Subject:
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Re: Is Heaven recursive? and other perplexing questions
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Newsgroups:
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lugnet.off-topic.debate
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Date:
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Fri, 24 Mar 2000 17:58:56 GMT
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Viewed:
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253 times
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In lugnet.off-topic.debate, Adam Hoekwater writes:
> In lugnet.off-topic.debate, Todd Lehman writes:
> > OK, ever since I was a child, I always wondered: If God made the universe,
> > then who made God? (That's the classic question.)
> God invented time, space and physics as a way for us to live. Nobody made God,
> He's been around forever, in as much as forever can exist without time as a
> reference.
Sounds kinda circular. Where is it said that no one made God? The Alpha and
Omega (beginning and end) statement might've been directed towards us mortals;
He created and will destroy each and every one of us, as we understand our
current situation. But our perception of beginnings and endings may change as
we sluff off this mortal coil. And God Himself might've had a beginning and an
end (of sorts) as well.
Perhaps (and this is kinda dogma from my church) the family structure of
parents and children works in Heaven as well. God has parents, just as we all
can have children. Just as we are His children, we may some day become as God.
I have to admit, this notion has some appeal to me.
> > What if Heaven wasn't actually the forever-and-ever afterlife after life, but
> > only the next stage of life?
> Heaven with God is an idea from the Bible, if you think that's perplexing,
> read the rest of it. I think that Heaven is not a place you can get to, it is
> a state of being fully in God and knowing Him fully, as He knows you now. It's
> outside of time or physics or anything else that this world needs in order to
> survive.
Steve's got a point -- this does sound like nirvana. I find this concept
interesting. Buddhism (I think?) has a belief that the ultimate goal in this
world is to become completely detached from the world and enter nothingness.
However, to sacrifice nirvana in order to help others along the path are
extremely profound and noteworthy people -- a belief that has some similarity
with Christianity.
Anyway, can one become completely detached from this world, and at the same
time be with God in Heaven? Does Buddhism obviate or compliment
Judeo-Christian theology?
Perhaps Heaven as we conceive it is a holding area, so to speak, where we go
and await judgement and entry into eternal glory. It might not be the best
heaven, but it's a lot better than where we're in now. (Again, teachings from
my church.)
> > Can you die in Heaven and go to Heaven Heaven? Can you do something bad in
> > Heaven and go to Heaven Hell? Can you do something good in Hell and go to
> > Hell Heaven?
> No.
Well, yes. I'm as sure about it as you are. :-,
Some of us believe that there are different degrees of Heaven, and that, on
some occasions, people have been cast from one to another.
But I'm not sure there is a Hell per se, however. I'm inclined to think that
some peoples' concept of Hell would be something like outer darkness, where God
does not walk. Alternatively, the lowest degrees of afterlife / Heaven might
also be like Hell, in that folks there are forever working off negative karma
accumulated during their brief stint on Earth.
> The Bible is chock full o' stuff about all this. Also, I know a few different
> guys whom you could email if you're really interested in how God feels about
> our lives on earth and in Heaven. They've studied it extensively, and pretty
> much devoted their whole lives to telling people what they've found.
Just out of curiosity -- and please don't answer if you don't want to -- which
religion are you a member of? You exhibit quite a *lot* of conviction in your
beliefs. I find that fascinating.
Cheers,
- jsproat
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