1. Does God want you to become a cult leader and commit mass suicide?
2. Does God want you to murder your entire family when things get tough to spare them the pain of this life?
3 does God want you to live a life that sucks by avoiding fun things like orgies or tattoos or pork all because the next life will make the shitty life you have all worth it?
This is a complex question that needs to be broken down to make sense and for us to provide an answer. It is also a leading question.
It assumes that how we live in this life is relevant for the next life.
It assumes that doing things like getting tattoos, having orgies, and pork are fun things.
It assumes that God desires people to have sucky lives.
It assumes that anything in this life is comparable to the next one.
Since this is addressed to me as someone who believes in the next life, and not to someone else who believes in the next life, I make the following observations.
How we live in this life is dependent upon our beliefs in this life. I suggest that although it is often argued that people in this life do or don't do certain things in order to get a better life next, this is a false view. It may well be that some people do think like that and try to live their lives such as to give them the appearance or the feeling of a chance for a better next life. Yet, this is self-delusion.
The way we live in this life is entirely dependent upon our current beliefs. If we believe that good works will get us to heaven, we will try and do good works. If we don't believe that good works will get us to heaven, we may well still do good works if we think good works are a good thing. Atheists for example, at least some of them, do good works not for heaven, but because they think doing good works is a good thing. Also, probably because they are hedging their bets. Just in case they are wrong, and if they do more good works than bad, they figure a Good and just God wouldn't reject them or send them to Hell. Nevertheless, they still live in this life based on their beliefs.
The Christian Protestant Position is that good works are irrelevant to salvation. How we live in this life will be shaped by what we believe. Yet, it doesn't make one iota to the destiny we face. It is our relationship with God that determines our destiny, not how we live our lives. Of course, our lives will reflect what our relationship with God is like. If we have a good relationship, then our actions will be more healthy and if we don't have a good relationship, then our actions will reflect whatever we choose to believe. Hence the wide variety of people on the earth with such diverse views.
The second assumption is simply preferences built on what we believe is fun or not fun. I think life is more than just about having fun. Fun is fine. But since my relationship with God is important to me, then I am more inclined to do those things he desires of me. In the OT tattoos were forbidden for Jewish people. The reason was that at the time such tattoos were a sign of ownership to slave owners, pirates and to foreign gods. In the NT tattoos are not forbidden since the law no longer applies in the way it did in the OT. In the NT Christ opened the doors and let more than the Jews enter. He gave Gentiles the right as well. Hence OT Jewish laws did not apply to the New Covenant.
Personally, I don't have a tattoo. Probably because I am squeamish and don't want the pain. Also they are very hard to take off. And if the artist makes a mistake they are stuck for ever. Furthermore, have you ever seen how disgusting even good tattoos look on old people? Getting a tattoo is not sinful. It's not against the law of God in the NT. But is it fun? I think it is a preference. And that I have had plenty more fun without it. Besides these days, it makes me cool not to have a tattoo. I am unique. Everyone else has one.
Orgies were forbidden in the OT and also in the NT. Marriage is between a male and female and not polygamy. One partner. Sexual behaviour outside of the marriage is forbidden. It is sinful. But your suggestion that orgies are fun is simply a presumption on your part. I hate the idea personally. I wouldn't find it fun at all. I accept some people might find it fun, but mostly males. Most females I have met who have been involved in orgies do so because they want to fit in and look cool. I have had many come to me afterwards and regretted what they were doing and had done. Some had all sorts of STDs - others had been ripped and hurt. Most not respected. Of course there are always going to be some that like it. Men, at least some men, think it is cool. But not everyone thinks it is fun. It's interesting if you read the NT letter to the Corinthians, the church in that time had people who were involved in orgies. Corinth of course was the sex capital of the world at the time. Some of them would be having orgies during church. Pretty bizzarre stuff. But let me say, it's not the unforgivable sin. The important thing is to get your relationship with God right, and then your behaviour will start to reflect your beliefs.
Pork of course was forbidden to Jews in the OT. In the NT Peter was told things had changed since Jesus came to break down the walls so that Gentiles could enter the covenant. And along with this was permission to eat pork. So in the NT pork is fine. I'm not sure whether it is fun or not fun. But it tastes pretty good to me, so far as it is a pig that has lived pretty much on the range as opposed to in a shed.
Your third assumption is well just an assumption. I take the view that the purpose of humanity is to worship God and to enjoy him forever. In other words, God wants us to enjoy life here in this present time and in the future. The best way to enjoy life is in a relationship with God and enjoying the benefits of that relationship. God doesn't want people to have sucky lives. It is just that he knows the best way to have a good life and many people don't agree with God's view. Adam and Eve didn't like it - so they ate the fruit. They wanted to do it themselves and look what that did for them. Prior to that time, they lived in a beautiful garden, naked, with beautiful people and lots of brilliant things. After that, after they decided to do things their own way, rejecting God's way, they. got a desert to live in. They had to wear animal clothes and leaves. And they had to work with thistles and endure pain and all sorts of crazy things. Me, I can't go back to the garden because of their blockhead desire to want to have fun. And ironically most people who like fun without the rules end up in prison for some time. Whether that be with fall cement walls, or depression, or drugs, or trapped in a violent relationship or whatever.
And finally, the next life - whether it be heaven or hell. Neither are comparable to where we are now. Heaven is much better. Think of the Garden -it's a glimpse of what we know Heaven will be like. And Hell. think of the misery of a prison cell. Hey that's where all the fun people will be. In a prison. Having fun. Or at least they think they are.
But getting there has got nothing to do with how you act today. It's about your relationship with God. That's the important thing - well for a protestant Christian anyways.
