Recently, two dramas have been playing out in front of the national media that involed spiritual/faith subjects. First, a congressional committee this week started holding hearings examining radicalization within Islam. Despite wide support, the hearings have wide support as a large majority of Americans are concerned about radical Islam and want Congress to look into the issue. This type of hearing is unprecedented. The hearing specifically is targeting a particular faith and examining the extremes of that one faith.
One of the major concerns people have is the motivations of radical Muslims. It has been well documented that some suicide bombers are hoping to receive a reward of 72 virgins in the afterlife. In all actuality, most Muslims find this story to be a silly exaggeration that is necessary. Additional descriptions of these Virgins seem to reinforce the silliness of the notion - they are ninety-feet tall, transparent, they never urinate or menstruate, etc.
But, even as political leaders examine these radical ideas, many Christians are pausing to consider some the stranger elements of their afterlife beliefs. For instance, a Grand Rapids pastor is receiving a lot of (mostly negative) attention because of an upcoming book which re-examines some evangelical beliefs.
Where does your ideas about the afterlife come from?
Join us Thursday night, 7pm, at Short's Brewing for a conversation about faith and the afterlife.
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