Eternal life - A curse or a blessing?

[OnceConvinced]

In the later years of my Christianity I started to think that maybe Heaven was simply too good to be true. But I found it interesting that some people saw eternal life as a curse rather than a blessing. I guess I can see the point for both arguments.

I’m reminded of one of Douglas Adam’s characters; Marvin the Paranoid Android in "Hitch Hiker's Guide to the Galaxy". I can see now that Adams included this character as a bit of a dig at the concept of eternal life. That it was more of a curse. Marvin claims to be 10 times older than the universe due to regular time travel. He now knows everything there is to know and sees life as an incredible bore and everything seems menial to him. Nothing excites him. I wonder if it will become like that for us after a few million years in Heaven. How exciting will Heaven be once we know everything there is to know and there is no mystery left in it?

An extract of the story has Marvin talking about the sheer boredom of his life where for a small portion of his life he was a parking attendant at the Restaurant at the End of the Universe:

"The first ten million years were the worst. And the second ten million years, they were the worst too. The third ten million years I didn't enjoy at all. After that I went into sort of a decline"

Another interesting aspect of Marvin’s character is that because he is a robot, he will only ever do good. Which brings another interesting question of how God will ensure there is no sin in Heaven. Perhaps we will all be like Marvin? Programmed to only ever do good, with no real urges to sin. No real free will? But that’s probably another topic for another time.

So:
Is Eternal life in Heaven a curse or a blessing? Why?

What do you think we will do in Heaven? Can there be an infinite number of things to do? If there is a finite number, just how often will we be able to do them before we get bored?

Assuming that in Heaven we will learn everything there is to know about the universe and over time there will be no mystery left, will life continue to be exciting?

And for those who believe Hell to be a place of eternal torment. How will we enjoy Heaven knowing that our loved ones (perhaps our children) are at the same time being tortured in the pits of Hell?

[GospelJohn]

Wellington: "Imagine a god that is not all knowing?"

GJ: And where does that take us in imagining such a God? If it doesn't define Him as being more loving, patient and encouraging, then I'm not likely to accept it as Truth for my personal theology.

[Goat]

Wellington: "Imagine a god that is not all knowing?"

GJ: And where does that take us in imagining such a God? If it doesn't define Him as being more loving, patient and encouraging, then I'm not likely to accept it as Truth for my personal theology.

For one, that god won't be responsible for KNOWING that his creation would be 'damned' forever before making it.

[Wellington]

Wellington: "Imagine a god that is not all knowing?"

GJ: And where does that take us in imagining such a God? If it doesn't define Him as being more loving, patient and encouraging, then I'm not likely to accept it as Truth for my personal theology.

???

I am confused. What are you saying? the above seems to suggest that you think god is all knowing

imagine that God knows everything that can happen, but having given us free will He does not know the order the infinite number of choices we each have will come together.

This quote suggests that you don't think he is all knowing. which is it?

[GospelJohn]

Wellington: "This quote suggests that you don't think he is all knowing. which is it?"

GJ: I don't consider knowing everything that can happen but not knowing the order in which it will occur to make God less than all-knowing. I consider it to be a preference like is used in a Monte Carlo software program in computers. It is the programmer that tells the computer every outcome it can develop, and yet the order in which the data emerges is up to the computer's "discretion."

[OnceConvinced]

Wellington: "Imagine a god that is not all knowing?"

GJ: And where does that take us in imagining such a God? If it doesn't define Him as being more loving, patient and encouraging, then I'm not likely to accept it as Truth for my personal theology.

For one, that god won't be responsible for KNOWING that his creation would be 'damned' forever before making it.

Absolutely. It would show a more loving God to create man not knowing that he would have to brutally punish them for acting as he programmed them. It would show a more loving God if he created Satan not knowing what Satan would do later.

I think it may be fair to say that God knows all the possible outcomes of any scenario. He can still possibly be considered loving with that knowledge. (Although not putting any contingency plans in place for all eventualities does show a lack of forethought.) To say that he knows which scenarios are going to take place is something different again. To have that sort of foresight and to not act on it shows complete incompetency, stupidity, apathy or maybe a combination of all those traits.

I fear this discussion is taking us off track a little, but it's worthy of it's own thread. I shall start one up and we continue on that line there.

[Wellington]

Absolutely. It would show a more loving God to create man not knowing that he would have to brutally punish them for acting as he programmed them. It would show a more loving God if he created Satan not knowing what Satan would do later.

I think it may be fair to say that God knows all the possible outcomes of any scenario. He can still possibly be considered loving with that knowledge. (Although not putting any contingency plans in place for all eventualities does show a lack of forethought.) To say that he knows which scenarios are going to take place is something different again. To have that sort of foresight and to not act on it shows complete incompetency, stupidity, apathy or maybe a combination of all those traits.

I fear this discussion is taking us off track a little, but it's worthy of it's own thread. I shall start one up and we continue on that line there.

That's a great idea. Please post the link for me when you do.

Does anyone else find the concept of a God who is not all knowing (he doesn't know outcomes/the future) giving any credence to heaven being a blessing? I think that if god is not all knowing and is still infinite, then it would seem to follow that boredom wouldn't be a problem anymore.

For example: If future events are beyond the knowledge of god, then an infinite amount of time could be spent thinking up creative ways to sneak up on God and scare him half to death.

[OnceConvinced]

That's a great idea. Please post the link for me when you do.

God's Omniscience

Does anyone else find the concept of a God who is not all knowing (he doesn't know outcomes/the future) giving any credence to heaven being a blessing? I think that if god is not all knowing and is still infinite, then it would seem to follow that boredom wouldn't be a problem anymore.

That would seem reasonable to me

For example: If future events are beyond the knowledge of god, then an infinite amount of time could be spent thinking up creative ways to sneak up on God and scare him half to death.

One issue would be can God really assure that Heaven will be a blessing? Can he assure anything, really? In a billion years from now it may be like you suggest, one of his followers may be able to surprise him. In fact isn't it concievable that one of them could do a "lucifer" on God. Ouila! More rebellion. The only way I can see that there will be no rebellion or no sin in Heaven is if God takes away everyone's free will.