Philosophy and Religion

Greeting Gnafia,

I've discovered that times that you're a little out of touch with your body and fine motor functions are great for doing some deep thinking. I'm not saying these are great times in general, but often I get the feeling that I'm floating in some water and my body feels a bit lighter than usual. I try to avoid getting up too fast and other potentially dangerous tasks, which gives me ample time to think. I also realize thinking is probably more dangerous than standing up for me. Oh, the irony.

At any rate, I've had plenty of time to think. I've started to ponder some great topics such as 'What is Heaven like?' and 'Can God give you his undivided attention?'.

Heaven, as the Bible tells us, is the house of God. There really isn't a whole lot else said about it, other than it's a pretty spectacular place to be. I began thinking, however, as to what such a place might be like. If it is somewhere that all people should want to go, and it is a paradise, how do you reoncile if different people have different ideals of paradise? What if under no circumstances would I define Heaven to be any place where I had to share the same space (regardless of how big and endless that space is) with certain people? Or vice versa? Are there separate 'instances' of Heaven for each person?

The answer to the above questions is that it isn't that Heaven is created to be my paradise. No, I do not believe either that the 99 Virginians promised by the Quar'an are a suitable representation of such a place. (But hey, if the extremists want to blow themselves up to go get their asses kicked in the afterlife by the founding fathers, more power to them. Just go explode over there.) Rather, the paradise aspect is because you get to exist in the presence of God. Such a paradise is certainly beyond the reach of human imagination. Though, if you're afraid you're going to have to run into that Department Head or Executive Officer in Heaven, I think John 14:2-3 sheds some light:

"JOH 14:2  In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would
have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you.

3  And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you
to be with me that you also may be where I am."

So it looks like we each get our own room. I don't have to share with 1st and listen for eternity how he could probably swim to Okinawa or Sasebo from Iwo Jima. Phew!

But this raised a second question. Can God give me his undivided attention? With roughly six billion people in the world, and approximately what, 1.5 billion Christians? 1.5 billion Christians whom, if we presume each recieve an equal share of God's attention, relates to 0.0000576 seconds of God's time that he devotes his attention to me each day. Thankfully God can do anything He wants in that 0.0000576 seconds, and can do everything, too. Otherwise I'd probably be hosed because I couldn't accomplish anything, even blinking, in that short period of time. I mean, in my entire life that's only 1.68192 seconds of God's time assuming I live to be 80 years old! Actually a little more, given leap years, but lets be realistic with the significant figures, eh?

Then it hit me. God isn't restricted by time. Perhapes he give his undivided attention to a single person throughout their entire life, then goes on to the next person in line, heads back to the next person that was born, see's their life through, and so on and so forth. God can be anywhere, at any time, and in as many places at as many times as He chooses! Phew. Of course, that begs to ask the question if humans can ever wrestle themselves free of the grasps of time. How awesome would that be? It might be like TiVo... for your life... sweet.

Hopefully this short insight into my philosophical musings amused you. Feel free to leave a comment if you want. If it sucks, it probably won't justify a reply, though.

Keep it in the family.