Heaven

[floo]

What is your idea of heaven, either in the religious or secular sense of that word?

My idea of heaven would be no deity, no afterlife and ceasing to be when I kick the bucket.

[Shaker]

Good, because that's most likely exactly the case 

[ekim]

Heaven ...... A blissful (inner) state of being which one is or can be conscious of.
Paradise ..... ( ?from Greek para deisos) beyond form e.g. beyond the self created mental forms and forces.

[floo]

Good, because that's most likely exactly the case 

That is what I reckon as there is no evidence to prove otherwise.

[Owlswing]

Good, because that's most likely exactly the case 

That is what I reckon as there is no evidence to prove otherwise.

If I post what would be heaven/paradise before death it would get me banned!

After death? To take my place in the Summerlands, rest, recuperate and learn from my experiences in this life so that I am prepared for re-birth.

[Rhiannon]

Back in the day it was a cool gay club in London. Don't know if it's still open.

[floo]

If heaven was an absolute paradise which lasts forever, surely that would get extremely boring?

[Shaker]

If heaven was an absolute paradise which lasts forever, surely that would get extremely boring?

Only if time was linear and stretched out moment by moment, as many feel to be the case in the world now. That's leaving aside the thorny issue of time in a supposedly timeless existence, of course.

On the other hand, if heaven was a moment of supreme bliss trapped in stasis for ever, like a DVD or a Sky+ programme on permanent pause/freeze frame, I can see the attraction.

[Rhiannon]

Ditto.

[ippy]

Over the channel first then onto an 850 Moto Guzzi Eldorado with my wife, the perfect pillion passenger, then touring the whole of the continent only having to carry a debit card; day one somewhere in in a hotel, appropriate to my status, in the Black Forrest; Heaven.

ippy

[floo]

If heaven was an absolute paradise which lasts forever, surely that would get extremely boring?

Only if time was linear and stretched out moment by moment, as many feel to be the case in the world now. That's leaving aside the thorny issue of time in a supposedly timeless existence, of course.

On the other hand, if heaven was a moment of supreme bliss trapped in stasis for ever, like a DVD or a Sky+ programme on permanent pause/freeze frame, I can see the attraction.

I must admit I hadn't thought of it like that.

[Nearly Sane]

As well as no time, it would also suggest no individuality, since that is a time based concept.

[Outrider]

If heaven was an absolute paradise which lasts forever, surely that would get extremely boring?

Only if time was linear and stretched out moment by moment, as many feel to be the case in the world now. That's leaving aside the thorny issue of time in a supposedly timeless existence, of course.

On the other hand, if heaven was a moment of supreme bliss trapped in stasis for ever, like a DVD or a Sky+ programme on permanent pause/freeze frame, I can see the attraction.

If that's the case, though, it just begs the question 'Why not start everyone in heaven in and leave them there?' Why mess around with creating the universe and bodies in the first place?

O.

[floo]

If heaven was an absolute paradise which lasts forever, surely that would get extremely boring?

Only if time was linear and stretched out moment by moment, as many feel to be the case in the world now. That's leaving aside the thorny issue of time in a supposedly timeless existence, of course.

On the other hand, if heaven was a moment of supreme bliss trapped in stasis for ever, like a DVD or a Sky+ programme on permanent pause/freeze frame, I can see the attraction.

If that's the case, though, it just begs the question 'Why not start everyone in heaven in and leave them there?' Why mess around with creating the universe and bodies in the first place?

O.

How else would the deity get its kicks, if it didn't have the 'pleasure' of watching human suffering?

[Nearly Sane]

If heaven was an absolute paradise which lasts forever, surely that would get extremely boring?

Only if time was linear and stretched out moment by moment, as many feel to be the case in the world now. That's leaving aside the thorny issue of time in a supposedly timeless existence, of course.

On the other hand, if heaven was a moment of supreme bliss trapped in stasis for ever, like a DVD or a Sky+ programme on permanent pause/freeze frame, I can see the attraction.

If that's the case, though, it just begs the question 'Why not start everyone in heaven in and leave them there?' Why mess around with creating the universe and bodies in the first place?

O.

Free will...., out of time..., mysterious ways..., love..., beyond comprehension..., look at the shiny thing.

[Shaker]

I couldn't help tagging "Oooh, squirrel!" onto the end of that post, NS (only makes sense if you've seen Over the Hedge though).

[Hope]

What is your idea of heaven, either in the religious or secular sense of that word?

My idea of heaven would be no deity, no afterlife and ceasing to be when I kick the bucket.

So, a non-existence heaven.  A very interesting definition

[Hope]

If that's the case, though, it just begs the question 'Why not start everyone in heaven in and leave them there?' Why mess around with creating the universe and bodies in the first place?

O.

How else would the deity get its kicks, if it didn't have the 'pleasure' of watching human suffering?

Or, how would the deity know who wants to live with him without providing each person with life and the frrewill that goes with it?

[Shaker]

Omniscience rather than a practical trial should take care of that, I'd have thought.

Or do you not hold with that alleged attribute?

[Bubbles]

Heaven.

A state of happiness, where there are no worries, no suffering and no strife.

[Outrider]

Or, how would the deity know who wants to live with him without providing each person with life and the frrewill that goes with it?

Notwithstanding the ongoing explanation for how 'free will' might conceivably be a thing - how would anyone make an informed choice on the patchy, unreliable information provided?

O.

[Hope]

Notwithstanding the ongoing explanation for how 'free will' might conceivably be a thing - how would anyone make an informed choice on the patchy, unreliable information provided?

I suppose it depends on whether one is a physical, scientific evidence-only sort of person, or whether one sees reality as being broader than these, which I believe more people do globally than don't.

[Shaker]

With as little justification and explanation as you, no doubt.

Good of you to play the argumentum ad populum/numerum, though. I was getting worried.

[trippymonkey]

What about the rest of the universe & also reincarnation ANYWHERE ?!!?!?

Nick

[jeremyp]

Notwithstanding the ongoing explanation for how 'free will' might conceivably be a thing - how would anyone make an informed choice on the patchy, unreliable information provided?

I suppose it depends on whether one is a physical, scientific evidence-only sort of person, or whether one sees reality as being broader than these, which I believe more people do globally than don't.

You mean whether one wants to make an informed evidence based decision or guess on a hunch.