I agree 1,000,000%. Earl and Cindy know the way!!! We'll follow you Earl........age before beauty, ya know!!

Sorry, I am not catholic, and dont know much about it. There is a woman a few houses up the street who is a catholic, and she is always spouting off about how God is vengeful. He is going to strike this man down, or throw this one into a pit of burning fire kinda talk.

I am sorry if I offended anyone, I was speaking of one person. I do have inlaws that are catholic, and they are so afraid of not going to church. Everything is a sin, or if you eat meat on friday (even though I hear the church changed it) or if you dont go to confession. Catholics have always scared me a bit.

So, let me apologize, I dont know much about Catholosizm other than the few folks I have been exposed to.

No need to apologize, there are fanatics in every religion. In the old days, the Priests and Nuns would try to scare us into being good, by reminding us of Heaven, Pugatory and H ell....mortal and veniel sins. The Catholic Church has backed away from those teachings, and are more realistic, now.

I also learned from the Catholic Church, that noone could tell you when you committed a Mortal sin....that was only between you and God. A Mortal sin, it was taught, is a grevious offence against God.

BTW, I always ate meat on Fridays and not once did I think I was going to h ell..LOL!

I believe as Cindy and Earl do. I'm not afraid.
I'm a sinner, but He will know I tried.

I wish you peace, Sal. It's ok to have concerns and fear about the things we haven't experienced yet.

Eggggsactly..

I am not afraid, I used to be until Jim got sick 6 years ago. He went through some pretty serious visions that no one can understand nor explain. All I do know is this man wasn't one who picked up a bible, yet he was spouting off Revelations like he had lived it. His doctors couldn't explain it, we couldn't explain it, it was a mystery and documented in his records. He was cleared of kidney failure, cleared of sepsis, cleared of any illness or infection. There wasn't an explanation as to why he hadn't woke up.

He said he fought to get out of he11 first, which Jim says was the worst place he had ever seen. He was tempted to stay and was offered so many things that we didn't have here on Earth. He was told God lied and everything he had been told was all made up. Jim fought his temptations hard and made it out of there. He then found himself in a middle place where he had to do calculations to get out (the number 3 was prominent). He had to do these calculations to help others get out as well.

His last place on the journey was Heaven where he stood among thousands and confessed all his sins. He said the place was beautiful and the sky was a purple hue and everyone was in white. He said he ran out of sins to confess and started saying how he didn't belong there, he wasn't worthy. A loud voice asked why he was so intent on thinking he didn't belong. A soft voice said Jim was like that. The loud voice then said to Jim "You see son, there is a place here for everyone" and it was then Jim was offered the chance to stay if he wanted.

Jim asked to come back and I have yet to understand that decision. He said he was given the opportunity to stay and get rid of his ms and live healthy and happy or go back and face the salamander (his ms). Jim chose the salamander because he needed to come back and face his demons once and for all. I know this was true because he was mumbling these things out loud and saying my name. I forgot to mention he also spoke to his dad during this time and a few other relatives including my grandmother who he adored.

It was something none of us to this day can understand and why is the most asked question, why Jim? We would like to believe at that time in Jim's life he needed something to hold on to, something that made his life meaningful. It did, it changed all of our lives. Jim says he thinks it was God's way of grabbing him by the shoulders and shaking him to wake up and look around, life is passing him by. It did. We also think it was never the plan for him to stay in Heaven, it was to learn a lesson.

Everything Jim experienced in his vision was related to the book of Revelations. Some believe what Jim went through, some don't. That's OK, we believe and that's what matters. Whatever it was it changed his life. There is so much more I left out but I don't think you want to read a book. LOL

Sorry to ramble, just wanted to share our experience. So afraid to die? No, I am looking forward to meeting those voices that saved my husband from death and changed his life for the better. I have some serious thanking to do.

WOW, sandy, I love that...Thanks..

This reminds me of the story of the little boy sitting in church with his parents. The preacher asked for a show of hands from those who wanted to go to heaven, and the little boy did not raise his hand. Later on, his parents asked him why. He replied, "Oh, I thought he was getting a load ready to go right then!"

It seems we have a God-given will to live, because He has given us life and it is precious. God has a purpose and a plan for us, even when we don't understand. I recently read "90 Minutes in Heaven" (can't remember the author), about a minister who was killed in a car wreck and was without a pulse for 90 minutes. He recounts his experiences after coming back to conciousness in his mangled car, and through his very extensive recovery. It gave me chills several times!

As far as suffering, I know when my dad died he didn't suffer for even a second. He trusted Jesus as a young man and lived his life as much according to the Bible as he possibly could. One morning he got up early, fixed himself some bacon and eggs and ate, walked into the living room and turned on the TV, sat down in his recliner - and before he could pick up the remote for the satellite, he was gone. Mom found him about an hour later, looking like he was asleep, but she knew something was wrong because the TV just had static.

I'm not going to proselytize, but if anyone is interested in specific Bible verses I'll be glad to give you the references.

I can show you what I mean if you come and do some whitewater with me, Sal...

no problem at all,
just wanted to clarify that not all believe the way those people believe.
I'm sure there are ones that are taught a different way in every faith.
some are more "fire & brimstone" and some are more forgiving, I guess that is a good way to describe it.