Do you have any thoughts about the negative sides of an afterlife?

I've always been tolerant. And I'm only as opinionated as I need to be. I don't expect to be presented with a six thousand year old audio/video recording of a conversation between God and Isaiah. The written words alone are sufficient to edification if there is anything of worth in it. Ironically, the lack of proof of any divine hand in the affairs in mankind, is also in keeping of that which is sacred from dirty hands and prying eyes. So there is that. Mankind tends to corrupt everything good and wholesome. So why not the divine as well. It is wisdom in God to hide it. And it is to his own to abide in patience and faith in the meantime. On the one hand it is somewhat frustrating. But on the other, gleeful to know the unprovable, which is that God does live.

 

Back in 1988 I really did think that I and my church, The Worldwide Church of God, had a pretty good understanding of the Book of Isaiah..... and all of the Bible,
but by 1990 I began to realize that I really knew almost nothing in comparison to the full truth on each subject that Isaiah got into.

The past thirty two years were kind of tough as I was shown error after error after error in my beliefs... but now that I know I really know nothing about anything... I am happier than I was back when I thought I knew a lot!?

My deep respect for Isaiah has actually greatly increased since 1990.

 

The motivation is to help others be free of the bondage we are all in to one degree or another. The word "Gospel" means Good News. To understand it, and truly believe it cause one to know it is a blessing to anyone who receives it. In spite of your admonishment to "keep it to yourself", Jesus commanded those who believe to share to all ends of the earth so that ALL can be delivered from bondage. (you may not believe there is bondage. That would be another discussion). The Jews never got such a command.

Do you embrace ANY VIEWS?? Or are your ideas and beliefs even worth sharing? If you do share those views are you being intolerable to those who don't share the same view? So it seems to me, correct me if I'm wrong, you imply anyone who shares their views are showing "intolerance to others".

From what I have heard you say in this forum, I sort of conclude you have a deep intolerance for the Gospel......or you wouldn't mind it being shared. Remember, sharing is not forcing. Do you have an intolerance when atheists espouse their views?? I don't, but in an open forum I feel I am free to express mine as well.

 

Beliefs always require faith. I have one major belief. Without faith, it is impossible to please God. I can say this from your posts....you seem to be intolerant of faith. Not surprising, many are.

 

I am not at all intolerant of faith. I am a supporter of religion. The thread is about the existence of an afterlife. I have simply made the case that there is no evidence for one. Faith is not evidence.

 

All of that relates to faith. I don't have faith like you do

No I haven't said sharing views is intolerant of other views. I have been quite clear. I oppose proseletyzing which I define as aggressive conversion. That is not just sharing views. Debate isn't proselytizing either. It is a two way street. You are correct that I do not believe people are in bondage universally. We are all masters of our own success or failure.

I am more tolerant of religious people than I am of atheists. I don't understand atheism. I am happy to accept the concept of god but not in the form that religions espouse. For me god is nature, the laws of physics not an anthropomorphic all knowing "being." I define it differently than you do. I was also clear about addressing mystery and how religion handles it. I don't handle it that way. I accept that there are mysteries. Some may be solved in the future, some may never be solved. It is OK with me. My approach to life is more on the side of science than faith. I accept evidence. I can even accept things on faith as long as my common sense tells me it is plausible. For instance, I'm quite sure that war is waging in Ukraine even though I haven't seen it personally. There is evidence and it doesn't go against my common sense.

 

Good point... I am also generally more tolerant of religious people than of the dogmatically irreligious like Dr. Richard Dawkins.....
but even Dr. Dawkins has made some basically wise statements that are encouraging that he may be improving somewhat.....


Does Richard Dawkins Ph. D. lack understanding of The Anthropic Principle?




Dr. Dawkins being open to extra-terrestrial alien intelligence is a step toward his admitting that there could be extra-dimensional alien intelligence as well... (or even extra-dimensional alien Intelligence with a capitol I).....

 

Faith and religion are two separate things. "Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things unseen". You are correct in that there is no physical evidence of existence of afterlife. I am correct in that through faith, there is!

 

Actually I do think that there is "evidence" that certainly indicates an afterlife... but I don't blame people for not regarding that evidence as "proof."


https://near-death.com/science

Scientific Evidence of the Afterlife

 

Yes but there is no religion without faith. Religion is all faith. I'm not against that. I just don't live that way. The difference is that you accept afterlife without evidence and I remain skeptical because it goes against my common sense.

 

You know, there is religion of "works". People practice religion all the time for the reason of perception. It seems to me, there is a large number of those who do. They are easily controlled by their human leaders too. It is tragic. I know a friend who is a member of "Elks". He has memorized pages of rituals there and he is quite proud of that. He regularly attends meetings. He is a religious "Elk". He has NO relationship with an "Elk" and he has no Faith.
I believe you have been honest with me so I will be open with you. I believe and I have faith. I believe it is a gift I desired and a gift I received. I could have so much more. I relate to the Apostle Thomas (some called him "doubting Thomas". After Jesus rose from the dead and others had seen Him, Thomas doubted. When Jesus finally came into the presence of Jesus, the Lord challenged him to examine his wounds. "Now do you believe" Jesus challenged? Thomas replied, "I believe, now help me with my unbelief". Jesus then said, "You have seen and believed. How blessed are those who have never seen but believed". To me, that is the best description of faith and it is at different levels and you grow in it as you receive. The Apostles DEFINITELY grew!
When I discuss honestly, with unbelievers, it makes me aware of what I have been given. It inspires me to ask for more. For that I am extremely grateful. Maybe you can understand what I am saying. It's the best way I can describe.

 

j

Maybe that only applies to you.

 

His soul never left his body. Somebody a while back talked about anesthesia and that was like being dead. It caused me to think as I have had that done at least thre times in the last four years. My soul never left my body. What about coma's? Same thing.

 

t

The first time I was anesthetized (for an invasive appendectomy) all I remember is how terrible I felt coming out of it. My eyre clamped shut the nursed were demanding I stop moving my arms and most significantly I felt as though I were choking.

 

In my experience, I woke up, and said Well.....let's do this! Then I noticed the bandages.

 

Personally, I hope there isn't one. If there is, you're basically being forced to live forever, and that's not what I want. When I die, I want to be done. Over. Finito. End of story.

 

And many who have faith are intolerant of those who do not....

 

Don't confuse faith with religion.