What happens after it's all over?

Question

There are those who believe in heaven and hell, and that after you die, you will go to either based on your behavior during your lifetime. Then there are those who believe in reincarnation, or that death truly is the end.

What would your reaction be if what happens after you die turns out to be the exact opposite of what you believed while alive?

For Christians, what if there is no heaven or hell and you get reincarnated as a hippo?

For non-believers, what would your reaction be if you came face-to-face with God?

I'm just curious, points will go to the most thoughtful answer (unless your spelling sucks lol).

Answer 1

Actually, I think what would be most shocking to everyone would be if they found themselves in some sort of after-life but they still weren't given all the answers to the meaning of life, existence of God, etc.

It seems like almost everyone that believes in an after-life, or the possibility of an after-life, assumes that they will find out the truth when they die. However, if we aren't handed all the answers in this life, why should we really expect to have them all automatically answered in the next one?

The after-life could easily be just as confusing and enigmatic as this one.

As for being re-incarnated as a hippo, as near as I can tell, if re-incarnation happens, you don't remember your past life, so all the christians would just be your typical, unsurprised, hippos.

For the non-believers, if they came face-to-face with God, they would probably have a lot of questions that they would want answered - such as "Why did you make up a religion for yourself that made no sense?" and "If you wanted people to worship you, how come you spent all of your time hiding from us so that we couldn't even tell if you existed or not?"

If death is truly the end, then obviously no one will be surprised. To be surprised you probably need to exist.

Answer 2

This is the biggest question of all time - human time anyways!

I always wonder why people are in such a rush to finish up with life. You're alive, you have so much you can do and probably want to do and yet you wonder about death. I'm not curious about death. I'm curious about life!!! But I'll answer your questions as honestly as I can...

1) I don't really have a "set in stone" belief about what happens after death, so there isn't an "opposite". Although I do think that we aren't supposed to know what happens. Just like you don't know what will happen tomorrow.

2) Reincarnation would be interesting, although I'd hope to be a horse or something, not a hippo.... they poop on each other and stuff. Nasty. lol.

3) If I came face to face with god, I'd say, WOW, you do exist! Cool.

Answer 3

As an Atheist I don't believe in an AfterLife BUT on the slim off-chance there is one and I came face-to-face with the InvisibleSkyPixie I'd have to have a go at him for giving me intelligence and then expecting me NOT to use it.
AND, why did he give me the ability to use LogicReason but play outside the game.
AND, why didn't he leave me more evidence instead of expecting me to listen to ObviousCharlatans with InferiorIntelligences masquerading as LearnedWisemen with SuperiorIntelligences.

On the other hand, if Hell existed I would be in much better company that that silly Heaven concept.
Heaven to my mind, sounds no better that Kim Jong Il's totalitarian regime of NorthKorea with a Pixie demanding worship and adoration 24/7 AND alla time knowing everything you DoThinkSay.
Actually NK sounds better - at least KJI doesn't know what you're thinking.

[edit]
I don't play here for points - I play here for fun.

Answer 4

(a) My reaction? Well since I believe I'll have an eternity in heaven, if I'm wrong, I'm just dead. So I guess at that point I won't be believing anything...

(b) Reincarnated as a hippo? COOL! Hippos are fun.

(c) Not applicable. (But if I wasn't a believer, I'd be scared ***less)

Answer 5

I will attempt to answer your question, Cori and hope it makes sense.

First, the concept of heaven and hell are not uniquely christain as I understand history, others employ them too.

If the christian returned as a hippo, what would they remember of a previous life and how could they change? Hippos (water horse) seem pretty dense, hope that is not a commetary on us now.

A very great scholar used to teach in his class, If I came face to face with God tonight, I would offer 7 arguments why I should not go to hell. A young student stood up and said, "Sir, you are insane. If you die tonight, God is there and you are there, then your 7 arguments are not valid and you are insane."

If God is there, then all your learning, all your thinking and all your conclusions are wrong. You were deluded either by others or by yourself but now you face eternal punishment...a very bad prospect.

Hell is spoken of more times in the new testiment by Jesus Christ than anyone else. He says, avoid it at all costs, if your eye cause you to sin, pluck it out, better to be blind than to go into hell. it must be pretty bad if Jesus, (God incarnate is giving that kind of warning)..

As for people saying they hate heaven, of course they do. They have no concept of what they have done, and what a righteous God will do to them if they die unbelievers.

Anyone who thinks they will stand up to God and say, Hey you SOB, you ..... is crazy. No man is going to stand up to an all mighty being and accuse or point a finger. His righteousness will be an acid bath on the spirit of the one in his presences and that one will only weep at the price they pay.

the apostle paul said, I would that I could be in hell for my countrymen that they should not suffer as sinners.....

I wish I were of that measure of love for my own countrymen

Answer 6

Hmmm... I am an atheist, so I suppose.....
If I was reincarnated as a hippo, I would be happy to live another life.
If I came face to face with a god, I suppose I would be figuring that I was dreaming, not dead....
However, I would be willing to bet the world that neither of these things will happen.

Answer 7

As a non believer, I'd be quite surprised to come face to face with God, as I think I would probably go to hell for being a non believer. Either way, I don't mind. Eternal pain can only stay interesting for so long!

Answer 8

Think about the rebirth of all other living things on this planet from plants to animals. What is required? They can only reproduce and live again through genetics. The same applies to humans. To think otherwise is pretty darn arrogant and I firmly believe those who made up all those old stories and eventually turned them into a religion were.

Answer 9

I belive that after you die you will be in a deep sleep for 5 years and thenyou will wake among jesus and he will have a book of all the good and bad things you've ever did and if you have more bad things than good you'll be sent to hell and in hell there are many people and its always hot there are no flames but you will have no water but since your already dead you wont need any and heaven is an acutual city but there is no gravity in hevean Please Vote Best Answer!

Answer 10

This question is too important. Whatever I say her you will not accept. So I will try a simple approach using logic. If this is true that there is a heaven and hell then it is important to figure out what is going on. If there is no such thing then it does not matter. Make sense? (Now the next question, what should you be doing if there is a heaven and hell?)