(April 7, 2011 at 3:27 am)Cinjin Cain Wrote: Better yet, if the Bible says, "...the dead in Christ shall rise first" (which it does) when Jesus returns for the rapture in the sky, than are all these dead souls meandoring around outside the Pearly Gates waitin to get in????
That's gotta suck, loitering at the Pearly Gates for 2000 years now!
Anyone at all???
Christian theology is a bit muddy on this point. Exactly what happens to the "soul" when we die? Do we immediately go to Heaven/Hell or do we remain dead until the day of resurrection?
Paul, who supposedly wrote the passage you refer to, seemed to feel the dead were "asleep" and that the dead in Christ would be raised on Christ's return.
So no, by the passage you cite, they're not lingering about the gates. They're "asleep" and presumably unaware of the passage of time. Details are sketchy on this point.
Atheist Forums Hall of Shame:
"The trinity can be equated to having your cake and eating it too."
... -Lucent, trying to defend the Trinity concept
"(Yahweh's) actions are good because (Yahweh) is the ultimate standard of goodness. That’s not begging the question"
... -Statler Waldorf, Christian apologist
"The trinity can be equated to having your cake and eating it too."
... -Lucent, trying to defend the Trinity concept
"(Yahweh's) actions are good because (Yahweh) is the ultimate standard of goodness. That’s not begging the question"
... -Statler Waldorf, Christian apologist
