Stupid question about the afterlife/soul/realms/Christ/lulz

[Achronos]

Alright so I have had this question literally keeping me up at night.

So when Christ rose and ascended, and it wasn't just a spirtiual resurecction but that of the body as well...do our souls sense the material aspect of Christ? Will we be in the same dimensional plane that Christ is in now? This whole "falling asleep" bit has me scared to death. I want to know right now what the soul will "see" after death so I can stop spending every waking second in absoulute dread for what will happen.

I wish this wasn't a matter of speculation, I'm truly scared for whatever that "journey" is to be with God. INB4 toll houses. And I for sure don't want to wake up in a liquid filled pod and I'm suddenly in the year 2199 with Morpheus explaning to me that my Ambien pill was actually the red pill.

I've thought about committing suicide before to find out what's beyond this current womb. Strangely the thing that stops me is the fear of death itself. What I don't understand is the more I became convinced of the Resurrection of Christ, the more fearful of death I got. It doesn't make sense.

[D_MacDavid]

Maybe this book can answer your question : Seraphim Rose "The Soul After Death"

[FatherGiryus]

First of all, if you are thinking about hurting yourself, please call 911 and get some help immediately.

Second, you must always remember that God loves you even when you don't love Him or yourself.  Much of what we read and hear about death is to get us to realize that it is real, but the real problem with it is not that God has created some macabre gauntlet to run, but rather we complicate what He has already provided a simple way through.

We have nothing to fear but our own pride, which leads to self-justification.

But, even there, God still gives us the process of death as a help to defeat us.  The demons cannot harm us, they can only threat to do so, but we are the ones who harm ourselves.  There are many who have never heard the name of Christ or known of the True God who are permitted to enter into His rest at death.  Why?  Because He is merciful.

God is Love, and perfect love casts out all fear.

The Incarnation we celebrate today is an act of love, a love that overcomes sin and death and rejection.  It conquers everything, even us if we will yield.  Let God love you.

Alright so I have had this question literally keeping me up at night.

So when Christ rose and ascended, and it wasn't just a spirtiual resurecction but that of the body as well...do our souls sense the material aspect of Christ? Will we be in the same dimensional plane that Christ is in now? This whole "falling asleep" bit has me scared to death. I want to know right now what the soul will "see" after death so I can stop spending every waking second in absoulute dread for what will happen.

I wish this wasn't a matter of speculation, I'm truly scared for whatever that "journey" is to be with God. INB4 toll houses. And I for sure don't want to wake up in a liquid filled pod and I'm suddenly in the year 2199 with Morpheus explaning to me that my Ambien pill was actually the red pill.

I've thought about committing suicide before to find out what's beyond this current womb. Strangely the thing that stops me is the fear of death itself. What I don't understand is the more I became convinced of the Resurrection of Christ, the more fearful of death I got. It doesn't make sense.

[quietmorning]

At least you're growing out of the teen and young adult "I'm invincible!" (and therefore reckless) stage.   

I went through a period of time when I was in my twenties and scared to pieces over all the stuff the protestant church was telling me about the rapture, that I would actually sit up at night . .. waiting.  I found over a period of time that that fear was pulling me away from my God instead of keeping me 'ready' for Him. 

I've also seen time and time again, His mercy in the lives of those who are preparing to 'go home'.  Painful broken relationships heal, issues with self suddenly aren't issues any longer. . . In His love, He prepares us.  I've seen this happen even in deaths that were sudden and unexpected. 

I know personally for me that when I die, no matter what happens, He will be with me as there is no place where He is not.  He died and rose again to be with me always.  So, if I'm looking down some demon's throat - He will be there with me. . .or if I'm rising with the Angels and singing His praises to Him, He will be there with me.  If He tells me to go to Hell, then that's where I'm going to go, and I'm going to trust Him to do what needs to be done for HIS Glory.  I know that I deserve Hell, but through His mercy - I have Him with me - ALWAYS.  Then I think of the three boys in the furnace - because they were untouched and with Him. 

You see - Achronos, this fear that you have is the beginning - the very very beginning of learning to trust Him in ALL things.  No matter what happens. . .no matter how it happens.  The Lord Jesus Christ is your 'red and / or blue' pill, and the thing is, it doesn't matter if you choose the red or the blue. . .because He IS. 

You'll get there. 

In the mean time, remember that you are just beginning this incredibly valuable lesson. . .and a baby born premature often dies.  Let Him teach you, don't force it into a premature birth.  Let the fruit ripen in it's due season - and know that in the economy, you'll get the added benefit of honing patience. 

This wasn't an overnight lesson for me. . . .but a "decades long. . .just now beginning to see the fruit of it through out my life every moment of my life with a lot of dots that are just now coming together" . . ..lesson.  (Say THAT three times fast!!)

[Tikhon29605]

Maybe this book can answer your question : Seraphim Rose "The Soul After Death"

I would never recommend that hideous book to anybody.  I almost left the Orthodox Church 15 years ago when I read that. My priest doesn't recommend it and he won't allow our bookstore to sell it.  Toll houses, spooks, gremlins and monsters.  It reads like some Gnostic version of a Dungeon and Dragons nightmare.

The Orthodox tradition really doesn't tell us nearly as much about the state after death as so people want to know. Way too much speculation in The Soul After Death.

I'd say you are much better off to simply pray for the departed and study the services of the church that deal with death (like the funeral and pannykhida services).  Its there that you will find the Orthodox teaching and not the speculation you find in Rose's book.

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