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).
