General question to all siblings...

[Kiyoodle the Gambrinous]

well, I would avoid them, for a while at least. I'd probably just float about in secluded nature for a while or something. avoid people in general, then come back and see how society is doing. or spy on people like the president.

The temptation to see your loved ones would probably be to strong to avoid them.

I agree with Griffin on this one, when dead, then dead... Not floating around...

[Opsa]

I think that either of those options are okay.

If you're simply dead, then great. No more pain.

If you're a conscious spirit, then it depends where your disposition is. If you are too concerned with what people think, you may find yourself in a sort of Hell, when you notice that the word continues to revolve without you. Maybe you need to learn this before you can find peace.

If you care for those you left behind and feel distress, perhaps you can comfort yourself with the thought that your consciousness remains, so that maybe theirs will as well.You could start planning on when you will be with them again. Where will you meet? Can you help them into the other side? If you have all eternity, what's the rush?

[Sibling Qwertyuiopasd]

exactly. hopefully you'd be able to meet up with other dead folks and start popping ethereal pop-corn or something. and I don't think I'd get bored of this consious spirit thing. why not take the time to travel to the core? or look for life on other planets. it might take some time traveling, but then you'd see (relatively) first hand, um, everything.

assuming you weren't bound to earth somehow.

but hey, I don't think it much matters what we speculate, as we could just as easily be going to catholic hell.

I just have fun speculatin'

~Qwerty

[Aggie]

Heh, I hope to instill a good measure of ancestor-worship in my descendants, and then hang about using what-if-any influence I may be able to exert to help 'em out.  And maybe play the odd prank. 

But I'm using the working assumption that there's nothing after.  Saves disappointment.

[Sibling Lambicus the Toluous]

Heh, I hope to instill a good measure of ancestor-worship in my descendants, and then hang about using what-if-any influence I may be able to exert to help 'em out.

"Honey, we're raising the kids Shinto!"

[Kiyoodle the Gambrinous]

but hey, I don't think it much matters what we speculate, as we could just as easily be going to catholic hell.

Can an atheist/agnostic go to Catholic Heaven or Hell, if he doesn't believe in those two?

I mean, IMO, not believing in God, directly leads to not believing in Heaven, Hell and all the other stuff connected to the belief...

[Aggie]

Heh, I hope to instill a good measure of ancestor-worship in my descendants, and then hang about using what-if-any influence I may be able to exert to help 'em out.

"Honey, we're raising the kids Shinto!"

Well, I wouldn't get away with Shinto, but she's a recovering Catholic (I think it was a mild case to start with ) with Eastern sensibilities, so not too much of a stretch.  Ancestor-worship rites are culturally important. 

She's not sold on my notion of a burial mound quite yet, though. 
I'd like one, but it's personally only an option if I manage to do some good for the living first.

[Opsa]

Maybe we'll do some good right here.

Can an atheist/agnostic go to Catholic Heaven or Hell, if he doesn't believe in those two?

I mean, IMO, not believing in God, directly leads to not believing in Heaven, Hell and all the other stuff connected to the belief...

As I understand it, Catholics think only Catholics go to Heaven and everyone else goes to Hell. So you only go to Catholic Hell if you're a Cathloic who ...isn't ...Catholic?

Well, I wouldn't get away with Shinto, but she's a recovering Catholic

Holy carp! I thought you were going to say that she was an Unitarian! 

[Aggie]

Holy carp! I thought you were going to say that she was an Unitarian! 

Haven't hauled her in to the local UU chuch yet (or me, for that matter - but maybe in the next 6 weeks).  We keep missing the particularly interesting services....

[Sibling Qwertyuiopasd]

But I'm using the working assumption that there's nothing after.  Saves disappointment.

well, I figure if theres oblivion, then... not much disappointment. if theres some other afterlife, It'll either be just as good, or... too bad. I'm not counting on this to happen, I'm just sayin' it'd be cool.

speculation.

~Qwerty

[Sibling Lambicus the Toluous]

As I understand it, Catholics think only Catholics go to Heaven and everyone else goes to Hell. So you only go to Catholic Hell if you're a Cathloic who ...isn't ...Catholic?

Not quite... they still say you have to be baptised, but these days, they consider the baptisms of most other denominations to be "acceptable", since a baptism doesn't have to be performed by a priest to be valid (the key items are water, specifically water in contact with the skin, and the Trinitarian formula, i.e. baptising in the name of the Father, Son AND Holy Spirit).

Beyond that, mortal sin (i.e. one that violates one of the Ten Commandments) puts a person in danger of Hell. For Catholics, this sin can be absolved through confession to a priest and penance; for non-Catholics (or for Catholics who haven't confessed), they have to hope that whatever contrition they do and remorse they feel is satisfactory to God.

I think that got it, but anyone who knows their Catechism better than I do should feel free to correct me.

[Opsa]

Recently the Opsalette and I were in an Episcopalian church and we found the baptismal font. She asked how a baptism is done, and so I baptised her in the name of the father, the son, and the holy spirit ...and  the mother! Would that count?

[Sibling Lambicus the Toluous]

Recently the Opsalette and I were in an Episcopalian church and we found the baptismal font. She asked how a baptism is done, and so I baptised her in the name of the father, the son, and the holy spirit ...and  the mother! Would that count?

Interesting... I'm not sure.  There are various discussion boards with "ask a priest" sections... if you're curious, you could check one of them.

[Sibling Qwertyuiopasd]

I'd ask a priest if he thought he was pretty.

~Qwerty

[Opsa]

Careful, he may think you're interested! 

(I think we need a smiley with a person being struck by lightning for remarks like these!)

... they still say you have to be baptised, but these days, they consider the baptisms of most other denominations to be "acceptable", since a baptism doesn't have to be performed by a priest to be valid (the key items are water, specifically water in contact with the skin, and the Trinitarian formula, i.e. baptising in the name of the Father, Son AND Holy Spirit).

Technically, one might accept that I had baptised her, but not as a Catholic. Maybe as a Toadfish?