Should Christianity not worry so much about an afterlife?

[ericoh2]

I'm just trying to get some opinions as to how people feel on this topic. If you really look at Christian motivation as a whole I think that way too much emphasis is put on what will happen to you when you die. The fear of burning in Hell or the pleasure of getting into Heaven has become of so much importance to the religion that I believe that the real message has been lost. The point of selfless service and love is not to receive some award or avoid some punishment. If that is the motivation it is neither selfless nor true love. The statement of "Your will not my will be done" from The Bible directly addresses this topic. If we focus on what going to happen to us in the future how can we submit to His? I think the church should focus it's attention on encouraging acceptance to what we already have. If we would open our eyes we would see that everything is already beautiful beyond description, what more can we ask for? Thank you for all of your input in advance it is already greatly appreciated and my love goes out to all. Please be aware of how blessed this day is!!!

 

[Wandered Off]

Excessive afterlife emphasis devalues life here, IMO, and it's not limited to Christianity.

 

[Father Heathen]

The idea was authored as a means to manipulate and control the populous through promise of reward and thread of punishment that they never had to follow through on.

 

[Ringer]

I've never bought into the whole arugment that just because I'm a Christian I'm desensatized and care-free of stuff on earth. The way I see it, Christians should have some of the most fun and should be the most pleasant people on earth. Sure, we look forward to the day we go home but life is a gift and should be treated that way. In no way do a devalue my time right now nor do I think I'm a hinderance to society of anyone else because of where I'll be spending eternity. With that being said, the Bible does tell us to continually be mindful of heaven so that we don't lose sight of why we are on this earth and not to get too caught up with worldly concerns or problems. If anything, Christians do not think enough about life after death and are too focused on what's going to happen in their short life on the earth. When you are consciously living in view of eternity is when your life can make the biggest impact. Not only theistically speaking but secularly as well.

 

[Booko]

I always figured if I took care of this life any afterlife would take care of itself.

As a matter of strategy, however, I would like to point out how useless it is to appeal to atheists using the idea of an afterlife as some sort of carrot.

 

[Fluffy]

I do believe that motivation based on an after life is very dangerous but I don't think that being a Christian means you believe this and also this problem exists outside of Christianity.

I think the real problem is not over emphasis on the next life but the impact that this will have on the valuation of this life. It is really when people begin to believe that this life is relatively valueless that the potential for harm is created. Atheists suffer from this problem just as much as theists.

 

[uss_bigd]

I'm just trying to get some opinions as to how people feel on this topic. If you really look at Christian motivation as a whole I think that way too much emphasis is put on what will happen to you when you die. The fear of burning in Hell or the pleasure of getting into Heaven has become of so much importance to the religion that I believe that the real message has been lost. The point of selfless service and love is not to receive some award or avoid some punishment. If that is the motivation it is neither selfless nor true love. The statement of "Your will not my will be done" from The Bible directly addresses this topic. If we focus on what going to happen to us in the future how can we submit to His? I think the church should focus it's attention on encouraging acceptance to what we already have. If we would open our eyes we would see that everything is already beautiful beyond description, what more can we ask for? Thank you for all of your input in advance it is already greatly appreciated and my love goes out to all. Please be aware of how blessed this day is!!!

I feel a little bit of frustation from your post.

I will certainly yearn and long for this:
Revelation 7:16

'Never again will they hunger; never again will they thirst. The sun will not beat upon them, nor any scorching heat."

If we would open our eyes we would see that everything is already beautiful beyond description

I dont think so:

1 Corinthians 2:9
"But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.

 

[3.14]

who cares your dead then its not like you can file a complaint, "ye so after i died i got a hellfire view from my window and i would much rather have a room with angel corus view could you pleace change my room asap ps. someone stole the bath towels"

 

[Ashley-Yin]

I've never bought into the whole arugment that just because I'm a Christian I'm desensatized and care-free of stuff on earth. The way I see it, Christians should have some of the most fun and should be the most pleasant people on earth. Sure, we look forward to the day we go home but life is a gift and should be treated that way. In no way do a devalue my time right now nor do I think I'm a hinderance to society of anyone else because of where I'll be spending eternity. With that being said, the Bible does tell us to continually be mindful of heaven so that we don't lose sight of why we are on this earth and not to get too caught up with worldly concerns or problems. If anything, Christians do not think enough about life after death and are too focused on what's going to happen in their short life on the earth. When you are consciously living in view of eternity is when your life can make the biggest impact. Not only theistically speaking but secularly as well.

why arent they the most pleasant people on earth?
because they unlike Buddhists, the Harikrishna and other such people they do not live with peace in their hearts they dont have the understanding that biengs are happiest when treated equally, have equal rights etc.

 

[ericoh2]

I do believe that motivation based on an after life is very dangerous but I don't think that being a Christian means you believe this and also this problem exists outside of Christianity.

I think the real problem is not over emphasis on the next life but the impact that this will have on the valuation of this life. It is really when people begin to believe that this life is relatively valueless that the potential for harm is created. Atheists suffer from this problem just as much as theists.

You're exactly right I do believe that there are many Christian that do not have this particular view and this is also something that most likely occurs in other religions as well. I was just saying brining this topic up as something that appears to occur more than it probably should. Thank you for the reply.

 

[ericoh2]

I feel a little bit of frustation from your post.

I will certainly yearn and long for this:
Revelation 7:16

'Never again will they hunger; never again will they thirst. The sun will not beat upon them, nor any scorching heat."




I dont think so:
1 Corinthians 2:9
"But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.

Luke 17:20-21
Once, having been asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, Jesus replied, "The kingdom of God does not come with your careful observation, nor will people say, 'Here it is,' or 'There it is,' because the kingdom of God is within you."

Thank you for your reply . We can certainly quote scripture to support many different claims and I'm not trying to say who's right or who's wrong with anything. My point is that I feel Christianity should focus on the here and now. I want to encourage folks to leave the future up to God and be content with what we already have because it is a very great blessing to be here. And I'm sorry if I caused you any frustration.

 

[texan1]

I'm just trying to get some opinions as to how people feel on this topic. If you really look at Christian motivation as a whole I think that way too much emphasis is put on what will happen to you when you die. The fear of burning in Hell or the pleasure of getting into Heaven has become of so much importance to the religion that I believe that the real message has been lost. The point of selfless service and love is not to receive some award or avoid some punishment. If that is the motivation it is neither selfless nor true love. The statement of "Your will not my will be done" from The Bible directly addresses this topic. If we focus on what going to happen to us in the future how can we submit to His? I think the church should focus it's attention on encouraging acceptance to what we already have. If we would open our eyes we would see that everything is already beautiful beyond description, what more can we ask for? Thank you for all of your input in advance it is already greatly appreciated and my love goes out to all. Please be aware of how blessed this day is!!!

Some people are motivated by the idea of an afterlife, but I agree it shouldn't be such a focus.

I get a little bothered when people start worrying too much about other people's afterlife. For example, there are people who believe that certain behaviors and/or lifestyles are sinful and judge people harshly for it, or feel it is their mission to "convert" someone in order to "save them from Hell." It seems like that should be God's domain. Why is it anyone's job here on Earth to determine God's judgement of someone else, ya know?

 

[logician]

I'm just trying to get some opinions as to how people feel on this topic. If you really look at Christian motivation as a whole I think that way too much emphasis is put on what will happen to you when you die. The fear of burning in Hell or the pleasure of getting into Heaven has become of so much importance to the religion that I believe that the real message has been lost. The point of selfless service and love is not to receive some award or avoid some punishment. If that is the motivation it is neither selfless nor true love. The statement of "Your will not my will be done" from The Bible directly addresses this topic. If we focus on what going to happen to us in the future how can we submit to His? I think the church should focus it's attention on encouraging acceptance to what we already have. If we would open our eyes we would see that everything is already beautiful beyond description, what more can we ask for? Thank you for all of your input in advance it is already greatly appreciated and my love goes out to all. Please be aware of how blessed this day is!!!

Walk into almost any Christian church service on Sunday and you will most definitely hear promises of an afterlife, along with songs reitierating that prmoise. Yes, there is very much emphasis put on the afterlife in any Christian church.

 

[Scarlett Wampus]

Um, I find it difficult to imagine not worrying about the afterlife if I believed that, not living a good Christian life, I could spend eternity in Hell, or having lived a good Christian life, I could join God in Heaven.

Maybe part of living an a good Christian life is also not trying to guess how you'll be judged but then the stakes are fairly extreme, aren't they.

 

[Scarlett Wampus]

Why is it anyone's job here on Earth to determine God's judgement of someone else, ya know?

If you believed people would go to Hell for their sins unless they were saved it would be fairly difficult to keep your mouth shut if you cared about them. Feeling that this should be God's domain so not saying anything on those grounds, well wouldn't you feel fairly powerless & gloomy?

 

[texan1]

If you believed people would go to Hell for their sins unless they were saved it would be fairly difficult to keep your mouth shut if you cared about them. Feeling that this should be God's domain so not saying anything on those grounds, well wouldn't you feel fairly powerless & gloomy?

Yes, good point. I thought about that after I posted it.

But there are also those who seem to use the Bible to judge others (like homosexuals for example) and love to preach about how they are doomed to Hell. Those type of folks don't seem to have any good intentions. I wish they would leave people alone and let God worry about all that.

 

[logician]

Yes, good point. I thought about that after I posted it.

But there are also those who seem to use the Bible to judge others (like homosexuals for example) and love to preach about how they are doomed to Hell. Those type of folks don't seem to have any good intentions. I wish they would leave people alone and let God worry about all that.

What's the old saying, "the road to "hell" is paved with good intentions".

 

[ericoh2]

Yes, I agree that a lot of times people really feel that they're helping others avoid Hell and find a path to Heaven in the Christian community. It may very well be with the greatest intentions, my point was that if you bring a reward or fear into the equation I feel it becomes impossible to express true love and selfless service. Even if we knew for a fact that we were going to burn in Hell or cease to exist it should not change our lifestyle of practicing love. True love and true selfless service are completely indifferent to any type of reward or punishment. Thanks there are many great replies so far.

 

[Scarlett Wampus]

ericoh2 perhaps reward or fear shouldn't interfere with the expression of true love and selfless service, but if its been let on that we will be judged its an odd situation to be in since only the most pious or deluded would feel they had nothing more than they could already expect to gain from being judged.

I'm limited by using my imagination here because I'm not Christian and don't believe in a Christian God or Heaven and Hell as afterlife. Even still if I did I think I'd be one of the worriers.

 

[9-10ths_Penguin]

Walk into almost any Christian church service on Sunday and you will most definitely hear promises of an afterlife, along with songs reitierating that prmoise. Yes, there is very much emphasis put on the afterlife in any Christian church.

Some. Not "any".

The Quakers tend to de-emphasize the afterlife. They're probably the most famous example of this in Christianity, but I'm sure there are others.