Why is Heaven so boring?

[Akibahara]

Now, I know many of you are like: "No it's not! It'll be beautiful, we can explore a vast world, we'll sing, eat and dance and have lots of fun!" Yeah, I read that. I'm a Baptist Christian, and I'm reading through Heaven by Randy Alcorn -- and Heaven STILL isn't appealing to me. I mean, sure, if you're an extrovert who loves the outside and social activities. I'm more of an indoor person unless it involves something unique and exciting.

From what I read, New Earth will be located here -- there'll be a New Jerusalem, an eternal Heaven, and amongst other things. We'll be able to communicate face-to-face with Christ, eat at large banquets (PS: If I were in Heaven, I could honestly care less about food), explore the unknown, etc.

But...

All my questions I asked in the past concerning Heaven were met with "maybes" or a flat-out "no": I may be able to explore fictional universes beyond eternal Heaven, or ideas I wrote up in my earthly body; there will not be sex in Heaven, but some sort of "transformed version" of it; and all love in Heaven is agape love--or brotherly love.

Honestly, Islamic Paradise (no, I'm not a Muslim) seems a bit more appealing... :/

 

[Souldier]

Now, I know many of you are like: "No it's not! It'll be beautiful, we can explore a vast world, we'll sing, eat and dance and have lots of fun!" Yeah, I read that. I'm a Baptist Christian, and I'm reading through Heaven by Randy Alcorn -- and Heaven STILL isn't appealing to me. I mean, sure, if you're an extrovert who loves the outside and social activities. I'm more of an indoor person unless it involves something unique and exciting.

From what I read, New Earth will be located here -- there'll be a New Jerusalem, an eternal Heaven, and amongst other things. We'll be able to communicate face-to-face with Christ, eat at large banquets (PS: If I were in Heaven, I could honestly care less about food), explore the unknown, etc.

But...

All my questions I asked in the past concerning Heaven were met with "maybes" or a flat-out "no": I may be able to explore fictional universes beyond eternal Heaven, or ideas I wrote up in my earthly body; there will not be sex in Heaven, but some sort of "transformed version" of it; and all love in Heaven is agape love--or brotherly love.

Honestly, Islamic Paradise (no, I'm not a Muslim) seems a bit more appealing... :/

It only seems boring because you haven't lived life yet. When you get older sex really doesn't mean a whole lot anymore. Thats when you find out whats really satisfying. Just being happy is satisfying. And when we grow in the spirit and experience the joys of the Lord then we get a small taste of what heaven must be like. After that you just know heaven will be far greater than this world. In my opinion.

 

[Akibahara]

It only seems boring because you haven't lived life yet. When you get older sex really doesn't mean a whole lot anymore. Thats when you find out whats really satisfying. Just being happy is satisfying. And when we grow in the spirit and experience the joys of the Lord then we get a small taste of what heaven must be like. After that you just know heaven will be far greater than this world. In my opinion.

Perhaps, but it still raises the question of exploring fictional universes; my Earthly creations; etc. Even so, God created sex, he wouldn't just throw it away like trash. Now to be fair, I have read Peter Keeft's belief in sex in Heaven, but a vast majority of Christians believe it isn't there... and, no doubt, with good sound doctrine.

 

[pshun2404]

Now, I know many of you are like: "No it's not! It'll be beautiful, we can explore a vast world, we'll sing, eat and dance and have lots of fun!" Yeah, I read that. I'm a Baptist Christian, and I'm reading through Heaven by Randy Alcorn -- and Heaven STILL isn't appealing to me. I mean, sure, if you're an extrovert who loves the outside and social activities. I'm more of an indoor person unless it involves something unique and exciting.

From what I read, New Earth will be located here -- there'll be a New Jerusalem, an eternal Heaven, and amongst other things. We'll be able to communicate face-to-face with Christ, eat at large banquets (PS: If I were in Heaven, I could honestly care less about food), explore the unknown, etc.

But...

All my questions I asked in the past concerning Heaven were met with "maybes" or a flat-out "no": I may be able to explore fictional universes beyond eternal Heaven, or ideas I wrote up in my earthly body; there will not be sex in Heaven, but some sort of "transformed version" of it; and all love in Heaven is agape love--or brotherly love.

Honestly, Islamic Paradise (no, I'm not a Muslim) seems a bit more appealing... :/

Ever notice that in Muslim paradise it is total hedonism for men but there are none of their wives or children there? Where does the Qur'an speak of wives going to paradise?

 

[Akibahara]

Ever notice that in Muslim paradise it is total hedonism for men but there are none of their wives or children there? Where does the Qur'an speak of wives going to paradise?

That's a good question, actually. Unfortunately, I'm not well versed on Islamic paradise except for the fact it's more man based.

 

[Souldier]

Perhaps, but it still raises the question of exploring fictional universes; my Earthly creations; etc. Even so, God created sex, he wouldn't just throw it away like trash. Now to be fair, I have read Peter Keeft's belief in sex in Heaven, but a vast majority of Christians believe it isn't there... and, no doubt, with good sound doctrine.

The apostle Paul never married a wife. He must have seen something far better.

 

[Paul of Eugene OR]

Now, I know many of you are like: "No it's not! It'll be beautiful, we can explore a vast world, we'll sing, eat and dance and have lots of fun!" Yeah, I read that. I'm a Baptist Christian, and I'm reading through Heaven by Randy Alcorn -- and Heaven STILL isn't appealing to me. I mean, sure, if you're an extrovert who loves the outside and social activities. I'm more of an indoor person unless it involves something unique and exciting.

From what I read, New Earth will be located here -- there'll be a New Jerusalem, an eternal Heaven, and amongst other things. We'll be able to communicate face-to-face with Christ, eat at large banquets (PS: If I were in Heaven, I could honestly care less about food), explore the unknown, etc.

But...

All my questions I asked in the past concerning Heaven were met with "maybes" or a flat-out "no": I may be able to explore fictional universes beyond eternal Heaven, or ideas I wrote up in my earthly body; there will not be sex in Heaven, but some sort of "transformed version" of it; and all love in Heaven is agape love--or brotherly love.

Honestly, Islamic Paradise (no, I'm not a Muslim) seems a bit more appealing... :/

Oh don't worry too much about heaven. It seems boring because you don't know all about it yet. Have faith in God to be able to deal with the boredom problem. And if you can't be happy without sex, and you make it to heaven, you will have sex in heaven. If you can't be happy without your pet dog, and you make it to heaven, you'll have your pet dog in heaven.

And computer games will not be forbidden to you.

And we can play poker if we'll all agree to turn off our ability to read the cards via ESP. If that's what you like.

 

[Akibahara]

Oh don't worry too much about heaven. It seems boring because you don't know all about it yet. Have faith in God to be able to deal with the boredom problem. And if you can't be happy without sex, and you make it to heaven, you will have sex in heaven. If you can't be happy without your pet dog, and you make it to heaven, you'll have your pet dog in heaven.

And computer games will not be forbidden to you.

And we can play poker if we'll all agree to turn off our ability to read the cards via ESP. If that's what you like.

That's a wonderful post of encouragement, sir. However, does it have any doctrinal basis? I would love if this were true, but most Christians deny this--and back up their claim with the Bible. More specifically, Matthew 22:30: At the resurrection people will neither marry nor be given in marriage; they will be like the angels in heaven.

Many Christian state since there's no marriage in Heaven, and since sex is permitted only between a married couple, there will be no sexual activity in our eternal Paradise.

 

[com7fy8]

Jesus says, "I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven," in Luke 10:18. I can see that Satan was not satisfied in Heaven; so he got thrown out. He did not appreciate being with Jesus. But even on this earth, in the midst of this evil world, we in God's love have unconditional contentment > "with such things as you have" > see Hebrews 13:5, with Philippians 4:11-13 and 2 Corinthians 12:7-10 > even in troubles Paul could take "pleasure" while he was going through things in the grace of God's love.

God is so better and more beautifully wonderful than all the nice things He has made, with their pleasures. And He knows what is more enjoyable and precious than sensual stuff >

Rather let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the incorruptible beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is very precious in the sight of God." (1 Peter 3:4)

In His gentle and quiet spirit of His love is rest and contentment so we are not being driven by foolish lusts to seek pleasure from physical things so less fulfilling than His love.

"Because Your lovingkindness is better than life,
.My lips shall praise You." (Psalm 63:3)

"Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us." (Romans 5:5)

But yes I can still lust for physical beauty, because my character still makes me able to do this. I still need more correction into His love's perfection

 

[random person]

Only by thinking of heaven by the flesh and our carnal natures.

We can not comprehend what wonders and joys the Lord has in store for us.

Perhaps, heaven is another world as in a perfect earth? No doubt heaven is unlike anything we've ever experience before.

Something grander and greater than our fleshly carnal-addled brains can comprehend. Heaven will prove that our carnal and sexual natures have sold us way, way short.

 

[Souldier]

The Op has this same thread posted in another forum. I wonder what kind of answers hes getting there.

 

[James Is Back]

No more pain,worries,sorrow and other bad things is Heaven enough for me!

 

[duolos]

Now, I know many of you are like: "No it's not! It'll be beautiful, we can explore a vast world, we'll sing, eat and dance and have lots of fun!" Yeah, I read that. I'm a Baptist Christian, and I'm reading through Heaven by Randy Alcorn -- and Heaven STILL isn't appealing to me. I mean, sure, if you're an extrovert who loves the outside and social activities. I'm more of an indoor person unless it involves something unique and exciting.

From what I read, New Earth will be located here -- there'll be a New Jerusalem, an eternal Heaven, and amongst other things. We'll be able to communicate face-to-face with Christ, eat at large banquets (PS: If I were in Heaven, I could honestly care less about food), explore the unknown, etc.

But...

All my questions I asked in the past concerning Heaven were met with "maybes" or a flat-out "no": I may be able to explore fictional universes beyond eternal Heaven, or ideas I wrote up in my earthly body; there will not be sex in Heaven, but some sort of "transformed version" of it; and all love in Heaven is agape love--or brotherly love.

Honestly, Islamic Paradise (no, I'm not a Muslim) seems a bit more appealing... :/

I think you have a bad theology of sex, sex pictured in the New Testament passages (esp. Eph 5) is actually a shadow of the unity that we will have with Christ in heaven, so if sex is one of the most exciting and sensorially heightened things we can do now our union with Christ in heaven is going to be scales of magnitude more exciting, more loving, etc.

 

[Paul of Eugene OR]

That's a wonderful post of encouragement, sir. However, does it have any doctrinal basis? I would love if this were true, but most Christians deny this--and back up their claim with the Bible. More specifically, Matthew 22:30: At the resurrection people will neither marry nor be given in marriage; they will be like the angels in heaven.

Many Christian state since there's no marriage in Heaven, and since sex is permitted only between a married couple, there will be no sexual activity in our eternal Paradise.

Well, we don't have any knowledge about sex per se in heaven; its not completely ruled out, but it would have to involve a change in the rules as we know them in earth. However, I have all faith that if sex isn't there, something equally pleasurable will take its place. I'm not concerned with the particulars, since I'm not in any position to know or do anything about them.

 

[ViaCrucis]

I thought of this quote from The Great Divorce,

"I believe, to be sure, that any man who reaches Heaven will find that what he abandoned (even in plucking out his right eye) has not been lost: that the kernel of what he was really seeking even in his most depraved wishes will be there, beyond expectation, waiting for him in 'the High Countries'."

I seriously would recommend giving C.S. Lewis' The Great Divorce a read.

I don't know if the OP has ever experience significant loss or not--and this isn't intended to judge one way or the other--but for those of us who have, or for those of us who when we look out into the world and see a world where injustice upon injustice is committed against the poor, the weak, the hungry, the different. When I read stories about gay kids being bullied and then committing suicide out of despair, or stories about mothers losing their children to disease, or children losing their fathers to war. When I consider the hate that leads to so much bloodshed and inhuman action to our fellow men.

When I am reminded of all these tragedies, or when I remember the loss of people I've loved, or when I see the pain in friends and loved ones who have family that suffer.

In all these things I desire for a better world, a just world. I desire for a world in which men shall convert their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning shears. Where people have forgotten the art of war. A world in which the little child can play near the viper's nest without fear. A world in which God wipes away every tear, in which there is no more suffering, no more sorrow. A world where every wrong is righted, where the hungry are fed, those who mourn are comforted, where the poor have a kingdom.

That is the promise of God to us in Christ. I desire a world where these faces:

Become these faces:

-CryptoLutheran

 

[Akibahara]

I think you have a bad theology of sex, sex pictured in the New Testament passages (esp. Eph 5) is actually a shadow of the unity that we will have with Christ in heaven, so if sex is one of the most exciting and sensorially heightened things we can do now our union with Christ in heaven is going to be scales of magnitude more exciting, more loving, etc.

What do you mean "union with Christ"? I know we're married to Christ in the resurrection, but how are we unified with Him that replaces sexual conduct?

Well, we don't have any knowledge about sex per se in heaven; its not completely ruled out, but it would have to involve a change in the rules as we know them in earth. However, I have all faith that if sex isn't there, something equally pleasurable will take its place. I'm not concerned with the particulars, since I'm not in any position to know or do anything about them.

I've read about that, too. The idea of an equally pleasurable or enhanced version of sexual pleasure is apparently a Biblical concept. What I'm concerned about, since I'm a very concrete person, wishing to thoroughly understand what and will happen, is what this particular "upgrade" is.

 

[Paul of Eugene OR]

That's a wonderful post of encouragement, sir. However, does it have any doctrinal basis? I would love if this were true, but most Christians deny this--and back up their claim with the Bible. More specifically, Matthew 22:30: At the resurrection people will neither marry nor be given in marriage; they will be like the angels in heaven.

Many Christian state since there's no marriage in Heaven, and since sex is permitted only between a married couple, there will be no sexual activity in our eternal Paradise.

Oh by the way, you will have tasks to perform. The gates of heaven are open, it says, and we come and go as we please; it is only our home, not our prison.

 

[ViaCrucis]

I've read about that, too. The idea of an equally pleasurable or enhanced version of sexual pleasure is apparently a Biblical concept. What I'm concerned about, since I'm a very concrete person, wishing to thoroughly understand what and will happen, is what this particular "upgrade" is.

I remember reading an article some years back, and I really wish I could remember it better, that spoke on the topic of sexuality and the Age to Come. One of the significant take-aways was that we far too often ground our sexual identity--our sexuality--in sexual acts. That human sexuality is ultimately having sex, this is how we typically think. That rarely do we consider, for example, the life of the celibate as an honest expression of one's sexuality, we very often view celibacy as a denial of one's sexuality. But celibacy, just like marriage, are expressions of human sexuality.

So the idea that there may be no sex, in the resurrection of the dead "They are neither married nor given in married", comes across to us as a rejection of sex or the sexual; instead of recognizing the possibility of a loftier, higher sense of human sexuality.

In the resurrection we will not be less than we are now, we will be more. Because the Christian hope is not a Gnostic or Manichean pipe dream of zipping up and away into an ethereal sky place for eternity without the "yuckiness" of the flesh, but instead the hope and conviction that we shall be raised from the dead even as Christ was raised, that as St. Paul says God will "give life to [our] mortal bodies" and also "sown mortal, raised immortal". In the resurrection we are not less human, we are more human: Human even as Christ is human. Not less solid, but more solid.

-CryptoLutheran

 

[mmksparbud]

Well---It doesn't look like you'll need to worry about being bored. God wants people who love Him above everything and who will be happy with Him. He wouldn't want you unhappy, so, off hand, I'd say you won't be there!!!

 

[duolos]

What do you mean "union with Christ"? I know we're married to Christ in the resurrection, but how are we unified with Him that replaces sexual conduct?

I don't know, all I know is that that is how it looks to me. The veil of sorrows will be lifted, all the sin, pain, etc that draws a veil between us and God has been taken up into His person upon the Cross and in dying and coming to life in the resurrection we are united with him and this union far surpasses any pleasure or joy that there is on earth, we behold God from glorified eyes with the things that separate us from Him now being facets and sparks of His glory.