In reality, the reward promised by the christian god is eternal life, nothing else. Now the idea of "heaven" is made up after the fact. Let's assume that the god theory is correct. What would eternal life actually be? Please ignore the fantasies of descriptions of heaven and just imagine eternal life.
In my estimation, this would be eon-long periods of nothingness. Consciousness without anything to be conscious about. It doesn't sound too inviting.
The idea of heaven and hell are pure embellishments. Sure, the concept of god in itself is just from human imagination, but everything else is just made up shit after that original concept, perversions if you will.
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In the Pentecostal churches I have attended they speak of singing praises to god for eternity. They speak of that as a desirable thing! Can you imagine singing "Just a Closer Walk with Thee" for millions of years?! Oh, the Torture!
Diotrephes went into detail about various concepts of heaven and hell in Devout's "Rebellion" discussion. Like I told him, based on those descriptions, I honestly don't know which would be worse between the two. Just happy I don't have to worry about finding out one way or the other.
I can't imagine anybody wanting to hear ME sing for ANY amount of time, MUCH LESS for an eternity.
The human mind can't really comprehend concepts like "eternity" and "infinity." We can discuss these concepts using mathematics, but they aren't part of our experience.
It'd be interesting to ask Christians what they think eternity would be like.
"When we’ve been there ten thousand years,
Bright shining as the sun,
We’ve no less days to sing God’s praise
Than when we’d first begun."
I can conceive of an eternity that would not be boring but it certainly would not involve celestials choirs. It would involve debauchery (consensual) , wine, sex, etc. When the romance wears off and you develop debauchery tolerance, you simply take a 10,000 year nap and wake up refreshed. Let the fun begin!
chimp3,
You sound like a good candidate for the Islamic paradise. It's loaded with goodies: a nice garden, food, wine, women, cute boys. You don't have to pray five times a day once you get to paradise.
Then there's the Viking Valhalla with booze, broads, and bar fighting. Great times for everyone.
Or there's the Mormon thing where you become a god with your own world and harem to populate your planet with.
Re: Eternal debauchery
Chimp, I LIKE how you think! *BIG happy face*
Even if Eternal Debauchery got boring it would still be damned good!
You think there might be midget clowns and Shetland ponies? (Asking for a friend.)
YES! The Viking "heaven"! And you even get to take with you all the wealth and goodies you accumulated before you die! Out-Standing! (Although, in my case that would amount to a ten year old Chevy truck, a sixty-seven year old Ford tractor, a few power tools, a Kenmore sewing machine, a half box of graham crackers, and three sticks of Juicy Fruit gum. Dammit. *frownie face*)
Tin-man,
And they said that you can't take it with you. Shows what they know.
I know, right?
Now I just have to figure out how to get the truck AND tractor there at the same time. I suppose I could tow one with the other, maybe. Or perhaps they have some sort of valet service for such situations. I mean, really, what if Jay Leno went there with that massive car collection of his?
And once you get there you get to meet all your dead relatives. How fkup would that be. Can you imagine an eternal Thanksgiving dinner.
My idea of a heaven or a utopia if you will is essentially what we currently have... I enjoy life as it is, I like to love as much as ridicule... to be in a realm where I cannot call someone a cunt is off putting...
I don't think I would last long in the mythical heaven proposed by theists...
Is that burning I smell???