It is hard to have patience with people who say "There is no death" or "Death doesn't matter." There is death. And whatever is matters. And whatever happens has consequences, and it and they are irrevocable and irreversible. You might as well say that birth doesn't matter. -- C. S. Lewis
I think I can understand why people would want to believe in the innate immortality of the soul. It is a comforting thought to think that I'll never die. The truth is, I will die. People die all the time. But what is more comforting to me is that the "souls" of the dead are not now being tortured somewhere by some arbitrary deity that says: You better love me, or burn!
What distresses me is how many people actually want such a deity... How many people finds pleasure in the idea of people being tortured throughout eternity. Some years back I helped my brother, whom is a theologian, with a series of Bible seminars. During this series he clearly showed how the Bible does not teach the orthodox idea of God torturing people throughout eternity. I was shocked at how many people were angry at hearing this. There must be so much anger and hatred and self-righteousness that people would find pleasure in the idea of others suffering (and of course, themselves escaping such a penalty).
4 comments:
How interesting that you would post on this subject today. Yesterday I had a conversation with my mother and got the whole fire and brimstone thing. She firmly believes that I will burn in hell if I don't mend my ways and start following the righteous path (meaning go to church and date within my (her) culture).
What gets me is the arrogance of these people, presuming to know exactly how God judges and how He/She will reason and mete out punishment.
judge not lest ye be judged, right?
my husband had some interesting thoughts on this:
he said that one should not concern yourself with the judgement of people on earth. they don't know your mind, your history, or your motivation for the choices you make as God does.
that said, God said you must honour your parents, elders, etc.
so, even if you don't agree with what they have to say, or how they handle your choices, it would be wise to nod and smile, but keep what they dislike out of their daily life.
stand up for yourself, but don't force it down others' throats.
Prophet, surely, the death you speak of, is more of a physical death. so, i suppose, physical death matters.
spiritual death matters even more...
MJ: Your mom is probably really concerned about your salvation. Within her paradigm you are on your way to hell and it breaks her heart that her child should be tortured throughout eternity.
Within my paradigm people go to hell too – which is separation from God whom is the Source of Life and Sustainer of all things. In other words, they cease to exist. (If we don’t like God, God will not force his gifts, i.e. life, substance, etc., on to us.) And even this is a terrible thought to me that some of my loved ones might cease to exist. I’ve cried about this before.
But as you alluded to and MorbidNeko’s husband so rightly put – who are we to know how God will judge our understanding of Truth?
From revelation (Scripture) we can get a good idea of what God’s requirements are, but we cannot pretend that we know how other people understand such requirements. Only God knows that.
Good luck with the inter-cultural relationship. It is often more of an issue for the families that for the couple.
MN: Jesus said that it is possible to be physically alive, but spiritually dead! Interesting and scary thought.
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