not to offend anyone, but....?

Question

does it scare you that some people are so focused on what happens after death that they neglect the life that they have been given?
i don't mean to point any fingers at christianity, but it is the other belief system that i'm most familiar with. i know there are probably those among my fellow pagans that are too focused on it as well.
it seems like saying things like "this isn't my home," "this life doesn't matter, eternity does," "everything will be made whole after death," "this is just a learning experience," etc, is a cop out. it is an excuse to not do anything to make things better. it sometimes seems like people are lusting after death...
you are entitled to your firm beliefs, but no one has any actual proof about what happens after death. so do you think that it has become too easy to squander the life we have been given by focusing on what comes after and forgetting that what we do here does matter?

arundhati bakshi- i think wondering about such things is fine and natural. it just seems like there is sometimes an obsession with it. it can make people easy prey for con artists though, like some televangelists and some tv psychics.
i believe it can lead people to neglect their life by holding onto anger and hatred and refusing to act for change.
while folks may very well be expressing disappointment with life, we have become lazy and just accept disappointment after disappointment and make no effort to change the situation.
with "this is a learning experience" i was refering to a belief in reincarnation.
i'm by no means suggesting that philosophy is squandering ones life, but a focus on what comes after and believing that you can do nothing to make things better is .
i feel that an overemphasis on what comes next has made us lazy and to eager to accept that man is inherently evil.

sthrnsfnst and adorehim- sorry that i'm combining you 2 here, but you both answered along the same lines.
yes, i do realize that some conditions are unchangeable. i have a daughter that has an extremely serious medical condition, her first surgery was at 2 weeks old. she had 5 surgeries before she was 4 months old. her life expectancy is very short. most kids with a condition similar to hers don't make it past the age of 5. she is 3 now and we have been through 11 surgeries so far.
the idea that she will be perfect in heaven is of no comfort to me, nor is the idea that i could see her again in the afterlife or that we could both reappear on this planet again together.
if she were a normal child and knowing that there would be a second chance, it would be so easy to get angry with her and show her that anger, as i see other parents do when i'm out and about. knowing that there is only this short amount of time leads me to try to make the most of every moment with her.

thank you all for taking the time to read the question and for taking the time to write such thoughtful answers!

Answer 1

No, I don't think its an excuse or a cop out. In some cases it may come out sounding like a platitude, but the fact is we are here now . . . and those things that people say, well, its just that part of *being here* for many people involves wondering about what comes next, if anything, and engaging in philosophical speculation. As for neglecting the life that they have been given . . . if someone was starving to death or had recently given all of their possessions away, you might have a case, yet cases like this are pretty rare. Chances are if they say "this life doesn't matter" they are expressing disappointment, and if they say "this is a learning experience" then they are trying to make sense of something that just happened to them. (Note: For those that believe in reincarnation, some actually *remember* their past lives so they are trying to put memories whether real or false into a context on which they make sense.) Those are the sentiments of people who are focused here and now. As far as squandering life away, are you suggesting that Nietzsche and Kant, Plato and all other philosophers wasted their lives because they were trying to figure things out? That's just part of what humans do. Our mind is made that way. To avoid doing that would be self-denial, which would indeed be wasting our time here.

Answer 2

This question is a very good one. I will try and explain why we say things like "this is not my home" etc. In my own life I can tell you that I am so thankful that God gave me life, through Jesus, and I do pray that I do everything that God wants me to do while I am here- however I can tell you this, I am looking forward to something far better than this life, and in the meantime I desire to glorify God in everything that I do. I suffer from a chronic illness that causes pain, every day- for almost my whole life. I know that God could heal me if He chose, but for whatever reason He as not, so I know that no matter how long I live here on earth, if I am in pain everyone of them, when I die and see my Jesus face to face there will be no more pain for a lot longer then my pain days here. It is not a cop out to not do what we can while on earth, but I can tell you it is wonderful that think that the things that we wish were not in our life is only temporary, no matter how long they may seem to last. Does that help?

Answer 3

It's a great question. I don't think that seeing things in an eternal perspective and trying to make things better here on earth are mutually exclusive. I believe in Jesus Christ, for example. Jesus definitely taught that we would have a life after this one where we would be rewarded for our deeds. But what we do in this life determines that reward. He repeatedly taught that we should love our neighbors and do good to those who are hungry, sick, in prison, etc.

It's not a cop out to be patient for a situation when things will be better. The existence of the resurrection and the afterlife brings some sense into experiences that might otherwise seem incomprehensible. Whenever we do what we are supposed to be doing, though, the Holy Ghost can give us peace, comfort and happiness now. We don't have to wait to get those things. So it's both.

Answer 4

you have a very good point. honestly I dont care what people believe in, they should just focus on living their life the best way they can because they KNOW that eventually they will die but they BELIEVE there is an eternal life. Im not saying there is or isnt an afterlife but I think we should play it safe and make most of what we know we have and worry about what we believe we'll have later. but youre right and I totally agree with you. some people say that just to be safe that we better believe in god, well just to be safe we better make a good use of the life we have now. And that includes taking care of the earth. Im pretty sure if god really did create the universe and everything it was for a reason. I dont think he made it for us to screw it up and I doubt that he wants global warming to bring about the apocalypse. I think he wants to do it when hes ready.

Answer 5

I often wonder that. They aren't the first religion to do it, though. Look at the ancient Egyptians. I studied Kemetic for a while and therefore studying the culture. Talk about obessed with death!! But now the Greeks....they knew how to enjoy life. Hehe
I don't think about death much. Obviously I study it because it is a part of my religion. But in Heathenism how you live doesn't really decide on where you go. How you live does effect your life and those around you there for you are very responsible for it NOW. It is our responsiblity to take care of our kin.
I think life is the important part. If you approach the Christian faith is some aspects yes they obesses over death. But many live for now, even if it is to promote life after death. *shrug*
Give me life any day. The gods have death covered.
Hail the Gods

Answer 6

Well as a Wiccan I plan on only staying dead a very short time. I have many more life times to come back to.

I have much yet to learn so I know that I will reincarnate. That is one of the most important teachings of my religion is that we will continue to come back until we have learned all the lessons we must learn. Then and only then will I cross the Rainbow bridge and dwell among the ancestors as one of the old ones.

Knowing this, I do not dwell on death, nor do I fear it. I know it is the inevitable end of life. (I am in no hurry to meet death either dont get me wrong. I like most people want to hang around as long as possible.)

I dont know about you, but I know exactly what will happen to me when I die. My religion teaches me this. And I believe what my religion teaches. Its called faith.

Answer 7

Hey.. luv. I think people are concerned with life after death not because they don't want to make things easier here on earth. Do you realize many people can't. And, what I mean by that is... There are many many people in bad situations, some in which can't be overturned. And, the only light they have or hope they have is the life after death. Have you ever been in a situation so terrible that you wish you were dead? Why do you think some people think that way?? It is because they are hoping, praying that the next life is more glamorous than this. So, if you haven't felt this way, Be thankful.

Answer 8

I have searched and read everything concerning what Heaven will be like simply because I just want to know what I will be experiencing. It is definitely not that I long to cross over or die. No one wants to die because of the fear of the unknown. That is unless there is a mental illness or they are so depressed or in sheer torment or disappointed in how their lives have turned out.
I believe we have a purpose in life and should not break our contract with God. It's not important when we cross over it's the journey in between that we should look forward to, and as you said, we cannot cop out. Have you heard that some people are so heavenly minded that they are no earthly good?

Answer 9

yes I think you're absolutely right! Some people do seem to focus too much on an afterlife. Personally, I feel that what we do here determines what sort of life our next one will be (reincarnation) so we have to make the most of everyday while we're here this time!

Answer 10

As a Christian woman I would not say that this life does not matter. I am saying that this life is short compared to the eternity. It is very important that we make our decisions here wise. As we have a lot of choices here on earth, what comes to eternity, there are only two choices: hell or heaven. We have our free will. However, we have our free will only until we die, and that is why it is important to let God know what is your decision. He loves you, and He will respect your choice too.