Is Heaven a better place than here on Earth?

2nd Coming

I'd like to know from a Christian perspective, do you consider heaven as a better place than being on Earth right here right now? Would you prefer to be in heaven than to slave away in the material world with the pressure of jobs & responsibilities & commitments etc.?

kelly1

Heaven is certainly a happier place than earth but one great thing about earth is that we have the opportunity at every moment to gain merit (treasure in Heaven, that moth cannot consume etc.)

2nd Coming

kelly1 wrote: »

Heaven is certainly a happier place than earth

Then why don't christians just kill themselves if heaven is a better place than Earth?

no.1

Isn't killing yourself a sin or something? Good question though. If I believed in heaven I would definitely want to get there as quick as possible.

2nd Coming, you could of hid that trap a bit more subtly - it was very obvious, and not well done to be honest.

Let me guess, you just watched Religulous?

chozometroid

2nd Coming wrote: »

I'd like to know from a Christian perspective, do you consider heaven as a better place than being on Earth right here right now? Would you prefer to be in heaven than to slave away in the material world with the pressure of jobs & responsibilities & commitments etc.?

I prefer the idea of heaven with my creator.
But I think most people would prefer to slave away in the material world rather than worship God. Material things are temporal, but most people live for them.

Húrin

There are many reasons not to kill myself, but perhaps the one most relevant to this conversation, is that I seek to realise the Kingdom of Heaven inside of me. I want to learn how to live so that when I do get to heaven, its goodness will not feel like a shock to me.

Puck

2nd Coming wrote: »

Then why don't christians just kill themselves if heaven is a better place than Earth?

Like I couldn't see that one coming a mile off. Why not just come to your point straight away? Of course you knew Christians think heaven is better than earth. Are you familiar with regular speech at all? If someone describes something as "heavenly" or like "heaven" did you think it meant "average" or even "not so good"? Of course not! You, like everyone else know that heaven is "a good thing" to put it mildly, but you had to have your little set up question. How about being genuine and straightforward eh?

As for why I don't kill myself right now and go to be with Christ - I believe there is more to the Christian life than simply going to heaven, if that was the case I would simply be taken there the moment I first believed. I believe that I, like all other Christians, have a role to play on earth. God is in control and the very fact that I am still breathing is proof to me he wants me here for the moment. I do not fear death though, because "For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain." (Philippians 1:21).

2nd Coming

-JammyDodger- wrote: »

2nd Coming, you could of hid that trap a bit more subtly - it was very obvious, and not well done to be honest.

Let me guess, you just watched Religulous?

Jammydodger, for somebody who is repeating their leaving cert, your grammar is pretty sh!t. It's "you could have hidden". Just thought I'd throw in that nitpick.

And as an atheist, why are you shooting me down? Yes I did watch Religulous. Bill Maher raised a good question, I want to share it. Now stop being annoying and go study your 1st year English lessons.

Like I couldn't see that one coming a mile off. Why not just come to your point straight away?

Because I think it's funnier and more dramatic if somebody falls into the trap, and then I pounce. And it worked.

I, like all other Christians, have a role to play on earth.

So you have a role to play on Earth. What role is that? Save mankind from asteroids? Discover new planets? discover a cure for AIDS or Cancer? What is your role? Don't tell me you work in a shop or an office or something cos that doesn't seem like a role that almighty god would give to some one. Why not just go to heaven? I swear if I believed in heaven I would be shooting myself in the head right now to get there as quick as possible.

chozometroid

Suicide is murder, so it's not a free pass to heaven like some might say.

2nd Coming

Suicide is murder, so it's not a free pass to heaven like some might say.

So if a priest commited suicide he's going to hell? Everybody knows that depression isn't a choice, nobody chooses that as a way of life. If you're depressed you basically have an illness that must be cured. Some people can't handle it, and decide to end their lives. (like my grandfather.) So they go to hell??? That's great. Very nice of the lord our saviour to give them depression and then send them to burn in hell.


All I'm asking is, if heaven is the ultimate dream for all christians, why not end your lives and go there NOW!!??

chozometroid

2nd Coming wrote: »

So if a priest commited suicide he's going to hell? Everybody knows that depression isn't a choice, nobody chooses that as a way of life. If you're depressed you basically have an illness that must be cured. Some people can't handle it, and decide to end their lives. (like my grandfather.) So they go to hell??? That's great. Very nice of the lord our saviour to give them depression and then send them to burn in hell.


All I'm asking is, if heaven is the ultimate dream for all christians, why not end your lives and go there NOW!!??

This is another discussion altogether, but if someone is not in their right state of mind, they would be judged accordingly.
I highly doubt every Christian on earth is depressed to the point of mental illness, though. So, I don't think your option is a viable one.

I'm sure you're just trolling, but maybe someone who really cares might read this.

True Christians should want to live and bring others to know God while they are here. If you don't learn to love God during this life, it's going to be hard to get into God's kingdom.

2nd Coming

2nd Coming wrote: »

I'd like to know from a Christian perspective, do you consider heaven as a better place than being on Earth (Your syntax is a bit off here) right here, right now? Would you prefer to be in heaven than to slave away in the material world with the pressure of jobs & responsibilities & commitments etc.?

2nd Coming wrote: »

Then why don't christians just kill themselves if heaven is a better place than Earth?

2nd Coming wrote: »

Jammydodger, for somebody who is repeating their leaving cert., your grammar is pretty sh!t. It's "you could have hidden". I Just thought I'd throw in that nitpick.

And, as an atheist, why are you shooting me down? Yes, I did watch Religulous. Bill Maher raised a good question, and, I want to share it. Now stop being annoying and go study your 1st year English lessons.

Because I think it's funnier and more dramatic if somebody falls into the trap, and then I pounce. And it worked.

So, you have a role to play on Earth. What role is that? Save mankind from asteroids? Discover new planets? discover a cure for AIDS or Cancer? What is your role? Don't tell me you work in a shop or an office or something cos that doesn't seem like a role that almighty god would give to some one. Why not just go to heaven? I swear, if I believed in heaven I would be shooting myself in the head right now to get there as quick as possible.

2nd Coming wrote: »

So, if a priest commited suicide, he's going to hell? Everybody knows that depression isn't a choice, nobody chooses that as a way of life. If you're depressed you basically have an illness that must be cured. Some people can't handle it, and decide to end their lives. (like my grandfather.) So they go to hell??? That's great. Very nice of the lord our saviour to give them depression and then send them to burn in hell.

All I'm asking is, if heaven is the ultimate dream for all christians, why not end your lives and go there NOW!!??

Suggestions for corrections are in bold. You wanted to be pedantic, didn't you?

And to answer your question: We (atheists) are capable of producing much stronger, and frankly, better arguments than "why don't you kill yourself if heaven is so much better than Earth?".

Húrin

2nd Coming wrote: »

Don't tell me you work in a shop or an office or something cos that doesn't seem like a role that almighty god would give to some one. Why not just go to heaven?

Whoever puts himself first will be last. Having a purpose is not about fame, glamour or glory. Helping people and thus living the Gospel here on earth in whatever form that takes is a role. Whatever we do to anyone else, we do to Christ. If my life results in the people I know being slightly happier than they would otherwise have been I am endlessly thankful to God for that.

I swear if I believed in heaven I would be shooting myself in the head right now to get there as quick as possible.

By ending your life you would end any chance of helping people in the time you have here. I don't think that any level-headed Christian could act with such unbelievable disregard for other people. God knows the true believers, and the gate that leads to life is narrow and very few people find it.

2nd Coming

JammyDodger, if my posts were spoken word then you would find no mistakes. You can't see capitals and punctuation when listening to somebody speak. Plus I don't put capital letters on words like christian or god, as that would be giving respect which is not deserved. So you lose.

Back on topic.

So if I was a catholic priest, 20 years of die hard service under my belt, and suffered from depression, would I go to heaven if I said to myself "I can't take it any more, I want to go to heaven, I feel depressed" and then shot myself in the head?

Forget about depression actually. Just say any christian believer was to announce to god "GOD I WANT TO BE WITH YOU IN HEAVEN I LOVE YOU" and proceeded to blast their face off with a shotgun... would they go to heaven?

Are any of you tempted to try it? According to scripture, heaven is the place to be.

Puck

For your information I work for the church. I have worked in a shop and in a kitchen in previous jobs. In those jobs I had just as valid a role to play. My goal is in all ways to make a big deal of Jesus Christ, whether that is peeling a spud to the best of my ability or preaching the gospel I am serving God. Unlike yourself, I see nothing wrong with working in a shop, people in sales have just as much worth as anyone else.

Your trap worked? You have succeeded in demonstrating nothing but your own ignorance and the lack of an ability to carry on a discussion like an adult.

Your original question has already been answered. I am still alive because God wants me here. The discussion about whether or not suicide leads to hell is another discussion entirely. Are you so bad at argument that you need to jump from topic to topic just to keep going?

According to Scripture "the place to be" is wherever God wants me to be. He's the boss.

Fanny Cradock

Let's keep the grammatical arguments out of this discussion. 2nd Coming, given that your tactic of lulling the opposition into a false sense of security was painfully transparent, it would more polite if you asked an open and honest question and dispensed with attempting to spring your conspicuously hulking trap.

As for your question - I believe that your need to ask it shows an ignorance about one the basic foundations of Christianity. This foundation centres on the belief that a relationship begins here and now with God. One doesn't start going out with a person just to marry them (though this might be one of your end goals). It's about building a deep and rewarding relationship with that person. Similarly, one does not become a Christian just to go to heaven, rather it about building a deep and rewarding relationship with God. You might think that it's all a load of crap, but you don't have to be a believer to grasp the concept.

Asiaprod

2nd Coming is gone, there will be no 3rd Coming:)

no.1 you are on my radar