Afterlife

Christians all believe in heaven and hell. However, people say God is all-loving and just, and Hell contradicts these and seems pure sadism because punishments are supposed to change people and

Temporary depressing time line = infinite torture?!

Hinduism all believe in karma and reincarnation. Reincarnation is not proven yet, but karma is easily proven by scientists and morons alike in everyday life.

Some intelligent Christians believe in reincarnation. I know a Methodist minister who is a very bright, very religious Reincarnationist. The original version of Christianity was a Jewish sect which embraced and taught the concept of reincarnation. Reincarnationism is not an eastern doctrine, contrary to popular belief; it has been a part of Judaism since Judaism began.

Hinduism is an ancient religion and as such has a lot of ignorant superstition and mythology tangled up in its truths — the same can be said for Christianity, with all its Greco-Roman myths (e.g. hell) corrupting its original Jewish identity.

it can be forgiven, right? Even if a Christian swears on the Bible, how can one be sure that they won’t lie and bank on the hope that they will be forgiven later if they are truly repentant?

I ask because someone wrote that they wouldn’t trust the testimony of an atheist or anyone who wouldn’t swear on the Bible or fear repercussion in the afterlife. But really, are Christians any more or less trustworthy when giving testimony than an atheist?
ballcrusher: I specifically said that one is no more or less trustworthy than the other.
ballcrusher: I specifically said that one is no more or less trustworthy than the other.
sorry about the repeat.
ballcrusher: no problem.

my word…is just that…my word.
and when i give my word….you can bank on it being the truth….i have no reason to lie about anything.
and yes…there are christians…that i know,that do lie.

christians are no better than an atheist…as an atheist is no better than a christian.
we are all humans…and we all breath the same air…..we just have different beliefs on certain things…..

GOOD QUESTION THOUGH

its like leading a donkey, you need the carrot in front as a reward (heaven) and the stick behind as punishment (hell)

without of which, the system of control fails.

It’s reasonable to assume the same god would tell people about the same afterlife scenario, right? Whereas a different god would have a different afterlife scenario…

It is the same God.

Deuteronomy 6
4 “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one!
5 You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength.

The Hebrew word echad (one), can mean a “compound unity”.

The difference is that Christians believe God came in the flesh to pay for the sins of mankind as written about 700 years before Jesus was born in Isaiah,
Isaiah 53
5 But he was pierced for our transgressions,
he was crushed for our iniquities;
the punishment that brought us peace was upon him,
and by his wounds we are healed.
6 All of us like sheep have gone astray,
Each of us has turned to his own way;
But the LORD has caused the iniquity of us all
To fall on Him.

and in John 1
29The next day he saw Jesus coming to him and said, "Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!
…
34"I myself have seen, and have testified that this is the Son of God."

Those who reject God and his offer of mercy and forgiveness get hell and just so you get the idea, Bill Weise was given a vision of hell and told to go tell others so some might be saved, I hear it is a best selling book too.
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=648563944666093503

As far as heaven though Don Piper was declared dead in a head on car crash and talks about what he saw in heaven and in his recovery. A Baptist Minister came upon the crash and felt that he had to pray for the "dead guy", a very strange thing for a Baptist! So he got in the crushed car (the body was still crushed in the car) and started to pray and then sang the hymn "What a friend we have in Jesus" and when he got to the part that says "because we do not take everything to God in prayer" Don started to sing along. Apparently the minister had some problems convincing the ambulance and police that "the dead guy is singing". Here are some links.
http://www.90minutesinheaven.com/
http://www.haventoday.com/prevbroadcast/1367
http://www.haventoday.com/prevbroadcast/1368

Jesus is the descendant of Jews and is the fulfillment of the Jewish prophecies in Daniel, Isaiah and other books of the Bible and it is the same God.

And that there was no heaven after all?

The first 2 words of your question screams out that its not worth talking about

Harp music. Fluffy clouds. Eternal day
w/no sunsets, no starry nights. No oceans/beaches apparently. No beer. No rock&roll…
No more marriage or family relationships. Being one of "Jesus’ Brides" in a "marriage to Christ"
(I’m a MAN. ‘Nuff said.) Eternal celibacy (In light of the last item I mentioned, maybe
that’s a good thing actually.)
Eternally singing praises to some goober sitting on a throne.
Is it any wonder that Christians believe in eternal torture for those
who don’t share their little superstition? Who’d bother with
being a Christian otherwise? I’d way rather have oblivion than
the pathetic, drab afterworld peddled by Christianity!

Put it down to the lack of imagination of the primitive people who made all that nonsense up.

After all, the brass ring for the people who believe it has always been "I am not really going to die!"

Yes, you are. Sorry.

You can’t prove that that’s not going to happen just like I can’t prove that the Christian afterlife scenario is not going to happen! So each afterlife scenario has the same likelihood of being true but at least the one I suggest will make you look after your teeth, right?

No, because the Tooth Fairy’s son came to Earth, and he was flossed for my iniquities. Yea, even though he was without gingivitis, verily he took upon himself my dental caries and decay. My teeth are firmly rooted in his word.

I’m very sad now, there’s this girl that i’ve known for 4 years and well, we love each other deeply and undieingly. Yet, she’s agnostic and im Christian or well i may be turning agnostic a bit, since i haven’t really understood how God is a real powerful being who i should obey, i never had proof, i don’t know anymore, i feel depressed, i want to be with this person for the rest of my life, we’re perfect for one another i believe, we’re extremely similar, she lives in a family where they let their children pick the religion they beleive is correct for them.. I don’t know if i should accept what she is and marry her and live happily ever after, until death, im not sure if it’s possible.. CAN ANYONE ENLIGHTEN ME WITH THIS, IM DESPERATE FOR HELP…. PLEASE..

I’ve read many of the things about the yoked thing and such… but… i don’t know… i mean, im confused.. by im christian but may be turning agnostic, i had no proof with myself to see God as a real being, i don’t know if he or she is real or not, i’ve not had a miracle or something that makes him real…

Also, i know OUR marriage and love will be stronger than ever before… but.. i’m wondering on the afterlife, would she be with me in heaven if there was one ? im losing my mind here, i’ve doubted God a couple of times before, i don’t even know if he or she is real anymore.. will she join me in paradise ?
sorry for making another topic, felt like making it cleaner

Every person in this world has their own set of convictions and interpretations of religion. I’m agnostic myself but my views are sometimes more Christian than the views of some Christians that I know. Even if your girl was Christian you would no doubt disagree about some things. The afterlife thing might be a big deal…do you have a strong conviction that you can’t get into heaven lacking faith? Many people believe that good deeds and morals are just as important as faith, and you are rewarded for living your life as a good person. I suggest that you do a lot of thinking and talking to people to figure out what you believe, and then decide if your convictions are compatible with those of your girl.

My husband is Methodist and I am agnostic. He used to be very opinionated and didn’t like to hear my views, and we had to avoid the subject or it always caused problems. I think now he’s grown up a bit more and accepts that no one is going to 100% agree with him, and he understands that maybe my beliefs and morals and the way I live my life are not as bad as he used to think.

what do Christians mean by Resurrection?
and where do they get their ideas from about Resurrection?

What do Christians believe about
Heaven
Hell
and Judgment Day

What are the Roman Catholic beliefs in limbo and purgatory
and are they the same as Fundamentalist and Liberal?
if different what do Fundamentalists believe and what do liberal believe?

please answer as much as you can.
Thank you.

Jesus Christ is God the Son, incarnated into human to save the human race. He died on the cross and resurrected ie. came back to life and then He ascended ie. went up to heaven and is now seated at God’s right hand.

All christian teachings originate from the Holy Bible.
Paradise – heaven is where a christian soul goes to upon death, ie. afterlife.
Hell is where a heathen ie. non-christian soul goes to upon death.

Judgment Day refers to the last day of this earth when …

1. all souls whose names are written in the Book of Life will stand with God.
2. all souls whose names are NOT written in the Book of Life, ie. those who are in hell, will be resurrected ie. come back to life, stand before God who will sit in Judgment and judge them guilty and will sentence them to eternal torment in the lake of fire.
3. this current earth and heaven will be destroyed and a new heaven and a new earth will be made for us, God’s people to live in where there is no sun b/c God and Christ will be the LIGHT and there will be no more night or darkness.

as for the other q, you gotta ask the relevant groups.

I have been taught all my life that "It is through your faith not your works that you will be judged". If this is true, this means that fundamentally good, moral people are sent to hell. Why would a just god perform such an unjust action on the vast bulk of the human population?
Sorry, just to clear up, I am an atheist. I am just curious about the philosophical implications of the question.
I see many people are asking how is it an injustice. I guess from some standpoints it isn’t. that’s why I am asking. But from what many of you are telling me, you are basically born with a strike against you. What is the point of eternal torment?

There are many different forms of Christian faith. You were taught one interpretation of Christianity with a harsh, judgmental view of the afterlife. It’s a human teaching. You don’t have to accept it. You’re free to listen to your heart, and to read the Scriptures with your own mind.

MOST Christians — it’s the official teaching of the Catholic Church and the mainline Protestant churches — believe that anyone can be saved. A lot of Christians have believed that EVERYONE will be saved (they’re called Universalists). Be the kind of Christian your conscience tells you to be.