Why Would God Wait? (punishment, Earth, salvation, hell, church)

[Lightkeeper]

Why would God wait until after death to judge, punish or reward us? Why not do these things while we are alive? Do the concepts of hell and salvation give the church purpose? Does the church have a purpose without these concepts?

[painted wolf]

the idea of an afterlife keeps you submissive and behaving in the current life.
You are willing to go through just about anything for the promice of an eternal reward after you die.
Funny how you have to wait to die before you get anything good.

On the flip side you are willing to not just do whatever you want for fear of eternal punnishment.
Funny how 'god' is willing to punnish you eternally for a few ephemeral mistakes in this life.

wa:do

[No*s]

Originally Posted by Lightkeeper

Why would God wait until after death to judge, punish or reward us? Why not do these things while we are alive? Do the concepts of hell and salvation give the church purpose? Does the church have a purpose without these concepts?

I don't know. I believe eternal punishment and life begin here, but I don't know why it's set up the way it is.

[huajiro]

Have you ever had a friend that you totally trusted from the beginning? You felt really bad when they used you....after that you don't open up completely.....maybe he/she doesn't trust us as much as he/she did, and therefore wants to wait until we have completely proven ourselves.

[Fluffy]

Why would God wait until after death to judge, punish or reward us? Why not do these things while we are alive? Do the concepts of hell and salvation give the church purpose? Does the church have a purpose without these concepts?

I assume by "God" you are referring to the Judeo-Christian god so I will try and answer from a Judeo-Christian perspective. Since God is omniscient then he probably already has judged you before you even came into existence. He just doesn't tell you until after you die. However, if you put it this way then it makes a person feel like all he can do is cross his fingers and hope that you do lead a good life rather than actually going out and leading one.

The purpose of life is not clear and Church is there to help us to lead a good one. Our reward or punishment at the end of life could be completely irrelevant to life's actual purpose. Therefore the Church could be there to help us to lead good lives and therefore is independent of whether there is or isn't an afterlife.

[robtex]

I remember reading an essay a long long time ago ...and I will never be able to find the article again in cyberspace but it talked about this. It was written by an atheist who called Heaven part of the "carrot and the stick."

In the essay the author pointed out that in the OT God was vengful, jealous, murderous and cruel but in the NT he sends his son to salvage mankind. The carrot and stick analogy says that the structure of Christianity is offering the carrot (JC) in exchange for certain behaviors but wacking with the stick when outside the accepted behavior.

The author speculated that the worshiper was easier to control by the church in older times by having a negative affect for undesired actions as well as a positive. In the analogy if man tried to obtain the carrot by non sanctioned means he was bopped with the stick..non sanction being meathods other than accepting salvation through Christ. Within the framework of the carrot and stick analogy life on earth is like a purgatory hell is the stick and heaven the carrot.

[jewscout]

Originally Posted by Lightkeeper

Why would God wait until after death to judge, punish or reward us? Why not do these things while we are alive? Do the concepts of hell and salvation give the church purpose? Does the church have a purpose without these concepts?

For me, G-d does judges us during the Days of Awe to determine how the next year will be for us http://www.jewfaq.org/holiday3.htm
He also judges when you die as well. The point is there is always time to fix things and make right those things that are wrong.

[huajiro]

Originally Posted by Fluffy

I assume by "God" you are referring to the Judeo-Christian god so I will try and answer from a Judeo-Christian perspective. Since God is omniscient then he probably already has judged you before you even came into existence. He just doesn't tell you until after you die. However, if you put it this way then it makes a person feel like all he can do is cross his fingers and hope that you do lead a good life rather than actually going out and leading one.

The purpose of life is not clear and Church is there to help us to lead a good one. Our reward or punishment at the end of life could be completely irrelevant to life's actual purpose. Therefore the Church could be there to help us to lead good lives and therefore is independent of whether there is or isn't an afterlife.

When I refer to God....I don't refer to a specific entity, as I don't know him/her yet....I speak in very general terms.

[EUCHARIST]

First Christ is Lord of eternal Life. Full right to pass definitive judgment on the works and hearts of men belongs to him as redeemer of the world. He "aquired" this right by the cross. The Father has given "all judgments to the son". Yet the son did not come to Judge, but to save and give the life he has in himself. by rejecting graces in his life, one already judges oneself, receives according to one's works, and can even condemn oneself for all eternity y rejecting the Spirit of love

As sacrament, the Catholic Church is Christ's instrument. "She is taken up by hime also as the instrument for the salvation os all," "the Universal sacrament of salvation," by which Christ is "at once manifesting and actualizing the mystery os God's love for men." beacause God desire's "that the wholehuman race may become one People of God, form one body of Christ, and be built up into one temple of the Holy spirit."

Hell is the consquence of the continual rejection of God. the affirmations of Sacred Scrpture and the teaching of the Catholic Church on the subject of hell are a CALL TO THE RESPONSIBILITY incumbent upon man to make use of his freedom in view of his eternal destiny. they are at the same time an urgent CALL TO CONVERSION: "enter by the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is easy, that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many . For the gateis narrow and the way is hard, that leads to life, and thosewho find it are few."

so to answer your questions:

1. Well since we dont know the hour od day or nothing when were ganna die its easier for God. Plus u know were here on earth to follow God and know God and strive to be like Christ.... He gives an Opportunity to be judge the right way or the bad way.

2. number 1 answers this to.

3.Yes, the Catholic church purpose is to give a choice (free will) so.... ask your question again....

4.The Catholic church has namy purposes just ask me.....

[Scuba Pete]

Why would God wait until after death to judge, punish or reward us?

He doesn't. I have been blessed beyond measure already. Those who choose heaven have some of it right here. Those who choose hell, have it here as well.