Roschelle Nelson

What's At The End?



Posted: Thursday, September 03, 2009

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Have you ever wondered what actually happens once you die? I'm willing to bet everyone of us have thought about it at some point in our existence. The many religions that are practiced in this world all seem to vary in some way or another on where we end up. You've got heaven, hell, purgatory, paradise, paradise with virgins, etc.

I can't even count the times I've attended funerals and heard the words "I know he/she is in Heaven [blah] [blah]. If this is the case then who's gonna be hanging around on "Judgment Day"? According to what I've been told and read that's the day we, us, everybody - dead and living will be hand picked to gain access into their castle behind the walls of the Pearly Gates or ushered to Hell with a one-way ticket.

As a child, I imagined God coming down from Heaven and setting up his podium and stool (you know like the one's the teachers used in school) on the corner right down the street from my house. In my mind's eye, he was huge - sort of like that 50 foot woman from that cheesy scary movie. He would take his seat behind the podium and as your name was called you would have to walk up to face him.

As he turned to the page in his book with your name on it, everyone's eyes would be glued on you. The silence only broken by God's loud voice revealing all the good and bad you'd done in your life. The 50 cent you stole out of your mom's purse, the time you forged her name on your homework, the kiss you shared in 7th grade with the boy behind the school gym.

Still, all these years later...it falls on my mind from time to time. Is there really an eternal resting place? Will I remember or even know my family and friends? Does the world have to end for us to ever get there? Is anyone actually in Heaven right this minute?

Just curious
Roschelle Nelson is a Registered Nurse by profession and mother, freelance writer, mentor, friend and genuine lover of life by choice. Roschelle has achieved success with several business ventures. She enjoys writing, meeting new people and considers life a precious gift. View her blog Inconsequential Logic to see what she's chirping about these days! Her views on life, current news, work and family are never dull and often sprinkled with humor and wit. 
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Top-level comments on this article: (3 total)
» left by David Pekrul
 2 years 141 days ago.
66 fans.
A lot of good questions, Roschelle. As you probably know, I attend a lot of funerals in my work, and your questions always ring through my mind. But I think I'll keep my faith in Jesus Christ. Living for Him seems the only logical thing, as He paid the price so that we will definitely have an abundant life in His heaven.
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» left by Teresa Ortiz
 2 years 141 days ago.
187 fans.
Hi Rochelle, good to have you back! You ask some great and honest questions :-) The answers are here for us. I agree with David and would like to add that the Bible tells of many books that will be opened in heaven when each of us face our maker. There are two judgments; one for those who are in Christ Jesus - who's sins have been washed away - this judgement is based on what we did for God and will be rewarded accordingly these names are found in the book of life (2 Corinthians 15 & Revelation) and then there is the great white throne judgement - this is for nonbelievers who will be judged according to their sin. These names are not found in the book of life (Revelation). Those who die before these judgements go to one of two places. The soul that is saved - to heaven (Philippians) the soul that is not saved to Hades (Luke) One death one judgement no second chances after we die (Hebrews) These are the tenants of Biblical Christianity.
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» left by e 2 years 140 days ago.
132 fans.
Hi Roschelle Nelson,
 
A very advanced question! Good! Better than "How can I make lots of money!" But could you ever believe what you read or what someone else tells you? I didn't think so, you are too discerning, and the more you read about the 4,000 different religions in the world (and counting), the more confusing it becomes
 
You are the type of person who can only believe what you can prove true for yourself, and only one religion, that I know of, suggests exactly that. The Buddha said "Believe nothing that I say unless you can prove it true for yourself." This “proving it for yourself” of course takes work.
 
Much easier to believe something that someone else tells you, or what a holy book; the Bible, Koran, etc., says. But again, for discerning people that understand the questionable origin of those books, the many authors and agendas of the authors and editors, this doesn't work too well anymore.
 
So if you are going to find out for yourself all about death; what it is that lives and what dies, and what happens after death, you had better get to work! Don't forget, the questions you are asking have no relevance in the material world, that means that your mind must transcend the material world in order to get the answers. So how is your mind going to transcend the material world, because if it doesn't, the answers would not be true, they would only be material representations of your familiar world, such as a place with angels (humans with wings?) and beautiful gardens, etc which can't be true in a spiritual world devoid of material existence. The spiritual world is ineffable to the worldly mind. But the ineffable can be touched by the worldly mind, and that’s when you will understand, and all your questions will be totally satisfied.
 
Metta……………anagarika eddie
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