(October 21, 2013 at 1:29 am)Beta Ray Bill Wrote: Having someone, something to believe in is endearing. Thinking that there is an afterlife is very appealing.
It would be a continuation of the same life we have now minus the current physical body. We go through a number of different physical bodies in one lifetime anyway even if they look very similar.
Quote: But the problem is there is no fact for these things, no proof.
You don't particularly need proof but there is testimonial evidence of the continuance of a conscious state during death see NDEs. I'm not saying this is cast iron proof no-one has anything like that, if there was there would be no need for faith we would just know. There is belief and there is knowledge two different things.
Quote: I would rather experience life for what it truly is, than what I wished it was.
If you're "wishing" then you're not really believing to begin with.
Quote:If we're to live trillions of years in heaven or hell, what is the point of 70 years of life on Earth?
Here we go.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Divinization_(Christian)
Quote:It seems kind of pointless, doesn't it?
It would be vastly more pointless if there isn't a God we're here for no purpose and we just die I would think really.
Quote: Shouldn't we be judged over how we act over the next 1,000,000,000,000 years than the next 10?
The opportunity to serve God and attain your relationship/divinity with him in the service of your fellow man and the creation is right here and now. Don't worry about what you'll be doing in a million years.
Quote:And if God can create a perfect world (heaven), what's the point of creating a flawed, corrupt place like Earth?
See above. Though it isn't flawed it's 100% perfectly engineered to generate living beings. Living beings are subject to physical suffering and death but that's an unavoidable consequence of the way God has decided that for now we have to be. You can say it's our fall through sin or whatever.
Quote: Just so he can briefly judge us, then reward/punish us for the rest of eternity?
The deal is you repent your sin and through Christs grace all your sins are then entirely forgiven. But I'm sure you like the idea of judgment and justice if you like law courts, justice systems and prisons.
Quote:it's all so, so silly. Faith is not the truth, it's just a way to help you not fear death.
There wouldn't be anything to fear if you're right seeing as literally nothing would happen to you. It's more to have a meaning and a purpose within a greater context as part of a community of believers in this life. Of course this life will never "come to an end" it will just go through transition.
Quote:But it takes away from your freedoms and understanding of the world
It gives you the freedom to know God and enhances your understanding of the world as Gods creation.
Quote:, so it just isn't right. Don't fear death, because it's inevitable. Just make the best of the short time that you have in this incredible universe.
You make the best of what God has given you for the purpose to which he made you in the incredible universe he created.
Come all ye faithful joyful and triumphant.
