Will we instantly know God exists when we die?

[sirlamre]

[Brian]

[spot]

If I might interject, the nature of God is different to a Hindu, Buddhist, Muslim, Jew, Christian or even an Animist. The dogma within some of those religions would agree with what you just posted while others wouldn't. Does this thread start from a position of assuming Christianity is true and the others are misguided? If so, does it assume, for example, that Roman Catholic dogma is true and other denominations are misguided? Can I go further and announce that my knowledge of God is true and all the rest of you scabrous heathens are entirely deluded?

To make statements that can be agreed by a range of people I think you need to define the range you want to encompass, and you need to define a dogma and vocabulary which everyone within that range can subscribe to. Then and only then you can pose your questions, like "will we instantly know God exists when we die".

So, what's the basis for the question? Christianity? Biblical inerrancy? Spiritualism? What's an acceptable authority to test the truth of the answer against?

[sirlamre]

Well, I started the topic in a non-specific religion mode of thought.

You're correct about religious teachings influencing things -- but I was trying to ensure that I mostly focussed on people's own beliefs and perceptions, and didn't limit things to the written teachings of just one religion, or even just one sect within a religion.

So I think there isn't necessarily a way to "test the truth" - in the most logical answer, the only way to do that is to die and find out.
There aren't sufficient truly empirical proofs to absolutely quantify it by Christianity's (multiple variances) teachings, or Buddhist, etc.
Nor is there going to be common agreement- that also wasn't really the point, to come to some common statement that everyone posting has to agree with.

And, one part of my question posed was more on the lines of "what do we speculate might happen to someone who doesn't believe in any of it - yet is impacted by it anyhow at the moment they die".

Christians would immediately jump down the road of "he'll be judged and found wanting" = but that's not really the question - it's "Will everyone instantly know God exists when they die" or "are they capable of creating their own mental reality to such a degree that they continue to be able to disbelieve in God" (rightly or wrongly)

[spot]

[adrienne04]

the dead person will rest and wait for the second coming of Christ..dead doesn't know anything nor has any sense...

[scarletangel]

God exist for those who are believing him faithfully..^_^

[Brian]