Where are the Dead?

[The Hammer]

Are the dead alive somewhere?
Can the dead interact with the living... or dead?
Is there any hope for the dead... can the dead live again?

Some scriptures I found answers these questions...

Spoiler: Scriptures

Genesis 3:19) In the sweat of your face you will eat bread until you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken. For dust you are and to dust you will return.”

(Psalm 104:29) When you hide your face, they are disturbed. If you take away their spirit, they die and return to the dust.
(Psalm 146:3, 4) 3 Do not put your trust in princes Nor in a son of man, who cannot bring salvation. 4 His spirit goes out, he returns to the ground; On that very day his thoughts perish.
(Ecclesiastes 3:20) All are going to the same place. They all come from the dust, and they all are returning to the dust.

(Ecclesiastes 9:4-10) 4 There is hope for whoever is among the living, because a live dog is better off than a dead lion. 5 For the living know that they will die, but the dead know nothing at all, nor do they have any more reward, because all memory of them is forgotten. 6 Also, their love and their hate and their jealousy have already perished, and they no longer have any share in what is done under the sun. ... 10 Whatever your hand finds to do, do with all your might, for there is no work nor planning nor knowledge nor wisdom in the Grave, where you are going.

(Ecclesiastes 12:7) Then the dust returns to the earth, just as it was, and the spirit returns to the true God who gave it.

(Isaiah 26:19) “Your dead will live. My corpses will rise up. Awake and shout joyfully, You residents in the dust! For your dew is as the dew of the morning, And the earth will let those powerless in death come to life.

(Hosea 13:14) From the power of the Grave I will redeem them; From death I will recover them. Where are your stings, O Death? Where is your destructiveness, O Grave? Compassion will be concealed from my eyes.

(Mark 12:26) But concerning the dead being raised up, have you not read in the book of Moses, in the account about the thornbush, that God said to him: ‘I am the God of Abraham and God of Isaac and God of Jacob’?

(John 5:28, 29) 28 Do not be amazed at this, for the hour is coming in which all those in the memorial tombs will hear his voice 29 and come out, those who did good things to a resurrection of life, and those who practiced vile things to a resurrection of judgment.

(John 11:24, 25) 24 Martha said to him: “I know he will rise in the resurrection on the last day.” 25 Jesus said to her: “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who exercises faith in me, even though he dies, will come to life;

(Acts 24:15) And I have hope toward God, which hope these men also look forward to, that there is going to be a resurrection of both the righteous and the unrighteous.

(1 Corinthians 15:21) For since death came through a man, resurrection of the dead also comes through a man.

Basically, those scriptures tell us

• the dead are not alive anywhere... except in God's memory. Luke 20:38
• the dead cannot communicate with either the living, or the dead. They cannot do anything. They are inactive - in the powerful grip of death.
• the dead can... will live again, by means of a resurrection, which God promises, and is both willing and able to carry out.

On examining these scriptures, do you agree this is what we find?

"Where are the Dead?"



Right where you left them

 

[Sgt. Pepper]

Like how would your husband know the person he encountered and the dead person were the same person?

First, my friend, who accompanied my husband and me, took us to the man's grave, which had a photo of him on the gravestone. My husband confirmed that this was the same man. Second, she showed us another photo taken two days before the man's death, as well as a newspaper clipping of his obituary (with a photo). My husband again confirmed that it was the same man. And finally, we spoke to one of his close relatives, who also confirmed that the man had died and that he had attended the funeral. I consider all of this sufficient confirmation that my husband encountered a full-body apparition.

What happened after the encounter?

What happened after the encounter is just as I described above and in my previous post.

Did the person disappear or left the scene normally?

My husband was waiting for me in an empty parking lot of an abandoned building. He said that the man seemed to appear out of nowhere. He explained that the man had walked away, and he had tried to find him, but he had vanished without a trace. My husband said that he had walked around the entire building, but every door was locked with chains and padlocks. There were no other buildings or houses. He said that he didn't see anyone else around the entire time he was waiting for me and my friend. I will say that this was an extraordinary experience that had a significant impact on my beloved husband.

 

[George-ananda]

Thanks. Well, this has the making of a great story. One question:

First, my friend, who accompanied my husband and me, took us to the man's grave, which had a photo of him on the gravestone.

How did your friend know to make the connection between some man your husband saw and this grave?

 

[Sgt. Pepper]

Thanks. Well, this has the making of a great story. One question:

How did your friend know to make the connection between some man your husband saw and this grave?

My husband described the man to her, and she recognized him from the description. He was a doctor, and she knew him.

 

[George-ananda]

My husband described the man to her, and she recognized him from the description. He was a doctor, and she knew him.

Ahhh……it’s detailed stories like this that would really rattle the open-minded skeptics.

Another similar story for the fair-minded skeptics here. I was talking with a tour guide for a historical fort near me. He saw what he thought was a reenactor in period garb on a day when no reenaction was scheduled. The guide introduced himself to the reenactor and reached to shake his hand when the reenactor vanished before the guide’s eyes.

 

[Sgt. Pepper]

Ahhh……it’s detailed stories like this that would really rattle the open-minded skeptics.

I thought of this particular detail while I was writing my other post, but I failed to mention it.

Another similar story for the fair-minded skeptics here. I was talking with a tour guide for a historical fort near me. He saw what he thought was a reenactor in period garb on a day when no reenaction was scheduled. The guide introduced himself to the reenactor and reached to shake his hand when the reenactor vanished before the guide’s eyes.

That is actually a fairly common occurrence at historical locations, particularly those related to the Civil War.

The following is what I posted on full-body apparitions in another thread, which I mentioned previously in this one.

Full-body apparitions are the closest I've ever seen to earthbound human spirits that resemble living humans. These spirits can accumulate enough energy to manifest into more than a spectral image. They can appear and feel like a real living person, but then they will totally shock the hell out of the living by walking through a solid wall or door, vanishing right before their eyes, or vanishing without a trace in a matter of seconds. In my experience encountering these spirits, they are typically dressed in period clothing and have often been mistaken for historical reenactment actors or local residents who are into the history of the location. I've seen these extraordinary spirits mostly in homes from the Civil War era, in Civil War museums, and on Civil War battlefields.

In the paranormal field, full-body apparitions are considered to be the Holy Grail of spirits that a living person can see and/or interact with. It's quite an experience. I've seen them many times over the years (as I mentioned in a previous post here). To be honest, encountering them never ceases to amaze me. My husband understands how I feel. I've mentioned his personal encounters with the paranormal in another thread (see my other post here). He once interacted with a full-body apparition that he thought was an actual living man like him and didn't know he was conversing with a spirit until after the fact.

 

[George-ananda]

I thought of this particular detail while I was writing my other post, but I failed to mention it.



That is actually a fairly common occurrence at historical locations, particularly those related to the Civil War.

The following is what I posted on full-body apparitions in another thread, which I mentioned previously in this one.

Full-body apparitions are the closest I've ever seen to earthbound human spirits that resemble living humans. These spirits can accumulate enough energy to manifest into more than a spectral image. They can appear and feel like a real living person, but then they will totally shock the hell out of the living by walking through a solid wall or door, vanishing right before their eyes, or vanishing without a trace in a matter of seconds. In my experience encountering these spirits, they are typically dressed in period clothing and have often been mistaken for historical reenactment actors or local residents who are into the history of the location. I've seen these extraordinary spirits mostly in homes from the Civil War era, in Civil War museums, and on Civil War battlefields.

In the paranormal field, full-body apparitions are considered to be the Holy Grail of spirits that a living person can see and/or interact with. It's quite an experience. I've seen them many times over the years (as I mentioned in a previous post here). To be honest, encountering them never ceases to amaze me. My husband understands how I feel. I've mentioned his personal encounters with the paranormal in another thread (see my other post here). He once interacted with a full-body apparition that he thought was an actual living man like him and didn't know he was conversing with a spirit until after the fact.

Unfortunately, our discussion here is nested in 'Biblical Debates'. Our conversation belongs now in the 'Paranormal' section where the open-minded skeptics can see it. It would be interesting to hear how the hard skeptics respond.

 

[Sgt. Pepper]

Unfortunately, our discussion here is nested in 'Biblical Debates'. Our conversation belongs now in the 'Paranormal' section where the open-minded skeptics can see it. It would be interesting to hear how the hard skeptics respond.

I've discussed my beliefs and experiences in this thread for several months (post #22 was my first reply). So I think it would be okay if we continued our discussion in this thread. I believe this was confirmed earlier in the thread, when objections were made concerning others who questioned certain beliefs.

A person is free to give either their opinion on the Bible(if relevant to the thread) or their thoughts on death/the afterlife(if relevant to the thread), so long as it is presented as personal worldview and not concrete fact, in this forum.

Thank you again, JustGeorge, for emphasizing that non-Christians (including the irreligious) are welcome to post in this thread and in this specific forum.

 

[Sgt. Pepper]

Unfortunately, our discussion here is nested in 'Biblical Debates'. Our conversation belongs now in the 'Paranormal' section where the open-minded skeptics can see it. It would be interesting to hear how the hard skeptics respond.

I enjoyed participating in this thread when it was still active.

As much as I like discussing paranormal-related topics, I don't particularly enjoy participating in the paranormal activities forum. It's practically dead.

 

[George-ananda]

I enjoyed participating in this thread when it was still active.

As much as I like discussing paranormal-related topics, I don't particularly enjoy participating in the paranormal activities forum. It's practically dead.

I tried to private message you but it seems I am not allowed???

 

[Trailblazer]

As much as I like discussing paranormal-related topics, I don't particularly enjoy participating in the paranormal activities forum. It's practically dead.

You said "it's practically dead" on a thread called "Where are the dead?"
That just made me laugh Thanks, I needed a laugh today.

 

[Sgt. Pepper]

You said "it's practically dead" on a thread called "Where are the dead?"
That just made me laugh Thanks, I needed a laugh today.

I wondered whether anyone would catch on to that or that I also used the phrase "practically dead" to describe the paranormal activities forum.

 

[Muffled]

i dont believe much of biblical stories, especially the ones that suggest magic.

I believe that is not magic. It is the power of God. Magic belongs to magicians and mages.

 

[Muffled]

That's not monotheism, but considering god is many (writers). i never observed constantine as a god nor the Council of Rome as god.

I believe it is monotheism.

 

[Muffled]

God did not say that Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead or that Jesus rose from the dead. Men wrote those stories.

I believe I am writing this but it is God forming the words and so it was for the writers of the Bible in many cases.

 

[URAVIP2ME]

God did not say that Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead or that Jesus rose from the dead. Men wrote those stories.

Good point at John 11:40-42 because Jesus gives the credit to his God for making the resurrection possible.
Also, Jesus did Not raise himself from the dead but his God resurrected dead Jesus - Acts 2:24; 3:15; 5:30; 10:40; 13:29
So, it is true men penned those accounts but as God's secretaries they wrote down God's thoughts - 2nd Tim. 3:16-17

 

[URAVIP2ME]

"Where are the Dead?"
Right where you left them

Since the 'future tense' is used at Acts 24:15 that 'there will be' a resurrection does agree with 'right where you left them'.
Left the dead in the grave until Resurrection Day : meaning Jesus' future coming Millennium-Long Day governing over Earth for a thousand years.- 1st Corinthians 15:24-26; Isaiah 25:8
This is when there will be a resurrection of both the righteous and unrighteous ( just and unjust - KJV - Acts 24:15 )
So, during Jesus' 1,000 year long day over Earth the righteous can choose to remain righteous, and the un-righteous can then choose to become and remain righteous in order to be part of the humble meek people who inherit the Earth.
- Matthew 5:5; Psalms 37:9-11; 22:26

P.S. So the Bible is teaching about two resurrections:
* One resurrection to heaven for some people like those at Luke 22:28-30; Daniel 7:18; Rev. 20:6.
* The majority of mankind can have a happy-and-healthy physical resurrection restored back to live life on Earth.
Gain everlasting life on Earth. A beautiful paradisical Earth as described in the 35th chapter of Isaiah.

 

[URAVIP2ME]

You lost me with the Bible.

You're Not alone because most people are only told that good people go to Heaven at death.
Jesus was clear about living on Earth, but most clergy only teach of future life as only being in Heaven.
Before the Christian Scriptures were written there already were the old Hebrew Scriptures.
So, 1st-century living Martha (John 11:23) believed in a physical resurrection.
Thus, long before Jesus began his ministry Martha would be familiar with the OT Scriptures.
The physical resurrections such as mentioned at 1st Kings 17:8-16 and 1st Kings 17:17-24.
Martha knew there would be a future physical resurrection - John 6:40,44; 11:24
Perhaps keep in mind that Adam was Never offered Heaven but only to live forever on Earth.
A sinless Adam could have been part of the humble meek people living forever on Earth.

 

[Trailblazer]

So, it is true men penned those accounts but as God's secretaries they wrote down God's thoughts - 2nd Tim. 3:16-17

I do not believe that God has secretaries.
I believe that God has Messengers who write what is revealed to them by God but no Messengers of God were involved in writing the Bible.

 

[Trailblazer]

I believe I am writing this but it is God forming the words and so it was for the writers of the Bible in many cases.

There is no reason for me to believe that God has anything to do with the writing of the Bible.