The shoe theory of Heaven and Hell
Posed by P.S.A. at the message board on http://www.randi.org
...This is one of the core reasons why I don't accept the concept of Heaven... Or at least, the idylic interpretation of Heaven as a place of endless pleasure is certainly hopelessly simplistic. In order for Heaven to logically possible, those who exist within it must have their natures changed from what they were on Earth. Even the greatest Saint has minor sins, and unfulfilled wishes and regrets... but in Heaven these things must be sloughed off. The Catholic Church is actually being rather sensible when it says there is no sex in Heaven; it's natural to want, and what you can't have is often what you want the most. But you cannot be rewarded these things in Heaven... not and have Heaven be a completly Just and Honest place too.
The nature of Heaven is thus completely irrelevant to the rules we must live by here on Earth; because the person we were here on Earth is inevitably going to have to be changed to fit into Heaven. This will not be a mere body-shape change, like catterpillar to butterfly, but our thoughts, our consciousness must change too... for it's their that some of our sinfulness lies.
However, if we are all to have out natures changed when we get to Heaven, in what sense have "We" actually made it to Heaven? And does this mean that those in Hell are equally changed, so there cannot be any goodness in Hell just like there can be no sadness or unrequited desire in Heaven (for even the most evil men have some small goodness within them)? Or are we making an argument that you cease to exist if you follow God, but remain as you are, even if eternally tormented, if you abandon him? And if so, why the double standard?
In theory, heaven and hell could actually be the same place; Everyone who has ever died is staring at a single shoe, but those who are in Heaven are rewarded by being given a sense of ecstasy when doing so, and those given Hell are turned into people who feel disgusted by a shoe. And why not, if we are going to say our nature must be changed? It doesn't have to make any sense at all... all that matters is that God can make it make sense.
Do I find the thought of eternal life scary? Not really; because my nature will be what ever it will be in the afterlife... Assuming it exists, which I'm not convinced the logic allows you to conclude to be the case. But I dont find the thought that it might exist all that appealing anyway. I don't see much pleasure in thinking I might end up doing nothing more varied than stare at a shoe for an eternity, and loving every second of it. And if you think that sounds silly, consider this... the Christian interpretation of Heaven is that we will all become angels, and spend our eternity worshipping God. Hmmmm...
...This is one of the core reasons why I don't accept the concept of Heaven... Or at least, the idylic interpretation of Heaven as a place of endless pleasure is certainly hopelessly simplistic. In order for Heaven to logically possible, those who exist within it must have their natures changed from what they were on Earth. Even the greatest Saint has minor sins, and unfulfilled wishes and regrets... but in Heaven these things must be sloughed off. The Catholic Church is actually being rather sensible when it says there is no sex in Heaven; it's natural to want, and what you can't have is often what you want the most. But you cannot be rewarded these things in Heaven... not and have Heaven be a completly Just and Honest place too.
The nature of Heaven is thus completely irrelevant to the rules we must live by here on Earth; because the person we were here on Earth is inevitably going to have to be changed to fit into Heaven. This will not be a mere body-shape change, like catterpillar to butterfly, but our thoughts, our consciousness must change too... for it's their that some of our sinfulness lies.
However, if we are all to have out natures changed when we get to Heaven, in what sense have "We" actually made it to Heaven? And does this mean that those in Hell are equally changed, so there cannot be any goodness in Hell just like there can be no sadness or unrequited desire in Heaven (for even the most evil men have some small goodness within them)? Or are we making an argument that you cease to exist if you follow God, but remain as you are, even if eternally tormented, if you abandon him? And if so, why the double standard?
In theory, heaven and hell could actually be the same place; Everyone who has ever died is staring at a single shoe, but those who are in Heaven are rewarded by being given a sense of ecstasy when doing so, and those given Hell are turned into people who feel disgusted by a shoe. And why not, if we are going to say our nature must be changed? It doesn't have to make any sense at all... all that matters is that God can make it make sense.
Do I find the thought of eternal life scary? Not really; because my nature will be what ever it will be in the afterlife... Assuming it exists, which I'm not convinced the logic allows you to conclude to be the case. But I dont find the thought that it might exist all that appealing anyway. I don't see much pleasure in thinking I might end up doing nothing more varied than stare at a shoe for an eternity, and loving every second of it. And if you think that sounds silly, consider this... the Christian interpretation of Heaven is that we will all become angels, and spend our eternity worshipping God. Hmmmm...