A Question about Religion?

Question

I am really understanding when it comes to any type of religion, since i have no religion of my own. All concepts and ideas in every religion usually make sense to me, except for one. I don't understand why so many people believe in an afterlife, like heaven and h**l. I mean, to me it seems like such a selfish, man made idea. Are so many humans so self centered that they believe their life is so significant that their character will live on past death? I guess it is difficult to imagine your spirit not existing when all we really can ever be sure of is our own experiences. So i guess i answered my question. Now i just don't get why more people question this.. at least see it a little like i do. Whatever, i just want to hear some other thoughts on what I brought up. Anything would be nice, thanks

Answer 1

They don't wonder about things like that the way you do is because they take it on faith, which requires almost no thought, just blind subservience. You are right on the dot, my friend. Good work ^_^

Answer 2

For all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. Yet while we were still sinners Christ died for our sins.

For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have everlasting life. John 3:16

God loves us and He wants you to spend eternity with Him in heaven, thats why He died for your sins. You just have to believe He died for you and rose again and ask Him to forgive you of your sins and you will go to heaven and live forever with Him.

God loves you soooo much, you have NO idea!!!! :]

Btw, if you have any questions...let me know, I will check back on your question to see if you have added anything to your question

Answer 3

It has to do with a few things.  One of them is like you said, this self importance we attribute ourselves.  I mean of all the planets in this galaxy, and of all the galaxies in this universe our planet has to be the one that "god created."  In that same sense, we think we are so important that this big, infinite being would actually care what us little ants in this cosmos went thru and to make things even more self involved he would make sure that we actually lived on forever.  I see your point, I don't understand that idea of the afterlife.  But it also has to do with the fear of not being anything of disappearing.  We all want to leave our footprint in this world and if we can't, at least we should be given a chance at eternal life.  I think that's their reasoning.

Answer 4

The idea of not existing is terrifying to many people.  That's part of it.  But are people that self-centered?  I would say people are absolutely that self-centered.  We still have people that believe, metaphorically if not literally, that we are the point around which the rest of the universe rotates.  It helps to have a pretty story to tell ourselves at the end of the day, and I suppose the harm is relatively small because by the time we find out whether the after life exists or not we won't care anyway, but I prefer to live for life's sake rather than passing up experience so that I can win favor in some other reality that may or may not exist.

Answer 5

Well, my belief is that we are sort of reincarnated. After we die we go to a place, like limbo maybe - some people call it the Summerlands - and meet up with all our past selves so that we can converse and stuff, but I don't know what about. And then we get reincarnated, and have no memory of those past lives until we're with them again.

But I don't really know why I believe this. It's an idea that's come to me after extensive reading and it is very close to the Wiccan belief in the Summerlands.

I believe in the concept of a soul, and I guess it's an immortal soul so my belief after life after death follows on from that.

It's very hard to explain, but basically it's just a belief that works for me.

Answer 6

The whole concept of religion has been brought about because the vast majority of humans find it really quite terrifiying that this is it, this life is it, and after that, no more.

Answer 7

because our mind functions outside of our bodies

and it is practically impossible to conceive death without existence for most.

some will say it is like sleep, but even then we dream.

Answer 8

Just the way the human thinks, and these thoughts of religion are so evil, because they make thousands of people actually belief something is a lie, just for "supposedly" our own sakes.

(Religion being a way of keeping humans controlled)

Answer 9

Its not surprising to me in the slightest. Its sad and scary to think that each one of us will die, and cease to exist... if I could believe in an afterlife, I'd happily cling to that thought with everything in me!

Answer 10

We believe it because God said it.

Answer 11

one thing there is only one real religion christianity

Answer 12

Well, the idea of an afterlife is probably created by the church, or religious leaders, or whatever, so as to remind us that we must behave in this life if we want a nice afterlife. The entire concept seems silly to me though. We don't know there is an afterlife, so shouldn't we just do the best we can with the life we've got?

Answer 13

Religion is man made.  What is important is your relationship with God.  Keep searching you will find the answer.

Answer 14

Disclaimer... I am a Christian and shall answer according to my beliefs as a Christian...

"All concepts and ideas in every religion usually make sense to me..."

By this I shall assume that you mean the common teachings regarding morality - be nice, love people, do good things etc.

The reason that you don't understand the concept of eternal life therefore is that you have a misconception regarding the purpose of life. Life does not exist for me to serve you or to be nice to you. It does not exist so that I can feed the poor, care for the sick or do good things. If it did then we would have to believe that God created poor and sick people so that I could feel better by caring for them - what then about the value of the poor and sick person?

Life exists for one reason - relationship with God. Without this understanding all other concepts of religion are mere human arguments about how to be a nice person and not cause great harm to others.

As a Christian I say that faith is being certain of what I hope for and the evidence of things unseen. (Hebrews 11:1)

I hope for a day when evil will be judged and sentenced accordingly. I hope for a day when all things will be restored. I hope for a full restoration of my relationship with God. I hope for harmony between all living things, I hope for the glory of the New Earth as described in Revelation. I hope for the resurrection of the dead and a life with Christ.

The way I live my life today must therefore be the evidence of that hope. If I hope for shalom (full restoration, harmony and peace) then I must be shalom. If the world I hope for is full of love then I must be love here and now. I don't live this way because of human arguments about morality but because of a divine hope in full restoration and reconciliation.

To quote Rob Bell, 'This is really about that'. The way I live here and now is really about the world I hope for. I love people and care for them because I hope for that.

Eternal life has nothing to do with my ideas of self importance but with God's ideas about inherent worth. God created me to love Him and so love Him I will. He created me in His likeness and part of that likeness includes having a nature that is eternal.