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Is the objective (or ultimate purpose) of life, according to Christianity, to get to heaven?
If so, how can that be accomplished?
If not, what is "the objective?"
Is the object of life to get to heaven?
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Zzyzx
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Is the object of life to get to heaven?
Post #1.
Non-Theist
ANY of the thousands of "gods" proposed, imagined, worshiped, loved, feared, and/or fought over by humans MAY exist -- awaiting verifiable evidence
Non-Theist
ANY of the thousands of "gods" proposed, imagined, worshiped, loved, feared, and/or fought over by humans MAY exist -- awaiting verifiable evidence
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ttruscott
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Post #2
The object of our creation was to share the heavenly experience of a full, loving holy telepathic communion between us all and with GOD throughout all of created reality.
Some used their free wil to reject HIM and HIS promises of salvation and so became eternally evil. For the telepathic heavenly experience to stay free from the taint of rebellion, hostility and hatred, created reality had to be cleansed of all evil.
When some of HIS self chosen church rebelled against the judgment of the eternally evil, and self created themselves to be just as evil as HIS enemies, the judgment had to be postponed until after HE had the chance to redeem them and train them up in holiness, that is, after breaking their addiction to sin and thereby freeing up their will again, to teach them to change their behaviour by chastisements until every choice they made by their free will was righteous.
So, Life on Earth was to redeem the sinful elect so they were heaven ready and the eternally reprobate could be judged as sinners without that judgment affecting HIS elect who used to be sinful SO all HIS created reality would be free from any hint or taint of evil forever and the heavenly communion could be started.
So, yes, the object of life and creation was to share the heavenly experience.
It is accomplished by first finding every person who wanted to share that experience to choose it by their free will and then the removal of all those who most adamantly did not want it from created reality.
Peace, Ted
Some used their free wil to reject HIM and HIS promises of salvation and so became eternally evil. For the telepathic heavenly experience to stay free from the taint of rebellion, hostility and hatred, created reality had to be cleansed of all evil.
When some of HIS self chosen church rebelled against the judgment of the eternally evil, and self created themselves to be just as evil as HIS enemies, the judgment had to be postponed until after HE had the chance to redeem them and train them up in holiness, that is, after breaking their addiction to sin and thereby freeing up their will again, to teach them to change their behaviour by chastisements until every choice they made by their free will was righteous.
So, Life on Earth was to redeem the sinful elect so they were heaven ready and the eternally reprobate could be judged as sinners without that judgment affecting HIS elect who used to be sinful SO all HIS created reality would be free from any hint or taint of evil forever and the heavenly communion could be started.
So, yes, the object of life and creation was to share the heavenly experience.
It is accomplished by first finding every person who wanted to share that experience to choose it by their free will and then the removal of all those who most adamantly did not want it from created reality.
Peace, Ted
PCE Theology as I see it...
We had an existence with a free will in Sheol before the creation of the physical universe. Here we chose to be able to become holy or to be eternally evil in YHWH's sight. Then the physical universe was created and all sinners were sent to earth.
This theology debunks the need to base Christianity upon the blasphemy of creating us in Adam's sin.
We had an existence with a free will in Sheol before the creation of the physical universe. Here we chose to be able to become holy or to be eternally evil in YHWH's sight. Then the physical universe was created and all sinners were sent to earth.
This theology debunks the need to base Christianity upon the blasphemy of creating us in Adam's sin.
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Tired of the Nonsense
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Post #3
[Replying to ttruscott]
God does seem to provoke an awful lot of rebellion against Him I notice. His church rebelled against Him. Vast numbers of angelic individuals in heaven who knew him closely and intimately rebelled against Him. God must be quite a monster in person. We know for example that He has no compulsion against ordering children and tiny babies to be hacked to death with swords, and that He has a nasty temper of Biblical proportions. According to you the object of life is to get into His presence after you die. If it's okay with you, I will live my life according to my preferences, which are to be as happy as possible and to enjoy my moment of sentient awareness for as long as it lasts. And if you choose to pass your life longing for death, then that is apparently what makes you happy.ttruscott wrote: When some of HIS self chosen church rebelled against the judgment of the eternally evil, and self created themselves to be just as evil as HIS enemies, the judgment had to be postponed until after HE had the chance to redeem them and train them up in holiness, that is, after breaking their addiction to sin and thereby freeing up their will again, to teach them to change their behaviour by chastisements until every choice they made by their free will was righteous.
So, Life on Earth was to redeem the sinful elect so they were heaven ready and the eternally reprobate could be judged as sinners without that judgment affecting HIS elect who used to be sinful SO all HIS created reality would be free from any hint or taint of evil forever and the heavenly communion could be started.
So, yes, the object of life and creation was to share the heavenly experience.
"The word God is for me nothing more than the expression and product of human weaknesses, the Bible a collection of honorable, but still primitive legends which are nevertheless pretty childish. No interpretation no matter how subtle can (for me) change this." -- Albert Einstein -- Written in 1954 to Jewish philosopher Erik Gutkind.-
Divine Insight
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Post #4
I agree with ttruscott that the mythology of Christianity is totally obsessed with the ideas of sin and evil. So much so that it seems to me that any psychological assessment of it would reveal it to be mentally unhealthy.
The only fundamental difference between our views is that ttruscott appears to potentially believe that this mythology represents some sort of truth, whilst I recognize it to be a total work of fiction not much different from J. R. R. Tolkien's Lord of the Rings.
Except I think Tolkien's work of fiction was far better done.
Tolkien also made no pretense that he was writing anything other than fiction.
In fact, Tolkien's story was more consistent and more believable. It may have included talking trees, but how is that much different from talking snakes and donkeys?
Maybe I should be comparing Christian mythology with the fictional works of Dreamwork's Shrek? At least they have a talking Donkey in common.
The only fundamental difference between our views is that ttruscott appears to potentially believe that this mythology represents some sort of truth, whilst I recognize it to be a total work of fiction not much different from J. R. R. Tolkien's Lord of the Rings.
Except I think Tolkien's work of fiction was far better done.
Tolkien also made no pretense that he was writing anything other than fiction.
In fact, Tolkien's story was more consistent and more believable. It may have included talking trees, but how is that much different from talking snakes and donkeys?
Maybe I should be comparing Christian mythology with the fictional works of Dreamwork's Shrek? At least they have a talking Donkey in common.
[center]
Spiritual Growth - A person's continual assessment
of how well they believe they are doing
relative to what they believe a personal God expects of them.
[/center]
Spiritual Growth - A person's continual assessment
of how well they believe they are doing
relative to what they believe a personal God expects of them.
[/center]
Re: Is the object of life to get to heaven?
Post #5[Replying to post 1 by Zzyzx]
My churches have taught that the meaning of life is to glorify god which, in turns, gets you into heaven (if you meet other criteria as well).
So rather or not this is THE object of life, it is certainly taught at christian establishments - citing biblical evidence.
So what are we to say then...?
My churches have taught that the meaning of life is to glorify god which, in turns, gets you into heaven (if you meet other criteria as well).
So rather or not this is THE object of life, it is certainly taught at christian establishments - citing biblical evidence.
So what are we to say then...?
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dianaiad
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Post #6
The object of life is to get to heaven the way the object of high school is to graduate.
At least, so I believe and so I have been taught. Graduation does not, if you pay attention to any of the speeches, represent the end of things, but the beginning of a lot of new stuff; more school, more graduations, more things to learn, more to do....
At least, that's what I believe, and what I have been taught. "Eternal Progression" is a rather important missionary concept for Mormons. Progression means...keeping going, seems to me.
But that's me.
If YOU guys want to think that heaven is sitting on a cloud playing a harp...well, I'm with Mark Twain on that one.
At least, so I believe and so I have been taught. Graduation does not, if you pay attention to any of the speeches, represent the end of things, but the beginning of a lot of new stuff; more school, more graduations, more things to learn, more to do....
At least, that's what I believe, and what I have been taught. "Eternal Progression" is a rather important missionary concept for Mormons. Progression means...keeping going, seems to me.
But that's me.
If YOU guys want to think that heaven is sitting on a cloud playing a harp...well, I'm with Mark Twain on that one.
Post #7
I could create a better religion with Shrek and Donkey then with Christianity. Shrek would be the God, the wife the Holy Spirit, the children Jesus and the apostles, the talking donkey a prophet....Divine Insight wrote: I agree with ttruscott that the mythology of Christianity is totally obsessed with the ideas of sin and evil. So much so that it seems to me that any psychological assessment of it would reveal it to be mentally unhealthy.
The only fundamental difference between our views is that ttruscott appears to potentially believe that this mythology represents some sort of truth, whilst I recognize it to be a total work of fiction not much different from J. R. R. Tolkien's Lord of the Rings.
Except I think Tolkien's work of fiction was far better done.
Tolkien also made no pretense that he was writing anything other than fiction.
In fact, Tolkien's story was more consistent and more believable. It may have included talking trees, but how is that much different from talking snakes and donkeys?
Maybe I should be comparing Christian mythology with the fictional works of Dreamwork's Shrek? At least they have a talking Donkey in common.
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Zzyzx
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Post #8
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Non-Theist
ANY of the thousands of "gods" proposed, imagined, worshiped, loved, feared, and/or fought over by humans MAY exist -- awaiting verifiable evidence
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ANY of the thousands of "gods" proposed, imagined, worshiped, loved, feared, and/or fought over by humans MAY exist -- awaiting verifiable evidence
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historia
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Re: Is the object of life to get to heaven?
Post #9It seems to me that the earliest Christian writings, including those now apart of the New Testament, do not see the ultimate objective, or destination, of humanity as being "heaven," but rather a renewed earth.Zzyzx wrote:
Is the objective (or ultimate purpose) of life, according to Christianity, to get to heaven?
Post #10
Dear dian,dianaiad wrote: The object of life is to get to heaven the way the object of high school is to graduate.
At least, so I believe and so I have been taught. Graduation does not, if you pay attention to any of the speeches, represent the end of things, but the beginning of a lot of new stuff; more school, more graduations, more things to learn, more to do....
At least, that's what I believe, and what I have been taught. "Eternal Progression" is a rather important missionary concept for Mormons. Progression means...keeping going, seems to me.
But that's me.
If YOU guys want to think that heaven is sitting on a cloud playing a harp...well, I'm with Mark Twain on that one.
The "kingdom of heaven" is at hand. (Mt 3:2) It is represented by power and Spirit. When the disciples taught the "kingdom", they taught with power and Spirit, and healed the sick. The "kingdom" is what one must seek in the here and now. (Mt 6:33) The "kingdom of God" is that which is to come and be established on earth. (Rev 20:4)
Matthew 9:35 Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness.
