I know many have different views about life after death. I'm interested to know what others think about this topic. My perspective on this topic is that there is life after death but that is when the Lord comes and resurrects those that are faithful to Him. Please, point out your opinions objectively.
I believe we have a life after this one that is just as real and corporeal as this one is. I also believe we will meet all of those who have gone on before us and see people we have always read about and dreamed about. I sometimes long for the peacefulness of that world but I can wait until I am called. I just would love to be stress free but then I think of leaving my loved ones here and I would rather stay.
The after party. I believe something similar. I believe that the lord is going to return. How he resurrects us, or brings us "home" still remains to be seen as far as I'm concerned. I've attended many a church service in my day; Catholic mass, protestant, methodist, pentecostal, etc. all seem to have different "takes" on how it will happen and in what order. Regardless I think the main point to be taken from any of these denominational views is that HE WILL RETURN. When? Man I hope not for a while. I'm all for heaven, leavin' the aches and pains of a disease behind, not punching a time clock on a daily basis so my family can eat. Yup can do with out all that. However there is a second side to this coin. The ying can't exist without the yang, you couldn't understand dark without being able to reference the light, much like good doesn't exist without evil. As much as the lord is coming back, the devil is ALREADY here. He's been here longer than any of the history books one will read in school notate. He's been given the authority to temp, and man does he. So yes there is an afterlife, I'd bet mine on it, (might have to someday) but there is more than 1 destination. This is what drives me daily. Not the fear of hell, but the promise of heaven. That is what motivates me to find the energy to say hello to someone when I'M having a bad day, the constitution to put others before myself ( as much as possible, but come on man,.......I'm human.) Clearly I've gone off on a tangent, (you'll have that) but I think we all get the idea. It's WHAT you do in THIS life that determines your eternal mailing address. So as Jerry Springer would say; "Take care of yourselves, and each other"...........could never understand that coming from the king day time smut. lol I could probably go on for another hour about this, but..........who'd read it? It is nice though to find topics like these to talk about (real life topics), topics that will actually effect us for the rest of our "afterlives".
To be honest I consider to believe in reincarnation theory, according to which someone will be reborn in a certain form of life based on his deed in the current life. I still speculate about this though.
I can do well with the reincarnation theory to a point, what happens if the life I go into next ends up being the complete oppisite of the life I have now. If its better or worse I am still thrilled to know there is something, there can never be nothing, right?
In the Phaedo by Plato, Socrates states that with death he will either live with the kings and heroes of the past, or sleep a peaceful endless sleep. Quite moving.
Very beautiful , thanks for posting . As for life after death , I am a firm believer in the rainbow bridge . Not sure if anyone is familiar with this , it is the place where our beloved pets wait for us and when we pass on they join us and we cross over to the other side together . I know they say animals do not have souls and therefore cannot go to heaven but I can not see how a creature such as a dog who can love you so unconditionally , look at you with such expressive eyes , be more loyal than most humans and stand by your side without judgement of your status in the world and protect you with their life could have no soul .
No, I am not familiar to that but it sounds interesting. What if you have no pet in your life? Though, I agree with you that pets and other animals deserves the ultimate happiness you will enjoy in the end of (and during) your journey.
In my youth I favoured reincarnation because a human life span just seemed so short in comparison to the life of the planet. It made sense that we could keep being reborn. Now I'm not so sure of anything.
Then you cross over on your own OR you may be joined by one who sat alone , unwanted and unloved in some pound/shelter and was put to sleep , but if you have love in your heart for those dogs or cats who have been cast aside by humans as if they were nothing but trash , then they will be more than happy to join you when you cross over (sad, no?). The Rainbow Bridge is based on an old Norse legend . Here's a poem that explains it better ........... By the edge of a woods, at the foot of a hill, Is a lush, green meadow where time stands still. Where the friends of man and woman do run, When their time on earth is over and done. For here, between this world and the next, Is a place where each beloved creature finds rest. On this golden land, they wait and they play, Till the Rainbow Bridge they cross over one day. No more do they suffer, in pain or in sadness, For here they are whole, their lives filled with gladness. Their limbs are restored, their health renewed, Their bodies have healed, with strength imbued. They romp through the grass, without even a care, Until one day they start, and sniff at the air. All ears prick forward, eyes dart front and back, Then all of a sudden, one breaks from the pack. For just at that instant, their eyes have met; Together again, both person and pet. So they run to each other, these friends from long past, The time of their parting is over at last. The sadness they felt while they were apart, Has turned into joy once more in each heart. They embrace with a love that will last forever, And then, side-by-side, they cross over… together.
Personally, I have always thought there was a place where pets go when they die. I agree with Ashlar, how could you look into the eyes of an animal that shows so much unconditional love and not think they have a soul?
