You awaken to learn of the death of a former president. His wife passed away 8 months ago. He has joined her. Do you believe in a hereafter?

It's harder for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the gates of heaven. Or so we are told. Thank you for your reply Shuhak and Happy Saturday! :)

That's because rich people tend to put their trust in their money - not in Jesus.  

Then Jesus said to his disciples, “I tell you the truth, it is very hard for a rich person to enter the Kingdom of Heaven. I’ll say it again—it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the Kingdom of God! ”The disciples were astounded. “Then who in the world can be saved?” they asked.   Jesus looked at them intently and said, “with people, it is impossible.  But with God all things are possible.” - Matthew 19:23-26

Of course there are exceptions. Sadly the exceptions do not become politicians. Perhaps the modest and ungreedy will one day aspire to lead our country. Perhaps. Hope we live long enough to experience it. Thank you for your reply Shuhak.

That's OK. You Christians are the only people who believe that, and you try to prescribe it for everyone else. But guess what? We're not all Christian, and there are other equally valid ways of viewing life and death.

Does my being a Christian make my views have any more or less validity than anyone else's?  I try not to "prescribe" my religious beliefs, or force them on others.  However, when asked or have the chance to share them, I will do so gladly - just as anyone else would with their viewpoints.

Fair enough. But you said that rich people put their trust in their money, not in Jesus. Is there no other alternative? To me, that statement is grounded in the assumption that those rich people are Christians. What if they are Hindu, Jewish, or Muslim? Jesus won't hold much water then.

I said they TEND to put their trust in their money,not that they always do.  It doesn't matter what religion they profess (if any), what nationality, or even what gender one may be, people who have wealth tend to put their trust in it.  "My money will take care of me".  However, we can look around and see that this isn't always so.  Money/wealth isn't stable.  Many people have lost their fortunes (seemingly) "overnight" (not everyone, but some).  Some people have committed suicide because their wealth was gone (e.g. stock market crash of the 20's).  Without their money there was no reason left to live.  

There are always alternatives.  Everyone must put their trust in something.  If a rich person (Christian) puts their trust in their wealth, then they are not relying fully on Jesus.  Other religions don't put their faith in Jesus, so why should they listen to Him?  

You didn't qualify rich people as Christian rich people; you just leaped from rich people (implying all) to saying that they don't put their trust in Jesus. Putting aside the highly questionable notion that a guy who has been dead for more than 2,000 years is capable of breathing, thinking, or doing anything to help people today, you thus  simplistically implied that ALL rich people (and presumably ALL people) should put their trust in Jesus. Sorry, but that doesn't exactly come across as pluralistic thinking.

an a hereafter

Since you were already participating in this thread, I used "an" after I read your second response to Shuhak.  You chose to emphasis the requirements of someone thought by many to be the key to an afterlife rather than the primary point that man may well be incapable of achieving a hereafter by their own efforts.

I don't know whether I was too subtle whether you think that everything that is not done the way you think it should be done is incorrect or unintended.

(And by the way. proper grammar mandates that you should have used either italics or quotes in attempt to correct my post.)

Well whoopee-dam-doo for you. "An hereafter" is incorrect, so I told you about it. Sorry if you didn't like the way I did so. Next time, don't make the mistake, and you won't leave yourself open to correction by the rest of us poor, under-educated slobs for whom you have so much disdain - no matter whom we voted for more than two years ago. This post was edited by Stu Spelling Bee at December 1, 2018 6:01 PM MST

I will address only one issue that you speak of at the moment---how impressive is someone who attempts to point out a alleged mistake without doing it correctly?