What do you think happens after death?

I sure did. Christians are absolutely certain there is an afterlife. If you are absolutely certain of something you can't at the same time be hoping its true.

Therefore, by your own logic, Christians are without hope and therefore hopeless.

The bible speaks of Christians as having this experience. If a person hasn't experienced what Jesus spoke about, they are not a Christian in the biblical sense of the word Christian.

Just because your parents are Christians doesn't automatically make the child one.

Likewise, the performance of a ritual on a baby or adult, doesn't make them a Christian.

I suggest you read the new testament to understand the definition of a Christian. The Apostles lived with Jesus 3 years. They still needed the experience demonstrated in Acts 2. The gentiles and Samaritans has the same experience as you read on in the book of Acts.

As for the word Christian. It was a derogatory and slanderous term used by the general population. The early church never referred to themselves as such.

As for secretive cult. We meet in a building on a main street and our doors are open to anyone who wants to come in and hear what's being said. Nothing secret about that.

As said, it's not a new phenomenon. Jesus spoke about it (John 3) . The old testament prophets spoke about it. Not sure why you think it's a modern idea. It's plainly not.

So you are a member of a religion after all.

And what if you're wrong?. I'm sure you couldn't be but what if your wrong

The use of the word "we" implies a congregation of some sort. I would call a congregation of people worshipping a god a religion, how would you define a religion?

This is not a forum exclusively for Christians, is that what you want? No other opinions allowed? Burn them at the virtual stake?

So really no different to the local GAA match with a few thousand people worshipping the people running up and down the pitch and shouting their adulations to the winners.

Or a rock concert in slane , everyone in a state of ectasy gesticulating towards the altar they call a stage as their god of music belts out his or her latest song.

https://biblehub.com/revelation/3-20.htm 😁

Viewing the question in a religious context would seem entirely appropriate if posted in a Christianity forum 😀. Both Old and New Testaments indicate post-death consciousness with awareness of identity, personal history and in a permanent state of being either saved or unsaved. The promise of resurrection for the saved is in regenerated physical bodies just as Jesus appeared after the crucifixion, no diseases, no ageing but a restoration of the pre-Fall state, albeit older and wiser. From a Christian perspective, the answer to the question can't be anything other than Jesus taught - it's the final destination which is a personal choice.

The fact there is anything at all and no one can claim where it came from makes me think there is a whole lot we just don’t know for sure.

Anything is possible.

No possiblity of Hell, then?

The OP raises a fair question because at least in my experience, there is very little detail in teaching on the subject in traditional churches and outside of those, most people's interaction with the Christian perspective will be vague "reunited in Heaven" platitudes at funerals. Jesus certainly didn't shrink from discussing the here-now reality of Heaven and Hell as well as the urgency of making the right choice ahead of time.

I don't think it's an unpleasant thought at all. I take a lot of comfort from the idea that we have an opportunity to make the most of the one lap round the track we get and that when we're gone we're gone. That motivates me to keep moving forward and doing things, learning new things and trying new things etc as long as I have a pulse. I always look forward, never back and absolutely hate endless "remember when" type social chit chat.

Yes we'll be remembered by those who loved us and who we had a positive impact on but those memories will inevitably be diluted by newer memories made by those same loved ones after we die and diminish all together as they too die away.

Most of us love or loved our parents dearly but how many of us have strong memories of our grandparents and how many of us even know the forenames of our 8 great grandparents or much about them at all?

I like the closure of being dead. You ran your race. It's now over. End of.

Light switch comes on at 0.00 hours and 0 years.Light switch goes off at: - whenever.Thank your mammy and daddy for it all.

I believe that there is of course life after death…BUT…not in the way most people think of the phrase. I believe that when we die, as with the trees and other living things, that we decay (or ..rot… as someone previously posted) into the soil/earth, thus nourishing it and providing the fundamentals required for more life to continue and thrive.