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[Borodin]

You know, not to stop this Noel Coward-type wit, but the person who started this thread wanted to know what "heaven" meant to Roman Catholics. I don't think anybody has bothered to answer, yet.

Sorry that I can't, but I'm a witch. Yes, seriously: initiated 28 years ago, but one long before that in substance. Come on, now: there has to be at least one Roman Catholic, whether lapsed or active, who can reply to this.

[a1s]

BTW, I forgot to ask, what is efthimioses oppinion on the topic? what does he make of the whole heaven thing?

[MrBackAlleySka]

Originally posted by a1s@Jul 13 2005, 04:32 AM
as an atheist to author (belivers should flame me by PM only):
heaven is an illusion. when you come home ant there is hot water and good friends, that's heaven. when you die, it's death and worms eat you. that doesn't nean you should do bad things, that would not benfit the society, and is thus counterproductive ...

Spoken like a true Ur-Quan drone. No, seriously. Im with yah on that one. Im athiest too and my beleifs are the same as his

[drumminfreek]

*hisssss!!!*
*makes fingers into a cross at Borodin*
LOL
just jokin...

Originally posted by Borodin@Jul 13 2005, 08:00 PM
You know, not to stop this Noel Coward-type wit, but the person who started this thread wanted to know what "heaven" meant to Roman Catholics.* I don't think anybody has bothered to answer, yet.

Sorry that I can't, but I'm a witch.* Yes, seriously: initiated 28 years ago, but one long before that in substance.* Come on, now: there has to be at least one Roman Catholic, whether lapsed or active, who can reply to this.

As I appear to be the resident Roman Catholic in Abandonia, I shall express what I understand of heaven.

Some time ago, a theology teacher described to me heaven as it was imagined by the Church. As a soul is described as the self once unshackled from flesh, the soul of a human is granted perfection in everything. Human souls permitted to enter heaven are perfect, and have superhuman abilities. There is no need for anything because the human heart has the one thing it truly desires, which is to be one with God. Food and water are not needed because there is no body.

I think that Humans are probably permitted to return to Eden (if it exists, since the Bible is more metaphorical than factual anyway).

Originally posted by Lethe
What I typically see is, catholics ignoring the parts of their holy book which they don't like, and create their own version of heaven, according to what they want to believe.

I attended a lecture by a priest not too long ago about Mary, and he was posed a question about why Catholics regard the Bible differently from other Christians. The priest said that Christianity could be corrupted much more easily if everything was based on the written word of the Bible, since corrupt people in history have been known to alter the Bible for their own gain (to the Wiccan: this is one of the main reasons why witches were persecuted four hundred years ago. I believe it was the King James' Version that was altered to deem witches evil). Also, the Bible would not have answers for contemporary issues (gay sex or abortion, for example). Therefore, the Roman Catholic Church bases its faith on three things: Magisterium (the teaching authority of the Church's pope, cardinals, and bishops, which is based on Divine Inspiration and study), Tradition, and the Bible. The priest also said that the Bible should come from the Church, whereas other Christian sects worked in the opposite way.

[Borodin]

Originally posted by drumminfreek@Jul 14 2005, 01:46 AM
*hisssss!!!*
*makes fingers into a cross at Borodin*
LOL
just jokin...

I figured as much. Besides, I've been on the receiving end of far worse, I assure you.

[efthimios]

Since a1s asked me, and hopefuly none else minds, I will give my own beliefs on the matter.
I am a "believer" (I don't like this word but easier for everyone) of the Olympian Gods. Yes that means Zeus, Athena etc.
I believe, according the my beliefs, what the others of same beliefs do. When anyone dies goes to the underworld (with the whole trip explained for millenia now and don't want to bother anyone by repeating it) where if he/she manages to cross the river Styx I think it is called in english, you stay there for ever. It doesn't matter how you lived your life and what you did. We all go to the same place. Where it is not similar to heaven, or hell or the limbo (sp?) that some other people believe in. It is a "neutral" existance without much anything. There are some (noobs who started it that about the 5th century BCE) that started believing in a better place for people who were nice, where they didn't know they were dead and all. That, however, is not the original "idea" and just a few from ancient Athens mainly believed in it. Still since it is part of it I thought about mentioning it too.

[Quintopotere]

Originally posted by Borodin@Jul 14 2005, 12:00 AM
Come on, now: there has to be at least one Roman Catholic

That's what i am!

Abuot the resurrection, in the New Testament, Christ resurrected not only like a "soul", but with His body... so maybe in the afterlife we will have our body or something similar!

[a1s]

Originally posted by Jacek Dobrzyniecki@Jul 14 2005, 09:32 AM
delete this post

(and this thread if possible!)

yo can do that yourself (press the delete button, and save admins the work).
and you can only lock threads, not delete them (well it is possible, but not with standard means- Data can do it, as can Kosta, as for the others... I don't think so)

[lethe]

Originally posted by Triton@Jul 14 2005, 01:58 AM
There is no need for anything because the human heart has the one thing it truly desires, which is to be one with God.* Food and water are not needed because there is no body.

Maybe those that spend their lives trying to learn that, myself I have no desire of being one with any god. Besides, a "soul" can be understood in so many ways, and I believe in the scientific way better than the religious one. Therefore, that "heaven" sounds way too boring to me.