What Is “Heaven”?

[Jimmy]

To me “Heaven” is obviously the earth. For the most part, a nice place where most of life flourishes. Where love abides in most families, where sunsets are grand, and God reigns as the cosmos. A place where each person will relive their same life over and over again on a new earth each time. Everlasting…

 

[1213]

What Is “Heaven”?

Could it be state of mind? Maybe mind can be understood as soul or spirit. Because soul or spirit can go to heaven, it then would be state of mind?

 

[SalixIncendium]

To me “Heaven” is obviously the earth. For the most part, a nice place where most of life flourishes. Where love abides in most families, where sunsets are grand, and God reigns as the cosmos. A place where each person will relive their same life over and over again on a new earth each time. Everlasting…

Why do you assume "Heaven" is a place?

 

[Mock Turtle]

Heaven, as per Hell, is a human construct in my view, and just one step following on from imagining that some kind of life exists after death. Both constructs being quite useful for control purposes no doubt (as to behaviour) but also coming with several deficits - like people taking their own lives expecting something better after death, not appreciating what we have/could have here on Earth (and striving for this), or as in the case of Hell, often being used to stifle progress - like justified freedoms, even when such might not be to our own particular tastes.

 

[Hermit Philosopher]

To me “Heaven” is obviously the earth. For the most part, a nice place where most of life flourishes. Where love abides in most families, where sunsets are grand, and God reigns as the cosmos. A place where each person will relive their same life over and over again on a new earth each time. Everlasting…

“Heaven” is sometimes understood as a state of being; the one that we enter upon having grasped the part that we played in the context and time-frame -in the unfolding- of our earthly lives and after having repented and forgiven ourselves for our actions prior to having been able to see it clearly.

Humbly,
Hermit

 

[Jimmy]

Why do you assume "Heaven" is a place?

A lot of Christians and other religions/people think it’s a state of mind. …but they still think it’s a state of mind on earth so……

One needs a “place” to have their state of mind.

 

[SalixIncendium]

A lot of Christians and other religions/people think it’s a state of mind. …but they still think it’s a state of mind on earth so……

One needs a “place” to have their state of mind.

So people on Earth are in Heaven? The seven in the ISS are not?

 

[Jimmy]

So people on Earth are in Heaven? The seven in the ISS are not?

I believe all on earth are in heaven. Not familiar with the ISS

 

[Jimmy]

I believe all on earth are in heaven. Not familiar with the ISS

Oh the space station. Hahahahha good one. I’d have to say no. They don’t stay very long so what’s that tell you?

 

[Quintessence]

It's not a term I use in my tradition, but I would consider it to be one of the innumerable otherworlds given how it is described by those who do use the term. It's not an otherworld I have bothered to develop much of any relationship with.

 

[Madsaac]

Having a nice day with the family

Watching conservatives take a beating at an election

Playing golf, watching the footy and having a beer with my mates.

Now that's heaven

 

[Eddi]

A place where each person will relive their same life over and over again on a new earth each time. Everlasting…

That sounds like Hell to me

I would not want to relive my life over and over

I'm sure others wouldn't too - for instance victims of torture, or women in Afghanistan

I'd want some change, some variety between lives

And why would God even make it like that? It makes less than zero sense, especially if you imagine God as being good

 

[Trailblazer]

Having a nice day with the family

Watching conservatives take a beating at an election

Playing golf, watching the footy and having a beer with my mates.

Now that's heaven

Too bad life is not like that for everyone.
Some people are in hell. Does anyone care?

 

[Jimmy]

That sounds like Hell to me

I would not want to relive my life over and over

I'm sure others wouldn't too - for instance victims of torture, or women in Afghanistan

I'd want some change, some variety between lives

And why would God even make it like that? It makes less than zero sense, especially if you imagine God as being good

You won’t remember this life. It will all be new to you. I know I hate that there’s bad things in the world too.

 

[Trailblazer]

To me “Heaven” is obviously the earth. For the most part, a nice place where most of life flourishes. Where love abides in most families, where sunsets are grand, and God reigns as the cosmos. A place where each person will relive their same life over and over again on a new earth each time. Everlasting…

For me, Heaven is nothing like this Earth, which is a storehouse of suffering, with more suffering for some people than for others.

"O thou seeker of the Kingdom! Thy letter was received. Thou hast written of the severe calamity that hath befallen thee—the death of thy respected husband. That honourable man hath been so subjected to the stress and strain of this world that his greatest wish was for deliverance from it. Such is this mortal abode: a storehouse of afflictions and suffering. It is ignorance that binds man to it, for no comfort can be secured by any soul in this world, from monarch down to the most humble commoner. If once this life should offer a man a sweet cup, a hundred bitter ones will follow; such is the condition of this world. The wise man, therefore, doth not attach himself to this mortal life and doth not depend upon it; at some moments, even, he eagerly wisheth for death that he may thereby be freed from these sorrows and afflictions. Thus it is seen that some, under extreme pressure of anguish, have committed suicide."

Bahá'í Reference Library - Selections From the Writings of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Pages 200-201

And no, it is not ignorance that binds man to this world, it is God, since God created this world and expects us to live in it.

Dream on. Love does not abide in most families. Ever looked at the divorce rate and all the people looking for love?

 

[Eddi]

You won’t remember this life. It will all be new to you. I know I hate that there’s bad things in the world too.

It's still very bleak.....

It sounds like God doesn't care for us if he'd do that

I believe that God wants us to develop and to develop a relationship with him

According to you, he doesn't, he just wants us to go round and round over and over again and again - what is the point in that? What does God get out of that?

So I can never share your beliefs as they violate my core God concept

I believe life is a part of a long, long journey - a linear journey - that we are supposed to progress onwards and upwards

I think going round and round, always coming back to 1980 would be pointless and nobody would get anything out of that, including God

I am very thankful that I am pretty sure that things don't work the way you say they do

Sounds Hellish to me

 

[Jimmy]

It's still very bleak.....

It sounds like God doesn't care for us if he'd do that

I believe that God wants us to develop and to develop a relationship with him

According to you, he doesn't, he just wants us to go round and round over and over again and again - what is the point in that? What does God get out of that?

So I can never share your beliefs as they violate my core God concept

I believe life is a part of a long, long journey - a linear journey - that we are supposed to progress onwards and upwards

I think going round and round, always coming back to 1980 would be pointless and nobody would get anything out of that, including God

I am very thankful that I am pretty sure that things don't work the way you say they do

Sounds Hellish to me

Like I said, you won’t remember this existence next time around.

 

[Jimmy]

For me, Heaven is nothing like this Earth, which is a storehouse of suffering, with more suffering for some people than for others.

"O thou seeker of the Kingdom! Thy letter was received. Thou hast written of the severe calamity that hath befallen thee—the death of thy respected husband. That honourable man hath been so subjected to the stress and strain of this world that his greatest wish was for deliverance from it. Such is this mortal abode: a storehouse of afflictions and suffering. It is ignorance that binds man to it, for no comfort can be secured by any soul in this world, from monarch down to the most humble commoner. If once this life should offer a man a sweet cup, a hundred bitter ones will follow; such is the condition of this world. The wise man, therefore, doth not attach himself to this mortal life and doth not depend upon it; at some moments, even, he eagerly wisheth for death that he may thereby be freed from these sorrows and afflictions. Thus it is seen that some, under extreme pressure of anguish, have committed suicide."

Bahá'í Reference Library - Selections From the Writings of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Pages 200-201

And no, it is not ignorance that binds man to this world, it is God, since God created this world and expects us to live in it.

Dream on. Love does not abide in most families. Ever looked at the divorce rate and all the people looking for love?

I hate the bad too.

 

[Eddi]

Like I said, you won’t remember this existence next time around.

I don't care, I don't want to be trapped in a cycle - and now I know it don't I???????

If what you say is true then I now know it - I now know that when you die it will become 1980 again!

Dear God,

If you are reading this and the world is like how @Jimmy says it is then please release me and all others from repeating this life over and over

Amen

If God ignores me then that will mean he is holding me captive

If what you say is true then I want out

If God doesn't let me out then wouldn't that make him nasty and contemptable?

 

[osgart]

Heaven is a metaphor for an existence absent evil, and only having all the qualities of being that are admirable and worthwhile. Heaven is in the imagination.

For me the goal is love, joy, and peace found in all virtues being fulfilled.

I only use terms like heaven, and hell metaphorically in reference to actual realities that exist throughout the course of living life.
Unfortunately people sometimes have to go through hell, and hardship to ever appreciate a heaven day. Heaven is a state of being where everything is at its best.

The religions that claim heaven and hell are real places are void of any significant meaning. Usually it fits human fantasies that I want no part of because they are either blind, immoral or both.