[Ghoulish Delight]

Your interpretation of true Christianity. But when heaven is the reward, and forgiveness is the only qualification for the reward, it's not hard to see where that leads. Sure, the workers may stop grumbling for the day since they were given what they were promised. But if that same vineyard comes by the next day, what motivation do they have to work with him again if they can instead just work the short evening shift and get the same pay?

Suicide was a regular occurrence for Christian sects. It took until the 6th century to realize that there was a nasty loophole in the whole "heaven is the ultimate reward" thing, that too many people were taking the shortcut and Christians were killing themselves out of existence. Thus suicide was declared to be a sin punishable by hell.

In modern times you have to look no further than the success of the 700 Club to see that the view of the afterlife as the only real goal is alive and well. They're friends of Israel not out of a great love of Jews, but because they want the temple reestablished to bring the end times. They have millions of followers, all doing whatever they can to bring trigger the destruction of earth as we know it.

I should recant a bit and include pretty much all religion in this. Judaism is not exempt from elevating the reward of afterlife over this life. The difference being that the price of entry according to Judaism is directly related to your actions in this life, no shortcuts allowed.