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What happens when you die?

Might be some type of service, but then I'll be quickly forgotten.
I've got it. A reason for a living will. In accordance with my dying wishes as a baptized Catholic, I want to make my surviving family sit through an entire Catholic Mass funeral after decades of watching me post Jesus-rides-a-dinosaur memes on Facebook.
 
lol at "interpret." The verse specifically downplays reaping, sowing, and storing food in barns. The only way for in to not be a contradiction is to go through tortured contortions to "interpret" it some way other than a straight reading.

It's a hodge-podge of disparate documents. Of course its filled with contradictions.

Oh so, this is one of those threads where you try to discourage those with faith. Would’ve been easier had you said that off the bat. I wouldn’t have wasted my time
 
I love that meme and I’m a Christian
Right but cousins who've met me less than 10 times ever but are Facebook friends will arrive at my services assuming it'll be something like a Viking funeral with a kegger following and instead they're going to sit through a full Catholic Mass + funeral then eat spiral ham sandwiches after.
 
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Right but cousins who've met me less than 10 times ever but are Facebook friends will arrive at my services assuming it'll be something like a Viking funeral with a kegger following and instead they're going to sit through a full Catholic Mass + funeral then eat spiral ham sandwiches after.

ive been to both Catholic funerals and Protestant funerals…..meh
 
@MWardT...Yes, a believer is someone who has a personal
relationship with Christ and puts their faith in him for
their eternal salvation. His death forgives our sins and
His resurrection gives us eternal life in heaven.
The phrases, “personal relationship with God,” “relationship with God,” and “personal relationship” never appear in the Bible.

If you have to have a "personal relationship with God" to be a "believer" and have "eternal life," what does that mean to you - to have a "personal relationship with God?"

I'm just trying to figure out what achieves you eternal life, in your opinion. Does it have anything to do with how you live your life - or not since our sins are forgiven - or just whether we have a "personal relationship with God?"
 
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ive been to both Catholic funerals and Protestant funerals…..meh
I only went to Catholic funerals until I was 11 or 12 when one of my uncles by marriage had a parent pass away. They weren't Catholic and I don't think they were religious at all actually. The service was a brief memorial at the funeral home, which if you're Catholic or a few other denominations is usually the "wake" or "visitation" on the eve of the actual funeral. I was confused when there was nothing to go to the next day.
 
The phrases, “personal relationship with God,” “relationship with God,” and “personal relationship” never appear in the Bible.

If you have to have a "personal relationship with God" to be a "believer" and have "eternal life," what does that mean to you - to have a "personal relationship with God?"

I'm just trying to figure out what achieves you eternal life, in your opinion. Does it have anything to do with how you live your life - or not since our sins are forgiven - or just whether we have a "personal relationship with God?"

I’m not sure how you can possibly read the Bible in context and not come away with thinking about the key phrase “relationships”…

Nearly everything in the Bible is about how we interact with:

- God
- Neighbors
- Enemies

The overarching theme is Love. Which I think most people feel love whether in the original Greek Arros, Agape, Philio is all about relationships and treatment of others.
 
What I believe is inconsequential to what actually happens. I was heavily involved in the church and my religion until I became an adult and I’ve migrated away from organized religion since for a variety of reasons that I won’t go into here. Suffice it to say my present position in regards to an afterlife is I’m a possibilist. As a rational person I know there is no way for me to prove or disprove with 100% certainty the supernatural entity we commonly call God or an afterlife, and that’s okay. One thing I have retained from my past is my admiration of Jesus, whether he existed or not. I hope each day that I can conduct myself in a similar manner until I jump off my mortal coil. If you lead with your heart and with love and kindness, even though that can be very difficult at times, you’re probably doing it right and you’ll reap a reward if it exists.
 
It is important to see God as the Creator of the universe
and everything in it. God created human beings so that
we find our fulfillment in Him. To ignore God or think he
does not exist is foolish. As our Creator, He has a plan &
purpose in this life for each one of us.
 
I just don't know. Grew up a Christian but always had a problem with only Believers go to Heaven. I knew some amazing people that were Christians and I knew some terrible people that were Christians. Same thing for non believers. I am probably an Agnostic now. I do pray for family. At 46 I think we just simply go to sleep, but I could be wrong. I would love to think my grandparents are living it up in Heaven. I am also a weird dog person. I have had 4 and 2 have died of old age. I do get excited about seeing them and my two living dogs in Heaven some day. I have no kids.
Again, I could be wrong, but I believe if there is a Heaven it is not a Christian Heaven. I believe people of many religions and people of no faith will also be there.
My wife is a strong Christian. And she believes that you have to have Jesus Christ as you savior to enter Heaven. I respect that. If she is correct than I am screwed.
 
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The family calls one another and the business toward settle of estate begins. It's not rocket science. Everybody older than 49 has had family tragedy and has been through it.

When you're dead you're dead.
 
There is way more good than bad in Christianity. If for no other reason, it builds community by getting involved with like minded people. This very possibly could be the most important part of religion.

The other part is a way of understanding and explaining history. There are a lot of mentions of cataclysmic events in the bible. It is very possible these are stories that had been passed down 10+ thousand years ago. Thats kind of cool.

Think of religion as an idea. The stories in the bible are a collection of previously told stories. All are different peoples interpretation of some real events and some made up events.
Christians are the Penn State Fans of religion.
 
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The definition of an agnostic is “one who believes the existence of God is unprovable. OP: Weren’t you always an “agnostic”?
 
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There is way more good than bad in Christianity. If for no other reason, it builds community by getting involved with like minded people. This very possibly could be the most important part of religion.

The other part is a way of understanding and explaining history. There are a lot of mentions of cataclysmic events in the bible. It is very possible these are stories that had been passed down 10+ thousand years ago. Thats kind of cool.

Think of religion as an idea. The stories in the bible are a collection of previously told stories. All are different peoples interpretation of some real events and some made up events.
Today's Christian is afraid of history, they muster with the anti CRT team.

Today's Christian sides with politicians over science for climate change and they're absolutely against the preventative maintenance commanded in The Bible.

Today's Christian is a freak, look towards Franklin Graham.
 
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This is very Alan Watts.
I've been saying this since the 1970s. Don't remember if I heard it elsewhere first, but it has long made perfect sense to me. It does not sit well with people who want to control through fear, in my experience. It is by far the most likely state of being after death.
 
Today's Christian is afraid of history, they muster with the anti CRT team.

Today's Christian sides with politicians over science for climate change and they're absolutely against the preventative maintenance commanded in The Bible.

Today's Christian is a freak, look towards Franklin Graham.
Fundamentalists, yes. All Christians, no. It’s important to remember that the evangelicals don’t speak for all of us.
 
I’m 98% sure the Christian faith is wrong.
Which is sad and likely because too many Christians have weaponized Christianity through unnecessary religion, morality regulation and involvement in politics.

If you really want to have a better understanding, I recommend the following:

The Case For Christ - Lee Strobel
Why I Hate Religion, but Love Jesus - Jefferson Bethke

Note: What gets lost on most people is the fact the Christian Faith is based on a personal relationship with Jesus through the embodiment of the Holy Spirit. Without the Holy Spirit you can read the Bible cover-to-cover breaking down every passage of scripture conducting a million different theological conclusions, but without the Holy Spirit, you'll never truly understand it. Mother Teresa said something to that effect a long time ago in an interview. It's the Living Word and impossible to explain to anyone who hasn't accepted the Holy Spirit.

I'm 100% certain my post will get blasted, argued, etc., however, I'm simply answering your question the best I can and I know beyond a shadow of doubt where I will be when this meat sack finally quits.

I wish ALL Christians could embrace this message:
 

What happens when you die?​


Hopefully there's a heaven and I go there.

A place where I can see past family and someday my children.
 
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It is important to see God as the Creator of the universe
and everything in it. God created human beings so that
we find our fulfillment in Him. To ignore God or think he
does not exist is foolish. As our Creator, He has a plan &
purpose in this life for each one of us.
As someone who has worked with the Florida Child Protection Teams for over two decades, I can attest his ‘plan & purpose’ for a lot of people sucks.
 
When you die, you die. That's it. Close the book, the story's over. So I'd rather make the story a great one instead of hoping the sequel is amazing.
 
@goldmom.....Yes, our earthly body has served its purpose
when we die. We can look forward to a glorified body in
heaven. No more aches and pain, no more disease & illness,
but a resurrected body which is perfect and eternal.
the Bible does teach that some people will go to Heaven . However according to several scriptures and Jesus himself, it will be a small number.
Revelation 7:4-And I heard the number of those who were sealed, 144,000, sealed out of every tribe of the sons of Israel:

And Revelation 14:1-Then I saw, and look! the Lamb standing on Mount Zion, and with him 144,000 who have his name and the name of his Father written on their foreheads
This relatively small group would have a unique privilege of ruling with Christ in heaven over the rest of faithful mankind. (Revelation 5:9,10)
This thought is confirmed by Jesus himself at Luke 12:32 where Jesus said” Have no fear LITTLE flock , for your Father has approved of giving you the Kingdom.”
After a description of this little flock he on to describe another group of people at John 10:16-“And I have other sheep, which are not of this fold; those too I must bring in, and they will listen to my voice, and they will become one flock, one shepherd.

This group would live on earth under paradise conditions , under the rule of Christ and that small number of heavenly rulers discussed earlier .
Revelation 7:9 describes this group -After this I saw, and look! a great crowd, which no man was able to number, out of all nations and tribes and peoples and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, dressed in white robes; and there were palm branches in their hands. 10 And they keep shouting with a loud voice, saying: “Salvation we owe to our God, who is seated on the throne, and to the Lamb.
13. In response one of the elders said to me: “These who are dressed in the white robes, who are they and where did they come from?” 14 So right away I said to him: “My lord, you are the one who knows.” And he said to me: “These are the ones who come out of the great tribulation, and they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. 15. That is why they are before the throne of God, and they are rendering him sacred service day and night in his temple; and the One seated on the throne will spread his tent over them. 16 They will hunger no more nor thirst anymore, neither will the sun beat down on them nor any scorching heat, 17 because the Lamb, who is in the midst of the throne, will shepherd them and will guide them to springs of waters of life. And God will wipe out every tear from their eyes.”

This unnumbered group will see the fulfillment of Revelation 21:3,4-With that I heard a loud voice from the throne say: “Look! The tent of God is with mankind, and he will reside with them, and they will be his people. And God himself will be with them. 4 And he will wipe out every tear from their eyes, and death will be no more, neither will mourning nor outcry nor pain be anymore. The former things have passed away.”

Religion in general has failed to teach people the truth about this and in fact has taught the unscriptural doctrine of the immortal soul and the teaching of hellfire. Neither is a Bible teaching .
Psalms 146:10; Ecclesiastes 9:5
Describes the true condition of the dead .
that doesn’t mean death is the end however. The Bible and Jesus himself said there will be a resurrection of the dead
John 5:28,29
Acts 24:15
And since there is no death in heaven the resurrection could only take place on earth . The same could be said of the elimination of pain, sickness and death. Since those things wouldn’t be part of Heaven it is logical to conclude those blessings will be for those on earth .
 
I don’t know, but I really like Albert brooks, rip torn, and Meryl Streep in defending your life.
 
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My mother worked hospice since it was hospice. Too many stories. She witnessed come back back from from heaven and hell. The hell shit Is scary. She had one patient that she had just taken care of her mother too and she stood above her in bed and just said thank you at four in the morning. Thought it had to be a dream. Came to work and was told that Vivian died at around four. She said I know. Happened twice the other time the person was at the end of her bed and thanked her. I had to live with haunted woman, it was creepy. I’d love to go into the hell shit, but it happened too much. No fire, just torture. She is a strong Catholic I’m sure her job made her stronger. She has no doubt of afterlife, she’ll still question religion. She’s read every book about it, but she should write her own. I know, I know and so did she that this was bullshit. Her sister bought her a psychic reading in Waverly she reluctantly went. First person was Vivian, the woman who’s mother died and called our house every night after then died shortly after from breast cancer. Vivian as usual couldn’t shut up. They call my mother the angel of death. I don’t want to know what she knows. The hell part. There’s good stories too, but who cares about those. She ran the hospice house for over twenty years. Think of that job.
Purgatory is a really big living room.
 
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