I don\'t think that was heaven Buscemi wanted him to enter. I think Tony seeing his mother pass by the door way might have made him realize that the house might be hell. After all, from what we\'ve seen of them why would you believe Livia, and Tony B. (yeah I know he wasn\'t officially Tony B.) would wind up in heaven? I also noticed that these are two family members he tried to do right by, but caused him alot of grief.
I think heaven was the convention/meeting he tried to get into, but was deined access in the first purgatory episode. I think the General (authority figure) he wanted to try to talk to may have represented God or more likely St. Peter.
The whole I.D. confusion, is that Tony never really considered himself a bad guy, so he balks at being confronted for Finnirty\'s(his) sins. He has one last chance to confess and repent with the Monk situation, but he refuses to acknowledge his wrong doings, thus he\'s sent to Hell just like every other Soprano (family reunion).
I think the I.D. confusion also represents that many of his evils are generated from the family he was born into. Carmela laments her own children\'s fate with Dr. Melfi, and nature vs. nuture is a recurring Melfi theme. We see who he would be if born into another life. What is so important about the Monks, is they represent not only the innocent he has harmed in life and often turned a blind eye to, but people he hurt as Finnirty. Essentially the sins he committed that his upbringing can not be held accountable for.
So much more that just a "mob" show.
Thanks to Freddiewaht for the Alzheimers=Eternal damnation theory. I didn\'t get that one at all, but I think you\'re right.