coatta@cs.ubc.ca (Terry Coatta) (01/09/91)
I am curious about our current ideas of the nature of heaven. Most descriptions reveal a place very removed from our physical existence. In heaven, we are even stripped of the relationship of marriage (described elsewhere as yielding ``one flesh''). And yet, in reading Genesis I find that God created a physical world, with relationships amongst its people (Adam and Eve), and declared that world ``good''. While it is true that the sin of Adam and Eve destroyed this paradise, and, apparently left us with the world which we see today, I am curious why God should have abandoned this conception of paradise. If Eden was indeed a perfect world for us, why does that not remain the case? If Eden was not perfect in God's eyes why did he create it as such? If the relationships between people are not binding beyond death, why were such relationships an inherent part of the original creation? -- Terry Coatta (coatta@cs.ubc.ca) Dept. of Computer Science, UBC, Vancouver BC, Canada `What I lack in intelligence, I more than compensate for with stupidity'
barry1@ihlpa.att.com (Barry O Olson) (01/15/91)
In article <Jan.9.03.52.35.1991.3212@athos.rutgers.edu>, coatta@cs.ubc.ca (Terry Coatta) writes: > us, why does that not remain the case? If Eden was not perfect in God's > eyes why did he create it as such? If the relationships between people > are not binding beyond death, why were such relationships an inherent > part of the original creation? As part of our learning process? To populate the earth? No one can say why God did what He did in Eden. We think He anticipated the fall, some say He didn't. We can learn why relationships are necessary here on earth in our fallen state, by asking ouselves, what is the desired effect of relationships here on fallen earth. They teach us many things over time, things that may not be necessary in the Kingdom come. barry olson
uriel@oak.circa.ufl.edu (Scott Whitmore) (01/15/91)
>In heaven, we are even stripped of the relationship of marriage >(described elsewhere as yielding ``one flesh''). And yet, in >reading Genesis I find that God created a physical world, with >relationships amongst its people (Adam and Eve), and declared that >world ``good''. The Biblical conception of Heaven is not one explicitly of naked spirituality. This is part of Greek philosophy, not Hebrew theology. The main picture is one of ultimate closeness to God; marriage is obsolete in Heaven because there, one will be united to God and to one's brothers and sisters in a relationship whose intimacy will make that of earthly spouses look like pen-pals. The natural world will be raised up in the Resurrection, just as will humanity (Romans 8:19-22). And the resurrection body of Christ (and, by inference, of all the saints) is material (St.John 20:25-28), or transmaterial at any rate. >While it is true that the sin of Adam and Eve >destroyed this paradise, and, apparently left us with the world >which we see today, I am curious why God should have abandoned this >conception of paradise. "...Narnia is not dead. This is Narnia." "But how can it be?" said Peter. "For Aslan told us older ones that we should never return to Narnia, and here we are." "Yes," said Eustace, "And we saw it all destroyed and the sun put out." "And it's all so different," said Lucy. "The Eagle is right," said the Lord Digory. "Listen, Peter. When Aslan said you could never go back to Narnia, he meant the Narnia you were thinking of. But that was not the real Narnia. That had a beginning and an end. It was only a shadow or copy of the real Narnia, which has always been here and always will be here... All of the old Narnia that mattered, all the dear creatures, have been drawn into the real Narnia through the Door. And of course it is different; as different as a real thing is from a shadow or as waking life from a dream." -- _The Last Battle_, C.S. Lewis -- >Terry Coatta (coatta@cs.ubc.ca) >Dept. of Computer Science, UBC, Vancouver BC, Canada Scott -- Scott Whitmore Internet: uriel@maple.circa.ufl.edu 24-510 Tolbert Hall or uriel@maple.decnet%pine.circa.ufl.edu Gainesville, FL 32612 (USA) Friendly Neighborhood Standard Disclaimer "The Devil...the prowde spirit...cannot bear to be mocked." --Thomas More (?)