Perpetual Bliss

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Would we really like "perpetual bliss" forever?

Poll ended at Wed Feb 13, 2008 10:57 pm

 
Total votes: 0

_JAK
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Perpetual Bliss

Post by _JAK »

Jersey Girl wrote:No JAK,

I don't want that. The more I think about "man's" idea of heaven, the more convinced I am that it's not where I want to be. I think that what drives the human spirit (or at least my own) is the ability to impact others, striving toward a goal, working hard to acheive it and the "high" that comes when you have. The opportunity to heal a hurt place in someone or lift someone up. Without the "down" places how will I appreciate the "ups"? The only think that I think lends "bliss" to the human spirit is the building up of each other. If there is perpetual bliss, what need is there to build? What about art? One thing that separates human beings from animals is artistic expression. How can we appreciate the addition of color, form and line if there is no contrast between that and the drabness of the world?

According to the Bible, there is no sea in the eternities. How awful would that be for me never to see the ocean again? And what good is an ocean without waves? How can we appreciate the changes in nature in a place where nothing changes? How can we live in a place where there hypothetically IS no nature when that's what we've loved and lived in all along?

I want skinned knees and tears. I want to feel sorrow so that when the joy comes, I appreciate it. I want to be sick only to feel well again. I want to have a mountain to move so I can work hard to move it and feel satisfied when I do. I want storms to appreciate the sunshine. Sunsets that turn to darkness and back to sunrise again. I want problems to solve and people to comfort. I want fires that burn down forests so I can see the reforestation of natural places. I want to lose people so I remember to appreciate people. I want babies to cry so I can rock them. I want rough places in life so I can appreciate the smooth places. I want things to wear out so I can make them new again.

I don't want to feel satisfied forever. I want to want forever.

I want a chance to change something.

Jersey Girl


Jersey Girl,

What an excellent post!

Without doubt the human heredity and environment produce people who are curious and interested in new, expanded views. We tend to want “to change something.” The best of our lot wants change for the better and for the benefit of others as well as ourselves.

But a static state hardly satisfies the intellect of humans. Contrary to some religious dogmas, each of us is not only unique, but did not exist until the combination of genes and DNA produced us as individuals. None of us is our ancestor. While we are a product of our ancestors, we as individuals have our own identity and, AND the capacity to make our own contribution to those whom we influence by word, thought, deed, and example.

The concept of “forever” is illusive. We cannot comprehend a static state endlessly. And as you so aptly reflect, we would not want it if we had it.

Without question, “The opportunity to heal a hurt place in someone or lift someone up” is not only a joy for those heal a hurt but a joy for those whose hurt is healed.

Of course if one assumes (faith without reason) that heaven is “perpetual bliss,” such a person must necessarily discount intellect of humans.

Intellectually, we are always looking for new ideas, new invention, new solutions. The conventional notions of heaven are generally stuck in the answer to: What do I like most?

Food only tastes good when we are sufficiently hungry to appreciate it. When we are stuffed, another piece of pie is not good. It does not sound good, it would not taste very good, and it would not be good for us.

A notion of heaven where everyone eats into obesity without becoming obese is the notion that many have.

Of course from “the Bible,” people can construct any fiction they wish on virtually any topic. War and killing are justified. Love is justified. Kindness is justified. Debauchery is justified.

For most, heaven is perceived as “a place,” or “a state” without change.

JAK
_Imwashingmypirate
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Post by _Imwashingmypirate »

The Nehor wrote:If by perpetual bliss you mean perpetual inactivity then I can see the flaw.

By perpetual bliss I mean entering a society/culture of perfect beings who understand each other and work together to create and expand, the power to make your wishes reality, a pure love for all who dwell with you and beyond and their love returning to you, and free pie.


But if one were in perpetual bliss there would be no need to create and expand. Everything would stay still because it would be perfect bliss. Not that it is really ever possible, but if it were, it would be boring and there would be no future because everyone would "understand each other" and so nothing to work on. Thus everyone would be as intellegent as they could and so no education. No need for medicine as there is bliss no work, no worries. Nothing but blissfulness.
Just punched myself on the face...
_JAK
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"Perpetual Bliss"

Post by _JAK »

Imwashingmypirate wrote:
The Nehor wrote:If by perpetual bliss you mean perpetual inactivity then I can see the flaw.

By perpetual bliss I mean entering a society/culture of perfect beings who understand each other and work together to create and expand, the power to make your wishes reality, a pure love for all who dwell with you and beyond and their love returning to you, and free pie.


But if one were in perpetual bliss there would be no need to create and expand. Everything would stay still because it would be perfect bliss. Not that it is really ever possible, but if it were, it would be boring and there would be no future because everyone would "understand each other" and so nothing to work on. Thus everyone would be as intellegent as they could and so no education. No need for medicine as there is bliss no work, no worries. Nothing but blissfulness.


Exactly.

Ron Serling was always challenging the conservative, conventional thinking in his weekly broadcasts of The Twilight Zone. Virtually all of his shows tended to make people somewhat uncomfortable and to make people think.

Interestingly it was many from the religious community who objected to his episode in which he subtly challenged the notion of “perpetual bliss” or what most tended to regard as a concept of heaven.

Of course if one pictures heaven as a state of nothing such as before we were born, one might attempt to argue that it would be “perpetual bliss.”

None of us has a genuine self-experienced memory of 1880 and what life in any given place was like in that year or any other year long before our existence.

We can read and watch history. We can see video of that first flight of the Wright brothers, but we were not there. So our mind is an informed mind with as much clear evidence back 100 years.

For most of us, change (especially change for the better) is welcomed. Not all, however. For some, the good old days are what they wish they had today – along with all our modern medical health care of course.

JAK
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Post by _truth dancer »

Ummm... anyone who says no to perpetual bliss has never had nitrous oxide.

;-)



~dancer~
"The search for reality is the most dangerous of all undertakings for it destroys the world in which you live." Nisargadatta Maharaj
_antishock8
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Post by _antishock8 »

The Nehor wrote:If by perpetual bliss you mean perpetual inactivity then I can see the flaw.

By perpetual bliss I mean entering a society/culture of perfect beings who understand each other and work together to create and expand, the power to make your wishes reality, a pure love for all who dwell with you and beyond and their love returning to you, and free pie.


The Borg?
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_The Nehor
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Post by _The Nehor »

Imwashingmypirate wrote:
The Nehor wrote:If by perpetual bliss you mean perpetual inactivity then I can see the flaw.

By perpetual bliss I mean entering a society/culture of perfect beings who understand each other and work together to create and expand, the power to make your wishes reality, a pure love for all who dwell with you and beyond and their love returning to you, and free pie.


But if one were in perpetual bliss there would be no need to create and expand. Everything would stay still because it would be perfect bliss. Not that it is really ever possible, but if it were, it would be boring and there would be no future because everyone would "understand each other" and so nothing to work on. Thus everyone would be as intellegent as they could and so no education. No need for medicine as there is bliss no work, no worries. Nothing but blissfulness.


Why does everyone seem to want to make bliss into stagnation? It's bliss BECAUSE things are happening and things are interesting.
"Surely he knows that DCP, The Nehor, Lamanite, and other key apologists..." -Scratch clarifying my status in apologetics
"I admit it; I'm a petty, petty man." -Some Schmo
_The Nehor
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Post by _The Nehor »

antishock8 wrote:The Borg?


I don't think the Borg have pie.
"Surely he knows that DCP, The Nehor, Lamanite, and other key apologists..." -Scratch clarifying my status in apologetics
"I admit it; I'm a petty, petty man." -Some Schmo
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