I am a corrections officer. I was riding down the road one day recently with a co-worker. We were transporting inmates on a return trip from the hospital. We have an agreement amongst the officers: one leg of the trip an officer chooses the music and on the other leg the other officer chooses it. That way it is fair.
I had already had my turn on the way up so it was my partner's turn to choose. She was listening to some ungodly mess. I turned my head towards the window and closed my eyes in an attempt to tune it out.
Immediately, I saw clouds. I began to travel through them and came upon a gate made of pearl. It was open.
I went through the gate and turned to see it soundlessly closing behind me. When it closed, a most remarkable thing happened: I no longer cared about ANYTHING.
It didn't matter if it was sunny or rainy.
It didn't matter if the grass was green, brown or non-existent.
I didn't care if I had shoes on my feet or if my socks matched.
How much money was in the bank didn't matter nor if there were any bills coming/due/paid/past due/power being cut off, etc.
Nothing in this world mattered any longer.
My heart felt like it was going to come out of my chest. I began to cry as the cares lifted completely off of my shoulders for the first time. I had never felt this before.
All I wanted to do was to find Him.
I began looking for Him and in my excitement, I opened my eyes only to see the rear of a semi in front of me.
The tears were still rolling down my face as the cares returned in full force.
I saw a glimpse of heaven.
Why would anyone want to miss that?
I am a corrections officer. I was riding down the road one day recently with a co-worker. We were transporting inmates on a return trip from the hospital. We have an agreement amongst the officers: one leg of the trip an officer chooses the music and on the other leg the other officer chooses it. That way it is fair.
I had already had my turn on the way up so it was my partner's turn to choose. She was listening to some ungodly mess. I turned my head towards the window and closed my eyes in an attempt to tune it out.
Immediately, I saw clouds. I began to travel through them and came upon a gate made of pearl. It was open.
I went through the gate and turned to see it soundlessly closing behind me. When it closed, a most remarkable thing happened: I no longer cared about ANYTHING.
It didn't matter if it was sunny or rainy.
It didn't matter if the grass was green, brown or non-existent.
I didn't care if I had shoes on my feet or if my socks matched.
How much money was in the bank didn't matter nor if there were any bills coming/due/paid/past due/power being cut off, etc.
Nothing in this world mattered any longer.
My heart felt like it was going to come out of my chest. I began to cry as the cares lifted completely off of my shoulders for the first time. I had never felt this before.
All I wanted to do was to find Him.
I began looking for Him and in my excitement, I opened my eyes only to see the rear of a semi in front of me.
The tears were still rolling down my face as the cares returned in full force.
I saw a glimpse of heaven.
Why would anyone want to miss that?
I don't want to in any way dimish your experience, so please don't think that I am in any way belittling it...
With that said, I turn to your last question. What makes you think that anyone DOES want to miss heaven? You think the majority of people that you think are not saved, wake up and say "Wow, I'm so glad that I don't have to mess with that salvation stuff, nope, I sure am glad that I will get to fry for all eternity?"
I have in my life, met very few people who believe that they are going to hell when they die. The majority of them believe they are going to heaven. Myself included, (and I am most likely the only person here that thinks so )
I don't want to in any way dimish your experience, so please don't think that I am in any way belittling it...
With that said, I turn to your last question. What makes you think that anyone DOES want to miss heaven? You think the majority of people that you think are not saved, wake up and say "Wow, I'm so glad that I don't have to mess with that salvation stuff, nope, I sure am glad that I will get to fry for all eternity?"
I have in my life, met very few people who believe that they are going to hell when they die. The majority of them believe they are going to heaven. Myself included, (and I am most likely the only person here that thinks so )
Since when does who "I think are not saved" come into my post? I never said that and your inferrence of it is insidious at best.
Further, it doesn't take a rocket scientist to see that some people are deliberately doing just that. Remember the song "Highway to Hell"? That is not about people who want to go to heaven, but are active in their avoidence thereof, whatever the reason.
All I did was share an experience. I am truly sorry that you did not share it with me.
Maybe you could reconsider the tone of your post and stop making accusations and inserting what you THOUGHT happened and see my post for what it truly is, my personal experience.
Since when does who "I think are not saved" come into my post? I never said that and your inferrence of it is insidious at best.
Further, it doesn't take a rocket scientist to see that some people are deliberately doing just that. Remember the song "Highway to Hell"? That is not about people who want to go to heaven, but are active in their avoidence thereof, whatever the reason.
All I did was share an experience. I am truly sorry that you did not share it with me.
Maybe you could reconsider the tone of your post and stop making accusations and inserting what you THOUGHT happened and see my post for what it truly is, my personal experience.
Sigh....
I thought my disclaimer in my post would be enough to make it known that I was in no way criticizing or belittling your experience. I was actually sincere in my musings, and just sharing the thoughts that your last question brought to mind.
That was not at all my intent, in fact, that is why I was careful to state that before hand.
Beyond that, all I can state is that anytime in my post that I used the word "You" I was speaking of the Rhetorical You, and not Rev Dooley, specifically.
In regards to the "highway to hell" people, I humbly submit the thought that to their view of "hell" i.e. being able to do whatever they want with no consequences, is in reality their warped view of what a "heavenly" eternity would be like.
Again, I apologize for upsetting you. I was simply sharing my musings about what I viewed as a philosopical question.
I don't want to in any way dimish your experience, so please don't think that I am in any way belittling it...
With that said, I turn to your last question. What makes you think that anyone DOES want to miss heaven? You think the majority of people that you think are not saved, wake up and say "Wow, I'm so glad that I don't have to mess with that salvation stuff, nope, I sure am glad that I will get to fry for all eternity?"
I have in my life, met very few people who believe that they are going to hell when they die. The majority of them believe they are going to heaven. Myself included, (and I am most likely the only person here that thinks so )
Not quite!
__________________
Hebrews 13:23 Know ye that our brother Timothy is set at liberty
I don't want to in any way dimish your experience, so please don't think that I am in any way belittling it...
With that said, I turn to your last question. What makes you think that anyone DOES want to miss heaven? You think the majority of people that you think are not saved, wake up and say "Wow, I'm so glad that I don't have to mess with that salvation stuff, nope, I sure am glad that I will get to fry for all eternity?"
I have in my life, met very few people who believe that they are going to hell when they die. The majority of them believe they are going to heaven. Myself included, (and I am most likely the only person here that thinks so )
What makes you think that he was insinuating that others didn't want to go? I didn't read that in his post, did you?
What makes you think that he was insinuating that others didn't want to go? I didn't read that in his post, did you?
The question "Why would anyone want to miss that?" implies that there are people, who do in fact, not want to go. Like I said, I really wasn't in ANY way criticizing his post or his experience, I was simply sharing my thoughts about that last little question.
The question "Why would anyone want to miss that?" implies that there are people, who do in fact, not want to go. Like I said, I really wasn't in ANY way criticizing his post or his experience, I was simply sharing my thoughts about that last little question.
I think that there are folks out there who do not want to go. I also think that there are those out there who say they don't want to, but down inside they do if the truth were known.
My question was more on the lines of personal musing than philosophy. I rarely delve into those tricky waters since they are so full of conjecture and hyperbole.
I think that there are folks out there who do not want to go. I also think that there are those out there who say they don't want to, but down inside they do if the truth were known.
My question was more on the lines of personal musing than philosophy. I rarely delve into those tricky waters since they are so full of conjecture and hyperbole.
LOL, those are the only waters I'll swim in. I won't go near doctrine or theology or scripture interpretation. (Especially since I don't believe in most of it, and people get tired of hearing that from me, LOL), but I enjoy a good philosophical "what if".
But I have no desire to cause offense, so I will bow out and allow the topic of this thread to veer more towards your experience.
)
Hybrid Mode
