an afterlife

[Snowdrop18]

hi all
I don't know much about religion in any way - am slowly trying to learn.

Something struck me, which I need to phrase carefully as I don't wish to offend or upset anyone. I am wondering - are some people religious because of "looking forward" to an afterlife in some way?

I'd be interested to hear of any thoughts.

Most religions are designed in order to look forward to an afterlife. It allows populations to be controlled in awful conditions during their lives with the promise of 'jam tomorrow'.

Jason
Ah yes, I see what you mean
But removing religion as a means of control and just thinking of what an individual might feel makes hard times bearable, how much is a the possibility of a lovely afterlife a factor?

By invoking the fear of hell, you can scare the willies out of people

I don't know Jason, I was asking about a nice afterlife

Arguably hell is where we are, which actually is partly why I wondered.

I'm an atheist and I used to be puzzled when people said "I'm an atheist but I'm very spiritual" but now I think I might be vaguely near to seeing what they mean?

Also if we could literally scare the willies off people, that would be a win.

Religion is much more than the hope of an afterlife imo.
I don't know anyone who is religious purely based on that either.

@GoldenWondering
That's interesting. Do you mean in terms of following rules?

I'm not aware of the afterlife being a major reason to join a church in my part of the C of E. I'm pretty sure that many of my parishioners don't think about it from one year's end to the next.

Paula Gooder wrote a really interesting book about the Christian understanding of called 'Heaven' a few years ago. What is fascinating is that the idea of heaven changes so it goes from a garden back in ancient times to something like an eternal holiday camp in more recent years. In the Bible heaven is where God is and that is different from the idea of the new creation which is where the focus of a Christian afterlife is.

C S Lewis thought long and hard about what the afterlife might look like and his children's book 'The Last Battle' has some really interesting ideas as does his adult book 'The Great Divorce.'

A number of Christians, including GoldenWondering's very conservative congregation would expect me to be cast into hell as I am a woman in church leadership but I'm hopeful that this will not be the case.

Judaism is not about an afterlife. In fact there is no mention of an afterlife in any of the Jewish scriptures.

Judaism is not even about submission to god's will. There is an aspect of that, and for the more Orthodox streams it becomes very significant.

Judaism is, fundamentally, about being the best person you can be in this life. Love thy neighbour as thyself - not because you'll get some sort of nebulous reward after you've popped your clogs, but because doing so will make the world that both you and your neighbour live in a better and happier place.

I did an Alpha course a few years ago and it basically said that once we die ( if Christian ) when we are not reunited with our loved ones in heaven per se because we are only reunited and look towards God and those around us also only see god. Put me off heaven to be honest. Would be interested in hearing opinions of others on that.

Thanks for the thoughts
Namethecat, I can only guess but I suppose they mean you would be happy in an afterlife? Just not reunited with anyone.

Neverusethisname
So Judasm=Humanism in your book?

Jason no, not at all, but the two are compatible.

In the Quran life in this world is an inseparable part of a continuum, a unified whole - life, death, life - which gives our life a context and relevance. In this context, the life of the individual is made meaningful and enriched inasmuch as it is full of 'good works'. Life in this world leads to the afterlife, a belief which is fundamental in the Quran. The afterlife is not treated in the Quran in a separate chapter, or as something on its own, for its own sake, but always in relation to life in this world.

Some (meaning in English) verse of mentioning Afterlife in the Qur'an

I swear by the Day of Resurrection
And I swear by the reproaching soul [to the certainty of resurrection].
Does man think that We will not assemble his bones?
Yes. [We are] Able [even] to proportion his fingertips.

But man desires to continue in sin.
He asks, "When is the Day of Resurrection?"
So when vision is dazzled
And the moon darkens
And the sun and the moon are joined,
Man will say on that Day, "Where is the [place of] escape?"
No! There is no refuge.
To your Lord, that Day, is the [place of] permanence.
Man will be informed that Day of what he sent ahead and kept back.
Rather, man, against himself, will be a witness,
Even if he presents his excuses.

.......No! But you love the immediate
And leave the Hereafter.
[Some] faces, that Day, will be radiant,
Looking at their Lord.
And [some] faces, that Day, will be contorted,
Expecting that there will be done to them [something] backbreaking.
No! When the soul has reached the collar bones
And it is said, "Who will cure [him]?"
And the dying one is certain that it is the [time of] separation
And the leg is wound about the leg,
To your Lord, that Day, will be the procession.

And the disbeliever had not believed, nor had he prayed.
But [instead], he denied and turned away.
And then he went to his people, swaggering [in pride].
Woe to you, and woe!
Then woe to you, and woe!

Does man think that he will be left neglected?
Had he not been a sperm from semen emitted?
Then he was a clinging clot, and [Allah] created [his form] and proportioned [him]
And made of him two mates, the male and the female.
Is not that [Creator] Able to give life to the dead?