Does anybody really believe this about the "afterlife?"

[james87654]

about 31 percent of the world claims to be christian
23 percent muslim
16 percent unaffiliated
15 percent hindu
6 percent folk religions

Do people really think that believers of their religion will be whisked away to some fairyland of eternal joy while most of the people on earth will be whisked away to some burning pit of eternal suffering upon death?

After your death you will be what you were before your birth.

 

[RI Patriots fan]

I believe in an afterlife....yes. Just not the one you describe.

 

[james87654]

I believe in an afterlife....yes. Just not the one you describe.

interesting......how would you describe the afterlife or afterlives and who gets to go and who doesnt?

 

[RI Patriots fan]

interesting......how would you describe the afterlife or afterlives and who gets to go and who doesnt?

I would describe it as the beatific vision. Being in the direct presence of God along with all the faithful and the celestial hosts.

Those who reside in heaven are those who accept the gift of God's grace and possess that grace at the end of their life.

Conversely, those who reject God's grace obstinately to their death will spend eternity in hell.

 

[james87654]

I would describe it as the beatific vision. Being in the direct presence of God along with all the faithful and the celestial hosts.

Those who reside in heaven are those who accept the gift of God's grace and possess that grace at the end of their life.

Conversely, those who reject God's grace obstinately to their death will spend eternity in hell.

is God the Christian god? or Allah? or Zeus? or just the one God that presides over everyone, even if we dont know it? does suicide preclude getting to heaven?

 

[RI Patriots fan]

is God the Christian god? or Allah? or Zeus? or just the one God that presides over everyone, even if we dont know it? does suicide preclude getting to heaven?

Personally, I am a Roman Catholic. I believe that ************ was God who came to earth. I believe that he died for my sins so that I might have the grace to be with him in heaven. I also believe that he established the Roman Catholic church as his one true church. The sacraments of the church would be the normal means by which people would come to that grace, but God is not constrained by the sacraments. He can give his grace to anyone he wants to and anyway he wants to as long as it doesn't oppose his nature.

Suicide can be a mortal sin which would preclude us from heaven. But, we know today that many people who commit suicide are people struggling with mental illness. As such, they do not have the mental capacity to make commit a mortal sin due to their impairment. That being said, I would never encourage anyone to commit suicide as the repercussions both on earth and in heaven could be severe.

 

[chicowalker]

I would describe it as the beatific vision. Being in the direct presence of God along with all the faithful and the celestial hosts.

Those who reside in heaven are those who accept the gift of God's grace and possess that grace at the end of their life.

Conversely, those who reject God's grace obstinately to their death will spend eternity in hell.

So was it only the "fairyland" part of his original description that you disagree with?

 

[RI Patriots fan]

So was it only the "fairyland" part of his original description that you disagree with?

Did I say that "most people" would be sent to a burning pit of eternal suffering upon death?

 

[chicowalker]

Did I say that "most people" would be sent to a burning pit of eternal suffering upon death?

Ah - thanks - I was only paying attention to the heaven part

 

[RecoveringCowboy]

Rent out Heaven is for Real - it's an account of an NDE

 

[scout]

I believe in the afterlife. Not sure of any details, however, I am amazed at both pro and con sides who scorn each other because they absolutely have the right answer.

 

[patsfan13]

What happened to the poor Buddhist?

 

[IcyPatriot]

about 31 percent of the world claims to be christian
23 percent muslim
16 percent unaffiliated
15 percent hindu
6 percent folk religions

Do people really think that believers of their religion will be whisked away to some fairyland of eternal joy while most of the people on earth will be whisked away to some burning pit of eternal suffering upon death?

After your death you will be what you were before your birth.

james I hope there is an afterlife where I can golf everyday free of back pain.

Seriously ... I don't know ... I try to live the life of a decent person and hopefully if there is an afterlife I will qualify ... if there is no afterlife ... oh well ... I'm dead and I won't know it anyways. What I do think about is how cool it would be to be born again and remember one's past lives ... now that would be interesting.

Anyways ... good thread james.

 

[IcyPatriot]

Rent out Heaven is for Real - it's an account of an NDE

I liked ...

 

[james87654]

What happened to the poor Buddhist?

i left him out since i consider him non-theistic and i happen to like him.......i included Hinduism because its so diverse and i dont understand it

 

[patsfan13]

There are hundreds of millions perhaps over a billion of him, they wold show up as a % of people who have a religion.

 

[james87654]

thanks for letting me know

 

[Gainzo]

Why would anyone in their right mind want to live forever in heaven after they die? Can you "off" yourself in heaven?

 

[james87654]

Why would anyone in their right mind want to live forever in heaven after they die? Can you "off" yourself in heaven?

i find the idea of an afterlife scarier than just oblivion and nonexistence

 

[RI Patriots fan]

Why would anyone in their right mind want to live forever in heaven after they die? Can you "off" yourself in heaven?

Because they want to be with the one they love and the one they love is perfect and loves them back with a perfect love.