The paradox of sinful nature, and heaven.
Current Christian doctrine states that man is born with a sinful nature. This sinful nature is within every human being because of Adam's sin. We live on earth with this sinful nature and by being born again, our sins are forgiven, yet we still have have sinful nature. At the core of this sinful nature is our capacity for free will, which enables us to chose to go left or right. Our sinful nature wants us to commit sin and we have a choice as to whether we do that or not. If we didn't have a choice then we could not be judged. Little of this is disputed by most Christian theologians. This sinful nature also forms one of the foundational elements of our personalities. Our gluttonous pursuits, sexual tendencies, our ego and insecurities all stem from our sinful nature according to the Bible, yet they are part of the core of who we are on earth. Without these "drives" we would be very different people, internally as well as in our practical lives. Almost unrecognizable.
Christian doctrine also states that when we go to heaven we will no longer have a sinful nature or any desire to sin.
Now the paradox is this, if this component is removed and all our selfish drives whether that be sexual, financial or social would be removed. For all intents and purposes we would be similar to a person who has been lobotomised as this component of our personality would have been cut out. We would be similar to worshipping Zombies as we would have no free will anymore. Your desire to do anything but what God wanted would have been removed. Thus you would have no more free will.
The second paradox concerning heaven is grief. If your child was an unbeliever and went to hell, you would naturally grieve for her for eternity. Would you stop grieving after 2 million years? Would you never grieve her at all considering the emotional high that heaven would be? Would you simply forget about her in an instant? Considering the scripture that those in heaven can see those suffering in hell, this question becomes even more relevant, however we are still told about the worshipping masses in heaven, with people dancing and singing on the streets of gold. The only way scripture could be consistent, is if we had no regrets or grief for lost ones that didn't make it.
The only way that this could occur is if we also had a mental lobotomy, removing any memory of our lives on earth. Combining that with the emotional lobotomy of our personal desires, what type of person would we be? No memory and no desire?
Christian doctrine also states that when we go to heaven we will no longer have a sinful nature or any desire to sin.
Now the paradox is this, if this component is removed and all our selfish drives whether that be sexual, financial or social would be removed. For all intents and purposes we would be similar to a person who has been lobotomised as this component of our personality would have been cut out. We would be similar to worshipping Zombies as we would have no free will anymore. Your desire to do anything but what God wanted would have been removed. Thus you would have no more free will.
The second paradox concerning heaven is grief. If your child was an unbeliever and went to hell, you would naturally grieve for her for eternity. Would you stop grieving after 2 million years? Would you never grieve her at all considering the emotional high that heaven would be? Would you simply forget about her in an instant? Considering the scripture that those in heaven can see those suffering in hell, this question becomes even more relevant, however we are still told about the worshipping masses in heaven, with people dancing and singing on the streets of gold. The only way scripture could be consistent, is if we had no regrets or grief for lost ones that didn't make it.
The only way that this could occur is if we also had a mental lobotomy, removing any memory of our lives on earth. Combining that with the emotional lobotomy of our personal desires, what type of person would we be? No memory and no desire?
posted by benisonp at 8:09 AM
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