For the last few years, my son has been thinking about what happens when you die. It has caused many a nights lost sleep for him. Today he asked me (for the upteenth time) what I thought happens when you die. I told him that when I was a witness, I was taught that the soul and body was one, so that when the body died so did the soul. But, since 144,000 could gain entrance into heaven, to me that was contridictory. And, if people are to be resurrected, yet their bodies had rotted after death, shouldn't the soul be gone? The explanation that god remembers the person and "recreates him" never settled well with me. Holy Cloning, Batman! A clone is not the same person as the original. I told him that I believe (and hope) that there is something for us after death, but am not sure what. I did tell him that I do not believe in Hell, because I find it unnatural...and total nonsense.
He proceeded to tell me that he did believe in heck (he wont say hell, it is very cute, haha!), but not to the same degree that many religions do. He felt it was a place that very bad people went, not to be tortured, but to be punished for a while until they are better, and then they move on to somewhere else or maybe become a better person. I told him that this sound a lot like reincarnation..which led to a discuss on past lives..etc. He then told me that he does not believe in one god. He turned to me and said (we were in the car) "I am a Polytheist" he believes that one god could not handle all of mankind and nature. I said, sure greek and roman gods had human imperfections, so they could not. But that most monotheistic religions believed in a Supreme being, so that god would not have imperfections, so they could handle it. But I did not tell him he was wrong...because who knows?
(and for those of you wondering...yes he has studied some Greek and Roman history/mythology...I think that influence is showing a wee bit)
I am very glad that he is starting to think through his fears, and although I may not agree with his conclusions, was impressed that he has never stopped having a spiritual thirst. I would like to get him some books to read that gives a good overview of variuos religions. He already knows what a lot of the JWs are about, and my mother is a die hard....I am thinking outside of the JudeoChristian religions. I loved reading Mankinds Search for God...it just made me more interested in other religions, and I think after reading that book I first starting having serious doubts about the JWs. Can anyone give me some advice on how to encourage him looking for his own answers?