The Last Judgement (a.k.a. Judgement Day) is what Christians and some others believe will happen when the world ends.
If a new religion came up with anything like that it would in all likelihood be branded a cult. Since Christianity has a long history, belief in the Last Judgement is seen as virtuous faith.
Pre-Christian mythology
Zoroastrianism and the religion of Ancient Egypt both include belief in judgement of the dead, therefore skeptics are likely to believe Christianity copied the mythology from one, or both, of those religions.
Christian mythology
Only God knows the day and hour, and no man can know it. [1] It is unclear whether even Jesus knows it despite being one with god, after all if Jesus is man how can he know it? According to the Anglican Westminster Confession of Faith influential with several Protestant sects reprobate angels will be judged as well as humans. [2]
The events which are prophesied are stated below:-
- A trumpet will sound to wake the dead who will all rise from their graves in the general resurrection. Jesus will stand at the right hand of God Alternatively, according to Roman Catholics, Jesus will appear in the sky sitting on a cloud with
anglesangels all round him. (Matthew 16:27; 24:30; 25:31). - Next, angels bring humanity to Jesus for judgement (Matthew 24:31), and good people will help Jesus with his judging (1 Corinthians 6:2). [3]
- God/Jesus will judge mankind, the righteous will go to Heaven and sinners will go to Hell. Part of belief in the Last Judgement is based on a few Gospel passages and part on the Book of Revelation.
Up to the Middle Ages and beyond the stuff about sitting on clouds etc was accepted as fact and Christian Fundamentalists still take it all literally in the 21st century. In modern times many Christians may not know all the weird mythology and Liberal Christians don't take it all literally.
Other mythology
There is a concept of a Last Judgement in Islam but Muslims can't agree exactly what will happen. Zoroastrianism also teaches about the world ending and judgement as stated above.
Social effects
Belief in judgement, Heaven and Hell is sometimes used by theocrats and ordinary religious leaders as a way to scare and control people.
Christians sometimes pray for Jesus to come quickly in their eagerness to see sinners and those who disagree with them condemned.
There is a good and a a bad side to Christianity, see the category page