Should we start saying, you're going to Heaven?
2007-04-10 06:31:12 · 17 answers · asked by kasar777 3 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
I only try to offer advice to people who WANT to go to heaven. If you want to go to hell then, more power to ya. However, if you think people on earth are crazy then, expect hell to be crazier.
2007-04-10 06:42:49 · answer #1 · answered by Lifted by God's grace 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
None of us know exactly what happens after we die. If God is the real creator and sustainer of our lives, then our search for him involves experiencing his love and surrendering our wills to him. The idea of hell (heaven too) must be couched in language that is symbolic and metaphoric. This is necessary when talking about what we have not experienced. The idea of hell is that of loss; emptiness; regret; failure; rebellion and its consequences. If we remove all good, hope, and positive values then we have nothing but the bitter self turned inward; angry and miserable. CS Lewis commented that a man in hell may say of his earthly life "I was in hell all along." Hell involves separation from the source of all love and good. We are not very impressed if our vision of God is dim. Don't get lost in the symbols of fire, darkness, and isolation. Focus on knowing God and these symbols will take on new and powerful meanings.
Threatening people with loss will not change them. Helping them to experience God in a new and transforming relationship will. I cannot change myself; only God working in each of us can make the changes we cannot make. When this happens, heaven looks better and hell looks worse.
2007-04-10 07:02:12 · answer #2 · answered by Robert B 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Fellow Beings,
This topic lacks some serious greater awareness. The biblical Heaven and Hell are being transcribed WAY TOO literal. What is often conceptualized in modern Christianity is the translated and heavily censored scripts of Constantine, which greatly differ from that of the original OT.
Unfortunately, many Christians do not understand the faith they are practicing is not the faith that of Christ's message.
What is conceptualized as "God" in the Christian context is a vengeful, angry, judging God. A force to fear if one does not abide by a certain set of guidelines which directly contradicts free will, and the universal law of cause and effect. When in reality God is not any of these notions or concepts.
God is not separate from the whole. You are every part God as God itself is you'd only be willing to seek past what has been put on your plate. Everyone is God's son, because every living thing IS God.
Ultimately, the bible is of mind and matter. A watered down message of something only the reality of now can offer. God in the greater sense, is not there.
Hell is nothing more then the lack of awareness of one's own actions. Hell is the constant cycle of reacting to desire and aversion. Hell is being without compassion.
Heaven is nothing more then the total awareness of one's own actions and how they relate to the whole of the universe. Of being filled with love for all living things, contentment, equanimity and compassion.
THIS is what Christ offered to his fellow man. A path that would lead one to that total state of awareness through one's own actions, not through dictates or mandates. No hate, no judgement. Just letting people know there was a way to enlightenment, that one is not stuck in the constant rebirth of desire and aversion.
Man has conceptualized Hell to one's own benefit over man. It's a tool of fear to get man to conform to whatever agenda of the day. We see it is still alive and well.
"God" gains nothing from such concepts. In fact, "God" does not gain. "God" is.
There is no devil. Only cause and effect and the self responsibility of spiritual evolution/growth thereof.
Judgement day is when you see that your actions have caused you and other pain. It's the self realization of one's own actions. And you always have the moment of now to grow from them. You are your own judge, because you are GOD.
It takes looking into one's self to see these kinds of truths.
This is what Jesus wanted you to do. Not take someone's word for it. Live it, experience it in the eternal moment and truth of now.
2007-04-10 07:13:23 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Since the beginning of history, people have always made up religion to explain what they can not otherwise explain. After all these years, and after so many religious things have been disproven by science, (Ligntning does not come from Zeus, etc.) We still insist on making up elaborate explanations and validating it with faith, which by definition is not proof of anything, and then we call it proof. I think we are still the cave men of the earth in the grand scheme of things. Grow up, and stop believeing in Santa clause and God.
2007-04-10 06:40:51 · answer #4 · answered by Lancaid 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Those that say they want to go to hell are just mocking Christians. They don't believe in hell and they don't think about it.
No one in their right mind would chose to go to hell rather than heaven (knowing perfectly what is in each place).
2007-04-10 06:38:55 · answer #5 · answered by Gui 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Wait, going to heaven means being a sheep that is punished for gaining knowledge? Oh yeah, according to the bible, Satan never killed anyone. Sure he gave Jobe a hard time... But he never killed anyone! Hell may not be so bad!
2007-04-10 06:34:15 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
That might be a worse threat But what kind of religion needs threats to get people to join?
2007-04-10 06:34:47 · answer #7 · answered by Sun: supporting gay rights 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
This just proves we are living in the latter days and in a confused world. Too much demonic influence in our world.
2007-04-10 06:37:51 · answer #8 · answered by Jeancommunicates 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Or a George Foreman Grill...
2007-04-10 06:33:59 · answer #9 · answered by Ferret 4 · 2⤊ 0⤋
The gnashing of teeth thingie made me wonder if we spend eternity with TMJ?
2007-04-10 06:36:55 · answer #10 · answered by Rico E Suave 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋