What will heaven be like?

[Truthseeker]

am close to done with the Baha'i Faith and all its sayings.
The only reason I am still a Baha'i is because of the evidence for Baha'u'llah. I get nothing for myself, nothing, and I am tired of it.

Being in heaven is not synonymous with being happy on this plane of existence. Being far from God is also not synonymous with being unhappy on this plane of existence. If heaven is nearness to God, you may still not live a happy existence here in this physical world. However, once you leave this world behind you will be happy when you are close to God.

All these examples are to show you that the trials which beset our every step, all our sorrow, pain, shame and grief, are born in the world of matter; whereas the spiritual Kingdom never causes sadness. A man living with his thoughts in this Kingdom knows perpetual joy. The ills all flesh is heir to do not pass him by, but they only touch the surface of his life, the depths are calm and serene.
‘Abdu’l-Bahá, "Paris Talks", 35.6

I swear by Thee! Every hair of my head proclaimeth: “But for the adversities that befall me in Thy path, how could I ever taste the divine sweetness of Thy tenderness and love?”
Bahá’u’lláh, "Prayers and Meditations", 127.2

I'm not implying that we ordinary human beings can do this anywhere near the extent that Baha'u'llah can do this. We will probably not be happy when suffering comes upon us. Then there is:

O Son of Man!
For everything there is a sign. The sign of love is fortitude under My decree and patience under My trials.
Bahá’u’lláh, "The Hidden Words of Bahá’u’lláh", a48

For those who attain to higher plane of spirituality:

O Son of Man!
The true lover yearneth for tribulation even as doth the rebel for forgiveness and the sinful for mercy.
Bahá’u’lláh, "The Hidden Words of Bahá’u’lláh", a49

 

[Truthseeker]

When I was in my early twenties, I was diagnosed with PTSD due to all the abuse and trauma I suffered while I was growing up. In spite of suffering from PTSD (chronic depression, anxiety, panic attacks, an eating disorder, overwhelming feelings of guilt and shame, recurring nightmares, sleep terrors, suicidal thoughts, and two failed attempts), I genuinely believed in God for the majority of my adult life and was a devout Christian for thirty years.

See post #81. Happiness and heaven are not synonymous, in my opinion. You were very unhappy, I realize that. Being a devout Christian doesn't equate necessarily to being close to God either. Do you think those who taught you what you believed and did these terrible things were close to God? I think not.

 

[Trailblazer]

Being in heaven is not synonymous with being happy on this plane of existence. Being far from God is also not synonymous with being unhappy on this plane of existence. If heaven is nearness to God, you may still not live a happy existence here in this physical world. However, once you leave this world behind you will be happy when you are close to God.

Just like every good Christian, you have an interpretation of a bunch of verses and you think you know what they mean.
Close to God, what does that mean? I think the people reading on this thread deserve to know, since they are not familiar with Baha'i lingo.

 

[Trailblazer]

Being a devout Christian doesn't equate necessarily to being close to God either.

Then what does equate to being close to God, feeling that you are close to God?
How does someone know if they are close to God, or far from God?

 

[Truthseeker]

Close to God, what does that mean? I think the people reading on this thread deserve to know, since they are not familiar with Baha'i lingo.

I can't help it, I was talking to you. I don't know what verses would be appropriate for Sgt. Pepper from Christianity, frankly.

 

[Truthseeker]

How does someone know if they are close to God, or far from God?

Those who did bad things to @Sgt. Pepper demonstrated they were far from God by their actions. The outer being reflects the inner being. I love learning by posting my answers.

 

[Trailblazer]

I can't help it, I was talking to you. I don't know what verses would be appropriate for Sgt. Pepper from Christianity, frankly.

There should be something in the Bible if being close to God is so important. Baha'u'llah did not bring any new spiritual teachings.

 

[Trailblazer]

Those who did bad things to @Sgt. Pepper demonstrated they were far from God by their actions. The outer being reflects the inner being.

True, but what about being close to God? Is it their actions that demonstrate closeness. What if they don't feel close but serve God anyway?

 

[Trailblazer]

O Son of Man!
For everything there is a sign. The sign of love is fortitude under My decree and patience under My trials.
Bahá’u’lláh, "The Hidden Words of Bahá’u’lláh", a48

Some time ago, you and I agreed that I have fortitude under God's decree and patience under God's trials, but I do not feel love for God.

 

[Truthseeker]

There should be something in the Bible if being close to God is so important. Baha'u'llah did not bring any new spiritual teachings.

Yes, He did, He extended our knowledge of what the spiritual teachings are. I don't know Christian scripture as well as Baha'i Writings, either. This is a failing of mine. I don't know if there is something there that would demonstrate what I am saying.

 

[Sgt. Pepper]

Just like every good Christian, you have an interpretation of a bunch of verses and you think you know what they mean.
Close to God, what does that mean? I think the people reading on this thread deserve to know, since they are not familiar with Baha'i lingo.

The majority of "good Christians" I've met have been dismissive of my abusive childhood and years of PTSD because the living hell that was my reality for much of my life does not align with their version of God, their personal interpretation of the Bible, or in this case, their interpretation of Baha'i beliefs.

 

[Truthseeker]

True, but what about being close to God? Is it their actions that demonstrate closeness. What if they don't feel close but serve God anyway?

Definitely they have some degree of closeness if a person serves God, in my opinion, because their outer actions proclaim that. I hope that @Sgt. Pepper can see that as reasonable, but who knows. I am learning from this exchange, by thinking this through, and responding to your honest questions.

 

[Truthseeker]

The majority of "good Christians" I've met have been dismissive of my abusive childhood and years of PTSD because the living hell that was my reality for the majority of my life doesn't align with their version of God, their personal interpretation of the Bible, or in this case, their interpretation of Baha'i beliefs.

I like your honesty.

 

[Trailblazer]

Definitely they have some degree of closeness if a person serves God, in my opinion, because their outer actions proclaim that. I hope that @Sgt. Pepper can see that as reasonable, but who knows. I am learning from this exchange, by thinking this through, and responding to your honest questions.

What do you think this passage means?

“It should be remembered in this connection that the one true God is in Himself exalted beyond and above proximity and remoteness. His reality transcendeth such limitations. His relationship to His creatures knoweth no degrees. That some are near and others are far is to be ascribed to the manifestations themselves.

That the heart is the throne, in which the Revelation of God the All-Merciful is centered, is attested by the holy utterances which We have formerly revealed.”
Gleanings From the Writings of Bahá’u’lláh, p. 185

 

[Sgt. Pepper]

True, but what about being close to God? Is it their actions that demonstrate closeness. What if they don't feel close but serve God anyway?

When I was a devout Christian, I read the Bible every single day and read it cover to cover many times. I also went to church on a regular basis on Sunday, and nearly every time the doors were open. If I was out of town and unable to attend my home church, I went to another. I prayed and read a devotional every single day. I was active in Sunday School and youth ministry, volunteered on behalf of my church, and orchestrated mission trips to foreign countries.

I extensively studied the Bible and Christian theology for nearly five years in an effort to help my nephew earn his Master of Theological Studies degree, and I completed extensive training in an evangelism ministry and led an evangelism team in street preaching in various locations across the country.

Dare I ask what else I could have done to get closer to God?

 

[Aupmanyav]

That was not a threat. It was only a heads-up. What's to be afraid of?
Then I guess you had better stay away from Christian counselors.

There is nothing in the world to be afraid of. Being afraid does not even help in difficult situations.
I have never needed or need counselors. That is an American phenomenon.

 

[ADigitalArtist]

To me heaven or hell is of no concern. The less time spent fantasizing or fearing the hereafter, the more engagement there is in this life on its own merits. Makes me pay attention to the river I'm in instead of the ocean it may empty into.

 

[Sgt. Pepper]

When I was a devout Christian, I read the Bible every single day and read it cover to cover many times. I also went to church on a regular basis on Sunday, and nearly every time the doors were open. If I was out of town and unable to attend my home church, I went to another. I prayed and read a devotional every single day. I was active in Sunday School and youth ministry, volunteered on behalf of my church, and orchestrated mission trips to foreign countries.

I extensively studied the Bible and Christian theology for nearly five years in an effort to help my nephew earn his Master of Theological Studies degree, and I completed extensive training in an evangelism ministry and led an evangelism team in street preaching in various locations across the country.

Dare I ask what else I could have done to get closer to God?

And I did all of this while suffering from PTSD (as I mentioned in my post here) and attempting to conceal and cope with my mediumship, which caused confusion as well as feelings of guilt and shame for having the psychic ability to communicate with the dead despite knowing that the Bible forbade it.

 

[Aupmanyav]

It's metaphorical. It's not literal.

Why above? Why not below? Why not in other directions? But then you say it is on earth, right here. Why was your God's manifestation taking up wrong metaphors? Saying whatever came to his mind at that point of time?

I think there's only one heaven but people are at various levels within heaven, according to their level of spiritual attainment in this life, faith and deeds.

Has not your 'manifestation' talked about that. It is one and 'above'. Did he talk about different levels in heaven. Why are you making up things by yourself?

 

[Trailblazer]

Dare I ask what else I could have done to get closer to God?

I cannot imagine anything else you could have done.