HOW TO GET TO HEAVEN WHEN YOU DIE

[Redalgo]

There does not appear to be a way to prove or disprove beyond any trace of doubt if there is an afterlife and, if it does indeed exist, what it is like and what preconditions mar or may not exist to entering it. It is also troublesome that there are multiple religions that demand faith and behavior on the part of the believer that, if carried out for one religion, will make one ineligible for entry into the Heaven equivalent of another religion. The one "true" religion might have fallen out of grace hundreds of years ago, could be one of the many around today, could be one that folks have not yet realized, or... well you know... there's also a very real possibility that it is all complete bullsh**t and religion amounts to nothing more than a fanciful construct of the mind. I lean mostly toward the latter but it would be foolish of me not to keep an open mind about such things.

Unfortunately, being open minded is not enough. Some faiths demand exclusivity and/or a complete lack of deviance from its teachings. In light of this I offer a variation of the Atheist's wager. At the point of death it seems that one of ten things may occur:

1. There is no deity or afterlife. For better or worse the only thing that remains is ones legacy.
2. There is a deity but no afterlife. The outcomes will probably not be any different than in #1.
3. There is an afterlife but no deity. The thing is... humans beings cannot pass into it. Like #1.
4. There is an afterlife but no deity. Only those of certain faiths or abilities get into it. Like #7.
5. There is a deity and afterlife but neither are meant for us. Rather unfortunate, eh? Like #1.
6. There is a judging, benevolent deity and afterlife. Our flaws and ignorance may be forgiven.
7. There is a judging, not-so-good deity and afterlife. Our acts and faith are a high-stakes bet.
8. There is a deity and afterlife but the afterlife is reserved for a select few as in #4. Like #7.
9. There is an afterlife everyone passes into but no deity. It turns out religion did not matter.
10. There is a deity and an afterlife that everyone can and will pass into in due time. Like #9.

In six of these areas of possibility our religious beliefs and actions in life only matter insofar as how they will affect ourselves, other people, and the world around us. In three of these areas of possibility it is extremely unlikely that anyone possesses the means of discovering how to prepare for what lies ahead. In one, it is just as unlikely that anyone knows how to prepare or what to expect... but the difference is sincerity of effort and attempts at virtuosity may do a lot more good for your chances than completely letting loose under the assumption there will never be any consequences for poor conduct. Personally, I expect but do not know whether the terms of #1 are true. That is okay. I do not need the promise or threat of anything after death to motivate me to be a good person. Perhaps there will be a surprising outcome. Or not. Either way, trying to extol sound values and commit admirable deeds is - in large part - its own reward I would say. Hmm...