By that I mean, it must be an inherently comforting thing to think - we inherently know this and want there to be something after death, because it feels right, or more meaningful. There’s a reason basically every civilization ever has some sort of afterlife ethos.
I realize I am basically horseshoeing my way into evangelicalism but still. Maybe life was better if we believed there was something beyond this. [edit - please note that yes, the world is shitty, things are awful and getting worse, and that is exactly my point – we get THIS SHIT, and nothing else? god that’s awful]
Don’t think so. If life is just your SAT… I don’t think examns are that enjoyable. And it’s not like God gave us clear instructions anyways. If that sucks, it’s on him. And the bible is more treating us with the carrot and a stick. Lots of it is invoking fear… don’t do this, don’t do that… He’ll send plagues and illnesses, seems a narcissistic father and has no issue whatsoever making some of us suffer. I wouldn’t like it at all if it were true.
Some people however will get a comfortable feeling from being exposed to empty promises. But to make them more effective, I’d say it’d need some more visual invitations. Like God showing himself and performing some more miracles so it becomes believable. And we need clearer instruction because christianity is just filled with contradictions. And it’s hard to cope with that. The promise is afterlife, but you’re set up for failure because of the bible telling everything and the opposite. And being set up for failure sucks.