Is my sister in heaven?

What are you curious about?

Two images side by side. In the left is my sister Courtney in the early 1980s. In the right is Courtney in the 2000s.
My sister Courtney*

My website is full of the traumatic experiences that Courtney and I went through together. This post is different.

Courtney died in 2004. I miss her every day.

I am curious if she is still alive in a sense that religion teaches us.

In the Mormon theology and cosmology there are three degrees of glory (alternatively, kingdoms of glory) which are the ultimate, eternal dwelling place for nearly all who lived on earth after they are resurrected from the spirit world.
A depiction of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints Heavenly structure.

LDS Mormonism taught me that Courtney* is in Hell. Courtney* committed many “mortal sins” that she did not “fully repent for”. In Mormon doctrine, there are many levels of heaven. Courtney would be assigned somewhere between the “Telestial Kingdom” and “Outer Darkness”. By Mormon standards, Courtney was an Apostate, so she would be in Hell.

I cannot accept that a beautiful person like my sister would be in Hell. This is one of the many reasons that I do not believe the Mormon Church is true.

The other religions of the world have a variety of afterlifes that they believe in. Since Courtney died, I have spent some time reading about the afterlife in non-Christian religions.

I wonder if reincarnation is real. Is Courtney living another life now? She would be 19. I would love to talk to 19 year old Courtney again.

I am curious if The Earth really is a happy accident. That we humans are the result of millions of years of evolution. That would mean that Courtney is no longer suffering. That thought brings me some sense of relief.

I am curious if there is a afterlife. I wonder if Courtney can see me. I feel her watching over me in my worst moments, talking to me like she did when we were kids. Telling me to keep living, that our lives would get better once we left our biological family.

I am curious.

Courtney loved Alice In Chains.