I ask this to understand: What does the Bible say about the status of people who are now dead? My wife believes that those who have died (friends, grandparents, etc.) can be involved in influencing current events. In other words, they are in another realm awaiting heaven, but are somehow still active in this world.
Does the Bible say this? I thought they simply laid in the ground until the end of times, etc. then went to heaven.
For clarity - I'm now atheist/agnostic and realize many of these things were never quite clear to me to begin with. During my Christian upbringing I never really questioned the matter.