I'm afraid of living forever in the afterlife. Does anyone else feel this way? Why or Why Not?

Question

I mean it says that in the afterlife, your spirit lives forever. That word forever scares the **** outta me!

Answer 1

:) there is no time in afterlife, so forever could be a nanosecond

Answer 2

The way I perceive this, the way it resonates best for me, is that we do live forever...but not as a static entity.

Our soul continues on and continues to learn. Not just here but wherever it is that has been designated as Heaven. I don't think we live anywhere forever. When we finally reach the point of having learned as much as possible from incarnating and studying in 'other places', as I understand it, we join with others of like mind [chuckle] and we assist those still in the active learning process.

This is an inconceivably long cycle, if you are going to bring time into it. If not and it is the instantaneous occurrence it is said to be, then our perception of it will still contain all the power of time. It's an awesome and encompassing plan.

Answer 3

I think one of the interesting things about the patriarchal belief structures is the ideology of "living forever" in a great spirit world (heaven). While pondering on this I came up with the realization that it is the ego that longs to live forever. That pat of us that is the "self" that wants to continue on. Since I am not a christian I am not bound by the strictures of heaven or hell, so if the ego does not survive death, what is left to us? Some say we return to the Whole. Welllllll,....... what is that? My point is, why are we concerned about this anyways. Is it more important to be a human being as long as we are human beings? See, since I am not christian I do not have to attempt to be "spiritual." I can be human, and personally, I believe we are spirits anyways. So we are already spiritual by our very natures.

Answer 4

What an honest question !! Yes, with the current image(s) of sitting on a cloud for eternity or singing and praising 24/7 and nothing to do to feel worthwhile, the idea is dreadful. BUT, that is NOT how it will be !!! As a wise person said: the idea of a benevolent God makes eternal life a joy; if there is not a benevolent God; then, it is not worth having.

I think of that vampire movie, with Tom the cruiser, and how...they all sat around...plotting how to murder to keep on going as zombies..no sex, no great food nor wine, interminable time that is only barely bearable (by preying on weaker people) and I am repulsed.

So, I think of heaven and the mansion that Jesus is preparing for me as: a posh and beautiful place, with meaningful activities and great past times, no mosquito's or flies and 'my enemies' as my servants !!! lol...At least for a while, then I get to kick some of them into their eternal place of torment.

As I think about it, I don't think I want them as servants either. I'll let God handle that. But, I do want meaningful activities, fun, and a time to 'feel' my gratitude toward God and His loving kindness.

I hope this gives you some ideas and different perspective. As is written: eyes have not seen, ears have not heard, it has not even entered into our hearts how majestic and wonderful heaven is -- that has been prepared for God's people.

Maranantha

Answer 5

This is one of the best explanations of why God allows pain and suffering
that I have seen. It's an explanation other people will understand.

A man went to a barbershop to have his hair cut and his beard trimmed.
As the barber began to work, they talked about so many things and various
subjects.

When they eventually touched on the subject of God, the barber said:
"I don't believe thatGod exists."

"Why do you say that?" Asked the customer.

"Well, you just have to go out in the street to realize that God doesn't
exist. Tell me,
if God exists, would there be so many sick people? Would there be abandoned
children?
If God existed, there would be neither suffering nor pain. I can't imagine
loving a God who
would allow all of these things."

The customer thought for a moment, but didn't respond because he didn't want
to start
an argument.

The barber finished his job and the customer left the shop. Just after he
left the barbershop,
he saw a man in the street with long, stringy, dirty hair and an untrimmed
beard. He looked
dirty and un-kept.

The customer turned back and entered the barber shop again and he said to the
barber:
"You know what? Barbers do not exist."

"How can you say that?" Asked the surprised barber. "I am here, and I am a
barber.
And I just worked on you!"

"No!" The customer exclaimed. "Barbers don't exist because if they did,
there would be no
people with dirty long hair and untrimmed beards, like that man outside."

"Ah, but barbers DO exist! What happens is, people do not come to me."

"Exactly!" Affirmed the customer. "That's the point! God, too, DOES exist!
What happens,
is, people don't go to Him and do not look for Him. That's why there's so
much pain and
suffering in the world."

Answer 6

I'm not scared, but I can't comprehend it. I can't, for the life of me, imagine living forever. I don't understand how people can say it's our incentive for believing. If you're young when starting to believe, it can't possibly be!

I've accepted that I just don't understand, and knowing that it will be even better than what I experience when I am in God's presence, I'm certain that there is absolutely nothing to fear.

Edit: Maybe reading this will help abandoning your fears: http://blog.360.yahoo.com/blog-EnNdfhAwRKQgjDedjVEpYA--?cq=1
It's an article about NDE that I typed up in a blog entry.

Answer 7

I was just thinking about that the other day, wondering if some people might not want to live forever, and be around god and all the 'good' people, maybe some want to just cease to exist and not have to be nice for all eternity. I don't mean 'bad' people that want to aviod hell, I mean plain old people who are just tired of being around at all. It seems that religions only teach the two alternatives, life forever in heaven or torment forever in hell, shouldn't there be the third choice to just stop existing at all?
just a thought I had.

Answer 8

Yeah it is kinda scary thinking of forever because it is hard to comprehend what that means. Our lives are so short lived. But, I am not afraid of that because I know that the God who created us is very loving, kind and intelligent. Therefore, I know that he has some plan as to what we will be doing to keep our minds off of the time. I'm positive that we will be perfectly happy and content living forever in paradise. I look forward to it. I have a feeling that there will never be a dull moment there. Certainly no pain, no injustice, no violence, no sickness or death.

Answer 9

Think about this. The same creator who created your soul, the earth, the trees, cats, dogs, chocolate, coffee, grapes, olives, onions, roses, sunsets, the smell of the ocean etc... is out there to be with. Earth was only one of his creations. Can you ever get bored with a creative talent like him? wouldn't it be great to be part of his team? designing worlds and scenes, scents and flavors? Do you think he would ignore you after he took so much effort to create you? That doesn't make sense to me. He built this world with great love and beauty. He must have these traits.
I think it will be wonderful to be forever with creations and a creator like that.

Answer 10

If your afterlife is destined for the Lake of Fire. use that concern to change your end result.

If your afterlife is heaven, then you may need to change your views of heaven and the new earth from tradition or bad theology to the truth.

Answer 11

I used to feel that way But since I gave my life to Jesus , I'm not afraid any more. Because I know where i will spend Eternity so there is nothing to be afraid of, heaven will be great.