Buddhist Catholic Contemplative Evangelical General Christian Hindu Jewish Latter-day Saint Muslim New Visions Progressive Christian

Beliefs

Topics

Columnists

Resource Library

Research Tools

Video

Podcasts

Thought Readers

Faith In Media Tracker

Newsletters

Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In Subscription Support

Follow Patheos

The Rogue

Home
Religious Music & Entertainment
ADVENTURES OF THE SUPER AGNOSTIC: CONSCIOUSNESS AND AFTERLIFE: PART ONE

ADVENTURES OF THE SUPER AGNOSTIC: CONSCIOUSNESS AND AFTERLIFE: PART ONE

Last updated on: July 30, 2013 at 5:30 pm by Jonathan Ryan

ADVENTURES OF THE SUPER AGNOSTIC: CONSCIOUSNESS AND AFTERLIFE: PART ONE 2013-07-30T17:30:35-05:00 Jonathan Ryan

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

(Hey! Super Agnostic and comic guru CB here with another two-parter. This one is on consciousness and the afterlife as explained through my geekery! Stay tuned for part 2. – CB.)

ADVENTURES OF THE SUPER AGNOSTIC: CONSCIOUSNESS AND AFTERLIFE

“No more Magnus… No more!! Logan shall be the last! No one else will ever suffer! You caused the deaths of hundreds today, Magnus – deaths I could have prevented had I stopped you years ago! You have killed too many, Magnus – and I have had enough!! I will make sure – here and now – once and for all – that you never kill again!!”

– Professor X, The Complete Onslaught Epic vol. 1, opening pages

The above is a quote from right when Professor X, my hero, decides to do the unthinkable and psychically wipe Magneto’s mind; not killing him, but forcing him to live a new life. This sort of thing happens all the time in comics, and it’s easy to laugh at, but to me it illustrates the link between stories and continued consciousness. Magneto only resumes being himself when Professor X puts his memories back, due to the link between the brain and consciousness. Thus, scientifically, all evidence of an afterlife must be anecdotal.
As such, let me illustrate with a personal anecdote.

It’s 2002. At 16 years old, I’m undergoing spinal surgery for my scoliosis which is a tilting spine. I am outfitted with an anesthesia mask…cherry flavored. It makes me look like a walrus with big tusks for some reason. I still remember the feel of that big clunky mask. Secretly, I worry that the anesthesia won’t work. They tell me to count backwards from 10. I seem to remember I got to about 7, and I had time to think: “Well, this isn’t worki–…” and then, I remember nothing. My first words when I awoke were, “Have we started yet?” But they had already finished.

What I missed, as it was later described to me, was hell for the last 6 hours for everyone around me. My mom broke down and cried, and at one point she even had to make a choice as to whether or not to continue. The doctors feared I would lose what little motor control I had. And yet, I remember nothing except: “Have we started yet?” That, in all honesty, is what I believe death is like. Since we know the brain maintains consciousness…if anesthesia can shut it down, that’s pretty solid evidence that there is no afterlife. I believe whatever we call an afterlife is either a hallucination caused by the brain shutting down, or in as the case of anesthesia, shutting down instantly and peacefully, so as to remember nothing. As Roy Batty puts it: “All those moments…will be lost…in time…like tears in the rain.”

While this is it for the afterlife in the literal sense of the word, I still believe the “afterlife” that consists of continued memory through stories shared by a group about a person. Through stories we transcend death, which is why it can be done in comics and movies. Further, the hallucinations (Like a Force ghost!) which must take place in the event of a slow shut down, come from personal, cultural, and even historical contexts as in people seeing tunnels of light and angels. But, of course, that doesn’t mean they are real. Nonetheless, they are important in the sense that they can carry a Force, a meaning to the bereaved, and I cannot deny them that, because: “It surrounds us. It penetrates us. It binds the universe together.“

About Chris Bowsman, comic and gaming editor: I’m a passionate disability rights advocate, sci-fi fan, and intercultural communication guy. I have cerebral palsy. I like video games. I have a master’s degree in Intercultural communication and a B.A. in German. I hope to go overseas again someday. Haven’t been to Germany. I’ve been to Spain. I like movies. Raised in Port Huron, MI. Went to College in PA. Looking at the world through the eyes of aliens. Blogspot: www.christopherbowsman.blogspot.com

Previous Post

July 29, 2013

Trailer for the new Romeo and Juliet posted for You Shakespeare and Downton Abbey Geeks!

Next Post

July 31, 2013 Tile: Never Lose Your Stuff Again...Maybe

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Alien Life ASMR Book Reviews Careers in Writing and Filmmaking Catholic Imagination Christmas miracles DC Trinity War Articles Ebola Faith Family Entertainment Fangirl Raves Filmmaking Geek Books Geek Comics Geek Culture Geek Entertainment Geek Gaming Geek Girl Geek Goes Catholic Geek Goes Catholic Geek Literature Geek Movies Geek Music Geek Sports Geek Tech Geek TV Ghost Bear Ramblings God's Not Dead Coverage Grace Unplugged Coverage Ham on Nye Coverage (Yeah, we went there) HWA Stuff Indie Artists Interviews Jonathan Ryan Book News Kardashians Lord of the Rings Mark Driscoll Movie Reviews Parenthood Pixie Perfect Salt Lake City Comic Con 2014 Social Issues Teen Author Boot Camp The Conjuring Coverage The Michigan Dog Man Adventures Uncategorized Writing

Select a Month November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

Who was the giant defeated by David?

Select your answer to see how you score.

Goliath Pharaoh Samson Herod