What is the Non-LDS Conception of Heaven?

[Guest mormonmusic]

Just curious if anyone could explain what you believe life in Heaven is like in your own, non-LDS faith.

For example, I know that other faiths don't believe there is any marriage in heaven. What other features are there of heaven, to those who are saved according to non-LDS adherents?

Edited June 7, 2010 by mormonmusic

[Hemidakota]

Listening to Coast-To-Coast radio on the way to work this morning, it was quite an 'eye opener' to what people believe with the afterlife and how souls are created. Even to the point of when they began taling about reincarnation, I had to switch channels on the radio. :)

[ronism99403]

As a young lad, I was influenced by C.S. Lewis' view imagined in the seventh book of the Chronicles Of Narnia, The Last Battle, where heaven is described as being like the physical world we are from but only more real, and that our blessed journey through all eternity is to travel ever deeper, further into heaven where it gets more real and glorious the farther you go, eternally and forever. And of course I was taught that there would be no marriage in heaven--that all the saved would be like brothers and sisters joyfully worshiping and serving God forever. There was some hinting from my childhood Church that those who lived holier lives on Earth would have a greater reward, but that was never fleshed out for me.

[ADoyle90815]

It's true that non-LDS Christians believe that there's no such thing as marriage in heaven, which is why most wedding vows have the phrase, "till death do us part." We will be with our loved ones, but as brothers and sisters with Christ. While I'm in this life, the only person who can call me their sister is my biological brother as we have the same parents.

[Rhi_Bran_y_Hud]

If you ask the question: "what is heaven like right now?" you will get a different answer than you would to the question: "what will heaven be like in the future?" yet both answers I think would actually be very similar to LDS teach.

As for heaven right now, there is not much detail given. They are simply "with the Lord," in a disembodied spiritual state--and enjoying every moment of it! The glimpses of the present heaven given in Revelation are about as detailed as it gets, but John only saw the "throne room," if a shining sea of glass with a throne in the middle, reathed with an emerald rainbow and surrounded by millions of angels and worshipping saints, can be called that.

Starting in Rev 21 everything changes: the line between what is "heaven" and what is "earth" are abolished--God comes to live with His people on earth. He hits the reset button, all things are new, and old things are done away with. We are all, collectively, the Bride of Christ and all previous commitments, burdens, guilts, wrongs, you name it, are all swallowed up.

[Guest mormonmusic]

Rhi_Bran_y_Hud: Which denominaton believes this? Just curious.

[ronism99403]

Rhi_Bran_y_Hud: Which denominaton believes this? Just curious.

I think you would find that many evangelical Christians would agree with this view.

Edited June 12, 2010 by ronism99403

[prisonchaplain]

We only get snippets. We'll rule and reign with Christ, we'll judge angels, we'll see as Jesus sees, we'll have glorified bodies, there will be no more death or sorrow, there will be total vindication, God's presence will be everywhere, and it will be conspicuous. I've speculated that while we experience God today, through his creation (his light through the sun, for example), in Glory, we'll experience him more directly. It's fascinating, but what we can grasps is mere glimpses.

[Guest mormonmusic]

Thanks PC. You know, as LDS people, we only get snippets of what Heaven will be like as well, in spite of all the latter-day revelation. There's a thread about Heaven from an LDS perspective going in the LDS Gospel discussion area. I was driving today, and I started chuckling to myself about how ironic it is everyone is so willing to make such sacrifices to live our respective religions, and we don't really even know what we're going to end up with in the end.

Kind of like those grab bags you buy at a store.

When I was first searching for the truth, it was because I wanted to be good. Simply figuring out how to be good was more important than its eventual reward. And, in spite of the irony, I think everyone's willingness (LDS and non-LDS included) to make sacrifices for their respective religions shows a trust an faith in God that must please Him.

[prisonchaplain]

You've sparked some good thoughts, MM...but alas, a bit off-topic, so I'll start a new thread...

[Jason_J]

I've speculated that while we experience God today, through his creation (his light through the sun, for example), in Glory, we'll experience him more directly. It's fascinating, but what we can grasps is mere glimpses.

That's interesting. Catholicism calls this the "beatific vision", where we no longer have "mediated" experience of God.