I was raised Catholic and went to Catholic schools but when I was about 12 or 13 i started questioning my religion. Back then they would discourage you from reading the bible (I don't know if that is true now) but I did not agree with that I did not agree with confession because they made you go even if you had nothing to confess and if you had sinned you go in confess and say a few prayers and it's okay. There is just so much within the Catholic church I do not agree with. So after many years I accepted JESUS CHRIST as my Lord And Savior. I consider myself a non-denominational Christian. I would never go back to the Catholic church. I was also always told by the nuns and some of my Catholic family members that when an animal dies that's it they don't go to heaven I think they say that because they have NOT read the bible for themselves. They are just spoon fed the bible by these priests and they just take it all for truth.
To all the Christian Chazzers...
- Thread starter Sush
- Start date
Just my $.02, but I think paradise (or heaven if you prefer) will be a different experience for everybody. We don't all enjoy the same things here, so why would we all expect to enjoy the same hereafter? If you are a dog lover here, you'll be surrounded by dogs there - otherwise it wouldn't be paradise for you.
But what if your heaven has dogs, and your best friend (who also passes at some point) is a dog hater, can't stand the things...
Now... surely you'd want to be together in the afterlife - they are your best friend.
But if you have your own afterlife.. then you'd be screwed... Because they'd be in theirs, and you'd be in yours... unless there was a perfect version of your best mate in the afterlife who loves dogs (but then, it wouldn't be them, it would just be the heaven made up them)....
Hmmmm... Or are you just meant to not question it?
Now... surely you'd want to be together in the afterlife - they are your best friend.
But if you have your own afterlife.. then you'd be screwed... Because they'd be in theirs, and you'd be in yours... unless there was a perfect version of your best mate in the afterlife who loves dogs (but then, it wouldn't be them, it would just be the heaven made up them)....
Hmmmm... Or are you just meant to not question it?
It is paradise because you don't HAVE those bad feelings..... you don't experience "hate" or "dislike" in heaven. You don't experience anger, sadness, guilt, etc etc.
Those do not exsist in heaven
You only feel love and happiness etc etc.
Hate and anger are "tools of the devil" so to speak. they don't exsist up there.
Those do not exsist in heaven
You only feel love and happiness etc etc.
Hate and anger are "tools of the devil" so to speak. they don't exsist up there.
It is paradise because you don't HAVE those bad feelings..... you don't experience "hate" or "dislike" in heaven. You don't experience anger, sadness, guilt, etc etc.
Those do not exsist in heaven
You only feel love and happiness etc etc.
Hate and anger are "tools of the devil" so to speak. they don't exsist up there.
Those do not exsist in heaven
You only feel love and happiness etc etc.
Hate and anger are "tools of the devil" so to speak. they don't exsist up there.
Is heaven a solid place, or a spiritual place? Do you have a physical being? Or is it floating about as an entity, or a thought, or some other thing?
exactly. Hatred and anger and dislike does not exsist. It is "the devil's influence" that gives us the ability to feel those things.
Would it be paradise if you hated your neighbour? Would it be paradise if you had fights? No it wouldn't be. How can you have a paradise with feelings that conflict with that concept?
YES it is hard for us to comprehend such a concept. Trust me I understand. I really had a hard time coming to grips with that concept.
I can't really tell you what heaven is as I have never been there. but it is your soul that lives on in heaven.... not your body. your body is just your earthly vessel. But that is our reward for living a good life on earth.... eternal happiness. never again to be burdened by hatred or anger or sadness.
Would it be paradise if you hated your neighbour? Would it be paradise if you had fights? No it wouldn't be. How can you have a paradise with feelings that conflict with that concept?
YES it is hard for us to comprehend such a concept. Trust me I understand. I really had a hard time coming to grips with that concept.
I can't really tell you what heaven is as I have never been there. but it is your soul that lives on in heaven.... not your body. your body is just your earthly vessel. But that is our reward for living a good life on earth.... eternal happiness. never again to be burdened by hatred or anger or sadness.
V
It is paradise because you don't HAVE those bad feelings..... you don't experience "hate" or "dislike" in heaven. You don't experience anger, sadness, guilt, etc etc.
Those do not exsist in heaven
You only feel love and happiness etc etc.
Hate and anger are "tools of the devil" so to speak. they don't exsist up there.
Those do not exsist in heaven
You only feel love and happiness etc etc.
Hate and anger are "tools of the devil" so to speak. they don't exsist up there.
If God, or heaven took that free will away, it would not be heaven, and we would not be what God created us to be.
All though the bible, God only asks us to love him. To love him with our free will, and freely worship him by our own choosing.
If he wanted mindless worship, he could have bought a DVD player.
Without hate, love cannot exist, because love can only be love when freely given, anything else is servitude, and will be hated by those forced to "love".
For the new testament followers, love, and faith is all you need to get into heaven, even the biggest assholes in the world, child molesters, Stalin, and Hitler could get in, if they loved god, and freely worshipped him.
Obviously, it is doubtful we will be seeing Stalin, or Hitler, due to their beliefs, and free will choices, but in essence it would be possible if they freely repented, and loved GOD.
Back to to the original topic, of course animals have souls, the bible says so.
V W
l
Took the words out of my mouth! I believe God is real to those who need him. I believe whatever you believe is real in your mind and that's all that matters. I don't believe in insulting others beliefs (Well, sort of. Sorry, but I do laugh at south park and family guy sometimes!! I would never insult one's beliefs to them.) I don't beileve in pushing your beliefs on others either. That is different than informing others on your religion, imo. I know christians are supposed to witness to others and that is great but know when it becomes pushy. I was raised United Pentecostal. I wore skirts til I was 18, everyday. Kept my hair long and wore very little makeup. I also wasn't allowed to go to the movies. My parents were hardcore. lol.
I personally don't believe in souls. I believe after you die it's just like before you were born. That's all I have to compare it to. Before I was born I didnt exist anywhere in time or space. I have no recollection of it. I just wasn't so that's what I think will happen when I am gone. But if you want to believe dogs have souls and the Bible isn't quite clear then just believe it. Thats all that matters to you, what you believe. If I believed in souls and heaven I'd have to say I think dogs have one. And cats. Horses too. All animals that have obvious emotion.
P.S. Sorry I know this was addressed to christians but Sush said it was ok!
I personally don't believe in souls. I believe after you die it's just like before you were born. That's all I have to compare it to. Before I was born I didnt exist anywhere in time or space. I have no recollection of it. I just wasn't so that's what I think will happen when I am gone. But if you want to believe dogs have souls and the Bible isn't quite clear then just believe it. Thats all that matters to you, what you believe. If I believed in souls and heaven I'd have to say I think dogs have one. And cats. Horses too. All animals that have obvious emotion.
P.S. Sorry I know this was addressed to christians but Sush said it was ok!
Took the words out of my mouth! I believe God is real to those who need him. I believe whatever you believe is real in your mind and that's all that matters. I don't believe in insulting others beliefs (Well, sort of. Sorry, but I do laugh at south park and family guy sometimes!! I would never insult one's beliefs to them.) I don't beileve in pushing your beliefs on others either. That is different than informing others on your religion, imo. I know christians are supposed to witness to others and that is great but know when it becomes pushy. I was raised United Pentecostal. I wore skirts til I was 18, everyday. Kept my hair long and wore very little makeup. I also wasn't allowed to go to the movies. My parents were hardcore. lol.
I personally don't believe in souls. I believe after you die it's just like before you were born. That's all I have to compare it to. Before I was born I didnt exist anywhere in time or space. I have no recollection of it. I just wasn't so that's what I think will happen when I am gone. But if you want to believe dogs have souls and the Bible isn't quite clear then just believe it. Thats all that matters to you, what you believe. If I believed in souls and heaven I'd have to say I think dogs have one. And cats. Horses too. All animals that have obvious emotion.
P.S. Sorry I know this was addressed to christians but Sush said it was ok!
I personally don't believe in souls. I believe after you die it's just like before you were born. That's all I have to compare it to. Before I was born I didnt exist anywhere in time or space. I have no recollection of it. I just wasn't so that's what I think will happen when I am gone. But if you want to believe dogs have souls and the Bible isn't quite clear then just believe it. Thats all that matters to you, what you believe. If I believed in souls and heaven I'd have to say I think dogs have one. And cats. Horses too. All animals that have obvious emotion.
P.S. Sorry I know this was addressed to christians but Sush said it was ok!
but this is also what seperates us from God..... our free will. Our free will gives us the ability to sin and YES he loves us so much that he gives us that..... but I believe that once you are relieved of your life on earth and your soul goes to heaven..... you are relieved of that burden of having sin, hatred, anger.
It's hard for me to explain..... and it was really hard for me to even understand at first and I really fought this notion for quite some time. But now I don't see it as servitude..... when you get to heaven it is not you serving him anymore.... it is not worship anymore. it is just love. You are not forced to do anything.... that's the beauty and what makes it paradise. You are not forced to do anything. It's just that those bad feelings don't exsist. they just aren't there. the "devil" has no influence anymore in heaven so you are not burdened by horrible feelings..... and you are not tempted by sin as there is none. Your gift for living a good life is living side by side with God. not serving him.
I think I am just rambling here lol. it is really difficult for me to put it into words. I know I had a really hard time fathoming how anger and hatred could not exsist.... because as an earthly being with free will and being seperated from God I couldn't understand how it could be any other way. But that is kind of the point. heaven is NOT something we can fathom. it is beyond anything we could possibly truly understand while on earth. That's what I believe anyway lol I'll shut up now lol
It's hard for me to explain..... and it was really hard for me to even understand at first and I really fought this notion for quite some time. But now I don't see it as servitude..... when you get to heaven it is not you serving him anymore.... it is not worship anymore. it is just love. You are not forced to do anything.... that's the beauty and what makes it paradise. You are not forced to do anything. It's just that those bad feelings don't exsist. they just aren't there. the "devil" has no influence anymore in heaven so you are not burdened by horrible feelings..... and you are not tempted by sin as there is none. Your gift for living a good life is living side by side with God. not serving him.
I think I am just rambling here lol. it is really difficult for me to put it into words. I know I had a really hard time fathoming how anger and hatred could not exsist.... because as an earthly being with free will and being seperated from God I couldn't understand how it could be any other way. But that is kind of the point. heaven is NOT something we can fathom. it is beyond anything we could possibly truly understand while on earth. That's what I believe anyway
lol I'll shut up now lol
V
but this is also what seperates us from God..... our free will. Our free will gives us the ability to sin and YES he loves us so much that he gives us that..... but I believe that once you are relieved of your life on earth and your soul goes to heaven..... you are relieved of that burden of having sin, hatred, anger.
It's hard for me to explain..... and it was really hard for me to even understand at first and I really fought this notion for quite some time. But now I don't see it as servitude..... when you get to heaven it is not you serving him anymore.... it is not worship anymore. it is just love. You are not forced to do anything.... that's the beauty and what makes it paradise. You are not forced to do anything. It's just that those bad feelings don't exsist. they just aren't there. the "devil" has no influence anymore in heaven so you are not burdened by horrible feelings..... and you are not tempted by sin as there is none. Your gift for living a good life is living side by side with God. not serving him.
I think I am just rambling here lol. it is really difficult for me to put it into words. I know I had a really hard time fathoming how anger and hatred could not exsist.... because as an earthly being with free will and being seperated from God I couldn't understand how it could be any other way. But that is kind of the point. heaven is NOT something we can fathom. it is beyond anything we could possibly truly understand while on earth. That's what I believe anyway lol I'll shut up now lol
It's hard for me to explain..... and it was really hard for me to even understand at first and I really fought this notion for quite some time. But now I don't see it as servitude..... when you get to heaven it is not you serving him anymore.... it is not worship anymore. it is just love. You are not forced to do anything.... that's the beauty and what makes it paradise. You are not forced to do anything. It's just that those bad feelings don't exsist. they just aren't there. the "devil" has no influence anymore in heaven so you are not burdened by horrible feelings..... and you are not tempted by sin as there is none. Your gift for living a good life is living side by side with God. not serving him.
I think I am just rambling here lol. it is really difficult for me to put it into words. I know I had a really hard time fathoming how anger and hatred could not exsist.... because as an earthly being with free will and being seperated from God I couldn't understand how it could be any other way. But that is kind of the point. heaven is NOT something we can fathom. it is beyond anything we could possibly truly understand while on earth. That's what I believe anyway
lol I'll shut up now lol
I get what you're saying. If it is a spiritual place, we are relieved of most all of the things that tempt us to sin, so therefore we don't sin, nor hav the desire to sin Ssex, money, greed power the need to sell ourselves out to survive would all be gone, so many of the causes of our sinning is not around.
Makes sense to me.
V W
I feel the same way... I realize that I often deliver my feelings in ways that **** people off. Rarely is it my intent to simply say something to agitate. However, sometimes things just need to be said. God never promised us it would be easy to be a Christian and I realize that a lot of what we believe goes against what the world thinks is OK these days. All I ask is that those on the other side not take it personally, because it is not.
I've been around the world... Seen a lot of things... The only thing that has ever made any sense to me is God's way. The longer I live, the more I believe it to be true.
lol well now that I look back at my old threads Dr Mom told me you guys were married when I was asking about blueticks. (I want one in the distant future. They are gorgeous.) Wow so you guys are having a baby! Anyday now, huh. Is it a boy or a girl? Is this your first? (this is so not the time or place for this but I cant very well start a thread asking about your baby, lol) Congrats, though! (annoyingly touches Saprks' belly) I love kids. I'm a nanny. Sort of, currently looking for a new job. Hey you guys gonna need a nanny, lol?? I'm willing to travel for the right pay.