2 Answers

When do you think this world will end?  Not in the near future. Perhaps political systems will change, but, as long as this globe spins, it will exist. About spirits, well ask your preacher. He might have some answer.  Before anything was created that you can see ect, it was created spiritually. (I kind of compare it to a dressmaker, the process for creating a dress, and the stages thru which such a process goes, First there is the thought, then plans to accomplish what was thought and perhaps needs some adjustments and changes,  and eventually the finished product, that one calls "good".)

Before we came to this place Earth, we all were in the spirit worlds as spirits. We made some decisions there. We would come down to live here for a testing period. Perhaps we passed the tests of living and loving and caring, -. those things the fruits of the spirit. .And when we leave this earthly prison, we will be back in the spirit worlds, learning more, evaluate,  and who knows, going to another place to live. After all, this universe is so immense and life is eternal.

In the meantime, we should pay more attention to our relationship issues, our attitudes, and thinking. A life of SERVICE  in a constructive way (not dependend and not in self-sacrifice and victimhood), such as a mother raising a child, a daughter taking care of her aging parents, the volunteer feedng a senior citizen in a convalescent home, a faithful not dominated wife, the porter who greets you and knows were you live, the nurse who takes care of you when you are sick and shows compassion, the detox councellors who went thru their own issues and know the stumbling blocks and so on,   that then          is a life not lived in vain! And yes, one can make a living in Service.

Whatever intelligence and growth-promoting experiences and  goodness we attain in this life,(and much is up to choices, read about Dr.Victor Frankl "A Search for Meaning"),  it will go with us into the "after" life.                               But above all, whatever you want to make out of the Man of Galilee, we should take his teachings much more serious.

They have always been around and always will be according to my understanding.