I believe we as humans by nature feel a need to advance ourselves; we like learning, discovering, and making things that make our lives more comfortable and luxurious here on Earth. We like being taught by those who came before us, adding to what we've learned, and then passing our knowledge to future generations who will then add to what we've taught them.

But what about those who believe they will go to Heaven upon death; where everything is perfect, no advancing, no discovering, no ancestors to gain wisdom and knowledge from, no children to raise teach and pass our knowledge to, just spending eternity sitting around God telling him how good he is, how long before that gets old? Could they truly be happy under those conditions?

It seems to me when they get to heaven they would have to have the mentality of a pet or a slave in order to be happy in Heaven for eternity; what do you think?

Kevin

Good question, but here's another one: do you think we humans will get tired of being in perfect health, never growing old, never dying?

(quote)
"do you think we humans will get tired of being in perfect health, never growing old, never dying?"

(reply)
As long as we are allowed the challenge of expanding and learning, I don't think living forever would be a problem

K

quote:

Originally posted by kevin1122:

But what about those who believe they will go to Heaven upon death; where everything is perfect, no advancing, no discovering, no ancestors to gain wisdom and knowledge from, no children to raise teach and pass our knowledge to, just spending eternity sitting around God telling him how good he is, how long before that gets old? Could they truly be happy under those conditions?

Kevin

Is that really what's supposed to go on in Heaven??

I mean ... who thinks that?? Is that an 'across-the-board' Christian thing? Or, is that broken up by demoninations or something?

Or is it more of a personal opinion about what one (any given individual) might think is how it's supposed to happen up there?

I can't really give you an answer because (obviously) I'm not 'one of those' people to whom you are asking the question, but ...

I would think that that kind of existence would give a whole new meaning to the word B-O-R-I-N-G!!!! ... and make it hard for me to understand why so many people would be besides themselves with anxiousness to get there!

quote:

Originally posted by kevin1122:
I believe we as humans by nature feel a need to advance ourselves; we like learning, discovering, and making things that make our lives more comfortable and luxurious here on Earth. We like being taught by those who came before us, adding to what we've learned, and then passing our knowledge to future generations who will then add to what we've taught them.

But what about those who believe they will go to Heaven upon death; where everything is perfect, no advancing, no discovering, no ancestors to gain wisdom and knowledge from, no children to raise teach and pass our knowledge to, just spending eternity sitting around God telling him how good he is, how long before that gets old? Could they truly be happy under those conditions?

It seems to me when they get to heaven they would have to have the mentality of a pet or a slave in order to be happy in Heaven for eternity; what do you think?

Kevin

From what I've gathered, we will just be naturally happy, we won't have that feeling of needing to advance or discover, or teach, and we won't be bored. I mean, it's Heaven. There is supposed to be enough goodness up there to keep us occupied and satisfied. Perpetual contentment.

quote:

Originally posted by EbonyRose:

quote:

Originally posted by kevin1122:

But what about those who believe they will go to Heaven upon death; where everything is perfect, no advancing, no discovering, no ancestors to gain wisdom and knowledge from, no children to raise teach and pass our knowledge to, just spending eternity sitting around God telling him how good he is, how long before that gets old? Could they truly be happy under those conditions?

Kevin

Is that really what's supposed to go on in Heaven??

I mean ... who thinks that?? Is that an 'across-the-board' Christian thing? Or, is that broken up by demoninations or something?

Or is it more of a personal opinion about what one (any given individual) might think is how it's supposed to happen up there?

I can't really give you an answer because (obviously) I'm not 'one of those' people to whom you are asking the question, but ...

I would think that that kind of existence would give a whole new meaning to the word B-O-R-I-N-G!!!! ... and make it hard for me to understand why so many people would be besides themselves with anxiousness to get there!

Like most things, there is no Christian consensus as to what the "after-life" will be like. The description given by above is not in the least consistent with what I believe.

If I were to describe it, it would be very much like the world we currently inhabit. The difference would be that there would be no sin, evil, death, or suffering. But people would still learn, grow, develop, etc. It would be a context in which our full potentiality could be explored because one would have all the resources and time to pursue them.

Neverending joy and contentment? ... Sounds like multiple orgasms gone haywire ... You know what they say about viagra ... If you experience an erection lasting longer than 4 hours ....

Okay, I really don't know a whole lot about how Heaven works, but it's hard for me to wrap my brain around an afterlife of eternity. It must be pretty crowded up there, besides. If everyone is forgiven of their sins then doesn't that mean folks'll be up there with people they can't stand? If there's racism up there, then that's just gonna suck. If there's a God I hope he doesn't tolerate that shyte.

I typically think that death must be like how it was before life. Until someone reports back to me, that's all I got to go on.

quote:

Originally posted by HonestBrother:
Neverending joy and contentment? ... Sounds like multiple orgasms gone haywire ... You know what they say about viagra ... If you experience an erection lasting longer than 4 hours ....

ooh, no you didn't!!

quote:

Originally posted by kresge:
If I were to describe it, it would be very much like the world we currently inhabit. The difference would be that there would be no sin, evil, death, or suffering. But people would still learn, grow, develop, etc. It would be a context in which our full potentiality could be explored because one would have all the resources and time to pursue them.

Okay, well, I suppose I don't really think of Heaven as a 'stopping place'. In fact, I don't really consider it a 'place' at all.

I believe that there are different and varying "worlds" of God, so to speak, in which the soul travels though (i.e., the 'world' of the womb, which in and of itself is a different kind of 'life' existence and is more or less preparing us for our existence in this 'world' - time and place). Just as we don't remember what went on in the Womb World (but do know that we lived through the experience of it), when we finish here, we probably won't have much cognizance of what happens in the next place - which is called Heaven .. but who really knows??

I do believe that the soul is enduring and probably everlasting ... and, it is what will trangress through the next phases of existance ... on and on and on ... and maybe even coming back here if you didn't get it right the first time!

But, I never thought of Heaven as an eternal hangout! However ... if He's got a big-screen TV and my soaps run 24/7 and the Raiders never lose ... I guess I could get kinda comfortable there if I had to!

One of my favorite radio shows (Philosophy Talk) has an upcoming episode on death. (See below.) I don't know if Heaven will be mentioned, but I'm interested in listening to it because it just seems to me that if Heaven is supposed to be so...heavenly, why are some people afraid to die? You'd think some of them would be dying to get there. *Buh-dump-bump*

October 12: Overcoming the Terror of Death

To many death is terrifying. But why? As David Hume pointed out, all the years we didn't exist before we were born seemed painless enough. Why worry about future non-existence? Is the real worry that we will continue to exist? Ken and John confront mortality with psychiatrist and novelist Irv Yalom, author of Staring at the Sun: Overcoming the Terror of Death. This program was recorded before a live audience at The Marsh theater in San Francisco.

You all don't know what you're talking about. In heaven, there's tilapia everywhere! Grilled cajun, baked, fried, all kinds of tilapia dishes, everywhere, and only the freshest. With fresh cut leaf spinach and red potatoes! And pomegranate juice is real cheap!

And every radio station plays music from MY iPod!

Clearly, the rest of y'all must be talkin'bout someplace else.

quote:

Originally posted by Vox:
You all don't know what you're talking about. In heaven, there's tilapia everywhere! Grilled cajun, baked, fried, all kinds of tilapia dishes, everywhere, and only the freshest.

Okay, fine. But, what's all of that without hot sauce? And don't tell me you can only get that in Hell.

IN one of my favorite Richard Pryor jokes (how can you enjoy Richard Pryor and not believe in God?), he was a minister in a small church, and he introduced the choir selection, which was appropriately after the only three words in the song, "We Will See"

So there you have it folks, "We Will See"

What if this is really hell, and we will just keep being reborn to suffer in this reality as our eternal punishment?



I don't believe this... At least I hope it isn't true(although I recognize it as possible, like any other interpretation of reality). I had a friend in college who asked me this... He inhaled frequently... lol

quote:

Originally posted by kevin1122:
I believe we as humans by nature feel a need to advance ourselves; we like learning, discovering, and making things that make our lives more comfortable and luxurious here on Earth. We like being taught by those who came before us, adding to what we've learned, and then passing our knowledge to future generations who will then add to what we've taught them.

But what about those who believe they will go to Heaven upon death; where everything is perfect, no advancing, no discovering, no ancestors to gain wisdom and knowledge from, no children to raise teach and pass our knowledge to, just spending eternity sitting around God telling him how good he is, how long before that gets old? Could they truly be happy under those conditions?

It seems to me when they get to heaven they would have to have the mentality of a pet or a slave in order to be happy in Heaven for eternity; what do you think?

Kevin

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It all depends upon what 'heaven' means to a person. In my research, heaven means 'new land' such as in the words 'Nineveh' [in reverse; Heven-ninth; Ninth heaven or, eternal land] and, 'Jerusalem' [new land of peace]. In this sense, I think heaven offers me something much better than this existence.

quote:

Originally posted by Oshun Auset:
What if this is really hell, and we will just keep being reborn to suffer in this reality as our eternal punishment?

When I was a kid, I would wonder if maybe there was just a devil but no God .. and whether the devil made up all the stuff in the Bible as a big joke. You live your life doing all that stuff so you can go to heaven ... but it's all a big joke .. there is no heaven or God .. only hell. Not only do you go to hell in the end but the devil gets a big laugh because he fooled you big time.

quote:

I don't believe this... At least I hope it isn't true(although I recognize it as possible, like any other interpretation of reality). I had a friend in college who asked me this... He inhaled frequently... lol

I was perfectly sober ... and I still have my doubts.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: HonestBrother,

I'M AN ELITIST TOO.

quote:

Originally posted by HonestBrother:

quote:

Originally posted by Oshun Auset:
What if this is really hell, and we will just keep being reborn to suffer in this reality as our eternal punishment?

When I was a kid, I would wonder if maybe there was just a devil but no God .. and whether the devil made up all the stuff in the Bible as a big joke.

It's too easy... It's hard to resist...but I won't go there...

quote:

You live your life doing all that stuff so you can go to heaven ... but it's all a big joke .. there is no heaven or God .. only hell. Not only do you go to hell in the end but the devil gets a big laugh because he fooled you big time.

I always thought that 'God' was a jerk. At least the simplistic stuff they taught me as a child in X-ian school... That there is some big scary guy in the sky writing down all the little ish everyone does, who is all powerful and knows everything that is going to happen, but has us going through this ish, and doesn't come and stop the misery and make everything peaceful... Even though people pray and beg and worship him all the time... and he could if he wanted too... Well, I thought he was a big jerk, evil, and cruel.

The entire 'supernatural being playing what amounts to a board game with our lives for entertainment' concept pissed me off.

quote:

quote:

I don't believe this... At least I hope it isn't true(although I recognize it as possible, like any other interpretation of reality). I had a friend in college who asked me this... He inhaled frequently... lol

I was perfectly sober ... and I still have my doubts.

Lol... Well, I inhaled and there was a certain pessimistic logic behind it that resonated with me.

quote:

That there is some big scary guy in the sky writing down all the little ish everyone does....

He knows when you are sleeping
He knows when you're awake
He knows when you've been bad or good
So be good for goodness sake

quote:

Originally posted by Santana St. Cloud:

quote:

That there is some big scary guy in the sky writing down all the little ish everyone does....

He knows when you are sleeping
He knows when you're awake
He knows when you've been bad or good
So be good for goodness sake

Big differences from Santa Claus and God...

God is a spiritual genderless being

Santa Claus a White man who climbs into your house.

In regards to Heaven, if it's an eternity of bliss and rest, then all that you know in the human world cease to exist. Much better than being here on this planet, but rather go out in death by dying naturally when that happens for myself. I would probably get sick and tired of living a physical life if it consist of paying bills and once you "did it all" what more is there to do? A well deserved rest is needed.

Mentality of spiritual beings? God being a puppeteer? What church or who did you learn about God from? LOL

Rest is rest, peace is peace...bliss.

For any one to get to Heaven that is through a belief in God (which ever that may be) and this must show through your actions as well. If you chose to do these things by accepting God, you chose to do it not because of the fact of going to Heaven, hopefully for the spiritual connection with God, because you want it, not forced.

sistasouljia said:

(quote)
"From what I've gathered, we will just be naturally happy, we won't have that feeling of needing to advance or discover, or teach, and we won't be bored."

(reply)
So they won't have the mentality they have now? Do you think they will have the mentality of a pet or a slave in order to be happy under those conditions?

Willywill says:

(quote)
"I would probably get sick and tired of living a physical life if it consist of paying bills and once you "did it all" what more is there to do? A well deserved rest is needed....Rest is rest, peace is peace"

(reply)
I can be cool with peace, but don't cha think after the first couple of thousand years of constant rest that you might wanna do something? Something that challenges you; maybe something that gives you a sence of accomplishment? Or do you think you would be given a mentality that would allow you to be content resting for eternity in total bliss....

Kevin