I can't see the point in God separating humans who love one another.  I don't see this life, or the next, as some sort of testing or preparation ground for another existence in the future. 

Perhaps we are understanding this in a different way for example - physical death is a kind of separation Martin - granted only a temporary one (IMO) but still a separation of sorts. Only a small number of us can still 'see' those who have crossed over, standing before them as if they were 'alive' (as in their physical body). Spirit people can usually still see their loved ones regardless.


"Everybody in your world has to die. It is part of the law that you cannot live on earth for ever. So it is inevitable that the physical body, when it has fulfilled its function, should be severed from the spiritual body and the soul which endowed it with animation. It is thus that the transitional period can be accomplished and the soul go marching on as part of its eternal pilgramage.

It is of course sad that this happens because many of you, alas, have your spiritual vision restricted so that you see only the material, the shell, the husk, and not the underlying, sublime reality. The eyes of the spirit are open, and knows that the one you love and who loves you has left you physically but not spiritually.

Death has no power to separate those whom love has joined together and made them one in spirit". (quote from here

But why would there need to be further places after death?

Where would beings of light/spirit/souls/ that which is really 'us' go to after physical death if there weren't any further places? If you want the sciencey bit - think on the lines of energy can neither be created or destroyed.

 

Having tiers of life followed by death and further life with all the grief and pain that death causes in between, seems like the design of a torturer rather than a God of Love.

Not so much if we are aware that life carries on after physical death whilst we are here on Earth - and we are aware that our loved ones are still there.  Also memories of any other lifetimes we have had might be temporarily blocked to help spare us from pain.