Opinion only follows--

> In my case, I don't believe that there's a God. I sometimes think I'd like to; it must be a very comforting thing to believe. But I've never seen anything that says to me, "God exists".
>

That's interesting. I have never seen anything that *hasn't* said to me, "God exists."

> I can only hope that if God does exist, he understands my reasons for not believing in him, and isn't too offended.

Seems silly. But then, my view is of a personal God.

>(It occurred to me, once, that an efficient way to sort out reward and punishment in the afterlife would be to send *everybody* to heaven; the wicked would be punished by an eternity of the growing realisation that they don't deserve the nice treatment they're getting. Feel free to pick holes in this idea if you want.)

Well, you did give permission. The wicked certainly aren't bugged much by unfair gain here, and I doubt that would change there.

There is absolutely nothing to back up this here paragraph but my opinion, but... I have considered punishment in hell to be a form of mercy. People would be punished according to the level necessary to keep them from harming others. It seems entirely possible that the pain (the greek word translated as "agony" can be interpreted as anything from discomfort to torture) is a preventative measure, to keep the people from being absolutely horrible to each other. They could become terrible monsters easily, as they rejected God in life and now are in a place without his presence. I think God prevents a great deal of the atrocities that might normally occur here on earth. That's my idea. Feel free to pick holes in it, too.

> > Until that time though, I believe that the most important thing is to keep an open mind to the
> > world.
>
> Yes, definitely.
>
> "A mind is like a parachute - it only works when it's open."

Well, not always. If someone tried earnestly to convince that gravity need not affect me if I step out of his airplane and believe with all my might, I must say my mind would be quite closed to that. Some things are known.

gab"If you actually read all that above, you are a stalwart Forum reader. I like the word 'stalwart', too"by