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    The Independent Gardener's Avatar
    The Independent Gardener Posts: 9, Reputation: 0
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    #1

    Oct 11, 2005, 01:48 PM
    Describe Heaven
    This is for people who believe in a life after death. Does your belief influence the way you live your life? If yes, please describe what you anticipate this life will be like.
    Pale White Skin's Avatar
    Pale White Skin Posts: 93, Reputation: 1
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    #2

    Oct 11, 2005, 10:36 PM
    A higher vibration of thought. It is not above us, nor around us. It is simply a different plane of reality beyond our current understanding.

    I'm not so sure what it would look like but if it's filled with a bunch of open-minded people who are opinionated and filled with charm.. I'm sure I'd like to go there after death. What are some things you'd like to include or would like to see after death? Describe your Heaven.
    The Independent Gardener's Avatar
    The Independent Gardener Posts: 9, Reputation: 0
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    #3

    Oct 15, 2005, 08:01 AM
    Why believe in Heaven?
    I have trouble visualizing anything better than this life. Sure, there are things that could be better in this life but it seems a better approach, that is a better way to be guided in how to live this life, would be to try to improve this life whether that means working on improving the environment or trying to help those less fortunate than myself or whatever one feels would improve the world in some even small way.

    What I’m looking for with my question is to hear from people whose lives are guided by a belief that there is a reward waiting for them after death.
    letmeno's Avatar
    letmeno Posts: 215, Reputation: 23
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    #4

    Oct 15, 2005, 07:35 PM
    There are two books that you must absolutely read. They are:
    A divine revelation of Hell and A divine revelation of Heaven. These two books were written by people who were chosen by God to enter these two places under his guidance. They were specifically chosen by the Lord with the intention of speading his gospel. These books go into specific detail what it is like in Heaven and hell. It does not describe them as being a different plane or a realm beyond our understanding, but real live actual places. Where pain is multiplied my onethousand (hell), we will have our minds and our thought's, and all of our senses just like here on earth, but they will be multiplied times one thousand. We will have understanding and great happiness, and we will remember our loved ones as well. You said that you have trouble visualizing anything better than life... what about complete peace, within yourself. Do you ever worry about anything @ all? We are human's, life is hard. Just imagine every single care in the world that you have ever experienced in life just being lifted off your shoulder's and erased. Yes, there is a place so much better than earth. If you are saved, you will slowly gain understanding and knowledge about this. Just so that you know, you can give a million dollars to the homeless, but if the giving does not come from the heart, then it is all in vain. It has to be in your heart, if you are doing things that are good, just so that you may enter the kingdom of God, you are not doing any good @ all. The Lord has to be in your heart.
    Chery's Avatar
    Chery Posts: 3,666, Reputation: 698
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    #5

    Oct 15, 2005, 09:14 PM
    Quote Originally Posted by The Independent Gardener
    This is for people who believe in a life after death. Does your belief influence the way you live your life? If yes, please describe what you anticipate this life will be like.
    Though I am not a believer of humans interpreting the Bible or any other religious scriptures to me for very personal reasons and experiences that were all bad, I believe heaven to me would be a place of no predjudice, love and warmth surrounding me with no more physical pain. Also where I could be with loved ones who went there before me, and are now my Guardian Angels. And it would have to be a place where I could watch and care for my daughter - to be able to be her Guardian Angel, so to speak. More then that I don't expect.
    rkim291968's Avatar
    rkim291968 Posts: 261, Reputation: 34
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    #6

    Oct 16, 2005, 12:26 AM
    I believe in two possibility.

    Absolute nothingness. A peace that I am not even aware of.

    Reincarnation to a better life if you have lived a good one.
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    SSchultz0956 Posts: 121, Reputation: 10
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    #7

    Oct 17, 2005, 09:37 AM
    I would have to concur with Chery. Heaven is the kingdom of God, thus nothing that is evil may reside there. It's filled with truth, truth that is everlasting. Things like love, intelligence, peace, joy, and the presence of God. But to physically describe heaven is beyond me. Granted, there will be no drugs, guns, or other things that cause evil, but that's stretching ideas out of our limited human minds.
    Starman's Avatar
    Starman Posts: 1,308, Reputation: 135
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    #8

    Apr 23, 2006, 12:04 AM
    The Bible speaks of heaven but it also speaks of the restoration of a paradise earth. But since the question is about heaven...

    When the Bible describes heaven it uses earthly symbols such as cities, thrones, rivers, and other material things so we can understand since the spiritual realm is beyond our senses and perhaps so different from what we as material creatures have experienced that it can only be described in that way.

    This situation is understandable since heaven is a spiritual realm where flesh and blood is unable to survive or even contemplate the presence of God. That's why we are told that those who enter heaven will have to be transformed.


    1 Corinthians 15:49-51

    49And as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly.

    50: Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption.

    The Bible also tells us that those who go to heaven do so with the purpose of ruling as kings and acting as priests with Jesus in guiding and healing of mankind. In short, as assistant administrators of the universe.

    Revelation 1:6 (New American Standard Bible)

    6and He has made us to be a (A)kingdom, (B)priests to (C)His God and Father--(D)to Him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen


    So heaven is the capital of the universe where God administrates his creation and assigns his servants their individual duties. Because of this I imagine that the administrative parts of heaven are a bustle of activity as spirits come and go, assemblies are held, and information exchanged. I also imagine it a place of unparalleled beauty and peace a place where our heavenly father can be met face to face and spoken to.

    Matthew 5:8
    Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.
    The Independent Gardener's Avatar
    The Independent Gardener Posts: 9, Reputation: 0
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    #9

    Apr 23, 2006, 09:43 AM
    Letmeno said "You said that you have trouble visualizing anything better than life.......what about complete peace, within yourself. Do you ever worry about anything @ all? We are human's, life is hard."
    I feel badly that you find life hard. I find it exhilarating, fun, pleasurable and challenging most of the time. How about the other times you might ask? If I am playing a game, do I want to win every time? Do I always want to have perfect cards or roll high dice? Would a video game of a walk in the park be challenging or fun to play?
    If I try to imagine every care being lifted off my shoulders as you suggest, I end up with a pretty boring existence and that, a boring existence, would be a hard life.
    It seems to me that this life which I will call God-given is a wonderful thing. I love it. I love all of the sensations that my God-given senses bring me including great food, great sounds both natural in human produce, great sights like sunsets and beautiful women and great feelings like walking barefoot on the beach or turning a stone in my hand.
    I agree that giving any amount is pretty much a wasted effort if you are doing it for any reason other than that you feel it is the right thing to do. To give a million dollars with the purpose of buying your way into heaven is to miss the joy, here on earth, of giving.
    The Independent Gardener's Avatar
    The Independent Gardener Posts: 9, Reputation: 0
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    #10

    Apr 23, 2006, 10:01 AM
    That is all very lovely Starman but it doesn't answer my question. How does your belief that there is a reward waiting for you when you die influence the way you live your life? If it does not influence the way you live your life, what is the purpose of your belief? After all, you are living. I assume you believe God gave you this life, life in the body you have which has certain senses, God-given senses. What are you doing with your senses?
    RickJ's Avatar
    RickJ Posts: 7,762, Reputation: 864
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    #11

    Apr 23, 2006, 10:07 AM
    Quote Originally Posted by The Independent Gardener
    This is for people who believe in a life after death. Does your belief influence the way you live your life? If yes, please describe what you anticipate this life will be like.
    Yes.

    I anticipate that it is impossible for me to anticipate it; as there is no way that I can comprehend what being fully in the presence of God and all those who have preceded me might be like.

    I can only imagine things that are of length, width, height and time... none of which will be words that mean anything in the life I will experience after I leave this place.
    educatedhorse_2005's Avatar
    educatedhorse_2005 Posts: 500, Reputation: 78
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    #12

    Apr 23, 2006, 10:53 AM
    I believe the after life is just like this one.
    Only without all the war and turmoil.
    Starman's Avatar
    Starman Posts: 1,308, Reputation: 135
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    #13

    Apr 23, 2006, 11:19 AM
    Quote Originally Posted by The Independent Gardener
    That is all very lovely Starman but it doesn't answer my question. How does your belief that there is a reward waiting for you when you die influence the way you live your life? If it does not influence the way you live your life, what is the purpose of your belief? After all, you are living. I assume you believe God gave you this life, life in the body you have which has certain senses, God-given senses. What are you doing with your senses?


    As you know, all world views, be they political or religious, strongly influence the persons who hold them. The purpose of my belief is to please God by accepting the provision for the redemption of our sins and hopefully to gain eternal life either here on earth or else in heaven. My religious beliefs cause me to be very careful not to behave in a way which the Bible tells me leads to death.

    Deuteronomy 30:19
    I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live:

    BTW
    In the film "City Of Angels" the angels are depicted as unable to sense things we humans are able to. But as I'm sure you know, that is a misconception. Going to heaven or being a spirit doesn't render a person senseless. Instead the transformation from material to a spirit creature augments the senses enabling the creature to perceive things which were impossible to sense before. In short, there is an increase in our sensing ability not a decrease.

    Example:
    We are restricted to the material universe. In contrast, angels are able to sense both the spirit and the material world as is shown by their coming to earth on assignments from God and even partaking of food and drink after materializing a body.
    orange's Avatar
    orange Posts: 1,364, Reputation: 197
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    #14

    Apr 23, 2006, 11:39 AM
    I'm not sure what I believe, but I like C.S. Lewis' (the author of the Chronicles of Narnia) allegorical descriptions of heaven, hell and purgatory in his book "The Great Divorce". It's one of my all-time favorite books actually, and a quick read (less than 100 pages). I highly recommend it to you.
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    31pumpkin Posts: 379, Reputation: 50
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    #15

    Apr 24, 2006, 10:48 AM
    I disagree with your even asking your own question. You don't acknowledge others well and your own statements tell nothing except how YOU like this ' life ''.

    You did not state basic beliefs in your opinion. Next time try to be more generous toward your fellow man. "for those who believe in an afterlife" you asked. Well are you open to someone who believes or what?

    Personally, I find your reaction either egotistical or hostile. So it displeasures me so to even write my own interpretation.:cool:
    phillysteakandcheese's Avatar
    phillysteakandcheese Posts: 973, Reputation: 356
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    #16

    Apr 24, 2006, 11:26 AM
    I try to lead a "good" life and my hope is that after I die, I can look back at my time on Earth and say I was a good person. So yes - it does influence how I live my life.
    • If I did well enough, I'll get to move on to the next life - whatever that may be.
    • If I still “don’t get it”, I’m coming back to Earth to try it again and learn what I missed the previous time.

    Heaven and "the next life" are difference places/times/existences.

    I’m not sure how long I’ll get to stay in Heaven before moving on, but I anticipate it will probably be a lot like the Earth I am already used to – at least initially – with a warm, loving, and safe overtone to it. As time goes by, I might come to see it in a different context.

    Untlimately, the goal is to get to stay in Heaven.

    If I am not staying in Heaven, what am I moving on to? I don’t know.
    Maybe another Earth like place...
    Maybe something completely beyond my comprehension. :)
    Song4Seven's Avatar
    Song4Seven Posts: 1, Reputation: 1
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    #17

    Mar 8, 2008, 09:57 PM
    Quote Originally Posted by The Independent Gardener
    I have trouble visualizing anything better than this life. Sure, there are things that could be better in this life but it seems a better approach, that is a better way to be guided in how to live this life, would be to try to improve this life whether that means working on improving the environment or trying to help those less fortunate than myself or whatever one feels would improve the world in some even small way.

    What I’m looking for with my question is to hear from people whose lives are guided by a belief that there is a reward waiting for them after death.
    I'm not really sure what you're asking, but I think there's a reason we often have questions about heaven. I don't have all the answers, in fact I don't have many. But one thing I do know is that God must have only revealed a little bit of heaven to us in the Bible so that when we finally get there, it's that much more glorious. It will be more than our tiny little minds can grasp on earth. Plus, if all our questions were answered here, right now, then where would the excitement be when we finally arrive in heaven? Of course, some will be in heaven after death, and some will not. And I hope I said that in the least offensive way possible.

    I don't know if I answered your question. For all I know, I may have completely missed the target, but hopefully you have a little more understanding about heaven.

    :)
    mimi03's Avatar
    mimi03 Posts: 201, Reputation: 45
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    #18

    Mar 9, 2008, 12:53 AM
    Quote Originally Posted by The Independent Gardener
    This is for people who believe in a life after death. Does your belief influence the way you live your life? If yes, please describe what you anticipate this life will be like.
    I have no idea if there is or isn't life after death, I don't believe anyone truly knows this. However I really hope there is some form of existence after the physical self extinguishes...

    Since I am a free-thinker, I do not use religion to shape me as a person but find it important to simply follow the golden rule and care, love and respect ALL life around me... with that being said if there is some sort of "heaven" I believe I will be accepted there just because of the way I live my life... if not my memory will be left here on earth for those who know and love me.
    Since I know for sure that I will leave a memory behind for my family and others who know me, I find it more important to live well for them and myself ((so that when I die there will be great things accomplished and experienced)) rather than worry about living within the confinements of other's beliefs about the unknown (heaven/hell).

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