What I think Heaven is

Some how people have seemed to confuse heaven with an old 20's movie. Has nothing to do with harps or our ideal place. It is a place to spend eternity with our Creator. It is completely perfect and there will be no pain or suffering, but only a perfect existence.No, I'm not mormon.The Christian view seems to me as if you’ll never go to heaven unless you do everything that God supposedly wants you to do and throughout your life you must live free of sin, or at least repent it afterwards. It seems a fairly corrupt system that they seem to use as a guilt trip against us to make us start believing. I know my opinion isn’t important, nor does it have to be believed, but there’s a Heaven for every one of us out there, no matter what we’ve done, I’m sure of it; while we’re here though we can make Heaven ourselves through love and through the beauty around us.

Sbut there’s a Heaven for every one of us out there, no matter what we’ve done, I’m sure of it;

What makes you so sure? Have you been there? Do you have any evidence to support your claim?

while we’re here though we can make Heaven ourselves through love and through the beauty around us.

That's actually not a bad way to live your life. If ony all religious believers acted that way.

The Christian view seems to me as if you’ll never go to heaven unless you do everything that God supposedly wants you to do and throughout your life you must live free of sin, or at least repent it afterwards. It seems a fairly corrupt system that they seem to use as a guilt trip against us to make us start believing.
Amazingly enough, I agree with this. The concept of heaven is obviously a reward for faithful service. However, I would not say its what "God suppsedly wants you to do", but say it's solely what the Church tells you to do.

It's an effective way for organized religion to control the masses.

I think there is far, far to much religion in what is supposed to be a philosophy forum, but then who would sort my M&Ms if there were no stupid people in the world?

For the record, thats my idea of Heavan, a place where all the M&Ms are sorted into seperate piles by the morose mass of simple people that continue to populate and propogate upon my earth.

The Christian view seems to me as if you’ll never go to heaven unless you do everything that God supposedly wants you to do and throughout your life you must live free of sin, or at least repent it afterwards. It seems a fairly corrupt system that they seem to use as a guilt trip against us to make us start believing. I know my opinion isn’t important, nor does it have to be believed, but there’s a Heaven for every one of us out there, no matter what we’ve done, I’m sure of it; while we’re here though we can make Heaven ourselves through love and through the beauty around us.
That is not the true Christian way. That is a warped view.

It's about believing in God and knowing you will be forgiven for your sins. That also applies to you as a person being able to forgive those who wronged you. The Amish immediately talked to the wife of the shooter and said they forgave her husband and will continue to pray for her and her family during this time. That's what it's about....FORGIVENESS.

Moppie, re-look up the definition of philosophizing. People have questions about religion, so they ask. If that's too "bothersome" start up a seperate section so you can avoid it. ;) HAHA.

That is not the true Christian way. That is a warped view.
I would disagree. IMO both your view and Chadwick's display different interpretations of Christian viewpoints.

Many Christians believe in a very similar position as stated in the first post.
I know many guilt-ridden Catholics who feel exactly as Chadwick 90 described.

IMO this is an example of a strengh and a weakness of Christianity.

There are so many different interpretations of Christianity and so many different churches that a wide variety of viewpoints can be accomodated as Christian.

IMO this is also a weakness. Many different viewpoints are simply contradictory and not all can be correct at the same time, hence my opinion that organized religion is simply illogical.

I would disagree. IMO both your view and Chadwick's display different interpretations of Christian viewpoints.

Many Christians believe in a very similar position as stated in the first post.
I know many guilt-ridden Catholics who feel exactly as Chadwick 90 described.

IMO this is an example of a strengh and a weakness of Christianity.

There are so many different interpretations of Christianity and so many different churches that a wide variety of viewpoints can be accomodated as Christian.

IMO this is also a weakness. Many different viewpoints are simply contradictory and not all can be correct at the same time, hence my opinion that organized religion is simply illogical.
Very true. Didn't think about that for some reason.

While I'm a confirmed catholic, I currently do not attend church. As the years went on in college and I was confronted with all sorts of issues to deal with, it brought on my thinking of God and faith. I don't really enjoy going to a church with tons of people. I believe in God and know he's blessed and helped me in my life more than I can even be thankful enough for.

I do plan on going back to church when I move out of my parents house in January. I really want to attend a few different churches, catholic and non-denominational and see if that's where I'm meant to be. While I've only done it once, when I was at a near breaking point in my life, going into a church when no one else is in there to pray and just sit there is the most conforting experience for me. Just going in a church is calming to me.

Being a Christian means to be a follower of Christ and his teachings. One thing He taught above all other things was the way of salvation. He was crystal clear on the one way to salvation. (getting into heaven).

Even though there are different interpretations of the minor details of Christianity (as there should be given that no 2 humans ever completly agree on anything) there is a common thread that binds them all together. That common scarlet thread is the way of salvation. Most of that other stuff that we disagree on as far as heaven is concerned usually deals with rewards once we get there. (minor details)

My 2 cents.
See you in 6 months.
Later
Dgb454

Very true. Didn't think about that for some reason.
I really want to attend a few different churches, catholic and non-denominational and see if that's where I'm meant to be. While I've only done it once, when I was at a near breaking point in my life, going into a church when no one else is in there to pray and just sit there is the most conforting experience for me. Just going in a church is calming to me.

Looking around is a very good idea. I went through a time where I was more agnostic than anything elses, and when I came back to the faith, I looked around at different denominations (didn't actually go to other churches though, being a preacher's kid makes that difficult). Anyway, there are vast, VAST differences between the Catholic faith and various protestant denominations. We're all Christian, but the differences are big in some cases. Don't know if you care, but as far as denominations, I'd recommend Catholic, Methodist, Baptist, Lutheran, and non-denominational (based in the Restoration Movement (If you're interested in knowing more about this in particular, PM me)). It pretty much covers the spectrum between traditional and more liberal. You might even try Pentacostal, but as a confirmed Catholic, I doubt you'd feel at home there. I always appreciate a good religious talk, so if you ever feel like it, PM me.

Oh, and to the OP. The whole idea sounds really nice and is really feel-good, but from a philosophical standpoint doesn't make much sense to me. Just way too postmodern sounding to me.

Not meaning to [well, maybe], sound flippant, but do your bad deeds reduce by your good deeds? Is there a scoreboard? For example, I stop to help an elderly couple change their tire, BUT that day or sometime earlier I used profanity against another person and meant it.

Does that mean a "wash"? Essentially, live your life per societal viewpoints, up to a point, and wash it out at the redemption.

Myself, I will live my life as I wish to, take the good with the bad, and worry about it all at the end, not at the time.

Would heaven look the same to everyone?