What Would You Do If Part 2

[Mundane Monster]

What would you do if at the moment of your death you were visited by a celestial being and given the option to either pass on to the after life or be reborn?

If you would prefer to pass on, why? If you would prefer to be reborn why and as what? You can be reborn as any type of real living organism on Earth that isn't extinct.

I'd like philosophical and or truthful answers please.

For me, as I fear what the after life truly holds, I would prefer to be reincarnated, but not as a human. I am living a human life and I don't like it in the slightest. I think it's boring, full of sadness and generally uneventful. I would much prefer to be reincarnated as either a puppy or a kitten or even a bird of prey. A puppy because to me it seems that dogs are always happy (when in a proper environment). To me, its as thought no matter what the problem is they can see pass it and see sunny skies where humans see oncoming darkness and gloom.
I also chose a kitten because cats seem to do whatever the hell they want. They adapt to their surroundings and they are resilient in almost all environments.
And finally I chose a bird of prey because of the ability to fly. I think that even if I am not aware that I was once human, I would still enjoy the opportunity to fly.

 

[Mu]

Hm. Depends.
I'm going to be cheesy as fuck and say if I decide to stay in the afterlife it's either because of love or something like that.
Or I'm done with life.

But if I want to be reincarnated, I want to be a human again. A new life, new experiences...maybe become an art prodigy...get to know new people and start new relationships, a new personality. Or I could be a domestic cat and live a lazy life eating gourmet food all day, or be a dog and be a man's best friend. I wouldn't mind being reborn as a dolphin either, they can be pretty cute, and are smart. ^^

 

[Kestrel]

Disclaimer: Controversial answer incoming. It is honest, but possibly not someone of religious backgrounds will appreciate. If you know you are easily offended, please skip to the next post or proceed on with caution. It's not labelled debate, y'know ;p

Reincarnation comes with... Well, new birth. Your soul lives on but your personality does not. A couple memories at best. Afterlife comes in many forms, but if we're going by the Christian standards it's either brainwashing in heaven or torture all day err day. The entire concept of eternal bliss stinks, nobody loves unconditionally, there is no happiness without challenge or hardness to overcome, the entrance bars of 'the best place known to mankind' are bullshit because one belief does not a good person make, nor excuse their actions in life, etcetera. Plus you're judged by a standard you cannot feasibly attain outside of surrender. ie, you are at fault for being born. Hell. If you'd embrace the idea of eternal bliss; you'd be throwing away your individuality and humanity; everything that defines you as a person and species, in favour of becoming a puppet on some celestial kind of drug. On the other hand, we have eternal torture. Because good riddance that sounds fun. Or limbo if we want to go with the more cruel versions of scripture.

So, forced the choice, I'd go with reincarnation. The me as in the person I am now might not live on, but I'd not have to surrender my values, being, identity or ideals. I'd just be gone. Which is honestly the better of alternatives.

 

[Diana]

I would take the afterlife. o__o I don't want to live in this world again, it makes me upset and angry. And I am totally horrified at the thought of not existing as I am anymore. >>; Rebirth would mean I am a totally different person and would no longer exist.

Of course, if I found out the afterlife was exactly like this life, I would resume being upset and angry. D:<

 

[Jorick]

I went with unsure. It depends on whether or not in this scenario I know more than just the thing saying "hey, afterlife or reincarnation, make a choice."

Which afterlife is being offered? There are tons and tons of different afterlife concepts out there. There are some I'd be cool with, but others sound like they'd be atrociously boring and make me long for a second death. If I were to get my choice of any such ideas that exist, then I'd definitely go for afterlife. I've heard of some beliefs that say the afterlife is basically like the real world but without disease or pain or death or any other negative stuff, just full on utopia version of reality. That would be my choice if I got one.

For reincarnation, I don't care at all about losing my memories and personality and whatnot through the reincarnation, because if such is possible then it's clear that those things are basically clothes your soul or spirit or whatever puts on for a while before either changing them out for another or deciding to join the eternal nudist colony, so there's really no reason to be attached the to baggage of this particular life over any other possible life. My concerns are all about practical things. Do I get to make any choices about the reincarnation other than species? Say I choose to be some kind of bird and I end up getting reborn in some crappy little bird sanctuary. Say I choose to be human again and I end up getting reborn as a girl in the Middle East or some of the really awful parts of Africa. Those would be extremely shitty outcomes for reincarnation. If the afterlife thing was either a total mystery or only choices I don't care for, but I was allowed to make further choices for my reincarnation, I'd choose to be reborn. My choice would be to be reborn human (because being an animal doesn't appeal to me) somewhere in Europe, probably in the Scandinavian region or the Netherlands, and just let the dice roll on things like gender and whatnot if they were options as well. They seem like rather nice places in general, and I would have already lived one life in the United States, so I might as well switch it up.

However, if it was just as described, simply being told to choose between some mysterious afterlife or reincarnation as the species of my choice with everything else out of my control... Eh, I'd probably go with reincarnation. I figure that in this scenario the most likely thing is that the afterlife would be as described by one of the major Abrahamic religions, and I don't care for those at all. I'd also pick human for my rebirth species, because again no interest in animal life, and odds are decent that I wouldn't end up in a completely terrible situation. Even if I did get a garbage outcome for my rebirth, I would have to assume that this choice thing happens to everyone who dies so after suffering through the bad life I would end up being able to either try again or just opt out and take the afterlife, even if it's a lame one, to avoid the chance of another awful life.

So I guess my vote could be counted for rebirth instead of unsure, based on how I'd handle the zero extra information choice.

 

[Gwazi Magnum]

Reincarination for one simple reason.
I'm an atheist, so from my perspective there is no such afterlife so the question basically becomes "Live again or die forever?".

Granted you can argue "But by that reasoning there's no reincarination either". Which is true, but reincarination is very simple concept. Come back to life as something else, while afterlife could mean many different things depending on who you ask.

However, assuming you were meant the Christian interpretation of afterlife (which is normally what someone means when they refer to this stuff and expect others to understand) my answer would still be reincarination.
For exactly the same reasons that @Kestrel gave.

 

[Minibit]

Depends so wildly upon so many things.

If I'm reborn, do I get to keep some of my memories? Will I be human? Is there a karma thing going on?

What kind of afterlife? Is it eternal? Am I immortal in it?

 

[Mundane Monster]

My question allows you to think freely on your answers. There are no religious constraints or bias, so your definition of the afterlife and reincarnation are what you believe.

 

[ᴛᴏᴄᴋᴀ]

I'd probably chose to be reborn depending on the conditions. If it's the life I have now with all the knowledge that I've learned, then definitely. If not, I'd move on to the afterlife.