Over the weekend, I went to Kansas City for the Angels - Royals series. I had a lay over in DFW. On my flight from DFW to KC, the plane was packed with fans of TCU (Texas Christian University) because they were playing Kansas. Well the flight was delayed due to some mechanical problems. While we were chatting with each other, the guy in the row above me made a comment that stuck with me. He said he doesnt mind waiting to fix mechanical issues because he would rather be 'down here than up there. This strikes me funny. If heaven is such a wonderful place, why would you not want to be there? A place crash is beyond your control, so its not like suicide. I would think believers in such a wonderful place would welcome the opportunity to go to such a place. If there is no such thing as an atheist in a fox hole, that I think there is no such thing as a theist in life threatening situation beyond their control. Otherwise, believers would welcome the 'invitation' to 'be up there rather than down here'
Well I also wonder why they cry at funerals. You'd think they would be happy that their loved one is now in heaven and with God and Jesus, if that is truly what they believe.
Christianity and Islam alike have produced a number of crazies who did or do in fact welcome the heavenly future they were promised, but the conditioning necessary to produce that state of mind just isn't so prevalent among Christians today.. Western Christians especially have lots of room for doubt.
Yes its ironic that Christians don't want to die, but that's the way of it. That's because life is a gift from God, and we believe it is precious. That is why most Christians want to preserve life in all its stages, from conception to natural death. It is also ironic that most atheists support abortion, euthanasia and assisted suicide. You would think that atheists, of all people, would cling to life since that is all there is, but that is not the way of it. Perhaps they believe life is not really living because there really is no point to it.
Bollocks. Everyone thinks that way, Christian or not. It's because we have survival instincts (regarding our own lives), and because we're emotionally attached to our loved ones, so that we mourn their loss.
Why do you want to live to the bitter end? Do you think you're going to get a gold star for enduring painful suffering? Sirach 41:1-4 (CEB) = How bitter, death, is the thought of you to those who are at peace among their possessions, to those who aren’t anxiously distracted, who prosper at everything and still have the strength to enjoy good food. [SUP]2 [/SUP]Your sentence looks good, death, to a person who is needy and lacks strength, who is extremely old and anxious about everything, who is not compliant and whose endurance has failed. [SUP]3 [/SUP]Don’t fear death’s judgment; remember those who came before you and those who will come after you. [SUP]4 [/SUP]This is the Lord’s judgment for all beings: Why should you reject the good pleasure of the Most High? Whether ten or one hundred or one thousand years, there’s no arguing about life in the grave.
Same reason that everyone cries over a loss, because we will miss them until we are dead. Please, that is such an ignorant thing to say.
How is it ignorant for me to take notice that so many Christians are sad about death? Death is not the end in their view, correct? So why be sad about it? If it's because they will miss their loved one until they eventually meet them on the other side then that's just selfish. Isn't selfishness something that is frowned upon in this religion? I can understand not celebrating something horrible or tragic, like someone who was murdered in a cruel way or tortured before they died, but if someone elderly passes on simply because it's their time and "God is taking them", what is there to be sad about? They are with God now, right? Isn't that something that should be celebrated? I am just making an observation is all.
Why be sad? If heaven is the final destination, and their loved ones are walking with their 'god', should that be a cause for celebration?
Can you not really think about one single reason why we would be sad ? Really ? So when you really enjoy and love someone's companionship every day of your life and that is taken away from you, this isn't a reason enough to be sad ? Sad for yourself ?
To be honest no, I cannot not. If heaven is the final destination and the supposed goal, then when a person dies, a christian should be happy their loved ones made their final destination and should look forward to walking beside their loved ones with 'god'. I know why a non believer is a sad. We KNOW we will never see our loved ones again.
Yeah, I went to a Christian funeral a few years ago, and it was interesting to see how everyone kept desperately trying to convince each other that they were going to see them again in heaven. It's like they didn't really believe it, but really wanted to. Like, wtf aren't you people happy? You're all horrible depressed and sad. And don't give me the BS about how they're just going to miss them until they see them again. That is not the sadness you experience when you won't see someone for a while - that is the sadness you experience when you think they're truly dead and gone.
I would be bunned but not crying like I did when I lost my best friend 10 years ago. There is a diference between crying and being bummed. AKR summed up in Post #17
It's about missing them for an undetermined,unknowable amount of time,period.... Besides, how are we to know who 'Definitely' gets into heaven or not ? We don't know the core depth of someone else's heart. A little doubt goes a long way.
How many years would it take until you would cry ? I mean, if it's only about "never" seeing them again then why wouldn't you cry if say, your friend had to go into a witness protection program. Or would you?
That is a good answer Mr. Rstones, I'll give you that. But you did say this So I have to accept a common ground that knowing someone is alive is good enough ?
If someone is alive, there is always a chance to see them again. Even Sammy "The Rat" Gravano left the WPP.
That's true, which is why I do accept that as common ground. I guess we are different Rstones, at least a little bit, because If someone were to tell me that I wouldn't be able to see my love one,someone I was close to,for a long time say even five years.. Yes, that would make me sad,bummed, and even cry.
