Of course I don’t think she is because I think it’s a fantasy, but that so many Christians don’t is eye opening. It all seems to stem to the fact that she didn’t hate on gay people. That they think that a person who did so much good in the world is now being tortured for eternity proves how cruel their religious beliefs are. If Dolly isn’t good enough for their god, then there’s something really wrong with that god, and something really wrong with them. Heaven must be a wonderful place full of repentant pedophile priests (who better knows the loop holes) while an actual incredibly kind person burns in hell. I feel like I’ve been rage baited
.
I think you’re very correct at the start of your post - the basis concept of the rage baiters is nonsense in the first place.
They may as well be suggesting that Dolly Parton won’t now get to spend time with little green men on Mars because she didn’t hate on gay people.
Personally, I would choose to ignore in this case and remain indifferent to the crap coming out of their heads.
Mrs. Parton has accomplished so much in her life and brought a lot of fun and happiness to a lot of people, in addition to donating considerable wealth for worthy social causes.
Her art and generosity will influence society for many generations to come, so–in my mind–this is already a kind of afterlife for her, as she is still influencing us in a positive way even though she has died.
This may not be the afterlife that pleases theists, but so what? She lived her life very well, so if she made as much of her life as she possibly could (which she did), then one life should be enough.
So . . . what does she need Heaven for? To satisfy God’s eternal narcicissim? To be a kind of eternal trophy to His majesty?
Mrs. Parton deserves much, much better than that.
P.S. Please note that I made a few minor grammer and stylistic changes to correct a few minor composition errors.
No… she’s just dead. Afterlives are not only myth, but highly overrated!
One of the best arguments I heard about heaven not being what it’s cracked up to be was that if you can be blissful and happy in heaven while people you deeply cared about are being tortured for eternity, are you even recognizably you any more?
That is a good point. Also, if every hour of every day is filled with an intoxicating level of extreme happiness, how do you recognise that you’re (supposed to be) happy without those contrasting episodes and periods of “downtime” where existence is just average, meh, or even awful? Compare it to running an ultra marathon, where underways you are tired, your muscles and joints ache, you see almost no end to the pain and suffering, so you have to pressure yourself to keep going despite the extreme uncomfortableness of the situation. Then, at the end, you reach the goal line, can relax, and feel joy. What would this feeling of joy, happiness, and sense of achievement be without all those hours of exhaustion and pain?
TLDR; Eternal, uninterrupted bliss seems meh or at least overrated. Contrasting feelings and experiences are needed to recognise it as something good.
So heaven is filled with homophobic bigots, now of course like you I don’t believe it exists outside of human imagination, but if we apply Pascal’s wager, I’d have to err on the side of caution, and fuck the place right off…I’d appreciate any tips on how best to achieve avoiding this fictional place…
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Can’t be too careful…![]()
Just keep on disbelieving?
And perhaps think the occasional heretic thoughts?
And some well-placed blasphemy also wouldn’t hurt, I guess.
Sounds like a song title Dolly should have sung?![]()
Damn those deities….![]()
Fucking deities, what a bunch of cunts…![]()
Congratulations ![]()
You’re well on your way to eternal damnation ![]()
Prepare for an eternity socialising with accountants, auditors, obsessive-compulsive nose pickers, and corporate team-building facilitators.
Phew, that is a relief…I’d hate to imagine how close I may have come to an eternity spent with bigots, and the intolerant certainty they espouse.
How about making a hobby out of breaking the first two commandments? Choose a god and proclaim him better than the christian god, then set about making a graven image of that god. It could keep you busy for years and you’d have art work to show off to your friends
. And while you’re at it use the Sabbath to catch up on some work. The christian god seems to find that intolerable.
Lots of sex with different people while drinking beer and staying away from church, perhaps?
I may have done enough then? ![]()