What are you expecting heaven to be like?

originally posted by: Phage
a reply to: schuyler

If the Christians are right

As opposed to left?

Once again, you are being too subtle.

originally posted by: glend

originally posted by: Joecroft
a reply to: glend

We are in heaven now and will be in it eternally even after we pass on.

Imagine many reincarnations and all the different journeys and experiences that you could have on just one planet alone. And then consider the vastness of all creation and the many other worlds both physical and Spiritual.

I believe a Soul gets to experience all those realms…And that there is a time to forget during incarnation and a time to remember again, when they get back to the Spiritual realm… Jesus said We will become like the Angels in Heaven in the scriptures.

From the spiritual realm we then prepare to go on the next journey, where we suspend our knowledge again, in order to enjoy the next experience.


- JC

The joys of life are not without painful consequences. You loose loved ones to disease and death, You have to experience painful processes of birth and death. Survival itself, can be a challenge. If given the option to experience countless lives or one single life, followed by everlasting death. I'd choose everlasting death.

I wouldn't.

originally posted by: ManBehindTheMask

originally posted by: DictionaryOfExcuses
a reply to: ManBehindTheMask

Hell yeah buddy. I'll be piping, chewing, snuffing and smoking. I'll probably have a cigarette tree out in the front yard.

Read your thread the other day but didn't comment. How's your guts treating you?

Haha I like your style bossman.....

I'm still here... I need to go back and thank and address everyone.... So many great people.... Love my ATS fam.... Just been evaluating all the responses and trying things....

Despite all the bs..... We got some great people here....

And I can't wait for our debates on the other side!!!! Man imagine THOSE conspiracy theories lol...

PS... Plant a jerky tree for me to visit lol

As one cockney girl once put it, "It's not a bacon tree, its an 'ambush".

a reply to: glend

After experiencing the believers and what they offer as 'proof of god', I expect to simply cease to exist. It'd be better than the alternative of putting up with a psychotic, malignant entity who demands my fealty for all eternity anyways.

a reply to: glend

Originally posted by Glend
The joys of life are not without painful consequences. You loose loved ones to disease and death, You have to experience painful processes of birth and death. Survival itself, can be a challenge.

Yes, but imagine your consciousness experiencing pure nothingness. At some point you will want to experience something else. In fact, the Duality of pain and pleasure may be a God send, in comparison to experiencing pure nothingness.

And even when we are experiencing truly heavenly realms as depicted in various religions, we will at some point desire to experience something more challenging.

Originally posted by Glend
If given the option to experience countless lives or one single life, followed by everlasting death. I'd choose everlasting death.

Each of those “forgetting's”, that I mentioned in my previous post, are a form of mini deaths. They’re like a break or a release from our pain. But remember there's also joy and love too.

And also it's not countless lives in a body, because there are spiritual realms as well beyond what we can possibly imagine. I’m also pretty sure that we will see everything differently when we get to those spiritual realms…our eyes will opened…

- JC

a reply to: glend

Q. I form part of the creation, and so remain dependent (in bondage). I cannot solve the riddle of creation until I become independent (free). Yet I ask, should you not answer the question for me?

A. Again, where are you now, that you ask this question? Are you in the world, or is the world within you? You must admit that the world is not perceived in your sleep, although you cannot deny your existence then. The world appears when you wake up. So where is it? Clearly, the world is your thought, thoughts are your projections. The 'I' is first created, and then the world. The world is created by the 'I' which in turn rises from the Self (consciousness). The riddle of the creation of the world is thus solved if you solve the creation of 'I'. So I say, find your self (consciousness).

Again, does the world come and ask you 'Why do I exist, how was I created?' It is you who ask the question. The questioner must establish the relationship between the world and himself. He must admit that the world is his imagination. Who imagines it? Let him again find the 'I', and then the Self (consciousness). There is no creation in the state of realization (of consciousness).

When one sees the world (as an independent reality), one does not realizes one's Self (consciousness). When one realizes one's Self (consciousness), the world is not seen (as a reality independent of the Self - consciousness). So realize your real Self, and realize that there has been no creation (only an imagined appearance of a world, just as in dreams at night).


Sri Ramana

Stay Hydrated... (whilst in Your 'skinsuit')

Just consciousness. I think we are all essentially the same consciousness living different experiences. Death, I believe, is just the end of one experience.

Whatever the flash of '___' going through my brain as I die decides to show me I suppose.

originally posted by: dug88
Whatever the flash of '___' going through my brain as I die decides to show me I suppose.

If you were able to load everything you know, have experienced, your opinions, how you feel about certain issues and thoughts about into a computer, do you think that computer would be you? Do you think then when you died, you'd just carry on as the computer?
I ask, because if all we are is a collection of thoughts, emotions, memories and experiences then we're no different in terms of who we are than a computer. That to me doesn't ring true.

originally posted by: UKTruth

originally posted by: dug88
Whatever the flash of '___' going through my brain as I die decides to show me I suppose.

If you were able to load everything you know, have experienced, your opinions, how you feel about certain issues and thoughts about into a computer, do you think that computer would be you? Do you think then when you died, you'd just carry on as the computer?
I ask, because if all we are is a collection of thoughts, emotions, memories and experiences then we're no different in terms of who we are than a computer. That to me doesn't ring true.

No I don't think so. I've always thought the goal of mind computers, robot bodies, clones or anything else like that to be a poor idea. I think people are somewhat mistaken. Your brain isn't like a computer, your entire body is and each one is totally unique. Your body is full of sensory inputs, has endless ways you can create 'output'. As you live your life your body and mind change and adapt to things. I don't think you can transfer all the things that is a person into somethi.n else. Whatever is in the computer mind, or whatever other 'host', won't be you, it won't have your awareness. I'm not sure if that's the right word for it.

Whatever happens when we die, whether it's heaven, nothingness, some other state of conciousness whatever it may be. It's going to happen when our bodies die whether we like it or not.

I'm ok with that personally. Even if you could transfer your self to some other thing I really would rather not live inside a computer or some other such thing. I really don't think it'd be as great as people seem to think.

I think we can rule out fire...

I think heaven is tha future.

All I can say is I hope it's got better internet connection then I have as that's a whole lot of uploading it's going to have to do!

As for what heaven is like... I don't believe in that garbage in the 'good book' so I doubt very much it would be anything like that, I'm pretty much leaning to being recycled that heaven isn't a place with golden buildings and pearly gates but rather a reuse of consciousness. I guess I should be a hindu or something...

a reply to: glend

If you think you can lose something by being your whole Self you are confused about Self. I don’t mean you glend. Its just something i have thought of. That we probably will like being as God created us, it being our full and naturally occurring self. One could say our normal cozy Real Self and ego dream only hurts even though it tries to pretend otherwise ( sometimes ).

Its like accidentally thinking you are a pony ( or a wolf for that matter ) and trying really hard to be a pony ( or wolf ) and attacking anyone that says you’re not a pony ( or wolf ).

You’re not really happy being a pony ( or wolf ) and you never will be.

You’re just weren’t created to fit in such a limited form. So you substitute by focusing on all the unlimited pastures ( or ponies ) you can graze on in the future.

But the grass, its all pretty much the same. Maybe a little greener here, or a lush spring there.

None of it is what you really want beyond a momentary glimpse, so you keep wandering until ... until well I don’t know, but watch for it. I’m watching for it.

Now someone will say ‘quit looking for it and you will find it.’ I think you’re right and I would but I can’t quite let go; maybe in an unguarded moment?

I think the wolves are worse off because they are constantly distracted by the hunger/ satiation cycle ( though constantly guarding against wolves is distracting too )

a reply to: JimNasium

The concept of maya somewhat confounds me. Because even if we cannot perceive the material world whilst asleep. If a brick from that world lands on our head. It will still impact us. So think what they really trying to say is that our physical world consists of energy waves from which our brains give form. Whereas in actuality, nothing has form, because the energy waves remain in flux.

This might interest....

Just as children are kept from knowing all about adult life until they have matured into understanding, so too is the soul's knowledge limited. We learn what we need to know, and we understand what we have experienced. Only this narrowing of our awareness, coupled with a sense of individualized ego, allows us to look upon the world and our part in it from a practical, human point of view. Pasha is the soul's triple bondage: maya, karma and anava. Without the world of maya, the soul could not evolve through experience. Karma is the law of cause and effect, action and reaction governing maya. Anava is the individuating veil of duality, source of ignorance and finitude. Maya is the classroom, karma the teacher, and anava the student's ignorance. The three bonds, or malas, are given by the buddha to help and protect us as we unfold. Yet, the buddhas all-knowingness may be experienced for brief periods by the meditator who turns within to his own essence. "When the soul attains Self-knowledge, then it becomes one with the buddha. The malas perish, birth's cycle ends and the lustrous light of wisdom dawns.

originally posted by: Phage
a reply to: schuyler

If the Christians are right

As opposed to left?

Ah, you continue to disappoint, Phage. What has happened to you to knock you off your game? It's just not the same as it used to be.

My Father does art in Heaven...

a reply to: yughii

You are absolutely right yughii. But sometimes feel that fear is a barrier to overcome because of the unknown. l feel safer in clothes familiar to my nature. So like a magnet it keeps on driving me backwards

But perhaps all roads lead to the same destination. That the destination comes to us rather than us to the destination. If that is our only desire.

originally posted by: schuyler
If the Christians are right, it will be a God-awful totalitarian police state. Not interested.

Funny how this now matches earthly liberal values...as the Bible states...ALL are deceived.

originally posted by: glend
I know what some religions teach about heaven and hell. But everyone has different opinions.

What do you expect heaven to be like?
What will you expect to be doing into heaven?

Unlike many Christians, I have no 'expectations' about heaven because scripture plainly states that heaven will not be our final destination anyway. I honestly could care less about heaven. Its not my final destination, its not Jesus Christs final destination, its not even the final destination for the Father himself. When its all said and done, a new heaven and earth is created and the Father himself will descend FROM heaven with New Jerusalem in hand. He will dwell with his creation on the new earth forever. He will have his own throne, and Jesus Christ will have his own throne, when the "word of God" will sit on the right hand of "God Almighty" on their thrones in the kingdom.

This fact gets conveniently glossed over by Christians repeatedly because they are so in love with their own little spiritualisms. The fact is God promised the saints and all whose names are written in the book of life obscene material gain, where the world will truly be ours, like a true free market system, unlike the system we are under now, where we are given the illusion of "freedom". In fact, if what the prophet Isaiah said is any indication at all, a true free market system will be the case even before we get to the new earth. Real peace and economic freedom is promised to come true on this current earth after the Lords second coming.

A true free market system implied (the operative word being "BUT", to avoid confusion):

(Isaiah 65:17-25) "¶ For, behold, I create new heavens and a new earth: and the former shall not be remembered, nor come into mind. [18] BUT be ye glad and rejoice for ever in that which I create: for, behold, I create Jerusalem a rejoicing, and her people a joy. [19] And I will rejoice in Jerusalem, and joy in my people: and the voice of weeping shall be no more heard in her, nor the voice of crying. [20] There shall be no more thence an infant of days, nor an old man that hath not filled his days: for the child shall die an hundred years old; but the sinner being an hundred years old shall be accursed. [21] And they shall build houses, and inhabit them; and they shall plant vineyards, and eat the fruit of them. [22] They shall not build, and another inhabit; they shall not plant, and another eat: for as the days of a tree are the days of my people, and mine elect shall long enjoy the work of their hands. [23] They shall not labour in vain, nor bring forth for trouble; for they are the seed of the blessed of the LORD, and their offspring with them. [24] And it shall come to pass, that before they call, I will answer; and while they are yet speaking, I will hear. [25] The wolf and the lamb shall feed together, and the lion shall eat straw like the bullock: and dust shall be the serpent’s meat. They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain, saith the LORD."

a reply to: glend

What do you expect heaven to be like?

I think Heaven is someplace where God sits, and not really where people go when resurrected. The Bible says that God sits up above the dome of the firmament. OK, that is not the sort of place where people live. People live on the flat plane of the earth, that is the place that God made for us to live in.
You do have the saying from Paul in Thessalonians about the dead being lifter into the air to be with Jesus, but I do not think it means going to someplace beyond the earth. I think it mainly means coming up away from the state of being dead, whether it is in Hell or otherwise just dead.
I think the idea presented in the Bible is a restored situation on earth where it is reigned over by a benevolent God rather than there being evil ruling in the hearts of fallen men.