What is heaven like?

If there was such a place, and I don’t believe there is, you would be at your physical best. I would be 28.

You might be better off pondering your life, which is finite, than what might or might not come after.

I’ll just copy and paste my response on that other thread:
“I’m agnostic. If there is existence after death, I imagine it would be a spiritual plane, where people do not have an “age” or a physical presence. In addition, those beings would have shed their earthly baggage from having been enlightened in the process of leaving earthly life.

“I think that we’d be drawn to the people who touched our lives for better or worse, perhaps in a way to gain understanding of each other and to be able to appreciate the experiences from the others’ perspective – similar to a Vulcan mind meld. Even the people who have wronged me are humans, and I know that they came to behave the ways they did through their own misguided pasts and hurts that others caused them; I would want to know them in their pure state, free from the psychological burdens that ruined their earthly lives.”

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I hadn’t considered if the pregnancies that I didn’t carry birth to would be there; but now that you mention it, I do not think they would, as they were far from viable when they ended. If that’s the case, and people believe their pets will be there, then we must also consider that ALL animals will be there, all the wild animals, and those who abandoned, strays, killed in shelters, including their unborn, or the runts that didn’t make it, or the ones that were eaten by their mothers, or all the fertilized eggs that were eaten by other creatures, etc. It’s a bit overwhelming, considering how many life forms with central nervous systems have existed on this planet.

Reminds of a Jewish joke:
Mother Theresa dies and goes to heaven. Her first day she looks down and sees people eating steak, desserts, drinking wine. etc. Meanwhile God gives her a tuna fish sandwich for lunch. The next meal she see the people below eating fresh foods and cakes – and God gives her a tuna sandwich again.
Finally she asks: “God, why are those people enjoying such a beautiful spreads with wonderful food while here in heaven we get tuna sandwiches?’
God answers; “We can have nice food too, but for only two people it’s too much trouble.”

Belinda Carlisle’s knicker drawer?

I’ve always wondered that myself. Say someone is an alcoholic or a junky, are they still that when they go to Heaven? Are they going to spend eternity being addicted to something?

The only way Heaven would make sense to me is if it’s a heightened state in which you’re no longer really human and no longer wish for or desire what we do in this life, because otherwise the idea of Heaven caters to everything good about life and takes away the bad, but that’s not how people live, or how life works. So if there’s a Heaven, technically you would go insane and incoherent if you went there with the mind, emotions and desires that you have in your current life. Sounds more like Hell to me. Who wants to see dead babies laughing everywhere?
Our entire beings would have to be changed to something that can withstand eternity, as I do not think the human brain is built for that.

If my grandfather died after suffering from cancer and withering down to 90 lbs, will that be the way he is in heaven?
*No, I believe your soul goes to Heaven and there is no real body, we’re all just pure shining souls.

– If a baby dies days after it is born, is that the age it is in heaven? Who has been caring for it all of this time? And will the parents get to raise it and watch it grow up, or will they have to carry that baby around in a sling for eternity?
*A soul is ageless.

– Are people walking around in heaven all mutilated from the way they died?
*See above

– Is it awkward if your spouse dies and is waiting around for you to join him, but when you do join him, you arrive with your new spouse? Do things get all multiple-spousey?
*Good one, I’m not sure about details like that, but I assume since there’s no sex, you can all be friendly souls.

– Are people getting it on in heaven? If so, can they get pregnant? Has there ever been anyone born in heaven?
*No, again, no bodies and the primary function of Heaven (imo) is to worship our Creator, not any earthly pursuits.

– If embryos are people, is heaven littered with embryos? Does it smell?
*Souls don’t smell, that’s not very cool.

– Can you opt out?
*I’m sure you can opt for Hell with St Peter or when you go through your review with God.

Thanks, @KNOWITALL for answering the question!

So, most of my questions were based on the idea that bodies are walking around doing stuff. But since it’s full of souls, what is that like?
– Are souls visible in some way?
– Can two souls communicate in some way without a body?
– Can two souls have some kind of relationship?
– How do souls recognize one another? If the dead baby scenario I mentioned in the original question happens, do the parents get to somehow meet this soul of the baby? Can they communicate in some way?
– Regarding the opt out: is the only way to opt out to choose hell instead? Can’t you just choose to not exist? And do you really get a sit-down with God?

@hominid – My answer also supposes that there will not be physical bodies – the existence will be energy. I also suggested that communication with others will be a merging experience, like a Vulcan mind meld. Since we would be free of the constraints of physical existence and time, I don’t imagine that ‘relationships’ would be anything similar to what we call relationships on earth.

Generally, the whole thing is beyond our comprehension – especially beyond the limits of language. It is very difficult for me to try to put words to my abstract comprehension and perception of that which exists beyond what we experience with out bodies.

I think religions originally were an attempt to explain the unexplainable, but then power-hungry humans came along and used them as a means to manipulate the masses. This is why I identify as an agnostic – I don’t follow any religion or believe completely what any of them teach, but in my experience, there is something beyond what we can concretely know or prove. The simplest description I can come up with is that it is a force of energy, of which the positive force is love, while the negative force is fear.

You just gave a string of reasons why the human idea of heaven is not believable.

I have never heard my thoughts on it so well explained than @hearkat ‘s post, the first part in parenthesis. All I would add to that is the possibility of finding yourself born again at some later time. After all, we do leave our DNA and we are all made of the same stuff that the whole universe is made of. The one thing that scientists can’t explain is life.

This is HEAVEN!!

@Symbeline – Of course, there is the Pixies version.

It’s blaring in my room right now. :)

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=QmZYIyySxPE
It’s like xmas…ish

Lol @ those boob suits.

@hominid So, most of my questions were based on the idea that bodies are walking around doing stuff. But since it’s full of souls, what is that like?
– Are souls visible in some way?
*I think of them as balls of light, possibly angelic in form. Who knows.

– Can two souls communicate in some way without a body?
*My thought is that we can communicate, maybe via thoughts. Kind of like Hive-mind.

– Can two souls have some kind of relationship?
*If it’s the soul of a loved one, I’d assume we can, maybe with others if we cared to.

– How do souls recognize one another? If the dead baby scenario I mentioned in the original question happens, do the parents get to somehow meet this soul of the baby? Can they communicate in some way?
*Kind of like souls communicating via a medium, you still know what you were and who loved ones are, you just think differently at that point.

– Regarding the opt out: is the only way to opt out to choose hell instead? Can’t you just choose to not exist? And do you really get a sit-down with God?
*We all have to be judged and our life reviewed in front of our maker, that’s how I was raised.

Obviously this is all speculation on my part. :)

^ Thanks. But is all of this speculation, or is there a biblical basis for what heaven will be like? How confident are you that of this description of heaven, and what is the basis of your confidence?

@hominid Yes, some is biblical, some speculation, some based on teachings from various religious institutions.

I don’t spend a lot of time speculating on what Heaven is like or if it exists or anything like that, so hopeful yes, confidant in my vision, not so much.

Matthew 10:28 ESV And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell.

Matthew 25:41 ESV“Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.

2 Corinthians 5:10 ESVFor we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil.

“because it seems to be the first time that theists are actually answering the question about what heaven will be like. 100% of the time when I have asked this question I am told that heaven is an unknown.”
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Do you find it surprising that theists have not typically weighed in on the subject? Let’s face it, there are really only two sources of info on what heaven is like.

The first is, of course, the bible. But the non-theists of Fluther have done a very thorough job of proclaiming long loud and often that the bible is not accepted as an authoritative source. Believe me, message received loud and clear. I’m not in the habit of doing exercises in futility.

So why would you expect us to have posted any bible passages with info germane to your query?

Anyhow, I don’t mind answering your Qs as I get the impression that you are being sincere about it rather than just baiting. I’ll refer to a few relevant passages but I’m not the type to memorize chapter and verse.

If I can find them, I’ll edit them in later. But anyone can access Google or a Concordance and there are too many online versions of the Bible to count so I’ll be going mostly off my memory.

And the second source would be various accounts of NDEs (Near Death Experiences). I think you would be quite interested in a fairly recent book by a Neurosurgeon who was in a lengthy coma from Bacterial Meningitis with extremely low chance of survival. The author is Eben Alexander and the title is “Proof of Heaven” I’ll also include a link to an article he published in a medical journal PRIOR TO writing the book. He has some interesting things to say about science and the nature of consciousness as well as the pertinent medical details of his case.

Anyhow, back to the Bible. A lot of what KIA mentions about souls and lack of physical bodies as we know them is pretty widely standard.

Your question about multiple spouses following divorces does have an answer of sorts.

As a matter of fact, this is pretty much what the Pharisees asked Jesus. He realized that they were attempting to trip him up so he answered a bit cryptically. “in heaven they are neither married nor given in marriage but are as the angels.”

Make of it what you will, but to me that would suggest something other than the corporeal bodies to which we have become so accustomed. So sex and marriage would basically be beside the point. Here on earth the sex drive is a necessarily enjoyable part of life or there would be little incentive for reproduction.

If we are spiritually joined (united) then the needs of the flesh just wouldn’t figure in on a spiritual plane.

And there are so many NDE accounts which describe a quite similar atmosphere and priorities. We recognize our loved ones by their essence primarily. Since we are used to seeing them a certain way bodily here on earth, that’s generally how they appear (as if they had bodies) but they are not limited in space and time as they are now.

Regarding the opt out, let me approach it this way. Presumably there are people in your life (family, spouse, close friends) from whom you receive unconditional love. You know that you are totally accepted and loved by them.

Now, could you disengage from them to go off and live a hermit’s life isolated in a cave or island somewhere? Of course you could. But why would you want to?

Both in the bible and an overwhelming number of NDE accounts, there is description of uniting with a creator of indescribable love and knowing total and full acceptance. The magnitude of that fullness of love is difficult to describe and most people feel the inadequacy of words when speaking about it.

There is a notable bible passage where the Apostle Paul, I believe, is speaking. “For now we see through a glass darkly. But then shall I know even as I am known.”

To be in the presence of one who knows you that fully ( faults and all) and still loves and accepts you completely as God does is pretty hard to imagine.

But we still have free will and God won’t force himself upon us. So, yes, you can opt out. But, in the experience of that magnitude of perfect love, why would anyone want to ?

Likening it to human loved ones is the best analogy I could come up with. I hope it gets the main point across of being bathed in the perfect love of God.

Anyhow, that’s enough for now. I’ll find those links I referred to.
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Here is the medical journal article:
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http://www.aansneurosurgeon.org/210212/6/1611
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If you’re at all interested in exploring further about NDEs you might find this a good starting point. This is a part of the University of Virginia which has been doing extensive studies regarding NDEs. This isn’t the typical new-agey type double speak but an attempt at scientific studies.
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http://www.medicine.virginia.edu/clinical/departments/psychiatry/sections/cspp/dops/we_are-page
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The Division of Perceptual Studies (DOPS) is a unit of the Psychiatry and Neurobehavorial Sciences of the University of Virginia’s Health System. It was founded in 1967, when Dr. Ian Stevenson resigned as Chairman of the Department of Psychiatry to become Director of the Division and Chester F. Carlson Professor of Psychiatry, positions he served in for the next 35 years. Early in 2002, Dr. Bruce Greyson, who has been a faculty member at DOPS since 1995 and the long-time editor of the Journal of Near-Death Studies, took over as director and Carlson Professor, allowing Dr. Stevenson to devote more time to writing books and articles about his research.

The Division’s main purpose, and the raison d’être for its foundation, is the scientific empirical investigation of phenomena that suggest that currently accepted scientific assumptions and theories about the nature of mind or consciousness, and its relationship to matter, may be incomplete. Examples of such phenomena, sometimes called paranormal, include various types of extrasensory perception (such as telepathy), apparitions and deathbed visions (sometimes referred to as after-death communications or ADCs), poltergeists, experiences of persons who come close to death and survive (usually called near-death experiences or NDEs), out-of-body experiences (OBEs), and claimed memories of previous lives.
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@Buttonstc & @hearkat GA’s!

Unfortunately, I’ve tried to avoid some of these threads unless I’m familiar with the OP due to certain circumstances, but I appreciate your willingness to be open to sharing. ;)