Happy Sabbath all,
Before I go into my response I'd like to say that I'm not lashing out in anger or trying to upset anyone, however I feel it is pertinent that we know the word that we may grow closer to God. I'm not against people, but I am against things that aren't the truth according to the word of God. Now with that lets dive in.
Please excuse my internet tone if I sound harsh, I type only out of love.
2 Cor.5:8 We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.
This doesn't say anything about when you die you go straight to heaven, nor do the texts around it, so I'm not sure what you're trying to show with this text.
As a matter of fact if you read verse 1-7 leading up to your quoted verse you can clearly see that Paul is referring to not being content with the possessions and things of this world but rather wanting to be with God. You can't just take one verse and have it mean whatever you want it to, you have to read all the surrounding text and any references to get a true understanding.
Here are verses 6-7
6Therefore we are always confident and know that as long as we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord. 7We live by faith, not by sight. 8We are confident, I say, and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord. 9So we make it our goal to please him, whether we are at home in the body or away from it. 10For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive what is due him for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad.
When we are at HOME in our bodies (i.e being happy with this world and what it has to offer) we are AWAY from the Lord.
This has absolutely nothing to do with going straight to heaven after you die. As a matter of fact if you can find 1 text that specifically say that's what happens (and you wont) I will give youe $10K via paypal.
Another text supporting that when believers die they go to be with Christ. “I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will have sufficient courage so that now as always Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death. For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. If I am to go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labor for me. Yet what shall I choose? I do not know! I am torn between the two: I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far; but it is more necessary for you that I remain in the body. Convinced of this, I know that I will remain, and I will continue with all of you for your progress and joy in the faith, so that through my being with you again your joy in Christ Jesus will overflow on account of me.” (Phil. 1:20-26)
In regards to this passage I think it's very important to realize that the bible does NOT contradict itself. All text work together and it was paul himself who said "All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work. (II Tim 3:16)".
With that being said this very same man that you're quoting (Paul) as saying we're going to go to heaven as soon as we die wrote the following in 1 Thessalonians 4:16
16For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. 17After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever.
So now the question I ask you is, why would Paul say one thing and then turn around and contradict himself? The answer is that he did not and I beg that you read the word for yourself to understand that as the bible says "STUDY (key word being STUDY) to show thyself approval.
Yes we shall go to heaven, but it will be when christ returns and the dead in christ shall rise. It will be a glorious event and I honestly can't wait to see all of those who I haven't seen in so long as we travel to heaven together. What a day it will be saints!