Would you still believe if there were no reward in the afterlife

donny

Some months ago I was listening to a co-worker witnessing to some others about why he believes and why they should to. As I listened I kept hearing over and over about the "rewards" of eternal life in heaven in the Kingdom of God. Later on we had a conversation that went like this.

Me: Can I ask you a question about your beliefs?

Him: Sure Donny, what do you want to know?

Me: If there were no promises of an afterlife would you still be a believer?

Him: Well that's kinda of a dumb question.

Me: Why is that?

Him: Because that is the whole point of following God is to be able to be with him forever.

Me: But just as a hypothetical situation, what if God said that I want you to beleive in me and follow my commandments even though you will cease to exist when you die.

Him: Well he would not do that.

Me: But just as a hypothetical.

Him: Well I have never really thought about it. I guess I would.

Me: You guess?

Him: Well I have never thought about doing one without the other?

Me: But if that was the case, would you?

Him: I would like to think I would.

To make a long story shorter, he eventually said that he might not follow the commandments of God if there were no reward. That is what I see in most believer of whatever interpretation of God they follow. They do it because of the reward. I have met a few who have said they would do it regardless of the reward but they did not sound convincing.

I believe that the vast majority of people would not even consider the case of following a God or belief system if it had no rewards. What about you?

Donny

snowbird

I have always known, loved, and felt a connection to God.

It used to hurt my heart when I felt like people were being disrespectful to Him.

That's part of the reason I left my church and joined the JW's.

So, to answer your question, I believe in Him - reward notwithstanding.

Syl

yknot

Yea I would be obedient......

I spent well over 20 years being told I wasn't worthy of any 'reward'.....

Left to my own devices allegedly I would become a supervillian with world domination schemes

mindmelda

Believe what? Making deals with incoporeal entities is always a problem. The contracts are so nebulous. LOL

I just do what I do and believe what I believe because it makes me happy now. Yesterday is like money already spent, today is like money in the bank, tomorrow is like an IOU.

*G*

Mall Cop

Donny, Millions of former JW'S fell for the "LURE" " The Carrot " you can live forever on a paradise earth. Once we came to learn this was not true we abandoned the watchtower society.

What does this tell us? No reward, no service given. Why should we serve when there is nothing in return for our service.

So, why believe in a reward in the afterlife if we find out that there is no reward.

As to doing things God's way without anything in return and death is final, maybe because we live for the moment and enjoy this only life we have.

Does our way make us happy in this life, or does God's way make us happy in this life?

I once believed in the watchtower's teaching along with millions of others. I no longer believe in the lure,the carrot of any religion.

tec

I would still follow and believe, out of love for God and for mankind. Not for a reward, but for the good of our world. To help this world be a better place. There is great reward in loving and helping others without judging or condemning them. I probably wouldn't shove my beliefs down another person's throat - but I don't do that now anyway.

The first time I asked myself this question though, my answer was the same as your friend's: I would like to think that I would.

This is not an unfair response. It's actually very honest. If you've never separated the two - following and reward - then certainly you hope you would still follow, but you need to examine that thought fully.

Tammy

VoidEater

I do not believe in a "reward". Put into common terms, I believe in universal salvation and unconditional giving of grace.

I believe everyone, regardless of their actions, are equally loved and equally "rewarded".

THE GLADIATOR

The whole tenant of the new testament is that being a Christian means surrendering the rewards that the present world offers, for the riches of entering a heavenly kingdom. Sacrifice now to reap later. The wages sin pays is death but Christ offers everlasting life, or Jesus if we are on first name terms.

Dead to this world alive in spirit... For the joy that was set before him...I count this world as nothing...he that loves the things of this world...I count the things of this world as nothing...alien residents, reaching out for a place in heaven... and so on.

The prize is what is offered in place of death. If there is no reward for followers of Christ, then are on a hiding to nothing.

All I live for and am prepared to die for is Caesars approval. Hail Caesar!

cult classic

Yeah we're expected to believe in and worship God unconditionally, but if you eat a piece of fruit from a tree he cuts you off forever.

Cult Classic

mindmelda

I had a Baptist ministers wife prove to me quite convincingly a few years ago that Witnesses really do believe in brownie pointing their way into paradise.

What was funny was that I had a piosneer with me at the time to offer counterpoint and she couldn't. LOL I never saw a piosneer so befuddled and pissed in my life, god that was good day.

I'm not a Baptist, but I have to say, that woman knew her Bible better by far than the average JW...or even one who had been to piosneer school.

The piosneer wrote it off in that typical cult fashion..."I think Satan was helping her...I won't be going back there again!" Yeah, Run Piosneer, Run, da debil be after you! LOL

Would you still believe if there were no reward in the afterlife

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