Immediately after death… sleep or heaven?

[.sparrow.]

Originally Posted by SunGrins
I had a pastor tell me that we may already be in heaven but our bodily existence is destined to experience mortal life. If that is the case, we would cast off our mortal existence upon death. That was a new concept to me coming from an ordained conservative denomination pastor but it has a certain appeal. He was speculating, I think, but quite serious.

It reminds me, in a degree, of a metamorphosis that we might see in nature.

Originally Posted by MysticPhD

He was quite insightful because our conscious awareness that we use to experience this physical existence is NOT physical and does exist at a higher level of existence (Spirit) as does God who IS Spirit

This is what makes sense to me.

[Bungalove]

Originally Posted by MysticPhD

As a practical matter, our experience of "sleep" removes all awareness of time so the word "immediately" is moot. Any subsequent awareness after death would seem immediate no matter how much time elapses.

True, however; I can attest that I was aware of my heart stopping during my heart attack and the sensation it produced was that of a soft, fuzzy blanket being drawn over my consciousness until I was completely out. It was ineffably comforting. If that is the "sleep' that I enter before the next phase after death, I'm perfectly content with it.

[ocpaul20]

There are many people alive now who maintain they can (some consciously) go to the area where the 'dead' are residing after leaving here. These are people who claim they can go out-of-body(OBE). Apparently, there is a 'level' where those recently 'dead' go to recover and recuperate. oh...and you dont have to be of a particular faith either.



The Monroe Institute claims to train people to do this (OBE) aided by their patented audio technology. Hemisync.



So, there ARE people who would claim they KNOW what happens, who are alive today, and who can be questioned on what they find there. If enough people report the same thing, people who do not know each other, then we can draw conclusions from that.



I think the language these Bible passages use may actually describe what the more modern folks report in modern language.



There are also many Budhist monks who also describe what it is like when one has 'died' too. I dont think we really want to know, in case we are dissappointed or find out we/the Bible are wrong.

[CCCyou]

Originally Posted by Thoreau424

Or, too many are missing the point, and taking the writings literally, instead of the actual metaphoric and allegoric intentions. Much of the older writings around the world took that form, but people now are trying to use modern and literal assumptions, which won't fit or work. That's not a justification or defense of the Bible; just pointing out that modern people typically don't match their approach to the intended approach of the older writings.

Originally Posted by MysticPhD

Yup - like trying to take an instantaneous quantum experience and describe it in morse code at 30 baud!

[mordant]

Originally Posted by Thoreau424

Or, too many are missing the point, and taking the writings literally, instead of the actual metaphoric and allegoric intentions. Much of the older writings around the world took that form, but people now are trying to use modern and literal assumptions, which won't fit or work. That's not a justification or defense of the Bible; just pointing out that modern people typically don't match their approach to the intended approach of the older writings.

I completely agree. In terms of my own background, I was taught that god personally authored this stuff for my benefit, not that there was some narrative style and intent that was a product of its times and that we must understand it in that light. That ran too counter to the doctrine of inerrancy and total word for word inspiration. As well as the confident pronouncements of teachers with all sorts of creative detailed explanations for what each passage "clearly" means.

[Matthew 4:4]

Originally Posted by trusso11783

I am Catholic. Not super religious but go to church weekly and follow most of it. Quick question. I thought the Bible states that after death, we sleep until Jesus returns and then all of the dead will rise and go to heaven (or hell). Today, I was at a funeral mass. The priest said that the deceased was met by angels and is now in heaven. That is not what I thought the Bible says. Do they say it to comfort the family? Did the priest get it wrong? Is there another contradictory statement that says what the priest said?

Both: sleep and heaven.
Heaven for those who have that first or earlier resurrection - Revelation 20:6 ; 5:9-10 ; Luke 22:28-30
Sleep for the majority of mankind (John 3:13) til Resurrection Day meaning Jesus' coming Millennium-Long Day governing over Earth in righteousness. - John 6:40,44

Dead Jesus went to hell - Acts 2:27 - Not to some religious-myth hell teaching but the grave for the sleeping dead.
- Psalm 115:17; Isaiah 38:18; Ecclesiastes 9:5; John 11:11-14

Please notice Romans 6:23,7 because it is ' death ' that stamps the total complete asking price tag for sin.
Not death plus some post-mortem penalty. No double jeopardy to be paid for sin.

[MysticPhD]

Originally Posted by CCCyou

Yup - like trying to take an instantaneous quantum experience and describe it in morse code at 30 baud!

I like the analogy. You DO get it, brother.