I think that a human spirit's experience in the afterlife is influenced by the religious beliefs they held while alive, but that won't necessarily be a positive influence. I think it will depend upon what religious beliefs they held and particularly how rigidly they held them. I tend to believe what the book The Afterlife Revealed says about the afterlife in that regard. I think that many religious people might become 'stuck' in the religious beliefs they held while on earth and that could hold them back and keep them from progressing to higher levels of understanding.
"A century earlier, Andrew Jackson Davis reported that many souls continue to subscribe to the same religious beliefs they held in the physical world. He referred to this sphere, or section of he sphere, as Altolissa. "Jews still believe in the doctrine of their fathers -- Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; Roman Catholics hold the same views they did before death; and there are other sects in Altolissa who think and believe in the same things and forms of faith they learned on earth," he stated, adding that they are so far below the 'higher planes' that this is required in order to make them feel 'at home.' However, all eventually evolve toward a single understanding of spirit."
(The Afterlife Revealed, p. 118)
I do not believe that anyone will 'find God' in the afterlife (spiritual world). That is based upon what the Baha'i Writings say, that we will always have to relate to God through His Messengers, but the book The Afterlife Revealed also seems to indicate that we will never 'see God' even in the seventh sphere, which is the highest sphere. Elsewhere the book says that we continue to advance within the seventh sphere, but whether we see God or not is not stated.
"And while she had never been to the fifth, sixth, and seventh spheres, she had been told about them. Each one was more magnificent than the sphere below it. The fifth sphere, she was informed, has lovely villas, beautiful temples, forest-crowned hills, and gently undulating pains. She said that she could not begin to describe the sixth and seventh spheres, as her vocabulary was too limited to give a just conception of them. Among the residents of the seventh sphere, she had been informed, were Jesus of Nazareth, John the beloved, Confucius, Seneca, Plato, Socrates, and Solon."
(The Afterlife Revealed, p. 113)
It is no small wonder as to why spirits are asking you those questions. Obviously, they had a religious background so they are expecting to 'see' what was promised to them in their scriptures. This is very sad. Baha'is are not promised anything in the afterlife except 'a safe return to God.' I do not know exactly what that means but it does not mean they will actually see God. However, it is possible that some Baha'is might interpret the scriptures that way and be disappointed when they don't see God.
Well, according to The Afterlife Revealed, Jesus is in the highest heaven, the seventh sphere, and few people will be in that sphere. Most people will be in the second or third spheres when they die, so they won't be seeing Jesus.
I fully agree. I think that such false expectations are partly because the Bible is not fully accurate, but also because Christians have misinterpreted their scriptures, and also because no scriptures can adequately depict what the afterlife will be like. At least the Baha'i scriptures acknowledge that.
“The nature of the soul after death can never be described, nor is it meet and permissible to reveal its whole character to the eyes of men.” Gleanings, p. 156
“The world beyond is as different from this world as this world is different from that of the child while still in the womb of its mother. When the soul attaineth the Presence of God, it will assume the form that best befitteth its immortality and is worthy of its celestial habitation.” Gleanings, p. 157
Attaining the Presence of God does not mean we will 'see God." it only means we will be closer to God, whatever that means! I believe we will be closer to God in the spiritual world because there won't be any material things that intervene between us and God, things most people are attached in this world. I think that attachment to these material things is one reason there are earthbound spirits, although they might be earthbound for other reasons as well, such as unfinished business.