An interesting assertion, that, I guess only applies to self conscious life. Although, technically, all life has a purpose, place and value in the overall scheme of things within the framework of the Universe as we know it now.
I wonder what value you think an individual would have in Heaven, whatever it might be. Is there room for individuals, or hierarchy, personal self worth and value.
If God supplies all my needs, why would that not include self worth, interest (as opposed to boredom) or any other notion of worthwhile.
Perhaps we cannot suoermipose any value we understand in tihs life onto the next.
(NB I have not made these questions to be answered as , maybe, there is not enough certainty to make a definitive answer)
Perhaps that is a limited view or understanding of the term Life (see above)
I tend to think that our transition from our current selves to our glorified selves in Heaven/the new creation is kind of like the transition from our pre-human ancestors to modern humans. The reason we don’t understand it is because it is currently completely as beyond our experience or comprehension as much as living as a space explorer on a Moon city would have been incomprehensible to an Australopithecine. We simply need to have faith that whatever the experience of Heaven is, it is better than our experience now. I think you could also apply that to our pre-human ancestors. If living as an Australopithecine was anything like living as a modern chimpanzee it would have been much harder than living as a modern human. In the same way, living as a glorified Homo deus or Homo christus will be much better than living as a Homo sapiens. I also think that our initial glorification will not be the last one. We will continue to be transformed from one glory to the next in an infinite curve, a view held in some form by early church fathers like Irenaeus of Lyons.
I believe that Emmanual Swedenborg was given insights to heavenly life that can be a motivator for people of all ages. Here is a brief description:
In New Christian teaching, life in heaven is not idle rest but an active life of usefulness, in which everyone freely performs work suited to their loves and talents, since “the Lord’s kingdom is a kingdom of uses” and one’s inner quality is shown by the use one fulfills (Heaven and Hell 387, 394). This usefulness brings deep, inward delight, because heavenly joy is a spiritual and interior pleasure of the soul rather than a merely external or bodily one, and by its very nature heaven is full of such bliss, since it is constituted throughout by the divine good and love flowing from the Lord, whose love wills that everyone be as happy as possible (Heaven and Hell 395, 397). Angels also associate in societies with others who share similar loves, enjoying companionship in proportion to that likeness (Heaven and Hell 36). Scripture itself pictures this state as one where God dwells directly with His people, wiping away every tear, ending death, sorrow, crying and pain, and making all things new in a glorious, radiant heavenly city filled with His own light (Revelation 21:1-5).
I’m not familiar with Swedenborg’s book, and I don’t believe he was given any special insight, but some of that is interesting. I don’t like the focus on usefulness though; it feels too much like the idea that something has to be useful or productive to be good, and I don’t consider that a healthy way of self understanding.
I understand your feelings on this, but do you have any evidence for your view? I’m curious how you read biblical passages about resurrection and the like and I’m very wary of accepting theological ideas just based on how they feel.
