That neabs Orthodox Televangelists have to make a choice: do they emphasize the torment of Hell, and try to play that as long as possible? Or do they emphasize the End Times, in which case you could probably sit out a week in Hell and join the rest of us? They can't do both like ours.
Wow. . .I had it all discombobulated into one "reconciled" thinking. . .believer dies, go to heaven then once the apocalypse happens, they all get resurrected to live in the new Kingdom of Heaven.
Either which way, though, it all sounds rather complicated and better as a metaphor, at least the resurrection part is. Resurrection as a sense of growth and identity rebirth, type of thing.
Lex it sounds like your thinking is a bit similar to the Orthodox belief... the only thing is the image of a soul sitting comfortably around heaven and then SHWOOP! back in a body, time to go to the Kingdom of Heaven...
Yeah, I always figured it would be weird to die, wait around underground or nowhere in particular for decades, centuries, millenia then SCHWOOP! back in a body, space and time. At least, with heaven, people go to a waiting room instead of waiting NOWHERE.
But I'm something of an agnostic Gaian pagan or something. I remember reading something that someone said about dying, decomposing and becoming part of something else (plural). That really does sound more like sense to me.
But I'm kind of Roman, in the sense that I still like to pay my respects to the other God(s), just in case. I'm cool with Jesus (or is it Jebus? -- which I think even Jesus would find funny, even if EB doesn't).
WARNING: OODLES OF BLASPHEMY AHEAD, ABSOLUTE BUCKETS.
So you have heaven, which is the apres vis, followed by the Kingdom of Heaven, which is the 4 star golf course plus gated community of Jehovah on Earth. Jesus is MC, and I don't know whether the apostles, saints, or the prophets are the stage acts, kitchen help, or grounds keepers. Probably depends on your sect. Just remember to bring your cross, because nothing says "I'm on your side" to Jesus like waving around the thing he was nailed to at the peak of his suffering. Those of you sporting the fish symbols may have an easier time of this.
Or you have nirvana, which is complete understanding, which is different from enlightenment. Nirvana being internal, enlightenment comes from an external source. This is your only way off the wheel of re-incarnation. Otherwise you have another trip back here.
Or you have 72 virgins, who will do to your shameful naughty bits all the things you weren't allowed to do while you were living. I don't know what comes after that aside from a course of milk and honey. But I feel its a punishment, not a blessing. Virgins are whiny. Milk and Honey is hardly the meal of seduction. For the ladies, I guess you get your virginity back, and 71 close friends with whom to entertain your new husband.
Or you have the Ragnarok, or the Elysian Fields, where you get to fight with the GODS at endtimes, forever. Like World of Warcraft, but wiithout the subscription fees ( or are there?)
Or you have wormfood, munch munch munch. Followed by being dead a long time. Not that you will notice.
Or you could just face the fact that you don't know and any contemplation of the afterlife is a distraction from this life. The only certainty you have is that this one will end. A semi-certainty is that someone will try to get you to behave a certain way by telling you how great it will be when you are dead. I tend not to trust people who are trying to convince that my death is in my best interest.
Cue the WILLIAM SHATNER music, kirkles!
I find it difficult to reconcile idea of bodily ressurection with what I understand of Christianity. Heck, I find everything Paulian to be just gaudy and political, and difficult to reconcile with what I understand about Christ. I take the most comfort in the book of Matthew. Parts of it that frustrated me when I was younger I can see plainly now.
My condolences on the loss of your Grand Uncle, Kirk. I read the comments and posted my rant above before I read the original post, and now feel rather slimy. (Is there a retract button anywhere around here?)
Hey EB, I think your rant works within the conversation in this box.
But yeah, personally, I like to focus on this Earthly life and making it better for the world, personally. If it means going to Limbo rather than Heaven, I'm fine with it. Some interesting minds there that could me to hyperfocus me into an interesting place of near-eternal contemplation.
But then again, that's if Limbo exists. . ..