What is heaven?

[Tucker Case]

yobarnacle, your concepts seem to be a melding of Christianity with Plato's Theory of Forms. Very interesting stuff. :thumbs:

 

[Andalublue]

want to get into quantum physics?
I know only a little.
But time isn't what we think it is.
neither is eternity.
They are merely dimensions in string theory.
And relative. my life has flown by, except for some moments in agony that seemed an eternity.
And God isn't subject to time.
not subject to anything, but master of all.

2 Peter 3:8–9 reads:

‘But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.’

I only wish I had the intellectual capacity to debate it with you properly. I'm told by Buddhist friends much brighter than me, that QP and the Buddhist concept of dependent arising are closely related.

 

[lizzie]

Okay. That seems to be a bit of a pantheistic sort of approach where God IS creation, but isn't the creator of it.

That pretty well describes my own thoughts- God as a sort of creative energy, and everything is an expression of it.

 

[Andalublue]

That pretty well describes my own thoughts- God as a sort of creative energy, and everything is an expression of it.

I've always had some time for these ideas. I struggle with ideas of man made in God's image, which sounds a lot to me like God made in man's image.

Yobarnacle seems to be a very original and interesting thinker. He's given me a lot to think about. Good thread, eh?

 

[Medusa]

yasin
51. The trumpet shall be sounded, when behold! from the sepulchers (men) will rush forth to their Lord!

52. They will say: "Ah! woe unto us! Who hath raised us up from our beds of repose?...

 

[CRUE CAB]

Heaven is sunset at the pier on 0 Duval Street Key West with a cold beer in my hand and my woman beside me.

 

[jwzg]

I'm not so sure that isn't the truth. That spirit lives forever too.

You can be pretty annoying with meme's, but I won't question your heart. eace

Exactly. The ability to love others, and not be trapped in the self, is heaven. That's why Jesus says the kingdom of heaven is within us.

 

[head of joaquin]

Truth #1 - Life is full of suffering
Truth #2 - The cause of that suffering is craving, desire and ignorance
Truth #3 - There can be an end to suffering for all people, here and now
Truth #4 - The way to achieve the end of suffering is the Middle Way and the Eightfold Path

Here's a better, fuller explanation.

That's one way. Another way is the gospel, which promises that God's love for us is so deep, it can make us a new creation that transcends the prison of narcissism and self, by making us loving persons. The more excellent way, as Paul calls it. Heaven is just a metaphor for this new creation. All we have to do is want to be that new creation and accept that God's love (not ourselves) can accomplish it.

 

[Andalublue]

That's one way. Another way is the gospel, which promises that God's love for us is so deep, it can make us a new creation that transcends the prison of narcissism and self, by making us loving persons. The more excellent way, as Paul calls it. Heaven is just a metaphor for this new creation. All we have to do is want to be that new creation and accept that God's love (not ourselves) can accomplish it.

Well yes, that's a different belief, but Buddhists mostly consider that there are as many paths to Nirvana (which ≠ Buddhist heaven, btw) as there are people. Everyone's path is their own. Beliefs, such as the one you mention, are seen as rafts to get to the other side, to approach Nirvana. They are tools to bring us into harmony with the universe. If that one works for you, that's all that matters. You won't come across Buddhists denigrating you for your heresy or belittling your belief system. Heaven as a metaphor can be a powerful tool, I reckon.

 

[head of joaquin]

Well yes, that's a different belief, but Buddhists mostly consider that there are as many paths to Nirvana (which ≠ Buddhist heaven, btw) as there are people. Everyone's path is their own. Beliefs, such as the one you mention, are seen as rafts to get to the other side, to approach Nirvana. They are tools to bring us into harmony with the universe. If that one works for you, that's all that matters. You won't come across Buddhists denigrating you for your heresy or belittling your belief system. Heaven as a metaphor can be a powerful tool, I reckon.

As a Christian, I also think there are many paths (though maybe they're the same path, the path of love). I'm happy with the one given to me, the gospel, without criticizing others.

 

[iguanaman]

No, there is no heaven for the dead. The "dead" referred here are those who died without repenting. They're truly dead.



Same here.

At the Second Coming, all the dead people will rise to be judged. This is what is referred by separating the sheep from the goat, separate the wheat from the chaff. Those that are written in the Book of Life will live, those that aren't will die a final death.



We don't know if dead people cease to exist when they die awaiting the Second Coming. But there are spirits though - and we are forbidden to make contact with them. I don't know for sure if these spirits include those that died. But that's a good question to look up. I'll try to check that out.

Yeah, look it up. While you are at it, find out a reason we should believe in spirits at all. There is not a shred of proof of any of it and plenty of reason to question the very existence of an "afterlife".