What is the after life like?

United States
July 12, 2008 4:08am CST
What do you perceive the after life to be like? Do you believe in the Christian concept of hell and heaven? The Buddhist concept of nirvana? Nothing at all? Personally I believe nothing happens after we die. Not to mention, if you went to heaven, and were perfectly happy for eternity, wouldn't you get bored? Don't we need hard times to make good times have meaning?
1 response
sharky05
@sharky05 (47)
•
12 Jul 08
You have to remember that biblically heaven isn't just "a happy place" and hell is a "firey scarey place". That idea was encouraged by the medieval church. Looking at the bible, you can see that it isn't simply a life exam where if you're a good person you go to heaven as a treat and if you're as bad as hitler God will happily send you to hell. Heaven is described as a place where man is in God's presence, and hell is where man isn't in God's presence. If God is good, than heaven will be a much more enjoyable place for people who love God, and hell will be a place of suffering away from God. You aren't sent to either place based on how well behaved you have been during life - heaven is for people who love God, hell is for people who don't. If you don't love God, would you enjoy being in his presence for eternity? Sorry if that all got a bit heavy :D
alea35
@alea35 (9)
• United States
13 Jul 08
I was going more by the average Christian American definition of heaven and hell. I understand where you're coming from, but in my experience of talking to Christian friends, they would define it as "a great perfect place" and a "fiery bad place".
sharky05
@sharky05 (47)
•
13 Jul 08
I agree lots of people approach that topic this way. But you have to ask, where are they getting that idea from if it's not the bible? If it's just from tradition, I think it needs to be questioned.