Questions on some things in the book The Great Divorce

[Ann_of_Love]

Kyri convinced me to take this book out at the library, and I really, really loved it. I just loved the idea that heaven, and being in communion with God means becoming more real. That is brilliant!

 

[Dorothea]

Well, I wasn't as clear as I might have been - its a confusing bit of the story I think.

I think to understand it we need to remember that the story is not meant to be a sort of scientific description of how people actually go to Heaven and are judged (or how they judge themselves which is what seems to be happening here.)

It is an allegory, really talking about the nature of the soul - a lot like the Divine Comedy. In the allegory we see the people struggling with their human issues, making choices and judgements, all supposedly in the afterlife.

In the image with the game board, the ghosts are watching the whole drama unfold before them, as if someone or something else is controlling the choices, judgements, and outcomes. The ghosts themselves seem to be passive observers and the outcome seems to be set.

So what is it that is determining the outcomes of their judgement? The suggestion is that the drama we see in the vision is in some way a recapitulation of the way they lived their lives. The choices they made in life are in some sense determining what they are choosing in death. It is in this life that we are living out that drama, and we do not know whether we will have any opportunities to spiritually grow in a way that would lead to different choices after this life.

Ah, ok. So kinda like when we meet up with Christ and our whole life (everything we said and did) runs through our minds and in front of us like a film playing? I can see the parallel here in this chess game...just shown a different way. Am I understanding you correctly?

 

[Dorothea]

Dorothea, for clarification, one can go here, here, here, here, here, here, here , here and here, where Thekla and I were involved in a rather detailed discussion on the subject of Christians on Earth and In Heaven (
You were there for the earlier conversation we had, as I recall ) - on the idea pertaining to how those who've departed are present/aware and that the Lord (if he so allows ) can let others come back to share things - a notable example being Saul talking to Samuel the Prophet...and Christ talking with Moses/Elijah. As shared elsewhere, even those who've been condemned by the Lord to Hades/Hell could come back to warn others of a upcoming fate (similar to what occurred with Ebenezer Scrooge in "A Christmas Carol")...and having no glory, they are like ghosts. The Saints, however, are always glorious...and as Christ arose in a physical and glorified body of a SPIRITUAL nature, it'd not make sense for the Saints to be in glory and not be solid as Christ is solid (I Corinthians 15).

Hope that clarifies...

Awesome. It does. Thanks.

 

[Dorothea]

Kyri convinced me to take this book out at the library, and I really, really loved it. I just loved the idea that heaven, and being in communion with God means becoming more real. That is brilliant!

Yeah, it is!

 

[-Kyriaki-]

I'm so glad you liked it Ann!

 

[MKJ]

Ah, ok. So kinda like when we meet up with Christ and our whole life (everything we said and did) runs through our minds and in front of us like a film playing? I can see the parallel here in this chess game...just shown a different way. Am I understanding you correctly?

Yes, I think that is the idea.

 

[Dorothea]

Yes, I think that is the idea.

 

[Gxg (G²)]

Awesome. It does. Thanks.

Cool. It's always interesting when you share something and forgetn that not everyone is thinking the same way you are as if they're automatically on the same page

 

[Gxg (G²)]

Aslan says that all the "real" worlds are actually sorts of pale instantiations of real places - Narnia is still recognizable as Narnia, but much more real and solid than the Narnia the inhabitants new before.

I've heard something similar in many Evangelical circles when they note that this world is a Cardboard imitation of the real world which is the Heavenly realm - and that our new physical forms/bodies that we will recieve are of a new type of make-up. Trans-dimensional, from a scientific perspective, where we can be both solid and yet immaterial at the same time (i.e. phasing through materials/passing through walls, teleportation, flight and other things - all of which Christ did).

Eternity is the REAL and this life is the dream. There was an awesome song on this I loved listening to growing up on the matter that always used to encourage me on the matter:

Life is a Dream (performed by Anointed)

 

[Dorothea]

I started re-reading The Great Divorce after reading people's explanations so I'd get a clearer picture while reading. I've come to another part where a Ghost is hiding and is afraid to be seen because ppl can look through her. What exactly is that about and the herd of unicorns? What's that represent?

 

[MKJ]

I started re-reading The Great Divorce after reading people's explanations so I'd get a clearer picture while reading. I've come to another part where a Ghost is hiding and is afraid to be seen because ppl can look through her. What exactly is that about and the herd of unicorns? What's that represent?

That chapter seems to suggest that the Ghost is ashamed - it seems of not being socially acceptable, not living up to standards, having the proper appearance. I kind of imagine her as the sort of woman who would tell her kids not to do somrthing because "what would the neighbours think".

The solid person talking to her, after trying to coax her, seems to be saying that this is all part and parcel of being far too self-absorbed, thinking everyone is going to be interested in what she is doing.

So I suppose it is a kind of mixed-up pride. And what I found kind of heart-breaking is that she seemed to feel really authentically distressed and mortified. But she could not make herself vulnerable for anything.

The George MacDonald character tells the narrator later that the unicorns were an attempt to take the ghost out of herself for a moment, long enough perhaps to do some good.

 

[Dorothea]

That chapter seems to suggest that the Ghost is ashamed - it seems of not being socially acceptable, not living up to standards, having the proper appearance. I kind of imagine her as the sort of woman who would tell her kids not to do somrthing because "what would the neighbours think".

The solid person talking to her, after trying to coax her, seems to be saying that this is all part and parcel of being far too self-absorbed, thinking everyone is going to be interested in what she is doing.

So I suppose it is a kind of mixed-up pride. And what I found kind of heart-breaking is that she seemed to feel really authentically distressed and mortified. But she could not make herself vulnerable for anything.

The George MacDonald character tells the narrator later that the unicorns were an attempt to take the ghost out of herself for a moment, long enough perhaps to do some good.

Ah, ok. So the Spirit was trying to help her out there with the unicorns. I was just a bit confused by what that meant. Thanks.