The end of the beginning...

[Riven]

Suppose for a moment that there is no afterlife. As a Christian, would you prefer to live forever here on earth, as opposed to dying and being dead forever?

Or do you want to live out your life and accept that your existence is finite? In a way, it almost gives it more of a personal meaning. Because you're only here once and there's only ever going to be one of you.

What changes would you make in your own life? Would you still care about morality? Would you take greater risks? Or lesser risk because life is so precious?

 

[Angelina]

Suppose for a moment that there is no afterlife. As a Christian, would you prefer to live forever here on earth, as opposed to dying and being dead forever?

Hmm...
This is a difficult question because it presumes that the believer knows that there is no afterlife prior to being born. The choice then is life as opposed to not being born at all. Am I understanding this correctly @Riven?

Or do you want to live out your life and accept that your existence is finite? In a way, it almost gives it more of a personal meaning. Because you're only here once and there's only ever going to be one of you.

IMHO I would still choose life because as human beings we would always try to find meaning and purpose for our existence. That desire for life is built into our DNA.

What changes would you make in your own life? Would you still care about morality? Would you take greater risks? Or lesser risk because life is so precious?

I wouldn't make any changes and of course I would care about morality because at the end of the day, we are still believers and if half the promises don't exist, I would still choose what the lord has for me to do in this life rather than, never been born at all.

 

[Riven]

Hmm...
This is a difficult question because it presumes that the believer knows that there is no afterlife prior to being born. The choice then is life as opposed to not being born at all. Am I understanding this correctly @Riven?

What if the believer discovers this on their own? For example, say they have a near death experience and don't see heaven, angels, Jesus, etc, during the experience.

IMHO I would still choose life because as human beings we would always try to find meaning and purpose for our existence. That desire for life is built into our DNA.

You would choose to live here on earth forever?

I wouldn't make any changes and of course I would care about morality because at the end of the day, we are still believers and if half the promises don't exist, I would still choose what the lord has for me to do in this life rather than, never been born at all.

But if morality has no significance in the grand scheme of things, doesn't good and bad inevitably become the mere opinion of other human beings if God isn't there to be the objective standard for morality?

 

[PS95]

Suppose for a moment that there is no afterlife. As a Christian, would you prefer to live forever here on earth, as opposed to dying and being dead forever?

Or do you want to live out your life and accept that your existence is finite? In a way, it almost gives it more of a personal meaning. Because you're only here once and there's only ever going to be one of you.

What changes would you make in your own life? Would you still care about morality? Would you take greater risks? Or lesser risk because life is so precious?

Live forever on this earth the way it is now?
No. I would rather die and be dead forever if that meant just unconscious sleep.
Would I still care about morality? Yes. It's built into me now.
Take greater risks? Probably not.

 

[Debp]

Suppose for a moment that there is no afterlife. As a Christian, would you prefer to live forever here on earth, as opposed to dying and being dead forever?

You are still young I see....37. Once you are older and have seen the ravages of old age...and seen death first hand, your thoughts might change.

My mom died last year at 94 years old. I took care of her until the end at our apartment. It wasn't pretty after she had hip surgery...never to rise again out of her bed and having diapers changed (by me). Just laying there unable to do anything....not even sit up without me struggling to help her up. Not able to eat anymore... eating less and finally not eating at all. Drinking little water.

Mom was also very hard of hearing even with hearing aids. But after the surgery, she became totally deaf. So just laying there till the end, can't do anything, can't hear anything for three and a half months.

She went on hospice at our apartment and died nine days later. Have you ever seen a dead body that was ravaged by old age? I have so that's why I pray the Lord might take me in my sleep when it's my time to go.

Mom was a Christian so that is a great comfort to me. Also, she was a nice, kind person...never a complaint from her. Even at the end of her life.

 

[Riven]

You are still young I see....37. Once you are older and have seen the ravages of old age...and seen death first hand, your thoughts might change.

My mom died last year at 94 years old. I took care of her until the end at our apartment. It wasn't pretty after she had hip surgery...never to rise again out of her bed and having diapers changed (by me). Just laying there unable to do anything....not even sit up without me struggling to help her up. Not able to eat anymore... eating less and finally not eating at all. Drinking little water.

Mom was also very hard of hearing even with hearing aids. But after the surgery, she became totally deaf. So just laying there till the end, can't do anything, can't hear anything for three and a half months.

She went on hospice at our apartment and died nine days later. Have you ever seen a dead body that was ravaged by old age? I have so that's why I pray the Lord might take me in my sleep when it's my time to go.

Mom was a Christian so that is a great comfort to me. Also, she was a nice, kind person...never a complaint from her. Even at the end of her life.

I'm sorry for your loss. But you assume too much just because I am young. Yes, I have seen death up close. I first experienced it at the age of ten when my two year old brother died.

 

[PS95]

I'm sorry for your loss. But you assume too much just because I am young. Yes, I have seen death up close. I first experienced it at the age of ten when my two year old brother died.

Riven, you've spoken before about the death of your brother. I'm so sorry you had to experience that. I also lost someone close to me at a young age but I was 23. Did your brother die in some sort of an accident? If you don't want to talk about it that's ok too.

 

[Riven]

Riven, you've spoken before about the death of your brother. I'm so sorry you had to experience that. I also lost someone close to me at a young age but I was 23. Did your brother die in some sort of an accident? If you don't want to talk about it that's ok too.

Yes, it was as accident.

 

[PS95]

Yes, it was as accident.

I'm sorry. Did you feel responsible for that in some way, Riven?

 

[Debp]

I'm sorry. Did you feel responsible for that in some way, Riven?

Sorry @Riven for your loss.

Could your brother passing at a young age be part of the reason you are having a hard time believing in the Lord?

 

[Riven]

I'm sorry. Did you feel responsible for that in some way, Riven?

Only in the sense that I was the older brother.

Sorry @Riven for your loss.

Could your brother passing at a young age be part of the reason you are having a hard time believing in the Lord?

It's a significant part. You don't go through something like that and not think differently after.

 

[soberxp]

Suppose for a moment that there is no afterlife. As a Christian, would you prefer to live forever here on earth, as opposed to dying and being dead forever?

Or do you want to live out your life and accept that your existence is finite? In a way, it almost gives it more of a personal meaning. Because you're only here once and there's only ever going to be one of you.

What changes would you make in your own life? Would you still care about morality? Would you take greater risks? Or lesser risk because life is so precious?

Dead as sleeping in three days.
No different than sleeping.

So I will live everyday for my dream of life, cuz in that sleeping will no dream in dead.

 

[PS95]

Only in the sense that I was the older brother.

Being older carried some responsibility for what happened? Did you ever feel like maybe you should have done something that you didn't at the time?
I did. My husband drowned. I couldn't help fast enough.

It's a significant part. You don't go through something like that and not think differently after.

For sure.

 

[amigo de christo]

Dead as sleeping in three days.
No different than sleeping.

So I will live everyday for my dream of life, cuz in that sleeping will no dream in dead.

what is your dream of life my friend .

 

[Matthias]

“The end of the beginning” can be either a good thing or a bad thing.

 

[Riven]

Being older carried some responsibility for what happened? Did you ever feel like maybe you should have done something that you didn't at the time?
I did. My husband drowned. I couldn't help fast enough.

No. There was nothing I could do. But when you're an older brother, you feel responsible in a weird way.

“The end of the beginning” can be either a good thing or a bad thing.

I guess it depends on your point of view. If there's nothing after death, none of us will be aware to suffer.

 

[Lambano]

What changes would you make in your own life? Would you still care about morality? Would you take greater risks? Or lesser risk because life is so precious?

What makes for a good life well-lived? What makes the pain worthwhile?

For what it's worth, it was worth it all the while.

 

[Matthias]

I guess it depends on your point of view. If there's nothing after death, none of us will be aware to suffer.

There is something after death -> bodily resurrection. Jesus of Nazareth is the first.

There is also something after bodily resurrection -> for those who belong to the Messiah, the life of the age to come.

There is also something after bodily resurrection -> for those who do not belong to the Messiah, judgment.

 

[JustMe]

Suppose for a moment that there is no afterlife. As a Christian, would you prefer to live forever here on earth, as opposed to dying and being dead forever?

Or do you want to live out your life and accept that your existence is finite? In a way, it almost gives it more of a personal meaning. Because you're only here once and there's only ever going to be one of you.

What changes would you make in your own life? Would you still care about morality? Would you take greater risks? Or lesser risk because life is so precious?

I feel the fear and reverence of God within me, and I live solely for Him. He is eternal life and has promised it to me, so I live according to His will in this life, for as long as He permits. My existence or life has always been in His hands—before I was born, during this life, and after this life ends.

Before you were born, you did not know you would exist, and in death, you will not know whether you will continue to exist or not. So what difference does it make? For a believer, there is genuine hope. Those who are in God through the gift of His Son’s Spirit are assured of another life, a re-existence transformed into eternal life.

 

[Riven]

There is something after death -> bodily resurrection. Jesus of Nazareth is the first.

There is also something after bodily resurrection -> for those who belong to the Messiah, the life of the age to come.

There is also something after bodily resurrection -> for those who do not belong to the Messiah, judgment.

And yet, everyone that has died is still dead. It's been a little over 2,000 years. He must be busy.