Paradise on Earth

[onewithhim]

When I learned that the Bible speaks of a restored Garden of Eden and the restoration of mankind to the perfection and endless life that Adam forfeited, I was thrilled. Who doesn't want to keep living on this beautiful earth, with our loved ones, and being able to do all the things we love to do---endlessly?

If God said to you today, "When do you want to die?" would you say "now!!"? I don't think very many people would say that.

We CAN live forever here on Earth. The Bible tells us that we can.

Matthew 5:5
Psalm 37:9-11,29

[William]

Thank you for your thoughts. My thought on that is the Dune books may denigrate the idea of Paradise, but the Bible does not. It promises Paradise on Earth, and people won't be "water-fat." It will truly be a place that people can thoroughly enjoy forever. Did you read my OP?

The Earth is too small to enjoy forever.

[Blastcat]

[Replying to post 187 by onewithhim]




[center]Three answers[/center]

(1) I didn't say that the viper and polar bear ARE harmless. I said that they WILL BE harmless, starting with Jesus' Thousand-Year Reign.

You actually said that vipers and polar bears used to be harmless. I suppose you have just as much evidence for that original statement as your new one.. about the future. You must be basing that belief, on... your interpretation of Bible verses, correct?

But we all agree that vipers and polar bears ( going extinct due to global warming as we speak ) are dangerous.

(2) Lions probably did eat grass. The Bible doesn't say, but I'm sure it was not God's will that animals kill each other, and kill humans too.

Well, as long as you are sure of something..
Do you think that a belief in an idea guarantees that the idea is true?

(3) Wouldn't lives be secure if people didn't build cities right next to volcanoes? [... ] People should build far away from harm's way, and with building materials that can withstand earthquakes.

Yes, people would be secure if they lived in secure places with no possible geological events, like in the Garden of Eden. There are about 8 billion people on the planet.. where are you suggesting that they all move to? Ohio?

I've heard this kind of reasoning before.. It seems to be thought of as brilliant for some reason.

Makes a case for refugees.
Lets have them all move in next door, where it's safer.

I agree.

It's only about 50 million from Syria alone.
Any takers?

[Blastcat]

[Replying to post 188 by onewithhim]



[center]Paradise for two
Part One[/center]

I'm wondering why people don't really get into this discussion.

It's a bit airy fairy for me..

Paradise on Earth, Hell on Earth, if we look for it, we can find it.
I bet you that people i Aleppo have trouble finding a paradise on earth these days..

Tahiti would be a better place to look for paradise, don't you think?

What could be better than Paradise on Earth?

Paradise on Earth for Two.
With beverages.

Are people so brain-dead after having been deluged with the idea of heaven for everybody that they can't relate to a physical existence?

Well, maybe "brain dead" is a bit of an exaggeration.
A whole lotta people don't really have a chance to GET to Tahiti...

How do we relate to a SPIRIT existence? I don't.

I do.

In a secular way.. I feel "spiritual", but then again, I really NEED to explain that, don't I? ( Hint: It has nothing at all to do with any supernatural )

The trick is.. TAKE OVER THE WORD.. "spiritual" can mean just about anything... It's like the word "gay"... It USED to just mean "happy", and now, it almost always means "homosexual", doesn't it? Well, we can just appropriate the word "spiritual" like the homosexuals appropriated "gay".

Let's take back the spiritual.

If people want an explanation, I am always happy to oblige, too !!

Give me grass and trees and animals and mansions made out of stone and cedar and glass and marble! Give me a relationship with a man. Give me fountains and waterfalls and rivers and pools.

I'm with you .. but could I have a woman, instead? I'm not as "flexible" in my sexuality as I might be.

[Blastcat]

[center]
JehovahsWitness wants us to try HIS new ideas
Part One[/center]



[Replying to post 189 by JehovahsWitness]

When an idea is completely new to them, people tend to reject it, even if essentially its appealing.

When it comes to IDEAS.. what's most appealing to me is if they are TRUE.

We can all fantasize.. make believe.. pretend.. that's ok. Started doing that by 2.
If you want to live like that.. your affair.

I tend to take my fantasy in smaller doses than some theists.

• You know what's also fun? Living in reality without need to fantasize about supernatural agency is also fun, that's what's also fun.

____________

Question:

• 
  
  Are you willing to try out the novel idea that your supernatural beliefs are false? Because, let me tell you, the idea is essentially appealing.
  
  

____________

[William]

Thank you for your thoughts. My thought on that is the Dune books may denigrate the idea of Paradise, but the Bible does not. It promises Paradise on Earth, and people won't be "water-fat." It will truly be a place that people can thoroughly enjoy forever. Did you read my OP?

The Earth is too small to enjoy forever.

Upon deeper reflection...indeed, the universe is too small to enjoy forever.

[dio9]

[Replying to post 184 by Blastcat]

I don't view Genesis to be a science textbook.

[onewithhim]

[Replying to post 188 by onewithhim]

I think because it is foreign to what many have been taught by their religious leaders. They are thus much more comfortable with the idea of heaven (which has been taught is the destiny of all humans) rather than the biblical teaching that humans were made for this our planet earth.

When an idea is completely new to them, people tend to reject it, even if essentially its appealing.

I guess you're right. People say, "oh one day we'll be able to throw away our glasses and get out of our wheelchairs and see our loved ones again---in heaven"! They don't realize that they are looking forward to how it will be ON EARTH. The loved ones will be resurrected to this earth again, in physical bodies. We will have perfect sight here on the earth; lameness and pain will be gone right here on the earth.


.

[onewithhim]

Or maybe people (who love Christ and God) care more about being with them (however and wherever) than they care about any of that other stuff.


So that NOT being with Christ and with God is UNAPPEALING. At least for those who want to be with them.


Just a thought.


Peace to you both,
your servant and a slave of Christ,
tammy

We won't see God and Christ unless we are of the co-ruling class. Most of us have not been chosen to rule with Christ. The majority of everyone who has ever lived has NOT been chosen to rule with Christ. If I was chosen I would love to literally be with God and Christ. But I am not presumptuous enough to think I have been chosen. (Not that you are presumptuous.) So I look forward with great expectation to this beautiful planet in Paradise conditions.

.

[onewithhim]

Thank you for your thoughts. My thought on that is the Dune books may denigrate the idea of Paradise, but the Bible does not. It promises Paradise on Earth, and people won't be "water-fat." It will truly be a place that people can thoroughly enjoy forever. Did you read my OP?

The Earth is too small to enjoy forever.

No. If all the people who ever lived were brought back, we all would have at least an acre to ourselves. Not all will be resurrected, esp. those who fight God & Jesus right to the end. There will be room. If more people are born, God will either stop reproduction OR there might be options far out in the universe in other solar systems. We'll wait and see.


.

[onewithhim]

[Replying to post 187 by onewithhim]




[center]Three answers[/center]

(1) I didn't say that the viper and polar bear ARE harmless. I said that they WILL BE harmless, starting with Jesus' Thousand-Year Reign.

You actually said that vipers and polar bears used to be harmless. I suppose you have just as much evidence for that original statement as your new one.. about the future. You must be basing that belief, on... your interpretation of Bible verses, correct?

But we all agree that vipers and polar bears ( going extinct due to global warming as we speak ) are dangerous.

(2) Lions probably did eat grass. The Bible doesn't say, but I'm sure it was not God's will that animals kill each other, and kill humans too.

Well, as long as you are sure of something..
Do you think that a belief in an idea guarantees that the idea is true?

(3) Wouldn't lives be secure if people didn't build cities right next to volcanoes? [... ] People should build far away from harm's way, and with building materials that can withstand earthquakes.

Yes, people would be secure if they lived in secure places with no possible geological events, like in the Garden of Eden. There are about 8 billion people on the planet.. where are you suggesting that they all move to? Ohio?

I've heard this kind of reasoning before.. It seems to be thought of as brilliant for some reason.

Makes a case for refugees.
Lets have them all move in next door, where it's safer.

I agree.

It's only about 50 million from Syria alone.
Any takers?

I never said polar bears and snakes USED TO BE HARMLESS!!!!