Did people just make up heaven as a place to go when you die because they were too afraid to tell the children

Question

Did people just make up heaven as a place to go when you die because they were too afraid to tell the children that when you die... that's it? End of story... game over?

Answer 1

They were afraid to tell THEMSELVES. It's denyal of reality for comfort. Convenience at the expense of rationality.

Answer 2

I think there may be an element of that but it is also a way to appease themselves when facing death.
There are many contemplative people who will also say it is an inner knowing, a sense of how could this be the end, where does life "go" when the body ceases to function.
Energy, such as light is measurable and can span a great distance. Take for example a shooting star, it is the dying light of a sun and it has actually occurred many millions of light years ago but the energy of the sun continues to travel through space.
To contemplate "the end" there are things that make sense about life after death but there is no tangible proof that it is real.
Any way you look at it though....what can it hurt to believe it?

Answer 3

I think they simply just did not know where people go after they die and that is why used the biblycal heaven as an explaination.

Answer 4

I think it has more to do with the parents/adults themselves. They were too scared of the concept of there being nothing after death, so, believing in heaven makes them feel better, like little kids and fairy tales where everything works out wonderfully at the end.

Answer 5

People are afraid of death. We are the only creatures on the planet who know that we are going to die. Some of us are arrogant enough to think we're important enough to live on forever. Unfortunately, that's not the case.

god and heaven are imaginary.

Answer 6

the idea of a " heaven " went much further back than Christianity ...
when people were most likely in tune with the more spiritual aspects
so no i dont believe it to be a fairy tale ... i do believe the story has changed a great deal though as it has been handed down through generations

Answer 7

Heaven is the position of living of Yahweh and His angels. once you die, you'll anticipate for the resurrection of the only and unjust. you'll sleep and could be awaken on judgment day. there is no understanding once you're lifeless. Neither, there'll be no targets. which could be after the 1000 years of Christ rule and with the recent heaven and new earth.

Answer 8

Once again I'm left to advocate for those who cannot speak to those who don't listen. Heaven was not made up by people...It was created by God. The only story that needs to end is the one where so many people stand against beliefs that they refuse to give a chance. Salvation is not easy, nor is Being Born Again. Chosen often is the widest path, When the Narrow one is the only one to take. God Bless.

Answer 9

Heaven was invented by the Christians well after the concept of afterlife locations were used in other religions. The concept of heaven derives from Jewish, Zorastrian, Greco-Roman, and Egyptian traditions of afterlife existance. So, no, they didn't invent it because of that, but surely their historical predecessors invented the concept of the afterlife as a result of the fear of death. The "game over" aspect was certainly an early part of that equation.

Answer 10

No they didn't make up heaven, nor can they!
Heaven is for real and it is for those who believe in it and strive for it. If we were to just die and become nothing then people would be confused as to their purpose of living.
This life is nothing but a test!

Answer 11

Well, that's what atheists and agnostics often think. However, for those people who really do know it exists that is not the case. I guess it's a personal issue, although I agree there are those people who do tell their children this because they don't know anything else to say.