Characters' beliefs about an afterlife

[Horsing Around 28]

The ponies are aware of at least one concept of an afterlife. In Look Before You Sleep, Twilight suggests they tell ghost stories. Rarity doesn't believe, though. "It is a ghost story. They're all made up."

 

Are there any other mentions of ideas concerning any kind of afterlife, whether considered fanciful or plausible by the characters?

Here's the clip from Look Before You Sleep

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zaSwwXe5gsQ

[Guest90210 3,567]

In the "Stop the Bats!" song, one of AJ's lyrics are "...and they're mean as sin", which is a religious term.

 

In "Feeling Pinkie Keen", Twilight is skeptical of Pinkie's "Pinkie Sense" and insists it isn't real, while simultaneously explaining that magic is. At the end of the episode, she writes a letter to Celestia, saying "I am happy to report that I now realize there are wonderful things in this world you just can't explain, but that doesn't necessarily make them any less true. It just means you have to choose to believe in them, and sometimes it takes a friend to show you the way". This means the idea of faith is acknowledged by the ponies of Equestria in one way or another

 

Ponies get Cutie Marks, which exposes them to their "true calling (destiny)", a common theme in religion.

 

In Hearth's Warming Eve, Applejack says "Heaven forbid that should happen, your chancellorship", indicating that they are aware of Heaven, or at least the concept.

 

We also know that death exists in Equestria, although the ultimate destination of the deceased hasn't been explicitly stated.

 

With all this in mind, I think it's plausible to conclude that some ponies may believe in an afterlife of some form. If some are willing to believe in curses and superstition, and with magic as present as it is, then this might mean that the idea of an afterlife isn't too far fetched to them.

Edited February 22, 2015 by Rivendare

[Jammo 986]

It's vague and they are unlikely to address it outright, aside from cartoon stuff like ghosts.  The plane of existence where Twi ascended did have a very ethereal heaven-like quality too.  I'm still curious where that was.  Maybe it's better to be a mystery.  Adds to it's appeal.

Edited February 18, 2015 by Jammo

[Steel Accord 6,658]

Hmmmm . . .

 

I think it goes as per character:

 

Twilight: At least aware of "another plane of existence" given both her travels to the human world as well as her ascension happening in an ethereal realm. So she might believe the souls of the dead move on to such a place. In Twilight's case, her view would be less mystical and more empirical precisely because . . . well she's seen it.

 

Rainbow Dash: Either doesn't know or really doesn't care. Dash is the one who's most "alive." She lives her life to the fullest extent. She's probably of the "better to go out in a blaze of glory than a dying ember" mindset. More concerned about how she finally bites it, then what happens after.

 

Rarity: Hard to pin actually. She very much is an "in the moment" person but unlike RD, doesn't live quite as close to the edge. Yeah, Rarity's kind of got me stumped as far as the afterlife is concerned.

 

Pinkie Pie: Probably believes in such a place, but doesn't really let it bother or effect her in the day to day. Just as she has items placed around Ponyville for emergencies and has pulled from the wisdom of her Granny more than once, Pinkie is "prepared" for what's to come.

 

Fluttershy: Very likely she's seen many of her animal friends "move on." She named her best friend "Angel" (much as I think he should have been named the opposite.  ) Some interpretations of angels are that they are those who have died. Fluttershy is the one who I think is the most accepting of her own mortality as well as the concept in general.

 

Applejack: The . . . . closest one to the issue. I'm sure AJ believes very firmly that there is an afterlife of some kind. She may very well be right if those stars were any indication.

Edited February 18, 2015 by Steel Accord