I've been reading a book written, purportedly by a Catholic priest who visited heaven for a while. According to the priest, when he died and crossed over the spiritual realms he was surprised to learn that almost everyone who died went to heaven. Except a few who get stuck in a lower dimension until they lose their unbelief. Heard any different theories about heaven and the afterlife?
My mum always said to me when I was a kid that heaven is a place where you get to do all the things you love all the time, so if there is some sort of heaven I can imagine she is up there knitting! In a way I hope there is a heaven for the sake of the loved ones that I've lost so I know they are in a good happy place but on the other side I'm not sure if I actually believe in a heaven. The idea that I must live my life according to someone else so that I can get into his/her's/it's place once I die kinda makes me think that my life here is not my own, if you get what I'm saying.
Heaven is a place for the righteous it is Gods reward for the (Believers of Jesus) Despite what you may have read from a catholic priest it is reserved for those that have died in Christ, apart from the few in scripture who were taken there without dying and the prophets who were transported there in visions to be given prophecies. The Bible is specific and plain on the subject of Judgment. There will be a judgment. None will be able to sleep through it and none will be absent. All of us will meet God in Judgment. Many passages of Scripture refer to the fact that the dead, both small and great: both rich and poor; both good and bad will face God in judgment. We may stay out of church if we want to. We can live as mean as the Devil as long as we live if we wish. But there is one rendezvous we are all going to keep: we will meet God in Judgment. [SUP]John 5:28 [/SUP]Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice,[SUP]29 [/SUP]And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.
That kind of puts emphasis on what I was saying though. Living a life so that when the time comes I get to go to Gods paradise, it really doesn't make me feel like my life is my own. And if you don't live by his approval, doesn't the meeting him at the pearly white gates at the end of it seem like a bit of a kick in the teeth?
An excerpt from the book: The reference is to teachings about certain groups of people being sent to hell. Reads very much like the NDE accounts I've read which seem to suggest that everyone ends up in heaven. As do some bible verses: http://www.tentmaker.org/books/ScripturalProofs.html
Not being a very religious person I find it hard to think about the concepts of heaven and hell to be honest in the first place. I'd like to think that there's something after for us and when we die it's not the end, so in some respects I hope it exists, I just find it hard to comprehend.
So if everyone ends up in heaven when the end comes, where does that leave hell? Is it just a scare tactic or, going along the line that a heaven actually exists, does hell exist?
I had always been a "somewhat convinced Christian", believing in a Creator, but not completely accepting church dogma. About two years ago I came across a book entitled "Proof of Heaven" by Dr Eben Alexander, MD; a neurosurgeon and faculty member at Harvard Medical School. The book describes a near death experience he endured as a result of e.coli meningitis. He was comatose for a week, and neurologically flatlined. In other words, his cerebral cortex was physically incapable of experiencing ANYTHING, yet he had many very vivid experiences during this time. In a court of law, the jury is rarely presented with "proof" of anything. More likely it is presented with "evidence", often COMPELLING evidence that is accepted as fact. The evidence need not be physical or tangible. What was important to me at the time, is not that he provided proof of "heaven" but rather some very compelling evidence that our consciousness IS NOT ENTIRELY A PRODUCT OF BRAIN FUNCTION. Ok, then....where does our consciousness from? Great question! I think we've sort of been looking at the world backwards. In the words of the French philosopher deChardin..."We are not human beings having a spiritual experience, we are spiritual beings having a human experience". As spiritual beings, our "home" is quite naturally the "spirit world"....the afterlife, or "heaven" if you choose to call it that. Not just the "good guys", but ALL of us.
I would say as with anything if you truly want to understand something you need to ask\look up what the creator of whatever it is you want to know about had in mind when creating the object in question. So that being said there is a wonderful manual , The Holy Bible, that explains heaven and hell. Now obviously you first have to believe that God is who he said he is or it won't matter to you what the Bible says. Now to answer the question I do believe in heaven and hell as explained in the Bible. If you really want answers I challenge you to look them up in God's manual the Bible. It is full of very life changing stories,events and advice/wisdom to help guide your day to day life. If you take up my challenge I recommend you start with the book of John , new testament, and also along the way read Proverbs. I promise you will find the answer you are looking for and many more in the Bible.
I have read the Bible from start to end many times and have attended Bible study. My Mom and Dad have both passed and I do believe they are in Heaven watching over me. I take comfort knowing that I will see them again some day. I am not afraid of dying because I know they will be there.
