Annihilationism.
Were I to become a Christian (just an intellectual exercise here,
I don't want to do that) I would naturally be a CONSERVATIVE
Christian. (If you're going to try to be Christian and be a liberal
warm-fuzzy or Universal-Salvationist about it, you might as well
chuck the whole religion. At least that's the way I see it. After all,
Christianity is a blood-and-guts, kill your neighbor (unless he's
meaner that you, in which case you should lick his boots) and
beat-your-wife sort of belief system.)
Now, I must say that I rather LIKE Annihilationist Christianity. It
is honest about its "God" being a killing machine who demands
obedience from "his" followers, sure! But unlike eternal-torture-
in-"Hell", or Universalism... in Annihilationism, EVERYBODY gets
what they want.
I mean, look at Eternal Torture. Those who reject Jesus are said
to be given "what they chose" when they get thrown into "Hell".
(But COME ON NOW. What sane person would choose to be
tortured forever? I think you'd be hard put to find an INSANE
person who'd want that...)
Universal Salvation? That's forcing "eternal life" on everyone,
just like Eternal Torture when you think about it. What about
those people (like myself) who would NEVER be happy in
"Heaven", short of being subjected to a radical pre-frontal
lobotomy? "Hell" with air-conditioning...
Which brings us to Annihilationism! According to Christianity,
"God"/Jesus explicitly demands "my way or the highway", right?
To be "saved", you must act and believe in certain ways which
are supposedly in conformity with "God's" wishes. That, it is told,
is the price of "everlasting life." The "wages of sin" being death.
DEATH. (NOT "life"! An eternity in "Hell" is conscious existence...
i.e. a type of LIFE! Dig?)
If Christianity is true (I hope it isn't, I want mechanistic materialism
to be true!) I can deal with Annihilationism. I might even say "thank
you!" to the Big Guy before he snuffs me! I'd have actually gotten what
I CHOSE... just as the Christians would get what THEY chose (a Christian afterlife. Hope they like singing and gardening!) What could be fairer?
With Annihilationism, you can't accuse "God" of being cruel, at least
as far as post-mortem existence is concerned. If you don't accept him
as your "Lord and Savior" the worst that will happen, is you'll got back to where you were before you were born! And then it could truly be said, that "damnation" is simply giving "sinners" what they wanted! The afterlife is full of rules and regulations I can't stomach? No problem, I don't have to go there - and I won't be punished for that choice! (And what sort of "God" would punish people just because their tastes don't match "his" own - especially considering that "he" made those people KNOWING what their tastes would be..!)
Who knows? Maybe I'm an "Anti-Christian" then? In hopes of securing eternal dreamless sleep (which is what I was raised to believe in anyhow, so I don't fear it - I WANT it ) all I have to do, is do what I've always done anyway - i.e reject Jesus Christ!!!
Short of mechanistic materialism, I think I'd like Annihilationist Christianity to be true. (Who knows, maybe I'm in luck and Seventh-Day Adventism is the Truth of the Universe.)

B-man

Hi Chumley If there was annialation,it would not be Gods fault it would be mans fault,as many wars are caused through mans greed and selfishness and total disrepect for human life.

Wars are manmade and all these do is feed the devil,he enjoys all the suffering and pain,destruction and disease,which is why when we die,we go to heaven,wheres there is love and peace,which is what God wants for us all.

Gods does not expect us to be perfect,he loves and forgives us and no matter how we have lived our life good or bad,we are given the choice in the afterlife to be saved,we are not thrown into hell,there is a lowest plain,where really evil people go,but spirits from the higher realm still go down to the lowest realm and hold there loving arms out and say"Who wants to be saved"and some will go to there arms and be lifted higher,but some are so evil they dont want to be saved,so our loving God gives us the choice.There is no such thing as Hell it is a manmade word and so is Death a manmade word.

There is no Death,but a passing from one existence to another.

God loves you Chumley,he does not expect anything from you,thats why he gave you and the rest of us on this earth plain" Free Will."

You will be surrounded by pure unconditional love,when you enter the world of spirit ,as you are, i beleive a really loving person underneath all that you write on here.

Love and God bless   Love Juditha

Brendan,

Your assertions about christianity are based on popular conceptions not true church teachings.  Most afterlife sources suggest that it is we who gravitate toward heaven or hell after death - not a punishment from an outside source.  Why would we do this?  As my friend Dave suggests, when confronted with the greater reality of our souls after life, and a life review, many feel the unconditional love of heaven, and want to atone for some of their misdeeds in earth life.  They may not feel worthy of the light and love.  In this scenario, reincarnation or a hell for a time would be a way for the soul to atone and feel worthy of heaven.

On earth we can all put on a public face for others to see, and project our persona whether it is real or not.  In spirit, the lies we may have fostered on earth melt away.  As Swendenborg says, the outer tendencies fade away, and our inner natures make us gravitate toward whatever realm is appropriate for our consciousness.  What is most important to your inner desires now, is most important when you pass away too. 

I see no evidence that a self created hell or reincarnation if they exist, have to be eternal.  As to annihilation, if it is your choice, then Bruce has mentioned he has heard of some rare instances of the demise of the soul. 

You are so ready to give up on immortality or the higher heavens and love that is there before you have experienced them, Chum.  Why?  Why not play the game, and raise your thoughts and the love within you, and see where it leads?  What is so great about annihilation after this earth life?  Or could it be that the fear of the unknown causes you to choose annihilation now, here in the physical?

Only you can answer those questions.

Peace,

Doc