What happens when we die? This is one of the main reasons religions exists. We all want there to be something else when we are gone. When we lose a loved one, we hope we will one day get to see them again. I lost both of my parents a little over two years ago. When that happened I hoped and hoped there was a way that we would be together once again. I started wishing the religions were true. But no matter how much wishing, in my mind when we pass on we are gone. You have to remember one for the life they had here, and what they pass on to their next generation.
It is interesting to me that many of the Christian denominations have different theories of what happens when we die. All of them use the same scriptures to come up with their conclusions, yet it is hard to find any uniformity. Many believe in heaven and hell, but then they disagree on what determines which path you are on. Is it works, faith, combination? Can a murderer repent and then get his way into heaven? Does a baby who isn’t baptised go to heaven? Hell? Limbo? Do they grow up after they get there?
I often wondered why God would make the scriptures so vague that you don’t know for sure what you need to do to get into heaven. There is always that nagging doubt even with devout Christians. Am I doing enough? Do I need to witness more? Study more? What about that item I took from my mom when I was a kid? Is that forgiven? Am I going to hell anyway for that? Lots of guilt and pressure there that I would rather not subject my children to.
I am by no means an expert in any religion, but I have attended a wider range of churches than most, I would think. Here is a brief rundown of some basic beliefs about life after death of the more popular churches:
Catholics–Heaven, hell, and purgatory. Purgatory has some pagan roots, but don’t let that stand in the way of letting them tell you it’s from the Bible. Don’t forget it is a mortal sin to not baptize your baby since they have the original sin, lest they end up in limbo.
Many of the protestant churches are similar but a brief rundown on those I am familiar with:
Lutheran–I know from attending a Lutheran church in my youth that they believe in heaven and hell. I don’t recall a constant reminder of hell that I remember later after I switched to a Baptist church. They believe when you die a believer’s soul goes to heaven and eventually will be reunited with your body after the rapture. Lutherans also baptize babies (I was baptized), but I don’t recall limbo or purgatory.
Baptists–I attended a Baptist church with my best friend in my teen years. I recall a high pressure, you’re saved or damned type of attitude while I was there. I cannot say if all Baptist churches are this way, but reading a lot about them now convinces me it is much the same across the US. A lot of scare tactics and talking about fire and brimstone and everlasting punishment.
Methodists–I also attended both a Methodist and Church of the Nazarene church as a youth. I only attended a short time, probably six months, and I didn’t get near as involved with them as I did the other churches I attended. Neither of these really preached a heaven and hell. It was more of a “When you die you will be judged.” I remember thinking it was pretty vague. I don’t know if they are still that way today.
I have never attended any of the evangelical New Life type churches that seem much more popular today than in my youth, but perhaps I just don’t remember them. Most of them seem to follow the evangelical protestant protocol, if you are saved you go to heaven, if not you are tormented in hell. None of the churches I went to as a kid ever had a Christian rock band touring through, but that is another topic.
There are a number of other Christian spinoffs that go many ways, and according to religious tolerence there are currently more than 1,200 offshoots of Christianity, but the most popular and the ones I know a little about are these:
Mormon–I know very little of the Mormon church. I have never attended and never been close enough friends with a devout Mormon to get any input. From what I understand there are two levels of heaven, one for married couples married in a Mormon church, with the potential to become gods or goddesses. Individuals can make this upper level of heaven also but I am unsure of the specifics. There is also what I guess you would call an intermediate version of heaven, reserved for people that have lived good lives. And the third Telestial Kingdom for the wicked. Maybe I’ll get to hang out in the middle level. Or maybe not.
7th Day Adventists–I had a friend awhile back who was an adventist, so I know a little about them. They believe that when you die you are unconscious until Jesus returns and resurrects them and escalates them to heaven. Then there will be a 1000 year reign for Satan here on earth. After that all of the people in heaven will get to come back to earth, but only after all of the sinners are resurrected and sent with Satan into a fiery pit of sorts. There is no eternal torment, just burned to a crisp I guess. I always thought it would suck to be resurrected after 1000 years only to be burned back up. Just keep me in the ground.
Jehovah’s Witnesses–Obviously I know a little about this one. If you are a sinner or non-believer when you die, you just die. No hell. Nothing. Hey we agree on something. If you are righteous, (the JW’s don’t specifically rule out that other religions are not righteous, they definitely imply that they are not in their literature and in their meetings) you will be resurrected when Jesus comes back and enjoy a 1000 year paradise on earth. This includes all of those that have been dead for hundreds of years. I guess you get your old body back somehow. Hey, he is the creator, so surely he can get your body back.
If anyone knows more about the religions above or wants to discuss another branch please comment. Keep in mind I haven’t attended a protestant church in over 18 years so I am sure I have errors.
August 8, 2007 at 3:55 pm
The JW view about death spares one from certain logical cruelties.
Most religions, but not JWs, view earth as a launching pad from which to go either to heaven or hell. What do you say, then, when someone is launched who we were not ready to have launched? such as a child.
You’re stuck with the “God is picking flowers” illustration, and he wants the very best flowers for his garden. That’s why he took your child.
Can anything be crueler? Is this what they told Darwin when his favorite 10 year old daughter Annie died? It is said to be an absolutely crushing blow to his faith. Did it contribute to his irreligious views? Might it even have influenced the presenting of his theory?
The Bible, of course, nowhere uses the “picking flowers” analogy. It does however, use an analogy that runs parallel in every aspect but the conclusion. [David's reproof by Nathan; 2 Sam 12:1-6] Far from being lauded, the “flower picker” deserved to die.
August 8, 2007 at 4:59 pm
Yes, but JW’s seem to be one of the only religions that view the paradise on earth. Or at least they are one of the largest ones that do. I always thought that it was interesting how the 7th DA’s and JW’s kind of had similar beliefs as far as when you die but then they totally digress from each other.
Don’t JW’s also believe that after the 1000 year reign on earth that Jehovah will release Satan back on earth for awhile? I may have my religions crossed.
August 8, 2007 at 8:30 pm
I can understand your confusion but I would hate to see you give up and just accept that all there is , is a hole in the ground. Most of the confusion I personally believe comes from the fact that few really study the scriptures for themselves and accept what someone tells them. If you read as much as can be found about a particular subject the bible loses the vaqueness that most people claim that it has. If you get a chance please go to the above listed website and check out the bible study section. I have placed a lot of links from more learned people than myself that have researched this subject in detail. Take your time with bible in hand and then see if you don’t get a better perspective on this subject. Please take your time and let your own eyes see the scriptures.
August 8, 2007 at 9:04 pm
They do.
August 28, 2007 at 6:28 pm
I enjoyed this post… Informative and a good summary. I have a problem myself with all the different chirstian beliefs about heaven and hell – and not only chrsitians – but, what about all the other faiths and beliefs of the world? How can only one small group of people be “right” and the rest of us doomed? Makes no sense to me.
I’m also enjoying your blog. My parents were not nearly as good at dealing with their huge differences as you and your wife seem to be. Good to know it’s possible.
=).
smj
August 29, 2007 at 4:21 pm
smj–thank you. I am way behind on blogging, I have some incomplete posts that I will try and get up soon.
I doubt any marriage is perfect, and falling in love and marrying someone and then really comprehending (or trying to) their beliefs afterwards can be a trying experience. But like anything else in marriage, you have a choice, you can stand your ground and have a bad marriage and perhaps scar your children much more than believing/not believing in an afterlife, or you can work your way through it. We have chosen the latter, although with a number of bumps on the way.
November 30, 2007 at 3:41 am
Do any of you know that the present Pope is seriously contemplating the abolition of Limbo ? Stop me if I’m wrong, but Limbo has been around since the days of Augustine , who invented “Original Sin”, remember ? But I’m straying. What I want to say is that if a man can now
come along and declare that Limbo does not exist, then we must take it that Limbo was man-made in the first place. After all, I seriously doubt that any mortal can demolish something that was made by God. Of course, with the abolition of Limbo we will suddenly be confronted with the fate of all those unbaptised babies that, according to the Catholic Church, went to Limbo when they died. What will become of those little souls when their place of abode ceases to exist ? I guess the Church will come up with an answer in due course !!
In the above context, I believe we ought to be taking a closer look at Purgatory. I was brought up by Roman Catholic parents who taught me that anybody who dies must go to Purgatory, for some sort of cleansing operation , before he or she can enter Heaven.
And in order for them to get an early exit from Purgatory, we need to pray for them and to offer up masses in abundance. Each mass, of course, costs money — our money, not the clergy’s ! Incidentally, while talking with a Roman Catholic nun very recently, I brought up the subject of Purgatory and she laughed in my face. “Do you really believe that nonsense ?” she asked. Coming from a Catholic nun, her attitude was a surprise. But then, maybe she was actually projecting the face of a church which is coming to terms with the fact that Purgatory was a hoax to begin with ! Which doesn’t speak very highly of the infallibility of the Pope.
But to the point here — if Limbo has ceased to exist and, as I believe, Purgatory is likely to take the same route, can Hell be far behind ?
November 30, 2007 at 5:22 am
In my earlier comment I omitted to point out that the present Pope is doing yeoman service to all Christians by working for the unity of all churches. He is, of course, first approaching the Protestants. And this is probably why he is doing a rethink on Limbo and Purgatory. Keep in mind that Purgatory was a major issue during the Reformation , which saw some major cracks appearing in the Roman church. If he is to be successful in this move to unite the churches, he is going to have to make several changes in some otherwise rigid Catholic dogmas and attitudes. Limbo and Purgatory are sure to be among the first casualties. It’s too bad that all the parties concerned are in agreement when it comes to the reality of Hell !! Otherwise, Hell too would have to face abolition ! Is God listening ?
December 4, 2007 at 1:21 am
So Limbo may no longer exist ? In that case, and as a concerned parent, I would like to ask the Pope about the fate of two of my children — both having died “in sin” because they passed on without being baptised ! By saying they “died in sin” I am, ofcourse, referring to Original Sin — that blight on mankind which, I believe, was the brainchild of Augustine. But permit me to pause here to define “Original Sin”. According to the Catholic Church (I can’t honestly speak for other churches ), Original Sin is a stigma passed down from the days of Adam and Eve who ate the forbidden fruit, much to the consternation and wrath of God. Since then, according to the Church, every human baby that is born brings with him, or her, that mandatory stain on the soul known (thanks to Augustine) as “Original Sin”. To put it simply, unless a baby is baptised before he/she dies, the untimely death will result in the little soul being sent for eternity to this place called “Limbo”. Ghastly ? Augustine didn’t think so. In fact, he declared that such babies would actually go to hell to burn there for all eternity. However, somebody else (I forget who) came along with a more merciful heart to aver that such babies, in fact, went to this place he called “Limbo”.
But now Limbo is about to be abolished, and I am really worried about the fate of my two babies. The roof is being snatched from over their heads !! Who do I talk to about this ? God ? He’s not listening — probably because “Limbo” wasn’t His idea in the first place. Come to think of it, not much of what man does is His idea ! Of course, there’s always the Vatican — but how does one go about the task of talking seriously to a bunch of people who have aptly been described as “The Clowns Of God” ?
Actually, and jokes aside, I often wonder when all this crap (about Original Sin, Limbo and Purgatory) will be brought to an end. Meanwhile, and whether Augustine turns in his garve or not, I firmly believe that my two unbaptised babies went directly to Heaven (”suffer little children to come unto me”, remember ?). See ? It’s really very easy to put all that crap behind you !!