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Note:

Names of people I know have been changed to respect the privacy of those involved. Unless they say it's okay, or I see elsewhere.

Sunday, December 12, 2010

My Beliefs (Part 4)

This is the fourth question from the Belief-O-Matic. My answer, and why I chose it, follows.

Question #4
What happens to humans after death? Choose one.

-Souls are judged immediately for a foretaste of heaven or hell. At the final judgement, God (or Christ) will ressurect and judge all for heaven or hell. (Or souls may also be judged for punishment and/or purification before heaven.)
-Death results in unconsciousness until, at the final judgement, God (or Christ) will raise the living righteous to heaven; resurrect and destroy the wicked on earth; return the righteous paradisal earth for eternity.
-Souls don't survive death. God (or Christ) will resurrect the righteous at the final judgement for eternity in heaven or on a paradisal earth; the wicked will remain dead.
-The soul's spiritual development continues after death so that all may eventually experience the indescribable closeness to God. Hell is not a place but the tormented state of remoteness from God.
-Rebirths occur (continually, or until all life's lessons are learned and one merges with the life force, or until complete enlightenment and eternal bliss are obtained).
-There is definitely an afterlife, but the specifics cannot be known or are unimportant--most important is one's conduct in life.
-No afterlife; no spiritual existence beyond life; noliteral heaven or hell. Or not sure. Or not important.
-None of the above.

I chose the first answer because it's closest to what I've been taught. I also would have included the fourth option if I were given the opportunity to choose more than one. I've heard it said that we can continue to better ourselves once we get to the other side, and I think that being out of God's presence could be miserable.

I love to read near-death experiences and about what people have seen when they pass through the veil of mortality. The ones I've read all seem to include the same things: being greeted by loved ones, sometimes seeing deity or an angel, the life review, and all that. Yes, I know that out-of-body experiences have been induced, but some NDEs are so complex, I can't believe that they're just something that happens, or that they're all rubbish. Plus, I don't believe that we just cease to exist after death. I and many others I know have had too many experiences to believe that there is no afterlife.

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