What do believers believe heaven or hell are like?

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Physical pleasures are useless in the long run. Post-death, i mean.

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No, you are completely wrong.The Goddess will be very angry at you for wasting all of the time she gave you on this Earth to give and receive pleasure of all kinds.Those who live a life of needless, stingy self-denial will be punished for not using the gifts the Goddess so generously bestowed upon them.The worst punishment will be reserved for those followers of religions that degrade and devalue women.This message has been edited by schrafinator, 02-11-2005 09:27 AM

from "Are The Dead Really Dead?" @ Bible Study Guides in English | Amazing Facts

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4. What is a "soul"?

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"And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul." Genesis 2:7.

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Answer: A soul is a living being. A soul is always a combination of two things: body plus breath. A soul cannot exist unless body and breath are combined. God's Word teaches that we are souls.

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from "Is The Devil In Charge Of Hell?" @ Bible Study Guides in English | Amazing Facts

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5. What will happen to the wicked in hellfire?

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"But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death." Revelation 21:8.

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The wicked are not immortal. The Bible says they will "perish", "burn up" and "be destroyed".

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Answer: The wicked die the second death in hellfire. If the wicked lived forever being tortured in hell, they would be immortal. But this is impossible, because the Bible says God "only hath immortality." 1 Timothy 6:16. When Adam and Eve were driven from the Garden of Eden, an angel was posted to guard the tree of life so that sinners would not eat of the tree and "live for ever." Genesis 3:22-24. The teaching that sinners are immortal in hell originated with Satan and is completely untrue. God prevented this when sin entered this earth by guarding the tree of life.

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Bible Clear--Wicked Obliterated
The Bible says the wicked suffer "death" (Romans 6:23), will suffer "destruction" (Job 21:30), "shall perish" (Psalm 37:20), will "burn" up (Malachi 4:1), "shall be destroyed together" (Psalm 37:38), will "consume away" (Psalm 37:20), "shall be cut off" (Psalm 37:9), "shall be slain" (Psalm 62:3). God will "destroy" them (Psalm 145:20), and "fire shall devour them" (Psalm 21:9). Note that all of these references make it clear that the wicked die and are destroyed. They do not live forever in misery.

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from "A Colossal City In Space." @ Bible Study Guides in English | Amazing Facts

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7. What refreshing, thrilling promises does God make to the people who enter His new kingdom?

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In His new kingdom the Lord will personally live among His people.

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Answer:
A. The Lord, in person, will live with them (Revelation 21:3).
B. They will never become bored. There will be pleasures forevermore (Psalm 16:11).
C.There will be no more death, pain, tears, sorrow, sickness, hospitals, operations, tragedy, disappointment, trouble, hunger, or thirst (Revelation 21:4; Isaiah 33:24; Revelation 22:3; Isaiah 65:23; Revelation 7:16).
D. They will not get tired (Isaiah 40:31).
E. Every saved person will be physically whole in every way. The deaf will hear, the blind will see, the dumb will sing, and the lame will be able to run (Isaiah 35:5, 6; Philippians 3:21).

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F. Jealousy, fear, hatred, falsehood, envy, impurity, cynicism, filth, worry, and all evil will be forever shut out of God's kingdom (Revelation 21:8, 27; 22:15). People will no longer be burdened with the worries and the cares that drive them to distraction. There will be no more nervous breakdowns. Time will become eternity, and the pressures and deadlines of earth will be gone forever.

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There will be no use for crutches and wheelchairs in heaven.

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there are more in those links if you really want to know.

What we really want to know is what YOU think. You can provide links to support your position but we like posters to tell us in their own words what they think.

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i thought people would be interested in what other people believe. especially if no one had mentioned it in this topic. sorry adminjar. This message has been edited by moolmogo, 02-18-2005 18:00 AM

So choices don't have such attributes as weight, and size as matter does, so you should look to things like soul, spirit, heaven and hell, more from a choice perspective rather then your materialist perspective.On balance, what is significant here is that you don't have an answer to the choice perspective, in stead of me not having an answer to the materialist / brain perpsective. The material rottingprocesses of the brain and body after death are of no interest, what happens to our choices, our will, spiritual being, soul, and the like, is of interest.It is not really the point to identify discrimination of women in Islamic countries in this context, it is the point if or not women much self-identify as women, are much aware of it, spend much time on it. Discrimination could likely increase such self-awareness, so you haven't much of a point with it. And anyway this was just to say that many women are in hell, according to a widely known vision of the prophet.regards,
Mohammad Nor Syamsu

I am reminded of the story in Luke 16:23. The bible also goes on to say that hell is a place of much "weeping and gnashing of teeth" and of fire and unending torture.

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I have been told by believers about some vague descriptions of Heaven and Hell, and that they are working very, very hard to get into one and to stay out of the other.
However, as an unbeliever I have been asked many, many times, "Since you are not a believer, what do you think happens when we die?"

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The question rarely gets turned around upon the believers. In general, they answer something about "reward", "bliss", "Heaven", "hell", "punishment", or something along those lines, but rarely do any specifics get mentioned or discussed.

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I am curious what conceptions of heaven and hell believers have, and what are the rationales they use to justify their idea of what heaven and hell are like.

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I think this should go into Faith and Belief.

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I am a bit confused that why you want to rely on any Believer. A believer can be learned, semi-learned, ignorant, misguided, confused, may draw his or her own erroneous conclusions conttary to the known facts etc.So if you want to learn about the concept of the Hell and Heaven, I suggest that you read the scripture yourself with the help of some authemtic commentary.BY the way Bible in genral and NT in particular does not gives any coherent detail about the Hell and Heaven.

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"An uninformed person cannot conceptualize the essence of knowledge nor its sublimity. One who fails to conceptualize something, its significance will never become rooted in the heart."

I dont know what heaven is like, but I believe the commom perception of a hot, painful hell is way off.The Bible speaks of a second death, I believe this is the death of the spirit in the lake of fire. Utter non-existance, i believe, is what awaits non-believers.

In Islaam, we have a concept of Hell and Paradise and not Heaven where good people will go as reward in the Hereafter. Muslims believe there are seven Heavens, but not the place where people will sent as reward. It is rather Paradise, English translation of few verses out of 236 is as follows:And give glad tidings to those who believe and do righteous good deeds, that for them will be Gardens under which rivers flow (Paradise). Every time they will be provided with a fruit therefrom, they will say: "This is what we were provided with before," and they will be given things in resemblance (i.e. in the same form but different in taste) and they shall have therein Azwajun Mutahharatun (purified mates or wives), (having no menses, stools, urine, etc.) and they will abide therein forever. (Chapter #2, Verse #25)And We said: "O Adam! Dwell you and your wife in the Paradise and eat both of you freely with pleasure and delight of things therein as wherever you will, but come not near this tree or you both will be of the Zalimoon (wrong-doers)." (Chapter #2, Verse #35)And those who believe (in the Oneness of Allah - Islamic Monotheism) and do righteous good deeds, they are dwellers of Paradise, they will dwell therein forever. (Chapter #2, Verse #82) Everyone shall taste death. And only on the Day of Resurrection shall you be paid your wages in full. And whoever is removed away from the Fire and admitted to Paradise, he indeed is successful. The life of this world is only the enjoyment of deception (a deceiving thing). (Chapter #3, Verse #185)The dwellers of Paradise (i.e. those who deserved it through their Faith and righteousness) will, on that Day, have the best abode, and have the fairest of places for repose. (Chapter #25, Verse #24)Enter Paradise, you and your wives, in happiness. (Chapter #43, Verse #70)This is the Paradise which you have been made to inherit because of your deeds which you used to do (in the life of the world). (Chapter #43, Verse #72)They are those from whom We shall accept the best of their deeds and overlook their evil deeds. (They shall be) among the dwellers of Paradise, a promise of truth, which they have been promised. (Chapter #46, Verse #16) Verily, those who say: "Our Lord is Allah (Alone)," and then they Istaqamoo , on them the angels will descend (at the time of their death) (saying): "Fear not, nor grieve! But receive the glad tidings of Paradise which you have been promised! (Chapter #41, Verse #30)

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"An uninformed person cannot conceptualize the essence of knowledge nor its sublimity. One who fails to conceptualize something, its significance will never become rooted in the heart."

Lucky enough for atheists, this is exactly what they're preparing themselves for .As I was discussing with sidelined in another thread, the concept of "eternal nothingness" is WAY beyond my grasp. I guess here is a good place to simply put it out there. What does it mean for a consciousness to cease to exist... forever? Does it really make sense?

Think back to before you were born...same thing. No awareness of time or space, essentially.This message has been edited by Limbo, 05-19-2005 01:51 AM

But the fact that I was born is what gives me perspective on THAT non-existence. I'd only understand my own infinite non-existence if I became conscious again (like in birth). Then I could say... damn. I wasn't around for a while. I missed a lot.Can you conceive of yourself never being born? Of never existing ever? That's what non-existence is to me. I can't do it.

Ben The last five words above are the source of your confusion.In order for something to make sense we must filter it through our senses into our consciousness.In ceasing to exist there is no reference to your conscious life to which you can make sense of this state of affairs.No sense of touch,taste,sight,hearing nor smell.No heat,nor cold,nor memory no fear,excitement,love,hate,pity or grief.There will be no notion of occupying space nor an impression of the passage of time.And no more taxes.

Hi all,I do not, in all honesty, have any idea about hell. As for Heaven, I believe it's the same as eternity in harmony. Kind of like two sounds that form a perfect harmony with each other and last forever (in the case of Heaven, one sound is God and the other is a saved person).Of course, our earthly ideas about pleasure, happiness, bliss, learning more and more, eating delicious food, seeing your children grow, etc., do not apply to Heaven, because all those ideas refer to something that occurs in space in time. Heaven, on the other hand, is the same as Eternity and, therefore, has neither space nor time.Best wishes,Richard

I have been doing a little research, and I came across this. I think this may shed some light on the topic of this thread.

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Chapter 22

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1From there I proceeded to another spot, where I saw on the west a great and lofty mountain, a strong rock, and four delightful places.

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2Internally it was deep, capacious, and very smooth; as smooth as if it had been rolled over: it was both deep and dark to behold.

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3Then Raphael, one of the holy angels who were with me, answered and said, These are the delightful places where the spirits, the souls of the dead, will be collected; for them were they formed; and here will be collected all the souls of the sons of men.

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4These places, in which they dwell, shall they occupy until the day of judgment, and until their appointed period.

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5Their appointed period will be long, even until the great judgment. And I saw the spirits of the sons of men who were dead; and their voices reached to heaven, while they were accusing.

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6Then I inquired of Raphael, an angel who was with me, and said, Whose spirit is that, the voice of which reaches to heaven, and accuses?

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7He answered, saying, This is the spirit of Abel who was slain by Cain his brother; and who will accuse that brother, until his seed be destroyed from the face of the earth;

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8Until his seed perish from the seed of the human race.

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9At that time therefore I inquired respecting him, and respecting the general judgment, saying, Why is one separated from another? He answered, Three separations have been made between the spirits of the dead, and thus have the spirits of the righteous been separated.

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10Namely, by a chasm, by water, and by light above it.

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11And in the same way likewise are sinners separated when they die, and are buried in the earth; judgment not overtaking them in their lifetime.

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12Here their souls are separated. Moreover, abundant is their suffering until the time of the great judgment, the castigation, and the torment of those who eternally execrate, whose souls are punished and bound there for ever.

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13And thus has it been from the beginning of the world. Thus has there existed a separation between the souls of those who utter complaints, and of those who watch for their destruction, to slaughter them in the day of sinners.

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14A receptacle of this sort has been formed for the souls of unrighteous men, and of sinners; of those who have completed crime, and associated with the impious, whom they resemble. Their souls shall not be annihilated in the day of judgment, neither shall they arise from this place. Then I blessed God,

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15And said, Blessed by my Lord, the Lord of glory and of righteousness, who reigns over all for ever and for ever.

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http://reluctant-messenger.com/1enoch01-60.htm