What are your views on the afterlife?

---

Posted by Lunatrek

One person's theory is another person's faith! To me, my Christian beliefs are fact (notice I said MY beliefs, which are not to be generalized with ALL Christian beliefs).

---

Uhmmm ok. My belief is that I don't know if all of that is true. It could be, it could not be.. who REALLY knows. I don't. Hey if you want to believe that you can speak to the ancient dead, then fine with me. Who am I to argue? Doesnt mean it's fact to me. Only to you.. we all get to have our own opinions. I am often catagorized as Christian.. for the lame reason that I was raised to believe and by the brainwashing I received I find it hard to say it can't be possibly true. As an adult with free will, I can honestly say I don't know $hit, only what i've been told.

---

If there is a spiritual afterlife, then it would really mess with my idea of God. It would prove to me that he really does have a sick sense of humor and is a cruel and mean *******. I'd be very upset if I had to meet up with 'him'. I don't mine having faith in him but if I died don't you think i've done enough? Can't I just have peace?

---

God gave us all free will. We can choose to live life according to His will, by praying for guidance, or we can choose to do whatever the f&ck we want. Both are perfectly acceptable, but only one will get you to Heaven Right, Shamma???

---

See now that's what gets me in trouble. No one can make me believe that they and they alone with some writings on a very old, incomplete and inaccurate book .... believe that THEY know what god's will is. He gave us free will. Yes, My will is that I will do good. I need not go to some place and sing songs and listen to someone read for me, I don't need to beg for his help everytime someone gets sick or dies. I do not look to him for guideance because I've given up on that crap a long time ago. I blame him for all that has gone wrong in my life and thank him for all that has at least been neutral in my life. But since no one can prove that He or any of it really exists why do I bother???

Cause I'd rather be right than wrong.. heh but it doesnt mean Im going to worship a God lovingly and be hypocritical when I believe he's a flop, and I do.

If I had 1hour with God and hammer him with questions and demand (yes demand of him) answers. I believe.. I believe in him.. and I believe in the ideas because I was raised to believe.. I also believe that I find God, lacking.

JMHO

Veronica - that's cool. Faith is something that just has to be there. It can't be taught, it can't be argued... it just is. You either have it, or you don't. I didn't have it for most of my life... I only recently became 'saved' (I hate that word, but it's true) around 9/11, for reasons that I don't want to go into or else this discussion would blow up even more! All I'm saying is that I know what it's like to have doubt, to try to find inaccuracies and nit-pick the Bible apart... and to basically just question everything about religion to death and blow it all up with scientific facts and theories. Most people nowadays seem to be living life in that route. Again, I did for a very long time! I always said 'I'm not going to believe in Jesus unless he comes knocking at my door and says 'JILL, you better believe in me otherwise you're going to hell!' ' and truthfully - that's what happened. (You know how my dreams are... sure there are people out there will try to say it meant nothing, but to see God in your dreams is pretty darn incredible! He was literally knocking on my door. Just as I asked Him to... and as it turns out, there were a ton of Biblical references in the dream as I later found out). So as if by miracle, overnight, in an instant... I had faith. It 'just happened'. I can't explain it, but it was one of the single most powerful experiences in my life. And that's all I can really say! Doesn't mean I don't love anyone any less or don't understand someone whose beliefs differ from mine. My husband doesn't even share my beliefs. I remember what it's like to be on the doubting side. But if you're looking for truth, you're looking for God. That's how I feel, in my most humble opinion.

Sometimes you feel like a nut; sometimes you don't

The short answer is, I believe in the afterlife, but not hell.

Here's the long answer:

G-d did give us free will, and He did give us choices as to how we would lead our lives.

However, who is anyone to say that their way is the ONLY way? That's what bothers me more than any thing else about Heaven/Hell.

It disgusts me that there are people who honestly believe I am going to Hell (no one here has said this to me, but trust me, there are a number of people who have told me this). I'm a good person, I say 'bless you' when people sneeze, hold the door for people when I go to the store, etc etc. I try to live my life by the (original) golden rule - What is hateful to you do not do to your neighbor. But because I have different beliefs, or believe SOME of what Christianity teaches and not all of it, I'm going to suffer for all eternity? Yet someone can rape, murder, steal, etc. and one day decide that he believes in Jesus, die the next day and go to Heaven? That's pure audacity, if you ask me.

There is no Hell in Judaism. Everyone's going to the same place. Why? Because you shouldn't only be good because you're going to be rewarded. Good deeds should be done for their own sake, not because someday you're going to get this great reward.

Please do not take this as me saying Judaism is BETTER than any other religion, it's the best way for ME. I'm very glad some of you have found your way through Christianity, or Buddhism, or Islam, or anything else for that matter. Everyone SHOULD be able to choose their own path.

I can't imagine any deity having such ire at his creatures that he would damn them to eternal suffering for not buying into one stream of thought after a lifetime of good deeds.

---

Posted by Lunatrek
Sometimes you feel like a nut; sometimes you don't

---

Yep.. im an almond joy tho I prefer Mounds!
heh

Odd thing is.. Im an a faithful freak. I think I believe more in Him that most people give me credit for. I just don't do it how others do.

9/11 ... I was singing a religious little tune by Veggie Tales called 'Keep walking' which words include 'keep walking, cause you won't break down my wall'.. odd eh? As the plane entered into the 1WTC I stood below it humming about how God keeps walls up in Jericho (i love those Veggie Tales). Still. God can't be all good and wonderful delight. I think he's both the ying and the yang. I don't need proof to know He exists. I am forced to believe because of my 'faith' if you will. But yes, I get angry and yes I have nice evil and deeply dark thoughts about any deity who could say free will, then cause harm to children, while saving monsters (dont ask).

I don't need to be saved. I personally pity those who aren't as comfortable in their own personal beliefs as I am. I don't need to flaunt a bible at people or say 'Just believe' .. If I could I'd say 'Question your God and understand more'

I think the Bible is a stack of paper meaning nothing except as a good outline of what needs to be known. That's it. But for some it's the be all end all of life. I've had people point blank say I can't be Christian because I spoke those words.

Gotta love the little boxes people make to put people like me in.

Face it..
With the crap I've been through in life ....
Deep, Dark, unbelievable Crap that I can't repeat here....(stuff killer use as excuses look like childs play)
There's HAS to be a God. If nothing else than for me to blame and He must have one very wicked sense of humor.

---

Posted by Xelindrya


There's HAS to be a God. If nothing else than for me to blame and He must have one very wicked sense of humor.

---

I feel the same way, there has to be a reason.

---

Posted by PrincessRose

Everyone's going to the same place. Why? Because you shouldn't only be good because you're going to be rewarded. Good deeds should be done for their own sake, not because someday you're going to get this great reward.

I can't imagine any deity having such ire at his creatures that he would damn them to eternal suffering for not buying into one stream of thought after a lifetime of good deeds.

---

Heh
You're so good with words.
That pretty much sums up what I was trying to say.

ETA:
spelling error
somes/sums

---

Posted by Xelindrya

Heh
You're so good with words.
That pretty much somes up what I was trying to say.

---

Thanks.

I can't take credit though - this Rabbi I've known since I was a baby taught me that. And he was right. back to you

---

Posted by PrincessRose

Yet someone can rape, murder, steal, etc. and one day decide that he believes in Jesus, die the next day and go to Heaven? That's pure audacity, if you ask me.

---

Well, see... this isn't the case! This tends to be a common misconception for non-Christians. This probably has to do with the Catholic idea of Confession. However, in my beliefs, asking to be forgiven does NOT mean you will be! Clearly, if you rape, murder, steal, etc... that's not something that God is going to overlook and does not mean that you've got a ticket into Heaven if you go to Confession. Uh-uh. Doesn't work that way.

But PrincessRose, I loved everything else you said, even being the bizarre Christian that I am!

Wow, this is complicated!!

---

Posted by Lunatrek

Well, see... this isn't the case! This tends to be a common misconception for non-Christians. This probably has to do with the Catholic idea of Confession. However, in my beliefs, asking to be forgiven does NOT mean you will be! Clearly, if you rape, murder, steal, etc... that's not something that God is going to overlook and does not mean that you've got a ticket into Heaven if you go to Confession. Uh-uh. Doesn't work that way.

But PrincessRose, I loved everything else you said, even being the bizarre Christian that I am!

Wow, this is complicated!!

---

It has nothing to do with confession or anything I've heard from a Catholic, never thought it did. I have had conversations with Born-Again Christians who explained to me that once you are saved, you can go to Heaven. Specifically, You say something to the effect of 'I believe in Jesus' and someone bears witness to it, and you are saved, and therefore able to go to heaven. Granted, I would imagine there would be some repentance involved (Plenary Indulgence doesn't jive with a lot of people), but that's the long and short of it, as it has been explained to me by a NUMBER of Born-Again Christians.

Once that explanation was even given to me after the person said 'I don't like Jews because I think their religion is a waste of time.'

No Kidding.

---

Posted by PrincessRose

---

Posted by Lunatrek

Well, see... this isn't the case! This tends to be a common misconception for non-Christians. This probably has to do with the Catholic idea of Confession. However, in my beliefs, asking to be forgiven does NOT mean you will be! Clearly, if you rape, murder, steal, etc... that's not something that God is going to overlook and does not mean that you've got a ticket into Heaven if you go to Confession. Uh-uh. Doesn't work that way.

But PrincessRose, I loved everything else you said, even being the bizarre Christian that I am!

Wow, this is complicated!!

---

It has nothing to do with confession or anything I've heard from a Catholic, never thought it did. I have had conversations with Born-Again Christians who explained to me that once you are saved, you can go to Heaven. Specifically, You say something to the effect of 'I believe in Jesus' and someone bears witness to it, and you are saved, and therefore able to go to heaven. Granted, I would imagine there would be some repentance involved (Plenary Indulgence doesn't jive with a lot of people), but that's the long and short of it, as it has been explained to me by a NUMBER of Born-Again Christians.

Once that explanation was even given to me after the person said 'I don't like Jews because I think their religion is a waste of time.'

No Kidding.

---

Ouch. That wasn't a very nice thing to say to you.

I am born-again Christian in the textbook definition of the word. And we (I) still don't believe that someone who is saved, if they commit such heinous acts, has ANY chance of redemption. So I guess I'm just different from other people of my faith? I don't know. I hate generalizations because there are always exceptions (case in point, ME!)... I'm a Christian who believes in reincarnation and evolution. How does that make sense? I don't know. No doubt there are Bible-thumpers and Darwinists who are shaking their heads at me. So be it. I just love life, love God, and love people... so how can that be wrong?

---

Posted by Lunatrek

I hate generalizations because there are always exceptions (case in point, ME!)... I'm a Christian who believes in reincarnation and evolution. How does that make sense? I don't know. No doubt there are Bible-thumpers and Darwinists who are shaking their heads at me. So be it. I just love life, love God, and love people... so how can that be wrong?

---

Sounds good to me.

And it makes perfect sense to me, you're not willing to buy EVERYTHING you're handed, and you make informed decisions about life.

See, you love life, people, G-d - that is NOT wrong. That's what matters.

'It doesn't matter what Faith you have, it's that you HAVE Faith.' Serendipity, Dogma

---

Posted by Xelindrya

100 years from now no one will care about who I was or what I did. If I disagree, then I can write a journal. Otherwise, why should I care, Im dead?

Personally I don't want my body when I'm done with it. Other people can use the parts and pieces when Im done.

---

These are actually the two things that freak me out most about the prospect of no afterlife. I really can’t live with the idea of my existence being such a fleeting thing. I know it’s a fairly egotistical idea, but my life means so much to me that I can’t accept the idea of it being so insignificant in the universe.

Also, and I’m sure this is going to make me sound like a nut, but I hate thinking about my “body” – organs, bones, etc. And the idea of being buried somewhere underground freaks me out more than you know.

BTW, I’d just like to add that some of you have very beautiful outlooks on life and afterlife and I appreciate everyone’s feedback.

---

Posted by PrincessRose

SOME of what Christianity teaches and not all of it, I'm going to suffer for all eternity? Yet someone can rape, murder, steal, etc. and one day decide that he believes in Jesus, die the next day and go to Heaven? That's pure audacity, if you ask me.

---

This is such falsehood, Christianity to me is a process, its a lifestyle, its not just words, it is words and deeds together, there is no saying some words and getting a free ticket in to heaven. You have to live the life all the time. So whoever said some rapist or murderer thinks this they are reading the wrong book. People are forgiven and being 'born again' does not guarantee one a 'ticket' in to heaven so to speak. You have to live the life daily. You don't just say some words and think that's it.

Look, I'm not defending that thought process, I agree with you that you SHOULD be a good person all the time. Religion shouldn't even play into it - you should just be a good person!

However, A NUMBER of Born Again Christians (usually while they're trying to convert me) have told me that once you're saved, you're absolved of past sins. One of those people was the daughter of a Pastor (incidentally, she's also the person who informed me that my religion was a waste of time). I don't think you can blame me for taking her word for it, can you?

I think that this proves that religion is, above all, up to interpretation.