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There's a Christian theological argument that that is at least one aspect of it. But in my experience, my fellow believers did not think much in those terms ... that it is 100% fawning over god. They seemed to think of it in terms of "every tear shall be wiped away" which is to suggest that all grief and sorrow and loss is somehow made right. Things like being reunited with loved ones, living in peace and harmony (IOW somehow magically no one is ever at cross-purposes to anyone else). Or as I put it, earthly life without frustrations or speed bumps.
Eden had no grief or sorrow. Adam and Eve were sinless and all was good until it wasn't. They walked with God. That's what we have to look forward to -- intimacy and fellowship with God. It's not to suggest that it's boring, or that it won't be exciting.
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If heaven is going to be held forth as some curative for earthly tribulations and injustices, then it has to restore what people feel they have been robbed of or prevented from enjoying, that they had coming in this life.
Why? Longing for things of earth when they are in the presence of the creator of the universe? Seems kind of trivial to think that.
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Since in my observation people can barely be coaxed to come and worship for an hour a week, I do not think they are pining for a 24/7 version of that. They are looking for the other 167 hours a week to be enjoyable and fulfilling.
I am in no way commenting on whether it should or should not be that way. I'm just saying it IS that way. Even for ordinary Christians.
You're right. And the things that make us grow bored of worship on earth won't be in Heaven. We won't feel distant from God, or have any sin to distract, or any earthly things that are more exciting. We will want to worship God because he's that good.
Having said that, Heaven is described as being a city. There will be other things to do than to stare longingly at God. But everything we do will be in his presence, with no anger, no sorrow, no sin.
According to Jesus Holy Spirit, heaven will be ``bliss ``...... People will have food from the trees of all nations and water to drink from the river of life At the city of God will have golden cobblestones and the country will have millions of flowers even with colors never see before ...... There will be no demons or devil spirit who bring sickness and sin and discouragement ....... There will be No dust, so No vacuums needed Glory to God ........ How to get there, people need to repent or turn away from sin to Jesus spirit and love, people....... could even repent for the cross of Jesus, as it is an offence and sacrifice for God
According to Jesus Holy Spirit, heaven will be ``bliss ``...... People will have food from the trees of all nations and water to drink from the river of life At the city of God will have golden cobblestones and the country will have millions of flowers even with colors never see before ...... There will be no demons or devil spirit who bring sickness and sin and discouragement ....... There will be No dust, so No vacuums needed Glory to God ........ How to get there, people need to repent or turn away from sin to Jesus spirit and love, people....... could even repent for the cross of Jesus, as it is an offence and sacrifice for God
I have heard about roads made of Gold or as you put it golden cobelstones. Is there a religious significance behind heaven having Golden cobblestones?
This theme was repeated in Serling's later series, Night Gallery in a short segment about a stoner who dies in a car crash and pops out a chute into a cozy living room. Lawrence Welk-style music is playing. On the couch sits a boorish couple. The man on the couch is showing slides of their vacation.
The stoner tries to turn the record player off but can't. The stack of records on the spindle is immovable. The guy showing the slides drones on.
The man beats on the door of the living room and Satan steps through the door. The stoner begs to be let out. Satan says, "It's ironic, isn't it? There's a room EXACTLY like this in heaven! Ah-hahahahahah!"
I remember this episode! I loved Night Gallery, along with TZ, of course. So much truth in those stories.
I don't know what will happen after I die. I do think some part of us goes on. I even half-suspect there's some form of rebirth or reincarnation. But again, I just don't know, and if there is another "place", I have no idea what it will be like. I just hope that if it's there, whatever it is will be free of the pain and sadness of this human lifespan.
I do like S&S's vision of traveling the Universe. Now that would be something.
I have heard about roads made of Gold or as you put it golden cobelstones. Is there a religious significance behind heaven having Golden cobblestones?
I can't speak to any deeper significance, but the reference comes from the Apostle John's vision of the 'New Jerusalem' in Revelation chapter 21:
Revelation 21:19-21 The foundations of the wall of the city were adorned with every kind of jewel. The first was jasper, the second sapphire, the third agate, the fourth emerald, the fifth onyx, the sixth carnelian, the seventh chrysolite, the eighth beryl, the ninth topaz, the tenth chrysoprase, the eleventh jacinth, the twelfth amethyst. And the twelve gates were twelve pearls, each of the gates made of a single pearl, and the street of the city was pure gold, like transparent glass.
I have heard about roads made of Gold or as you put it golden cobelstones. Is there a religious significance behind heaven having Golden cobblestones?
I've never heard any specific theological significance put to it. I think it is just supposed to evoke the total lack of scarcity or want, if precious metals are plentiful enough to pave streets. Of course what someone from the middle east 2,000 years ago wouldn't know is that gold is far too soft at room temperature to hold up as a paving. But I just take it to be evocative of no more scarcity or poverty, plus the place being beyond all one could hope or dream for, however lavishly.
The irony for authoritarian believers, who generally blame the poor for it being somehow entirely their own fault, is that in this and other ways, heaven is described as a place of perfect ease where the curse of sin is completely rolled back, including that part about "living by the sweat of your brow". And somehow while such ease and security is a Bad Thing on earth, in heaven, it is no-problemo.
In fact in a larger sense the Bible pretty consistently talks about the poor as its constituency -- easier for a rich man to pass through the eye of a needle than to enter heaven, and all that sort of thing. The schizophrenic depiction by such believers of poor people as lazy oafs is really quite a contrast to that.
I've never heard any specific theological significance put to it. I think it is just supposed to evoke the total lack of scarcity or want, if precious metals are plentiful enough to pave streets. Of course what someone from the middle east 2,000 years ago wouldn't know is that gold is far too soft at room temperature to hold up as a paving. But I just take it to be evocative of no more scarcity or poverty, plus the place being beyond all one could hope or dream for, however lavishly.
The irony for authoritarian believers, who generally blame the poor for it being somehow entirely their own fault, is that in this and other ways, heaven is described as a place of perfect ease where the curse of sin is completely rolled back, including that part about "living by the sweat of your brow". And somehow while such ease and security is a Bad Thing on earth, in heaven, it is no-problemo.
In fact in a larger sense the Bible pretty consistently talks about the poor as its constituency -- easier for a rich man to pass through the eye of a needle than to enter heaven, and all that sort of thing. The schizophrenic depiction by such believers of poor people as lazy oafs is really quite a contrast to that.
I find that way of thinking by the supposedly religious completely bizarre, and yet, we have had not one but two posters on this forum who claim to be retired pastors and whom I've seen both post to that effect in other places on City-Data. Not only are poor people lazy and their poverty their own damn fault, benefits for the elderly should not be provided by society because it is their families' obligation to pay for them.
And both have complained about how they don't like this forum because either Christians are picked on or there are too many Christians who don't abide by their standards.
I'm wondering what their expectations of heaven will be. What will they do if they see people standing in line ahead of them?
I find that way of thinking by the supposedly religious completely bizarre, and yet, we have had not one but two posters on this forum who claim to be retired pastors and whom I've seen both post to that effect in other places on City-Data. Not only are poor people lazy and their poverty their own damn fault, benefits for the elderly should not be provided by society because it is their families' obligation to pay for them.
And both have complained about how they don't like this forum because either Christians are picked on or there are too many Christians who don't abide by their standards.
I'm wondering what their expectations of heaven will be. What will they do if they see people standing in line ahead of them?
There are people out there who get no pity from me in regard to their station in life. My sister was one. What a totally wasted life by almost any human standard. Drugs, booze, and excuses. That was -- essentially -- her life. What does it say about a person when they drop out of high school less than a month before graduation??? What does it say about a person who has never held a single job for more than a month? What does it say about a person who doesn't have a functioning toilet in their house for 3 years?
But most people are not like that. Most of the poor people I have known work and struggle to hold on to their lives and provide for their families. Life is often not easy, and often not fair, but some...many... persevere and I admire them for that and am more than willing to help.
Sometimes I think that life is a little bit like baseball. Some people strike out once and find the courage to move on. Some strike out twice and find the courage and move on. It may not be on the third strike, but some never even seem to try to get up to bat. There comes a time when people and governments need to put their moneys and efforts on those who still have a reasonable chance to work themselves up to some level of success (however modest that may be) in life and not throw money down the proverbial toilet on those who simply never will.
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What will they do if they see people standing in line ahead of them?
