Double Edge... Thanks for the comments... One thing sprung to mind as I read them...
" For the living are conscious that they will die.... but as for the dead they know nothing at all"
It's just a thought.
re: "assuming that death is just a 'sleep', which, by the way is a very minority opinion within the Christian community
I have no problem with believing in something that is a minority view! I guess in his own time Christ was viewed as the progenitor of a set of believers who were definitely in the minority.. I don't think that 'size' is important in this setting!
Millions of Germans believed in Adolf Hitler didn't they? But that did not necessarily mean that what he said or did was true did it? ( does that make sense?) Millions of people adhere to the Watchtower Societies' understanding of the Bible... and that definitely doesn't mean that they are right according to many who post on this forum.
Just because something is believed by many or a few is not really relevant is it? It is whether, in the final analysis, time proves the belief true or false...
Noah believed that Jehovah had commissioned him to build an ark for the saving of his family... the fact that only seven other people believed him ( or at least went along with 'the old man' ) was not important... and in time it was, in fact, the minority view that proved true....Well that's how I see it.
One way or the other I guess one of us will finally end up in a canoe with no paddles!!
Take care... and thanks for the reply.