Friday, December 5, 2014

Light Hidden by Darkness by John Bradford Branney - Afterlife or Not?


Click to order Light Hidden by Darkness 
I have not done any scientific research and I do not have any polling data, but I would guess that most people in the world hope and believe that there is some sort of afterlife after our brief journey on Earth. Well, imagine my surprise when doing my research for my new book, Light Hidden by Darkness,  that I found that there was an entire religion, the Progressive Jews, that do not believe there is an afterlife. Now, we are not talking about some fringe group in North Dakota, Progressive Jews make up the largest segment of Jews in the United States of America. Finding this out was a big discovery for me. I expected to find that the atheists did not believe in the afterlife, but never thought that there would not be an organized religion that did not believe.

For Progressive Jews, this life right now, here on this Earth, is all there is. After they die, they are dust. Now, as the attached article explains, this gives Progressive Jews more motivation to get more out of this life since they do not believe there is any evidence of an afterlife. They are not holding out on the hope that there is a 'Better Place' after we are done here, like most Christians, Hindus and others believe. For Progressive Jews, it is no heaven, no hell, just a pine box and an eternity of sleep. I know I am probably oversimplifying their belief, but read the article and see what you think.

Personally, I am not so sure I like the idea that there is not an afterlife and that God and Lucifer are not competing for my soul. I would almost bet a quarter of a dollar that most people would not like that situation, either. Many people have a pretty rough time with their lives right now. They are doing everything possible to make ends just meet. For them, the dream of a better life in heaven drives their
very being, each and every action. They are living 'holy', but austere lives. Take that hope and dream away from them and...well...ouch.

Criminals might like the idea of no afterlife. One of the bigger consequences for crime is not only the prison time, but the 'burning in hell' element. If there is no afterlife, no heaven or hell to worry about, then criminals wouldn't have their day in court with the Almighty, only Judge Wapner. They would be getting away with murder or robbery without eternal consequences. After all, according to Progressive Jews, the criminal would be sleeping for eternity right next to the law abiding citizen. Now, that hurts.

This article is mind blowing, to say the least, at least for me. I hope Progressive Jews are not on to something. I am one counting on an afterlife. You will have to read Light Hidden by Darkness to see what I really think about afterlife. Oh, I forgot, Light Hidden by Darkness is not about the afterlife. Order the book and find out for yourself. Enjoy the article.


Progressive Jews and Afterlife