Is there an afterlife?

[Kelly of the Phoenix]

Jesus did Not shun tax collectors or even immoral people but taught them God's moral standards if they wish to gain everlasting life.

I get that taxation worked a bit different back then, but governments need to be funded to work and taxation per se is not immoral. I don't work for the IRS or anything.

Only Christians who then took up an immoral lifestyle were ' shunned ' with the purpose to keep the congregation morally clean, and that the immoral person would give up their immoral lifestyle and return.

Even sinners love those who love them. If unbelief is the only thing "wrong" with a person, I say hang out with them, because there is far worse in the world. Shunning should only be for those actively harming someone, not just irritating the shallow harpies in the congregation.

I mean, how can a Christian say God loves you with a straight face after shunning someone?

Ashes can't be re-constructed, can't be glued back together to form the original. Just gone.

Adam came from dirt. The concept is established. One wonders why it only worked that first time.

So I might have no evidence thata guy robbed my house, but in reality that guy still robbed my house.

Is your stuff missing? Is that not evidence?

We are not supposed to be thinking about the afterlife, but if we knew what it is like we would cease to have any interest in this life. That is one reason we are not told more about it. The other reason is that we could never understand it because it is so different than this life.

So preaching about the afterlife is sorta like advertising tobacco: you know people are going to stop being productive because they want the high, but you also kinda want to get their money, so ....

Thinking about living forever as I have lived here is downright frightening. Sometimes I would prefer to believe in no afterlife at all, if I could.

Yeah, there are some psychological issues with eternity because we're made to be temporal.

The fact is that he has still been there even if he did not steal anything and left no evidence.

Yeah, but then you can't really say you know you were robbed because you could've just lost your stuff.

WHERE DID Y'ALL PUT MY ... oh, here it is.

Was He really a Messenger of God or just a false prophet?

I tend to see anything remotely self-serving to be a checkmark in the "false" category, even if they're right sometimes.

 

[Faithofchristian]

As I've said it can be interpreted different ways. The traditional way is that there is a hell were people are tormented. The interpretation that there isn't a hell where people are tormented is a relatively new development that I suspect was developed to soften the biblical god's image and make him more sellable.

Well hell can't be to productive, seeing hell will be cast into the lake of fire.
Revelation 20:14

 

[`mud]

All this difference of opinion,
over pages from some books.
And our problems are not solved.
Nor have we solved any ourselves.
We need a better book.

 

[URAVIP2ME]

As for hell being interpreted as destruction not torment, I think is a relatively new development, because the idea of people being tortured in hell was turning people off of the religion. Traditionally, hell has been taught/referred to as a place of eternal torment.

' traditionally ' I would say especially since the KJV Bible was translated into Latin and English put the flames in biblical hell.
False clergy used the threat of ' fire ' as a scare tactic to try to control the flock of God.

 

[URAVIP2ME]

Well hell can't be to productive, seeing hell will be cast into the lake of fire.
Revelation 20:14

Yes, I agree, and I find the definition of the lake of fire is: ' second death '.
Even sinner Satan ends up in ' second death ' according to Revelation 21:8
Since Jesus destroys Satan according to Hebrews 2:14 B, then ' second death' is a fitting symbol for: destruction.
As in the wicked will be ' destroyed forever ' according to Psalms 92:7.

 

[URAVIP2ME]

Sorry but everlasting punishment is an odd way to say someone will be destroyed. Destruction isn't an ongoing process, if somethings destroyed, it's destroyed.

I find nothing odd about Psalms 92:7 because to me it is clear the wicked will be ' destroyed forever '.
When something is destroyed forever it is annihilated.
Just because ' Bible speak ', so to speak, might Not be our everyday speech, to me that does Not mean we can Not understand the verses by using the corresponding cross-reference verses and passages to create a complete picture.
So, everlasting destruction would be the everlasting punishment.
When a parent punishes a child we knew it is a temporary punishment, but for those who willfully who refuse to ' repent ' they will ' perish ' according to 2 Peter 3:9. To me ' perish ' means ' destroyed as in gone forever .'

 

[URAVIP2ME]

What kind of afterlife can one reasonably expect?
Can anybody carry on without the five senses of the body.
Based on all earthly and astronomical observation there is no place to go.
You would have to hope for something uncaused, eternal, and outside of space and time to reasonably expect an afterlife.
How do you logically reason such a place existing?
First cause? Big bang, the very beginning of it all? And what caused that beginning?
Is there motion without time?
Is there an unconditioned reality out there?
What is necessarily existing for there to be an afterlife?

In Scripture, I find 'what one can reasonably expect' is : resurrection - Revelation 1:18.
ALL of the resurrection Jesus performed where physical resurrections.
Jesus restored people back to happy-and-healthy physical life on Earth.
Jesus even promised that humble meek people will inherit the Earth.
So, as Earth was Not a stepping stone for Adam, Nor was Adam to be here just for a visit.
The majority of mankind can have a physical resurrection back to life on Earth in a healthy physical body.

As to what caused the Big Bang, according to Isaiah 40:26 God used His ' power and strength ' to create the material/physical realm of existence. In other words, God supplied the abundantly needed dynamic energy to create the universe and us.

Because we can Not resurrect oneself or another we need someone who can do that for us.
According to Scripture Jesus can and will. That is why at Revelation 22:20 we are all invited to pray the invitation for Jesus to come. Come and bring the benefits described at Revelation 22:2 to earth so mankind will see the return of the Genesis ' tree of life ' for the healing of earth's nations.
Then, even ' enemy death ' will be No more on Earth as mentioned at 1 Corinthians 15:24-26; Isaiah 25:8.

 

[`mud]

Revelations, Corinthians, Isaiah, Matthew, and on and on with quotes from the `books` of the bible. Doesn't anyone have original thinking ?
You're plagiarists all, in original thinking, find some reality !
`He's` not coming, was here and now gone, will not come back, ever !
Deal with life and all that it offers, and try for yet more.
But speak your own thoughts and preach on Sunday.
Just a thought !

 

[Trailblazer]

What kind of afterlife can one reasonably expect?

I think it is reasonable to expect the one I believe in.

Can anybody carry on without the five senses of the body.

Yes, in a spiritual world we will need no physical body with sense organs. We will have a spiritual body comprised of heavenly elements that exist in that realm.

Based on all earthly and astronomical observation there is no place to go.

The spiritual world is not a place. It is another dimension. It is not something we can see or understand while living in the physical world but it will all become clear after we die.

You would have to hope for something uncaused, eternal, and outside of space and time to reasonably expect an afterlife.

That is exactly what it is.

How do you logically reason such a place existing?

I believe it exists because that is what my religion teaches, but if you know all the details of the teachings it is very logical to assume there is an afterlife like the one I believe in.

 

[osgart]

I think it is reasonable to expect the one I believe in.

Yes, in a spiritual world we will need no physical body with sense organs. We will have a spiritual body comprised of heavenly elements that exist in that realm.

The spiritual world is not a place. It is another dimension. It is not something we can see or understand while living in the physical world but it will all become clear after we die.

That is exactly what it is.

I believe it exists because that is what my religion teaches, but if you know all the details of the teachings it is very logical to assume there is an afterlife like the one I believe in.

I'd be very interested in the details of those particular teachings. Is there a site i can check?

 

[JustWondering]

Well hell can't be to productive, seeing hell will be cast into the lake of fire.
Revelation 20:14

So hell does exist, and is not the lake of fire. The same hell Jesus spoke of people suffering in. What gets me is why a second death is even necessary? If someone's fate is to be dead, why not just leave them that way? Does god have to rub his judgement in people's faces? Is that why? Seems kind of petty to me.

 

[JustWondering]

' traditionally ' I would say especially since the KJV Bible was translated into Latin and English put the flames in biblical hell.
False clergy used the threat of ' fire ' as a scare tactic to try to control the flock of God.

Religion has been a great tool for deceiving and controlling people for most of humanities existence I suspect. Which is why religion and it's claims should be treated with skepticism, not blind acceptance.

 

[JustWondering]

I find nothing odd about Psalms 92:7 because to me it is clear the wicked will be ' destroyed forever '.
When something is destroyed forever it is annihilated.
Just because ' Bible speak ', so to speak, might Not be our everyday speech, to me that does Not mean we can Not understand the verses by using the corresponding cross-reference verses and passages to create a complete picture.
So, everlasting destruction would be the everlasting punishment.
When a parent punishes a child we knew it is a temporary punishment, but for those who willfully who refuse to ' repent ' they will ' perish ' according to 2 Peter 3:9. To me ' perish ' means ' destroyed as in gone forever .'

The sad truth is that your bible is open to interpretation and many people interpret it to mean hell is a real place where people are tortured. I had a flyer left in my windshield wiper some months back that had a short cartoon of a man who died and went to hell for not being a believer. Trying to scare me into being a Christian. To be honest, if someone demanded that you worship and obey them or they'll torture you, what opinion would you have of that person?

 

[paarsurrey]

Just wanted to say thank you for the feedback yesterday on my video about religion.

My question for you guys is, do you believe there is life after death? If yes, tell me why. And if no, tell me why as well but explain to me on how you deal with knowing there is just this life and no other.

I do believe in afterlife. This is not the real-life we live , it is just like a dream while we see a dream we think it is real but when we wake up then we realize that it was not a real event.

Regards

 

[Trailblazer]

I'd be very interested in the details of those particular teachings. Is there a site i can check?

The Bahá’í Faith - The website of the worldwide Bahá’í community is an “official” website, the website of the worldwide Bahá’í community. It has general information on all aspects of the Baha’i Faith.
Below are the specific links to information related to the afterlife:
Life and Death
The Human Soul
Heaven and Hell

Here is a good article from the Baha’i Library Online:
Death and Dying in the Bahá'í Faith

There is also a lot written by Baha’u’llah about the soul and its eternal destination:
Gleanings, p. 153-155
Gleanings, pp. 155-158
Gleanings, pp. 158-161

There are also answers to specific questions people had asked in Lights of Guidance. G. Life after Death; the Soul (679-705)

 

[Faithofchristian]

So hell does exist, and is not the lake of fire. The same hell Jesus spoke of people suffering in. What gets me is why a second death is even necessary? If someone's fate is to be dead, why not just leave them that way? Does god have to rub his judgement in people's faces? Is that why? Seems kind of petty to me.

Hell and the lake of fire, are two different things.

The first death is when the body dies and is buried in the ground.
The second death is when God destroys both the body and soul in hell.
Matthew 10:28

 

[URAVIP2ME]

Religion has been a great tool for deceiving and controlling people for most of humanities existence I suspect. Which is why religion and it's claims should be treated with skepticism, not blind acceptance.

I find in Scripture we are to be cautious.
Jesus did Not accept blind acceptance ( credulity ) but used logical reasoning on the old Hebrew Scriptures as the basis for his teachings such as the Golden Rule of Leviticus 19:18.

Even the religious leaders in Jesus' day taught corrupted religious practices and ideas.
Teaching religious-myth traditions as Scripture does Not make Scripture as wrong but the corrupted clergy as wrong.

 

[URAVIP2ME]

Hell and the lake of fire, are two different things.
The first death is when the body dies and is buried in the ground.
The second death is when God destroys both the body and soul in hell.
Matthew 10:28

Any thoughts about Revelation 1:18_______

The day Jesus died he was then in hell ( biblical grave / ground ) - Acts of the Apostles 2:27
The ' lake of fire ' is ' second death '.
In other words, the definition of the ' lake of fire ' is ' second death ' as per Revelation 20:13-14; Revelation 21:8.

Biblical hell comes to a final end only after everyone in biblical hell is ' delivered up ' out of hell, then 'emptied-out hell' is cast vacant into that symbolic ' second death ' for vacated hell according to Revelation 20:13-14.
To me 'delivered up' means resurrected out of biblical hell, the temporary grave.
Whereas ' Gehenna ' ( English: hellfire ) is symbolic of destruction.
What do the 'words from Jesus' mouth' do according to Isaiah 11:3-4; Revelation 19:14-16

 

[URAVIP2ME]

The sad truth is that your bible is open to interpretation and many people interpret it to mean hell is a real place where people are tortured. I had a flyer left in my windshield wiper some months back that had a short cartoon of a man who died and went to hell for not being a believer. Trying to scare me into being a Christian. To be honest, if someone demanded that you worship and obey them or they'll torture you, what opinion would you have of that person?

False religious-myth teachings do Not make the Bible wrong but makes the wrong teachings as wrong.
False clergy promote hell-fire teachings often as scare tactics to try to control the flock of God.
Seems people don't realize the Bible was Not originally written in English.
So, when KJV translated the word 'Gehenna ' into English as hell fire, that put the flames in biblical hell.
Clearly Gehenna was a garbage pit where things were destroyed forever and Not kept burning forever.
So, to me it is Not the Bible open to such gruesome interpretation but false clergy teachings are.
Jesus taught ' sleep ' ( Not pain ) in death at John 11:11-14.
Jesus was well educated in the old Hebrew Scriptures which also teach ' sleep in death '.
- Psalms 6:5; Psalms 13:3; Psalms 115:17; Psalms 146:4; Ecclesiastes 9:5; Acts of the Apostles 7:60
Since we can Not resurrect oneself or another we need someone who can resurrect us out of death's sleep.
Jesus can and will - Revelation 1:18. Just as Daniel looked forward to being awakened from death's sleep according to Daniel 12:2; Daniel 12:13.

I find nothing scary about Revelation 22:2 because there it lets us know that mankind will see the return of the Genesis ' tree of life ' on Earth for the 'healing' ( Not torture ) of earth's nations.
Revelation 22:2 is in fulfillment of God' promise to father Abraham that ALL families of Earth will be blessed, and ALL nations of Earth will be blessed ( Genesis 12:3; Genesis 22:18 ) Blessed with the benefit of healing for earth's nations as described in chapter 35 of Isaiah.This is a reason why we are all invited to pray the invitation for Jesus to come. Come and undo all the damage Satan and Adam ( includes false clergy ) brought upon us.

 

[URAVIP2ME]

So hell does exist, and is not the lake of fire. The same hell Jesus spoke of people suffering in. What gets me is why a second death is even necessary? If someone's fate is to be dead, why not just leave them that way? Does god have to rub his judgement in people's faces? Is that why? Seems kind of petty to me.

False clergy speak of suffering in hell.
The day Jesus' died he went to hell according to Acts of the Apostles 2:27.
Since Jesus taught ' sleep ' in death at John 11:11-14, then Jesus believed the dead are in a sleep-like state.
So, Jesus was Not conscious while in biblical hell ( grave ) until his God resurrected Jesus out of the grave.