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Question Title	Posted By	Question Date
They Died	Cassiel	Tuesday, February 7, 2012
Question: Hi Brother, While I am not starting to have doubts, I wonder about something that I think you will have a sensible explanation for. I participate in Yahoo's question and answer forum, and a number of unbelievers participate, spoiling it for everyone else. I find it depressing that some people believe that there is no afterlife, when they are dead they will just be dead. One person wrote in to say that he had not a near death experience, but actually died for a while - and there was nothing. Not the usual seeing the light, drifting towards it and so on. An Islamic friend of mine had a heart bypass operation, and also experienced nothing while she temporarily died. Could it be that because they are not of our faith they could be heading for "nothing" after life, or that everyone will "sleep" until Christ resurrects us and the Father judges us? Thanks, peace and blessings, Cassiel
Question Answered by Bro. Ignatius Mary, OMSM(r), L.Th., D.D. Dear Cassiel: The truth about God and the afterlife is an absolute truth regardless of whether or not anyone believes it. Truth does not depend upon a person's believe. Truth is Truth eternally. Those who think that when they are dead "that is it" will experience a mighty awakening when they die. They will, as will we all, experience upon our death (that is permanent death) the Particular Judgement whereby their eternal destiny is determined. At the end of the world their bodies, and ours, will be ressurected and reunited with their souls, and then they will enter heaven or hell body and soul forever. These facts do not change no matter what a person believes. A person may believe in nothing, or be an atheist, a Buddhist, a Satanist, or whatever, this scenario will happen to all people. As for the reported "near death" experiences, these experiences are not "usual", they are very rare. The vast majority of people either do not have this experience, or they do not remember it. What most people do not know is that there are many of people, who did have near-death experiences, who experienced descending into hell. Many of these people, when revived, tend to have a conversion and begin living Christian lives. The concept of "soul sleep" is a heretical notion. Jehovah Witnesses, I believe, hold this erroneous view. There is no "soul sleep" to which we are awakened when Jesus comes as judge. Rather, we are immediately judged as to our eternal destiny at the moment of our permanent death. Both the saved and the condemned will be fully conscious from the moment of their death until the Final Judgement, and on into eternity. The souls of those who die in a State of Grace will immediately after the Particular Judgement experience the bliss of heaven, or the pains of purgatory and then heaven, until our Lord returns and they are resurrected, reunited with their bodies, the Final Judgement proclaimed, and they begin to enjoy their eternity with God. The souls those who die in a State of Sin will immediately after the Particular Judgement languish in the pains of hell until our Lord returns and they are resurrected, reunited with their bodies, the Final Judgement proclaimed, and they begin to suffer the pains of hell with Satan forever. See the Catechism paragraphs 1021-1050. I hope this helps. God Bless, Bro. Ignatius Mary Footer Notes: This forum is for general questions on the faith. See specific Topic Forums below: Spiritual Warfare, demons, the occult go to our Spiritul Warfare Q&S Forum. Liturgy Questions go to our Liturgy and Liturgical Law Q&A Forum Liturgy of the Hours (Divine Office) Questions go to our Divine Office Q&A Forum Defenfing the Faith Questions go to our Defending the Faith Q&A Forum Church History Questions go to our Church History Q&A Forum

Question Title

Posted By

Question Date

They Died

Cassiel

Tuesday, February 7, 2012

Question:

Hi Brother,

While I am not starting to have doubts, I wonder about something that I think you will have a sensible explanation for. I participate in Yahoo's question and answer forum, and a number of unbelievers participate, spoiling it for everyone else. I find it depressing that some people believe that there is no afterlife, when they are dead they will just be dead.

One person wrote in to say that he had not a near death experience, but actually died for a while - and there was nothing. Not the usual seeing the light, drifting towards it and so on. An Islamic friend of mine had a heart bypass operation, and also experienced nothing while she temporarily died. Could it be that because they are not of our faith they could be heading for "nothing" after life, or that everyone will "sleep" until Christ resurrects us and the Father judges us?

Thanks, peace and blessings,
Cassiel

Question Answered by Bro. Ignatius Mary, OMSM(r), L.Th., D.D.

Dear Cassiel:

The truth about God and the afterlife is an absolute truth regardless of whether or not anyone believes it. Truth does not depend upon a person's believe. Truth is Truth eternally.

Those who think that when they are dead "that is it" will experience a mighty awakening when they die. They will, as will we all, experience upon our death (that is permanent death) the Particular Judgement whereby their eternal destiny is determined. At the end of the world their bodies, and ours, will be ressurected and reunited with their souls, and then they will enter heaven or hell body and soul forever.

These facts do not change no matter what a person believes. A person may believe in nothing, or be an atheist, a Buddhist, a Satanist, or whatever, this scenario will happen to all people.

As for the reported "near death" experiences, these experiences are not "usual", they are very rare. The vast majority of people either do not have this experience, or they do not remember it.

What most people do not know is that there are many of people, who did have near-death experiences, who experienced descending into hell. Many of these people, when revived, tend to have a conversion and begin living Christian lives.

The concept of "soul sleep" is a heretical notion. Jehovah Witnesses, I believe, hold this erroneous view. There is no "soul sleep" to which we are awakened when Jesus comes as judge. Rather, we are immediately judged as to our eternal destiny at the moment of our permanent death. Both the saved and the condemned will be fully conscious from the moment of their death until the Final Judgement, and on into eternity.

The souls of those who die in a State of Grace will immediately after the Particular Judgement experience the bliss of heaven, or the pains of purgatory and then heaven, until our Lord returns and they are resurrected, reunited with their bodies, the Final Judgement proclaimed, and they begin to enjoy their eternity with God.

The souls those who die in a State of Sin will immediately after the Particular Judgement languish in the pains of hell until our Lord returns and they are resurrected, reunited with their bodies, the Final Judgement proclaimed, and they begin to suffer the pains of hell with Satan forever.

See the Catechism paragraphs 1021-1050.

I hope this helps.

God Bless,
Bro. Ignatius Mary

Footer Notes: This forum is for general questions on the faith. See specific Topic Forums below:
Spiritual Warfare, demons, the occult go to our Spiritul Warfare Q&S Forum.
Liturgy Questions go to our Liturgy and Liturgical Law Q&A Forum
Liturgy of the Hours (Divine Office) Questions go to our Divine Office Q&A Forum
Defenfing the Faith Questions go to our Defending the Faith Q&A Forum
Church History Questions go to our Church History Q&A Forum