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[Sasquatch]

Agnostic here, questioning the literal existence of a place called heaven.

If I'm there for eternity, won't I get bored?

Given an infinite amount of time, I will meet and spend time with every person up there, I'll get tired of their company eventually. Enough time with those I love most and I need to move along.

Is there TV? What is there to do to kill time? If time is even a thing there... if it's not, how does that all work?

I love sleeping, will there be any reason to sleep?

If Earth goes on forever, will there be enough room?

Bonus question:

Doesn't the devil punish bad people for being bad? Isn't that a good thing? Shouldn't he be thanked for that service? It's what our judicial system does here on earth?

DISCALIMER:
I'm genuinely not trying to make light of anyones beliefs with these questions of mundanity. I am genuinely fascinated how these places and systems might work in a more literal sense. Thanks!

[jimwalton]

> If I'm there for eternity, won't I get bored?

For the most part, we don't get tired of life. We find meaningful relationships, meaningful education, meaningful interest pursuits (hobbies and fun), and meaningful work. And we go day after day, never thinking "I want this to stop." The only thing that makes life miserable is (1) the misery, and (2) old age that interferes with our meaningful relationships, education, interest pursuits and work. We would never want it to stop, especially if (1) we were meeting new and interesting people and growing in our relationships, (2) able to keep learning things that made life interesting, (3) able to pursue more and different interesting hobbies and fun, and (4) work that made us feel something significant. I've known people who got to the end of their lives and weren't anywhere near boredom, but wanted life to just keep going. People like Walt Disney and Steven Jobs are examples of that, but there are millions more examples of people like that.

Heaven is a place of growing interest. In Luke 19.11-27, Jesus tells a parable about "when the kingdom of God appears." Many people believe that he's talking about heaven and hell. In the story, people in "heaven" are rewarded with jobs and responsibility, much like we have here on earth. Since the book of Revelation describes heaven as being on this earth (Rev. 21.2), and it describes heaven as a city (Rev. 21.10), it makes sense to me that life in heaven will be filled with productive labor, meaningful activity, great relationships, and lots to do. It certainly won't be sitting around playing harps. That would kill any of us.

Watchman Nee wrote, "Heaven is not a place of inactivity, but we shall be called to a greater work." The reward for responsibility is more responsibility. To him who has, more will be given.

Isaiah 65 makes it sound like people will build houses (v. 21) and do work that is productive and fulfilling (23). Zechariah 14.16 makes mention of worship, as does much of Revelation. Matthew 25.14-30 also mentions "I will put you in charge of many things."

In a speculative vein, what if God starts creating again (since it is his nature), and there are more worlds to explore, and new worlds to explore, and every day something new is popping up (since God is infinite in his creative nature) to do, see, and enjoy? It's a fascinating prospect—a God of infinite creative ability letting loose again for our continual enthusiasm and inspiration.

I actually think that Anne Rice tried to deal with these thoughts in her "Interview with a Vampire." It seemed to be about "What would it be like to live forever?" The ability to live for centuries took its toll on the characters, and we see them wandering in and out of interest and boredom, abusive and meaningful relationships, self-loathing and self-motivation. In essence, I think the book was about how meaningless life can be when it is founded on self-orientation. Interestingly, shortly after writing the book, Anne returned to Catholicism where she wrote several stories about Jesus, finding a whole different orientation to life that changed its purpose and inspiration. (To be fair, I believe that she has once again deserted the faith and describes herself as a secular humanist.) My point is, however, that life grounded on self-orientation too easily lapses into boredom and fear, but life grounded in an eternal Dimension (God) that knows no bounds or limitations only finds one fulfillment after another, and a continuing stream of interest and inspiration.

My anticipation of eternity doesn't stem from a fear of death but a yearning for life as it was intended to be.

> Doesn't the devil punish bad people for being bad?

Satan doesn't punish people in hell. Satan is in hell as a punishment from God (Matt. 25.41). Satan is not in charge of hell. Satan doesn't rule hell. Hell is not Satan's domain or his kingdom. All Satan does in hell is suffer punishment. Satan doesn't punish others there. He and his minions don't do any torturing. They are victims there, not perpetrators.