Religion

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73. If you're asking could it be metaphorical, sure.

Sat May 4, 2019, 12:56 PM

May 2019

It could be a metaphor for how the departed are remembered by the living.

One possible interpretation is that heaven is when the living remember someone as a great person who loved and was loved and accomplished much to help others; hell is when the living remember then as a horrible person who made life worse for those around them.

The idea that your consciousness goes on and that *you* will continue to be aware of all this after you're dead is the part of the literal interpretation that may not be part of the metaphor. That is, it's only a device to help you appreciate, now, while you're living, what it will be like once you're gone.

I.e., live life well and properly so that you'll be remembered fondly.

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Am I correct in my understanding of this? [View all] MineralMan May 2019 OP

Where did you get that idea? ADX May 2019 #1

I read the Gospels. They seem to state that very thing multiple times. MineralMan May 2019 #3

I say Yes, you are correct. Delmette2.0 May 2019 #8

Well, an awful lot of preachers have said that again and again. MineralMan May 2019 #16

If you want to believe in heaven, you have to believe hell. Delmette2.0 May 2019 #28

Yes customerserviceguy May 2019 #42

To perish is To Die (not everlasting life in hell) njhoneybadger May 2019 #40

it's a bit more complicated than that htuttle May 2019 #2

More complicated, eh? MineralMan May 2019 #6

You need to saved at the foot of the cross Soph0571 May 2019 #4

i have known some who believe it's the spirit of jesus you need to accept in your heart unblock May 2019 #5

Here is what it says in the Gospel of John, Chapter 3: MineralMan May 2019 #7

well if you're into literal interpretation of the bible, then sure. unblock May 2019 #11

Well, supposedly, those are the words of the Gospel, speaking MineralMan May 2019 #13

The vast majority of Christians don't zipplewrath May 2019 #20

This is not about ALL of the Bible. MineralMan May 2019 #23

No, I don't zipplewrath May 2019 #54

Ok so the promise of eternal life and the Voltaire2 May 2019 #60

None of it bears really thinking about. MineralMan May 2019 #63

I'm still curious what they are supposed Voltaire2 May 2019 #69

Nobody has answered that question. MineralMan May 2019 #70

With metaphor all things are possible Major Nikon May 2019 #72

If you're asking could it be metaphorical, sure. unblock May 2019 #73

That's a mnority viewpoint among Christians, though. MineralMan May 2019 #74

Yeah. It's hard to compete with the promise of eternal life unblock May 2019 #75

Plus, Christianity gives people an easy shortcut to that eternal life. MineralMan May 2019 #76

indeed. what are we jews thinking making people study for a year just to convert? unblock May 2019 #78

Fair enough, although it sounds more like atheism than christianity. Voltaire2 May 2019 #79

No it's not unblock May 2019 #80

besides UU which denominations don't believe in a literal eternal afterlife? Voltaire2 May 2019 #81

I'm not talking about official doctrine and dogma, just what people actually believe unblock May 2019 #82

So you agree that essentially all christian sects as a matter of doctrine believe in a literal Voltaire2 May 2019 #83

The doctrine tells a story unblock May 2019 #85

Condemned to what? SoFlaDem May 2019 #22

Well, you could ask why a deity wouldn't be egotistical. I mean, really. MineralMan May 2019 #24

cause egotistical beings suck... SoFlaDem May 2019 #27

Your Mark 16 example was not part of the original Gospel pandr32 May 2019 #31

Religion and scriptures are what they are, or MineralMan May 2019 #49

Your way is The Way, a term many ancient followers applied to their groups. It's good. Karadeniz May 2019 #47

Still swinging away eh don Fullduplexxx May 2019 #9

Who is Don? MineralMan May 2019 #14

Yeah. Who's Don? Iggo May 2019 #89

How are you to respond? IF you accept it, you respond by believing in Jesus or buying an 3Hotdogs May 2019 #10

Asbestos suits are scratchy and uncomfortable. MineralMan May 2019 #15

In that state of being (or non-being), I don't think you need to worry about cancer. 3Hotdogs May 2019 #45

Jesus didn't even believe in Christianity. LakeArenal May 2019 #12

Not exactly zipplewrath May 2019 #17

A lot of that is problematic because Jesus and the Disciples were all Jewish bigbrother05 May 2019 #18

Which Jesus do you believe in? jls4561 May 2019 #19

I don't believe in any Jesus at all. MineralMan May 2019 #25

I have a new question jls4561 May 2019 #21

The Gospels are those four books. MineralMan May 2019 #26

There is some good stuff in the Gospels jls4561 May 2019 #30

you can find jewelry in the sewers... nt uriel1972 May 2019 #50

If you don't believe in any version of Jesus at all, why is this relevant to you? TygrBright May 2019 #29

Why are faith and facts at odds? jls4561 May 2019 #33

They may not be. The point is, faith is belief in something that cannot be proved with facts. n/t TygrBright May 2019 #39

faith and facts Brainstormy May 2019 #77

It's more like faith and reason which are at odds Major Nikon May 2019 #84

That's what I was told... 2naSalit May 2019 #32

Told you would burn? jls4561 May 2019 #34

InHELL 2naSalit May 2019 #35

And do you still believe that? jls4561 May 2019 #36

I don't believe anything 2naSalit May 2019 #37

Jesus died for Nuggets May 2019 #38

You'd think it would work that way, wouldn't you? Mariana May 2019 #48

Recovering Evangelical here. gibraltar72 May 2019 #41

As was indicated on a recent episode of Supernatural LiberalArkie May 2019 #43

In my father's house there are many mansions... jls4561 May 2019 #44

There is an excellent book by Walter Bauer, orthodoxy and heresy in early christianity. Karadeniz May 2019 #46

You are well prepared. I couldn't do what you did rusty quoin May 2019 #51

Like so many I've been all over the map Thekaspervote May 2019 #52

You should just ignore it, because it's a stupid belief. vlyons May 2019 #53

ahem, if others ignored we could too.... nt uriel1972 May 2019 #55

well no vlyons May 2019 #56

buuuuut... uriel1972 May 2019 #57

I can't control what other people do and think. vlyons May 2019 #58

Nor can I. However, I can object to behaviors that MineralMan May 2019 #59

A religion is whatever the adherent says it is. marylandblue May 2019 #61

Actually, they're both wrong. MineralMan May 2019 #62

Because it makes them feel good to have old stories to believe. marylandblue May 2019 #65

Magic is a waste of time and effort. MineralMan May 2019 #67

Lot's of things are a waste of time and effort and make confusion. marylandblue May 2019 #68

Such things are to be avoided, I think. MineralMan May 2019 #71

Whatever gets someone through their day is fine with me, marylandblue May 2019 #86

A very interesting question/topic...I greatly appreciate the opportunity for discussion. Pendrench May 2019 #64

The Rule of Reciprocity is common to almost every culture and religion. MineralMan May 2019 #66

Hi MineralMan - thank you for your response to my post. Pendrench May 2019 #87

Jesus didn't exactly live up to that message himself. Mariana May 2019 #90

Hi Mariana - Thank you for your reply to my post. Pendrench May 2019 #91

Sure. Here are a few of them. Mariana May 2019 #92

Hi Mariana - Thank you very much! Pendrench May 2019 #93

It has been turned into that, yes. gtar100 May 2019 #88

"Turned into that"? Act_of_Reparation May 2019 #94

If you really are interested, here's an article that covers it. gtar100 May 2019 #95