scientific_one

Whatever your conception of heaven is, would you want to exist there forever?

For example, one description for a Biblical heaven has been that we get new bodies that do not have sex organs, and that we may eat for pleasure, but do not need to. Other implications from this description were that we no longer had "needs" and we could do just about whatever we wanted. If this were the case, we would have no drive/motivation to do anything. If you look at the extremely wealthy that are able to do just about anything they want, they are bored. Children with a plethora of toys will commonly say they are bored. So, given an eternity to do everything, I can only assume that I would get bored eventually, and forever after I would lay about, not wanting to do anything.

People who do anything for an extended period eventually become desensitized or bored. Whether it be a painful or pleasurable experience. For painful experiences, most people will build up a tolerance for it, and it will seem less painful, or commonplace. Ask any married couple how their intimacy is 10 years after they're married, and they'll indicate that it is not as exciting as time goes by.

So, does anyone really want to exist for eternity? If yes, why does an eternal existence seem preferrable to non-existence or nothingness?

Geshtinnanna

If you had my conception of heaven, hell yeah, you'd want to be there forever!

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scientific_one

If you would (and this goes to everyone), please share your conception of heaven and why it is preferred to nothingness.

Geshtinnanna

Well actually I don't believe in an afterlife. I am a Satanist. But for conversation's sake I imagine it a place full of candy. If I have to think of a make believe place might as well involve candy

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romansh

Heaven in the Biblical sense is most likely here and now on Earth...
it is likely a state of mind ...not a celestial parking lot for the afterlife.

so the answer is NO

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There is a theory which states that if ever anybody discovers exactly what the Universe is for and why it is here, it will instantly disappear and be replaced by something even more bizarre and inexplicable. There is another theory which states that this has already happened. ........... Douglas Adams

Katnip89

Water's boiling fellas...

My statement lies here:

I only get one life, this is not a video game, (how unfortunately so).
Live it up now, because I've only got one shot , in the dark that may be.

So I do not believe in Heaven because heaven, Has sadly never believed in me. But I'm going to have a h3ll of a lot more fun , in the long- run!

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"People laugh at me for being different, and I laugh at everyone because they're all the same." - Anon

The guilt of man shall be his downfall, and Honesty shall right his wrongs - Me, Myself, and I

If you tell people where to go, but not how to get there, you'll be amazed at the results.
George S. Patton

Danlo

What about unicorns as well??!

AB517

Are you a star trek fan? Your disruption reminds me of the “Q” and why he wanted to be human. This is a valid and interesting discussion point.

I actually use this type of argument against man cracking the “protein shape code” witch would greatly decrease the time until we achieve immortality. I do not use the fluffy huffy ideas you use but I use similar logic.

I agree with Romansh … again … lol ...
I yeild to your greatness romansh.

The God in the bible is the god of man. I hate to tell ya --- men are stupid.
True “god” is the god of the cosmos. The universe and God are one.

As you described heaven it does not exists. It is more a state of being, like rest of the cosmos. Why man has to put himself above or below it I’ll never know. A tree is just being. We will just “be”. Not right or wrong … just is.

I think it is important to listen to people that had “spiritual experiences” to gain some insight. They are as varied as the number of people that have them, but they all are a common thread. The arguments against are ok, but they are no where near solid enough to discount them all as ‘crap”. Explaining the higher consciousness to one that has not experienced it is similar to explaining to a high schooler why we adults have to, in their words, “suppress the masses”.

Great thread, I still do not have a good answer for this. I do not think it is nothing (atheist) but I also do not think it is what Islam, or even Christianity, preaches either. These three assume a position of “knowing” witch is wrong.

Geshtinnanna

If men are stupid, then I'd say their creator got a D- in genetics

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AB517

lmoa,

give some him credit, he corrected his mistake by making women.