicle]

THe reason I think that any specific prediction of life after death is flawed is that we don't have any evidence. How are you supposed to know which prediction is right? I could say now that after death, you get to eat pasta forever but you are not allowed to stop. I could say that in the afterlife you live the life of harry potter over and over again. If these two "predictions" sound crazy, doesn't an idea of a heaven or the idea of reincarnation or even the idea of a soul also seem just as improbable? There is just as much evidence going for either one.

To the "realists", what makes you think that an afterlife is impossible? Does a "blunt end" have any more evidence than an existence of a heaven? Is there evidence for an abscence of an eternal soul? The only "evidence" going for either of these (any why I think that they are the most probable) is the application of occam's razor, which says that the simplest theory is probably correct.

The only purely rational belief is uncertainty because it is impossible to know with certainty what lies after death based on what we know already.

 

[Sporkman]

logic.
__________________

Carlsberg don't do Smash players, but if they did, they'd probably be like Sporkman

 

[crismas]

This is just my viewpoint. But, I see the afterlife as the same way as the way I don't remember being alive before I was born. I had no existance as far as my mind will let me know. If I had a previous life, then I wouldn't remember. I don't think the afterlife is a dream, since the brain is alive while we are alive we dream. Unless I'm mistaken, I couldn't see that. I think a lot of the heaven and comfort ideas were designed so thinking of death wouldn't be so empty or scary. Honestly I am scared of death for all these reasons haha. But I've just come to accept what I think it is, in that it's nothing.

But anything is possible, I could be very wrong.

 

[notftomearth7]

Helll=Earth


Yeah, I don't think that there's a hell, Just a heaven or darkness

 

[thecheat]

I see logic there, crismas. If there is no heaven, then, yes, it would be like before we were born. Life no longer takes place, so our former person, and therefore our mind, is just the dirt we dug in as kids. The chemical reactions that gave us our higher brain function, minds, memory, emotions, are broken down, and are no more than carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, and trace other elements. However, I believe in god, out of faith. I have no real proof a god exists, so you may call me stupid, but living the christian life does have several benefits. Self esteem, confidence, among many other things. But it would be cool if life was constant, and when you died, you were born to another mother at the exact same time, with the same traits, but your mind was wiped to basic funcionality.

 

[Skywalker]

But it would be cool if life was constant, and when you died, you were born to another mother at the exact same time, with the same traits, but your mind was wiped to basic functionality.

A vegetative state?

 

[shadenexus18]

It's such a terrifying feeling that the only thing that keeps us in the world of the living is a few vital organs. *sigh*

 

[shadenexus18]

It's such a terrifying feeling that the only thing that keeps us in the world of the living is a few vital organs. *sigh*

 

[valtiel]

those r cool thoughts thecheat! i thought the same way too. about constant life.

 

[Red Exodus]

There's one flaw though: How come our global poplulation is increasing as such alarming rates? Where are the other people [who did not just die and get a new life] coming from?

 

[commonyoshi]

That's what I'm saying. And what happens when the universe goes into a complete state of nuetrality? There wont be any life for the souls to enter back into since nothing is alive.

 

[Mediocre]

My view of death is rather depressing.

Like some other people in this thread, I believe that when I die, it'll all be over. No afterlife, no reincarnation. Just death.

Why?

Because I see nothing special about humans that would cause anything special to happen to them after death. Basically, the brain is like a biological computer. It transmits electronic signals, and the body responds. Granted, it's a lot different from current electronic computers, but on a very simple level it's pretty much the same.

Do computers go to heaven when they die? Do they reincarnate? I doubt it. I've never met or heard of anyone who believes that they do.

So if they don't, why should I?

Perhaps because I have a soul? But what is a soul? And how do I know that I have one. I don't know, and there's no way anybody could prove that any person has one.

So, yeah, the brain is a biological computer, imprinted with a person's memory, personality and other traits. And when a person dies, that computer shuts off, and they're just dead.

I'd love it if there were an afterlife, or even reincarnation. I don't want to totally cease to exist. It's depressing. But no matter how depressing it is, it's what all the evidence (or lack of evidence) points to.

I'm not saying that there isn't an afterlife, but I am saying that there's no reason to believe that there is one.

I have no real proof a god exists, so you may call me stupid, but living the christian life does have several benefits. Self esteem, confidence, among many other things.

Are you saying that atheists don't have self esteem and confidence?

I'm not going to dispute that Christian beliefs do give some people self esteem and confidence, but plenty of people seem to make do without.

Religion is not necessary.

 

[Virgilijus]

Religion is not necessary.

In a purely physical existence, yes. But our existence may be more than that, and it is worth differentiating.

 

[Peeze]

Not to turn this into a religious debate, but humans have formulated their own ideas of what happens after death. Most christians believe in the bible, but it teaches(at Ecclesiastes 9:5 if your interested in checking for yourself), that the dead are conscious of nothing at all. Verse 6 also says that their emotions have perished.
Religious leaders have just combined pagan beliefs from the romans and greeks about an afterlife.
Not to bash anyone's beliefs or anything.

 

[Virgilijus]

Religious leaders have just combined pagan beliefs from the romans and greeks about an afterlife.

Not exactly: just because two beliefs exist in brief succession does not necessarily mean one had to have taken from the other.

 

[Peeze]

Thats not what i said, i said "christians" combined Roman beliefs with Greek beliefs, to create a similar view of the afterlife.
Besides, the greeks and roman strongly influenced each other, so their religious beliefs could be based off each other's but thats no what i was trying to say.

 

[shadenexus18]

My view of death is rather depressing.

Like some other people in this thread, I believe that when I die, it'll all be over. No afterlife, no reincarnation. Just death.

Why?

Because I see nothing special about humans that would cause anything special to happen to them after death. Basically, the brain is like a biological computer. It transmits electronic signals, and the body responds. Granted, it's a lot different from current electronic computers, but on a very simple level it's pretty much the same.

Do computers go to heaven when they die? Do they reincarnate? I doubt it. I've never met or heard of anyone who believes that they do.

So if they don't, why should I?

Perhaps because I have a soul? But what is a soul? And how do I know that I have one. I don't know, and there's no way anybody could prove that any person has one.

.

Religion is not necessary.

Please repeat after me: "I am special. I am special. I am special." Lets see......where do I even begin? I've got it! Eureka! The comparison between a human and a computer is a strong statement. I'll give you that much; however, human beings are living, breathing, organisms that have various characteristics such as feelings, vital organs, souls, and a code of communication. We Computers......welll.....they don't have any of these characteristics. Computers......well.....have none of the above.

And now I'll explain this "soul" thing. Lets just get this out in the open. You, me, and everyone else on this forum has one. How do I know this? Because I possess something you don't? Not at all. It's not even because I'm highly spiritually enlightened. It's because I have one thing as far as my religion goes........faith! I have faith that there is a God out there. A divine sovereign so to speak. I have faith that Christianity and all other monothesic religions that associate themselves with Christ are the truthes of this world. And I sure as heck believe that when I die that I won't wither away to nothingness for I will ascend to where all of Christ's people go.........heaven.

 

[Peeze]

And now I'll explain this "soul" thing. Lets just get this out in the open. You, me, and everyone else on this forum has one. How do I know this? Because I possess something you don't? Not at all. It's not even because I'm highly spiritually enlightened. It's because I have one thing as far as my religion goes........faith! I have faith that there is a God out there. A divine sovereign so to speak. I have faith that Christianity and all other monothesic religions that associate themselves with Christ are the truthes of this world. And I sure as heck believe that when I die that I won't wither away to nothingness for I will ascend to where all of Christ's people go.........heaven.

You present a strong argument, but you're slightly incorrect. Since you seem like a relgious person, i will cite scriptures for your personal reference.
A person is a soul. For instance, genesis 2:7 says that when god created man he became a living soul, he didn't have one. At Genesis1:24 it says that animals are souls. Are you thus telling me that animals have an immortal being that lives on after death?
Further, Exekial 18:4 says: "The soul that is sinning, it itself will die."
AND when comparing humans and animals Ecclesiates 3:19,20 says:"“As the one dies, so the other dies; and they all have but one spirit, so that there is no superiority of the man over the beast, for everything is vanity. All are going to one place. They have all come to be from the dust, and they are all returning to the dust.”

 

[shadenexus18]

I don't have a Bible with me, but from what I can see those are all correct scriptures from the Bible. You see the thing about the Bible is that I found out that at times some of it's scriptures contradict themselves.

I'll continue this later cause I gotta go. See you in 20 minutes.

 

[Peeze]

You can't say you believe the bible, then say it contradicts, but so as not to turn this thread into a discussion of the bible we can talk later, maybe by Pm or something.

 

[Sporkman]

Feelings are just nerve endings relayed back to the brain. We can program a computer to respond to heat or cold. But before I make a point completely on the wrong side of things, the comparison is actually just an example, an explanation tool because some people find it hard to imagine 'switching off' their mind. Some people always imagine they will be there in some form or another and it can be hard to describe without using a computer analogy.

For me, the whole 'soul' thing is such pathetic nonsense. I don't believe it exists, just another crazy concoction from the zeal boys. You say a soul is determined by the fact someone has a faith, that's the impression I get at least. I have no faith in these gods, so do I have a soul? or do you consider me one of Lucifer's spawn?

Christ's people? I belong to nobody, are hindu's christ's people? muslims? buddhists? And let's face it, they can't all of made the world and its hosts.

 

[Virgilijus]

You say a soul is determined by the fact someone has a faith, that's the impression I get at least. I have no faith in these gods, so do I have a soul? or do you consider me one of Lucifer's spawn?

Christianity believes every one has a soul, whether or not you believe you do. And it does not believe your disbelief in the soul or Christianity makes you "Lucifer's Spawn" in the same way a prodigal son is still a son.

And Peeze, there are no beliefs that were taken by early Christianity (outside of heretics) that were founded on the theological principles of ancient Greece and Rome. This is not to say some customs of those who were formerly pagans were still practiced in their former regions, but they were non-theological customs that were more to deal with the culture of the area than religious dogma.

 

[psicicle]

Please repeat after me: "I am special. I am special. I am special." Lets see......where do I even begin? I've got it! Eureka! The comparison between a human and a computer is a strong statement. I'll give you that much; however, human beings are living, breathing, organisms that have various characteristics such as feelings, vital organs, souls, and a code of communication. We Computers......welll.....they don't have any of these characteristics. Computers......well.....have none of the above.

What if you program a computer to have those emotions? Aren't emotions cause by chemical reactions? People strive to be happy. For a computer, you could simulate this drive to be in an emotional state by differentiating between states and changing its characteristics based on this state. Make it try to become one state.

Computers don't have vital organs? Think again, just because they aren't organic doesn't mean that parts are not vital. Take the processor, or maybe the hard drive or maybe the RAM for example. Computers do have a code of communication called binary! How do you think the internet works? Magic? Computers communicate through electronic signals.

And now I'll explain this "soul" thing. Lets just get this out in the open. You, me, and everyone else on this forum has one. How do I know this? Because I possess something you don't? Not at all. It's not even because I'm highly spiritually enlightened. It's because I have one thing as far as my religion goes........faith! I have faith that there is a God out there. A divine sovereign so to speak. I have faith that Christianity and all other monothesic religions that associate themselves with Christ are the truthes of this world. And I sure as heck believe that when I die that I won't wither away to nothingness for I will ascend to where all of Christ's people go.........heaven.

So you know that everybody has a soul... because of faith. I hope you realize that faith is irrational. That shouldn't insult anybody because irrationality is part of the definition. Faith is a belief in something which does not have enough evidence to warrant such belief. You do not "know" that the soul exists any more than you "know" there is a God. If you belong to any religion you'd better have faith because religion by its nature is irrational; no matter what, your belief relies on your willingness to have faith because really, there is no more evidence for a god than an invisible flying spaghetti monster who likes pirates

A rational person however, would argue that the soul probably does not exist. Key word being probably. Nobody has any evidence for its existence other than feeling that sentient beings are somehow more than chemicals reacting. However, just because we have no evidence does not mean it cannot exist. The absence of evidence is not the evidence of absence. But one has to keep a somewhat closed mind because who knows, there may be invisible pink unicorns flying around! Nobody has disproved santa claus' existence have they?

 

[shadenexus18]

What if you program a computer to have those emotions? Aren't emotions cause by chemical reactions? People strive to be happy. For a computer, you could simulate this drive to be in an emotional state by differentiating between states and changing its characteristics based on this state. Make it try to become one state.

Computers don't have vital organs? Think again, just because they aren't organic doesn't mean that parts are not vital. Take the processor, or maybe the hard drive or maybe the RAM for example. Computers do have a code of communication called binary! How do you think the internet works? Magic? Computers communicate through electronic signals.


So you know that everybody has a soul... because of faith. I hope you realize that faith is irrational. That shouldn't insult anybody because irrationality is part of the definition. Faith is a belief in something which does not have enough evidence to warrant such belief. You do not "know" that the soul exists any more than you "know" there is a God. If you belong to any religion you'd better have faith because religion by its nature is irrational; no matter what, your belief relies on your willingness to have faith because really, there is no more evidence for a god than an invisible flying spaghetti monster who likes pirates

A rational person however, would argue that the soul probably does not exist. Key word being probably. Nobody has any evidence for its existence other than feeling that sentient beings are somehow more than chemicals reacting. However, just because we have no evidence does not mean it cannot exist. The absence of evidence is not the evidence of absence. But one has to keep a somewhat closed mind because who knows, there may be invisible pink unicorns flying around! Nobody has disproved santa claus' existence have they?

If you want to be the savior of computers than that's your own agenda, although I don't think that you're gonna get a Nobel Peace Prize for proving that computers have "feelings" or "vital organs." You're speaking as if computers are "alive" or something. For an example, lets say I was to strike the computer several times with my fists. It's not gonna "feel" my punches at all. Now lets say I was to do the exact same to you, you'd "feel" it, right? Get my drift? Chemical reactions?! Please! You know good and well that religion and science just don't mix. (The Big Bang Theory is a bunch of malarkey!!)

I believe that Christ put it best when he said that "We walk by faith and not by sight." Just because God is not tangable and I can't see him with my eyes does not mean he doesn't exist. He isn't a fairy tale. He has walked the Earth andh e's 100 % REAL bro. How do I know this? Because I believe. I've seen the light! Faith and some Biblical Scriptures is how I know that you won't fade in to nothingness when you die. Our spirits will live on in the afterlife.

Oh @ Peeze, we'll definately talk later.

 

[len1]

"If I thought I had to live a whole other life after I died, I'd kill myself right now."

Didnt Bender say that on Futurama?

Maybe reincarnation exists that could explain why people and animals we have never met before immediatley dislike us.
they were enemies in a past life.

or maybe everything is like the LifeStream From FF7

 

[commonyoshi]

Most christians believe in the bible, but it teaches(at Ecclesiastes 9:5 if your interested in checking for yourself), that the dead are conscious of nothing at all. Verse 6 also says that their emotions have perished.
Religious leaders have just combined pagan beliefs from the romans and greeks about an afterlife.
Not to bash anyone's beliefs or anything.

The Isrealites did believe in a Heaven, maybe not the one we're used to hearing about, but they did believe in its existance. Elijah was taken into heaven to be with God.

Christ said he was going to prepare a place in Heaven for his believers. THey didn't invent one up. (This is assuming Christ was no mere human)

are hindu's christ's people? muslims? buddhists?

Yes, according to Christian religion, God made them, and they are his.

Edit: I'm not going into the computer debate. >_<

 

[Chill]

Because of the scriptures Peeze cited (and many more) I believe that when someone dies it's like a state of unconciousness comparable to sleep.

 

[Zook]

Humankind is born with the gift of blind hope. We will believe in things that might betotally wrong for all our lives, liveby it, and fight to tooth and nail to keep our beliefs. Without having anything that makes us believe in that except for blind hope.

That being said, it's only natural that we would believe in an after life of some sort; believing that there really is a difference between good and bad, right and wrong, that the good shall be saved and the evil be punished. But what is right? And what is wrong? Who are we to say that a life of 'goodness' will result in salvation, and that the 'evil doers' shall suffer?

People live life believing in things that don't make much sense and we can't prove. How the hell did we come from monkeys if they're still around? What evidence do we have of a God? And, when it comes right down to it, we are just animals that produce murky puddles of good feelings and a sense of morals that we wallow in for all our life, blind, feeling better than the other creatures, that we are 'special beings,' that we are 'God's children.' And, in human nature, that is only natural.

So go ahead, believe in whatever nonsense you want to about a magical being creating everything from nothing, or that we once were aquatic, or whatever someone tries to shove down your throat and so often succeeds. In turth, we will never know. Never. We can't. So just enjoy lif now.

 

[Mediocre]

In a purely physical existence, yes. But our existence may be more than that, and it is worth differentiating.

Yes, it may be more than that. But I see no reason to believe that it is.

Please repeat after me: "I am special. I am special. I am special."

What makes me special?

Nothing.

Lets see......where do I even begin? I've got it! Eureka! The comparison between a human and a computer is a strong statement. I'll give you that much; however, human beings are living, breathing, organisms that have various characteristics such as feelings, vital organs, souls, and a code of communication. We Computers......welll.....they don't have any of these characteristics. Computers......well.....have none of the above.

Computers don't breath, exactly, but they do need electricity to work. They don't sleep, exactly, but they do need to be turned off sometimes or else they won't really be able to function. They don't speak, exactly, but they definitely have a "code of communication." They don't have vital "organs" exactly, but they definitely have vital components.

I'll admit that they don't have feelings. But I think it's only a matter of time until some of them do.

Finally, souls? When you prove to me that humans have souls, then you can use that as an example of the differences between people and computers. Not before.

And now I'll explain this "soul" thing. Lets just get this out in the open. You, me, and everyone else on this forum has one. How do I know this? Because I possess something you don't? Not at all. It's not even because I'm highly spiritually enlightened. It's because I have one thing as far as my religion goes........faith! I have faith that there is a God out there. A divine sovereign so to speak. I have faith that Christianity and all other monothesic religions that associate themselves with Christ are the truthes of this world. And I sure as heck believe that when I die that I won't wither away to nothingness for I will ascend to where all of Christ's people go.........heaven.

You don't know. You believe.

I don't believe.

I don't believe that people have souls, and I don't see any reason to believe it. I'd love if it were true. Dying scares me, frankly. But I guess ignorance and self-delusion scares me even more.

You're welcome to believe in souls. I have no problem with you believing whatever you want to believe. But don't expect me to believe in something that it's impossible to observe in any way.

For me, the whole 'soul' thing is such pathetic nonsense. I don't believe it exists, just another crazy concoction from the zeal boys.

People are afraid of death. The idea of a soul is their way to avoid that fear.

There's nothing "pathetic" about it. I don't agree with it, but I can definitely understand and sympathize with the sentiments behind the concept.

If you want to be the savior of computers than that's your own agenda, although I don't think that you're gonna get a Nobel Peace Prize for proving that computers have "feelings" or "vital organs." You're speaking as if computers are "alive" or something

I don't believe that current computers are "alive." However, I don't think that there's any reason future computers (or robots, or whatever) couldn't meet nearly all the conditions necessary to qualify as life. The only conditions they might fail to meet are the ones that are (in my opinion) rather arbitrary, such as being carbon-based and having DNA.

For an example, lets say I was to strike the computer several times with my fists. It's not gonna "feel" my punches at all. Now lets say I was to do the exact same to you, you'd "feel" it, right? Get my drift?

Someone who was familiar with computers could easily attach sensors to a computer which would allow it to feel the impact of your fist. After all, don't keyboards essentially "feel" the pressure from your finger, and transmit that "feeling" to the computer?

Chemical reactions?! Please! You know good and well that religion and science just don't mix. (The Big Bang Theory is a bunch of malarkey!!)

You're right. Religion and science can't really mix. However, there are parts of both of them that can coexist.

This is actually one of the areas in which I think that they can mix. There's no way science can ever disprove the existence of a soul. Similarly, there's no way Christianity (or any other religion) can prove it.

There's no incompatibility there, as far as I can see. You can easily believe in both the existence of a soul, and every scientific principal we have.

I believe that Christ put it best when he said that "We walk by faith and not by sight." Just because God is not tangable and I can't see him with my eyes does not mean he doesn't exist. He isn't a fairy tale. He has walked the Earth andh e's 100 % REAL bro. How do I know this? Because I believe. I've seen the light! Faith and some Biblical Scriptures is how I know that you won't fade in to nothingness when you die. Our spirits will live on in the afterlife.

Well, it's fine with me that you believe that.

Just don't expect to convince me with faith alone. Until I see evidence, I don't intend to believe anything.

How the hell did we come from monkeys if they're still around?

No scientist believes that we came from monkeys. Our closest living relatives are chimpanzees, and we didn't evolve from them either. Rather, both humans and chimps evolved from the same ancestors a few million years ago.

Also, just because a species evolves doesn't mean that every member of that species evolves the same way. It's possible for one species to split into multiple species.

Anyhow, none of that is really at all relevant to the topic at hand, but those kinds of misconceptions about evolution really bother me.

 

[Red Exodus]

No scientist believes that we came from monkeys. Our closest living relatives are chimpanzees, and we didn't evolve from them either. Rather, both humans and chimps evolved from the same ancestors a few million years ago.

Also, just because a species evolves doesn't mean that every member of that species evolves the same way. It's possible for one species to split into multiple species.

Anyhow, none of that is really at all relevant to the topic at hand, but those kinds of misconceptions about evolution really bother me.

They annoy me too, but I try not to snap at the person confused about it, since it's not necessarily common sense.

Another misconception that annoyed me a lot was "if evolution is real, why don't I see monkeys turning into people?". That one bugged me for a while since it was kinda obvious as long as you know the basics of evolution.

 

[Citrussed]

Umm... How about everyone just gives up and face the facts that there may/might not be a god. Sure I am Catholic but WE do not know if there is or is not a Afterlife. You cant prove God's dont exist and you cant prove they do exist. All we can do is have faith in what we believe and wait.

 

[Peeze]

And Peeze, there are no beliefs that were taken by early Christianity (outside of heretics) that were founded on the theological principles of ancient Greece and Rome.

"Christians" celebrate easter. The Catholic Encyclopedia says" The rabbit is a pagan symbol and has always been an emblem of fertility.
The date of Christmas december 25th was to coincide exactly with the Roman festival of Saturnalia(where the romans worshipped the sun). Constantine did this so that Romans that converted to christianity wouldn't feel that they were missing any of the festivities
I'll include some more later.

The Isrealites did believe in a Heaven, maybe not the one we're used to hearing about, but they did believe in its existance. Elijah was taken into heaven to be with God.
Christ said he was going to prepare a place in Heaven for his believers. THey didn't invent one up. (This is assuming Christ was no mere human)
Yes, according to Christian religion, God made them, and they are his.

I didn't say heaven didn't exist. Revelation(just for your personal reference later if you care) 14:1 says 144,000 humans taken from earth will rule with Christ in heaven. What about the rest of man? Chapter 7:9 says a great crowd which no man will be able to number will live on earth.(Psalms 37:29 also says the meek will inherit the earth).
Since you referred to jesus, he also said(in John 5:29) that the righteous will be resurrected to earth. Why would they need to be resurrected, if they were already in heaven?

Because of the scriptures Peeze cited (and many more) I believe that when someone dies it's like a state of unconciousness comparable to sleep.

Thanks for boling down what i said into a nutshell.

 

[psicicle]

by the way, are all the people who existed before christianity supposed to have gone to hell?