What theistic purpose from the christian perspective isn't god forcing us into a box of limited choice but one in which he not only opens the box we are in and takes us out of it but he destroys that box and we are set free. With being free we are able to make our own choices as to what we want to do with our lives. The christian God especially is a God who is nonrestrictive.
According to Genesis, Adam and Eve were frollicking in their birthday suits. They only covered up after they disobeyed God. Wouldn't be wearing clothes in heaven would be reminding God of the original sin?
I think the Church has made a significant mistake about this. I suggest it is clear that the ultimate destiny of redeemed humankind entails having a body. So while we will indeed spend some time in heaven in some kind of disembodied state, that is really only a "waiting" period.
We end up with bodies, just like Jesus - Paul could not have been more clear about this.
With this point I have to disagree as it hits exactly upon one of the main points for my de-conversion. And that's that when I was a Christian I took a fair amount of flack because I was opening up to stuff outside of the box. I was continually told that God does not like the direction I was heading. It was frustrating to me. I was finding more truth with the mystics who do operate outside the box than what I was getting while feeling forced into a box. In looking around, I'm not alone in this experience.
One of the in-the-box things is the belief of physical resurrection of the body that ONLY happened if one has the correct beliefs. I remember way back when I was a child also asking what we will wear while in Heaven. It's not a new question. But even than, and just like in this thread, the answers I received were not at all satisfying.
I know what your saying - I just cant accept that I'll have a physical body when its long gone to dust...and if I did well which body...the one I had before I died?... the one when I was 70..the one when I was a teen? Do you get my point?
One of the in-the-box things is the belief of physical resurrection of the body that ONLY happened if one has the correct beliefs. I remember way back when I was a child also asking what we will wear while in Heaven. It's not a new question. But even than, and just like in this thread, the answers I received were not at all satisfying.
I'm not at all mad at God. I'm clearly a Lover of God, and way more so every day that passes. As I tried to explain, perhaps not well, was the limiting box I experienced that you were saying does not exist in Christianity. But it does. For myself, and I know for many others, the spiritual limitations ended and spiritual freedom began with our deconversion. That doesn't mean that we walked away from God. And I suspect this same sort of awareness has a lot to do with the declining Christian population.Well I'm sorry if my answers did not satisfy your search. That said I see no logical reason to give up your faith because you are facing opposition from other believers. If you could explain further what connection there is between facing opposition for controversial views and faith in God I would like to know. Because I don't see one. Emotionally I can see you lashing out because you aren't liking the christians you are communicating with and then being mad at god and rejecting him that way. But you would still believe in god just you wouldn't like him or his people.
Also I'd just like to tell you that you only need to believe in one thing to have eternal life and that is romans 10:9. You can believe anything else but thats the one thing all Christians have in common or they aren't a christian.
In the circles in which I move, many people seemingly believe they will spend eternity in a disembodied state in "heaven".What error? I have not heard any mainstream concept of anything else but resurrection in a material body of currently unknown additional characteristics. Jesus and Paul both made that clear.
In the circles in which I move, many people seemingly believe they will spend eternity in a disembodied state in "heaven".
I agree with you fully re the views of Jesus and Paul on this matter.
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Does that look like a metaphor? Men in white robes (called kittels) and carrying palm branches.
That is the celebration of Sukkot - the feast of Tabernacles.
White is indeed special. Cleanness. Purity.Are all colors equally bibically or is white a special color?
or exposed ankles.
If our destination is heaven, a position I do not hold to by the way... I don't think you'll be naked as we understand the word. It is more likely that Adam and Eve were encased in light, sort of our aura but much much brighter. When he sinned, the light went out and he could see (many things) not the least of which was the fact that he wasn't in Speedos. It is likely if God is "restoring all things" that while we may or may not have on literal white robes (or is that metaphoric for a certain stage of existence?) that we will again be encased in light.
Sam... I don't have time to go from link to link reading somebody else's thoughts. If I am in a discussion with you... I want to hear YOU not somebody you found that agrees with you. You share what you believe and we can discuss things... blessings.
Sam... I don't have time to go from link to link reading somebody else's thoughts. If I am in a discussion with you... I want to hear YOU not somebody you found that agrees with you. You share what you believe and we can discuss things... blessings.
Well, Genesis 2:25, which is recording pre-fall events, notes that “And the man and his wife were both naked and were not ashamed.” So they were already naked before the fall and only came to the realization that they were naked (with whatever implications that came) afterwards. There is simply no indication that their bodies changed but only that they realized something about their bodies—that they were naked.
There are actually some fairly interesting argument for Adam and Eve having, at the very least, bodies that shone—had some sort of visible aura, if you will. For example, when he was within close proximity to YHVH “Moses' face shone” (Exodus 34:35) because “God is Light” (1 John 1:5) which is why the New Jerusalem “has no need of the sun or of the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God has illumined it” (Revelation 21:23).
Also, when Jesus, “was transfigured before them; and His face shone like the sun, and His garments became as white as light” (Matthew 17:2) and an angel's “appearance was like lightning, and his clothing as white as snow” (Matthew 28:3).
However, this is not referenced or even hinted at in the Genesis account of the fall.