Eternal life, what is so great about it

[kimpearson]

I would be interested to hear each of your thoughts on what specifically makes eternal life a life that God lives.  What about eternal life makes it so great?

 

Here are a few ideas I have.  The opportunity to love fully and be loved.  Peace that comes from truly  knowing what is right and wrong.  Knowing my self worth fully and having no doubts about myself.  Knowing the worth of others completely.  Having the opportunity to help other souls come to this same knowledge.

I would also be curious on your thoughts of what one has in the Celestial kingdom that he wouldn't have in the lesser kingdoms.

Edited January 21, 2022 by kimpearson

[rongo]

Participating in creation.

The continuation of seeds (eternal posterity).

Knowing the mysteries of the cosmos. 

Joy beyond what we are capable of feeling here. 

To name just a few.  

[JLHPROF]

I find it interesting that you focus on the blessings of the emotions and feelings of Godhood instead of the blessings of the life of Godhood.
I think Godhood probably brings exquisite joy and exquisite pain both.  There is much loss to witness and much joy to feel.  The idea that God is always perfectly happy isn't borne out by scripture.

I think what little we know if probably more about the life of God, his function and responsibility than how he feels about them.

Scripture tells us God's work and glory comes from the process of bringing to pass immortality and eternal life for future generations.
Scripture tells us that the nature of Godhood is to have eternal increase, in posterity, dominion etc.

Many of these things are limited to the Celestial Kingdom - specifically eternal families and future posterity.

At least according to our canon of scripture.  I suppose people can always believe differently from what's in scripture.

[Robert F. Smith]

51 minutes ago, kimpearson said:

I would be interested to hear each of your thoughts on what specifically makes eternal life a life that God lives.  What about eternal life makes it so great?

Here are a few ideas I have.  The opportunity to love fully and be loved.  Peace that comes from truly  knowing what is right and wrong.  Knowing my self worth fully and having no doubts about myself.  Knowing the worth of others completely.  Having the opportunity to help other souls come to this same knowledge................................

Do you worry at all about being part of a hivemind, or The Borg?  Or is that one of the good things about being a god?  To know and be known so perfectly.  Is that a source of perfect love?

[carbon dioxide]

1 hour ago, kimpearson said:

What about eternal life makes it so great?

Lots of things.  Create big stars and blow them up as supernovas.    Maybe create some black holes and smash them together and send gravity waves out billions of light years.  There is a lot of things.

[bluebell]

A fullness of joy.

[The Nehor]

57 minutes ago, carbon dioxide said:

Lots of things.  Create big stars and blow them up as supernovas.    Maybe create some black holes and smash them together and send gravity waves out billions of light years.  There is a lot of things.

Then come up with ways to ride those waves.

[Fether]

2 hours ago, kimpearson said:

I would be interested to hear each of your thoughts on what specifically makes eternal life a life that God lives.  What about eternal life makes it so great?

 

Here are a few ideas I have.  The opportunity to love fully and be loved.  Peace that comes from truly  knowing what is right and wrong.  Knowing my self worth fully and having no doubts about myself.  Knowing the worth of others completely.  Having the opportunity to help other souls come to this same knowledge.

I would also be curious on your thoughts of what one has in the Celestial kingdom that he wouldn't have in the lesser kingdoms.

Family and friends living in eternal bliss. I’m am the absolute happiest when I am hanging with my friends and family m.

[HappyJackWagon]

Eternal life sounds very long. Perhaps even exhausting and boring.

After a few billion years will anything ever surprise or excite a person. Will never ending supernovas and gravity waves still be cool after its been done a few trillion times? Will the birth of the 343,432,234,756,234,687,875,124 spirit offspring still bring joy? Will there be anything to hope for or look forward to that hadn't already happened an infinite number of times?

There must be some magical element to eternity, something far beyond our comprehension, that will keep eternal life fresh, interesting, joyful, otherwise it sounds seriously and painfully too long.

[The Nehor]

2 hours ago, Robert F. Smith said:

Do you worry at all about being part of a hivemind, or The Borg?  Or is that one of the good things about being a god?  To know and be known so perfectly.  Is that a source of perfect love?

To be able to experience the joys and wonders of eternity through not only my experiences but also the experiences of others sounds amazing. To take as much joy and pleasure in them as if they were my own.

29 minutes ago, HappyJackWagon said:

Eternal life sounds very long. Perhaps even exhausting and boring.

After a few billion years will anything ever surprise or excite a person. Will never ending supernovas and gravity waves still be cool after its been done a few trillion times? Will the birth of the 343,432,234,756,234,687,875,124 spirit offspring still bring joy? Will there be anything to hope for or look forward to that hadn't already happened an infinite number of times?

There must be some magical element to eternity, something far beyond our comprehension, that will keep eternal life fresh, interesting, joyful, otherwise it sounds seriously and painfully too long.

Or perhaps boredom and tedium are just a mortal handicap.

[ksfisher]

3 hours ago, JLHPROF said:

I think Godhood probably brings exquisite joy and exquisite pain both.  There is much loss to witness and much joy to feel.  The idea that God is always perfectly happy isn't borne out by scripture.

This is something that I've come to realize in the past couple years.  If God is all knowing then it follows that He knows how much pain and misery His children experience.  If that's true then it would only be a cold and uncaring individual who would not react with profound sadness while watching that.

Part of being God, I believe, is to be able to deal with that pain in a healthy manner.

[The Nehor]

18 minutes ago, ksfisher said:

This is something that I've come to realize in the past couple years.  If God is all knowing then it follows that He knows how much pain and misery His children experience.  If that's true then it would only be a cold and uncaring individual who would not react with profound sadness while watching that.

Part of being God, I believe, is to be able to deal with that pain in a healthy manner.

I imagine that the whole omniscience thing helps as humans are always wondering if there is something more they can and should do. Not being stuck in that state would be an improvement.

[JLHPROF]

2 hours ago, bluebell said:

A fullness of joy.

From what source?

Joy and rejoicing in his posterity perhaps?   As we are promised.

[JLHPROF]

31 minutes ago, ksfisher said:

This is something that I've come to realize in the past couple years.  If God is all knowing then it follows that He knows how much pain and misery His children experience.  If that's true then it would only be a cold and uncaring individual who would not react with profound sadness while watching that.

Part of being God, I believe, is to be able to deal with that pain in a healthy manner.

If we think he was happy when 1/3 of his children chose to end their progression and fight him we are much mistaken.  I expect he wept bitter tears that day.

[pogi]

1 hour ago, HappyJackWagon said:

Eternal life sounds very long. Perhaps even exhausting and boring.

After a few billion years will anything ever surprise or excite a person. Will never ending supernovas and gravity waves still be cool after its been done a few trillion times? Will the birth of the 343,432,234,756,234,687,875,124 spirit offspring still bring joy? Will there be anything to hope for or look forward to that hadn't already happened an infinite number of times?

There must be some magical element to eternity, something far beyond our comprehension, that will keep eternal life fresh, interesting, joyful, otherwise it sounds seriously and painfully too long.

Love never gets old.  

Dealing with children, there is never a dull moment.  But love makes it more than worth it. 

Edited January 21, 2022 by pogi

[JLHPROF]

1 hour ago, HappyJackWagon said:

Eternal life sounds very long. Perhaps even exhausting and boring.

After a few billion years will anything ever surprise or excite a person. Will never ending supernovas and gravity waves still be cool after its been done a few trillion times? Will the birth of the 343,432,234,756,234,687,875,124 spirit offspring still bring joy? Will there be anything to hope for or look forward to that hadn't already happened an infinite number of times?

There must be some magical element to eternity, something far beyond our comprehension, that will keep eternal life fresh, interesting, joyful, otherwise it sounds seriously and painfully too long.

That's why I'm a believer in eternal progression, increase in knowledge, and higher orders of kingdoms than Celestial.  Even for God.  I reject the 3 omnis.

 

[bluebell]

18 minutes ago, JLHPROF said:

From what source?

Joy and rejoicing in his posterity perhaps?   As we are promised.

From the Father, by become a joint-heir with Christ.

And for this cause ye shall have fulness of joy; and ye shall sit down in the kingdom of my Father; yea, your joy shall be full, even as the Father hath given me fulness of joy; and ye shall be even as I am, and I am even as the Father; and the Father and I are one;

 

[JLHPROF]

4 minutes ago, bluebell said:

From the Father, by become a joint-heir with Christ.

And for this cause ye shall have fulness of joy; and ye shall sit down in the kingdom of my Father; yea, your joy shall be full, even as the Father hath given me fulness of joy; and ye shall be even as I am, and I am even as the Father; and the Father and I are one;

 

I thought the question was what is the source of God's joy.

[bluebell]

19 minutes ago, JLHPROF said:

I thought the question was what is the source of God's joy.

The thread is titled "Eternal life, what is so great about it", and in the OP he asks "What about eternal life makes it so great?" and "I would also be curious on your thoughts of what one has in the Celestial kingdom that he wouldn't have in the lesser kingdoms."

[Hamba Tuhan]

2 hours ago, HappyJackWagon said:

There must be some magical element to eternity, something far beyond our comprehension, that will keep eternal life fresh, interesting, joyful, otherwise it sounds seriously and painfully too long.

I'm always confused when I hear people say such things. As a Church member, I have had so many experiences of joy that transcended time and comprehension -- in the act of fulfilling my callings, ministering, and serving in the temple, etc. It's never got old or boring, and in fact, it always leaves me with a deep craving for more. Every human being is unique; serving each one is a different experience. Helping each one grow = pure joy.

[CV75]

6 hours ago, kimpearson said:

I would be interested to hear each of your thoughts on what specifically makes eternal life a life that God lives.  What about eternal life makes it so great?

 

Here are a few ideas I have.  The opportunity to love fully and be loved.  Peace that comes from truly  knowing what is right and wrong.  Knowing my self worth fully and having no doubts about myself.  Knowing the worth of others completely.  Having the opportunity to help other souls come to this same knowledge.

I would also be curious on your thoughts of what one has in the Celestial kingdom that he wouldn't have in the lesser kingdoms.

A personal Urim and Thummim (D&C 130: 10-11), and a communal Urim and Thummim (D&C 130: 6 -10).

Personal interaction with the Father and the Son, and others in the Church of the Firstborn, and enjoyment in Their activities and use of the personal and communal Urims and Thummims.

Personal engagement (mentoring, grace, etc.) in the eternal progression of other intelligences in any estate they may be in, and organizing them accordingly, both physically and spiritually, temporally and eternally, materially and sacredly, elementally and pneumatically (as in having to do with the pneuma  ), and poignantly to me, the experience the Lord has in Moses 7: 28. In a word, "Family".

24 This is ^aeternal lives—to ^bknow the only wise and true God, and Jesus Christ, whom he hath ^csent. I am he. Receive ye, therefore, my law. (D&C 132: 24)

 

Edited January 22, 2022 by CV75

[Robert F. Smith]

5 hours ago, HappyJackWagon said:

Eternal life sounds very long. Perhaps even exhausting and boring.

After a few billion years will anything ever surprise or excite a person. Will never ending supernovas and gravity waves still be cool after its been done a few trillion times? Will the birth of the 343,432,234,756,234,687,875,124 spirit offspring still bring joy? Will there be anything to hope for or look forward to that hadn't already happened an infinite number of times?

There must be some magical element to eternity, something far beyond our comprehension, that will keep eternal life fresh, interesting, joyful, otherwise it sounds seriously and painfully too long.

There is free agency and the amazement and surprise that goes with the choices made by others -- in infinite variations -- for there was no beginning and there will be no end, even for those in outer darkness.

[The Nehor]

3 hours ago, Hamba Tuhan said:

I'm always confused when I hear people say such things. As a Church member, I have had so many experiences of joy that transcended time and comprehension -- in the act of fulfilling my callings, ministering, and serving in the temple, etc. It's never got old or boring, and in fact, it always leaves me with a deep craving for more. Every human being is unique; serving each one is a different experience. Helping each one grow = pure joy.

Also this. That strange joy that I could bathe in forever is not something that I think can get old. I just don’t know how to make it last.

[rodheadlee]

Well some of the time I would have perfect seas to sail, it would be warm. The water would be warm, the seas would be 4 feet, the wind 13 kts. I would have a deep-water dock and a huge single-story ranch style house next to it. We would have many guestrooms and a barn out back full of construction tools. 

Next to the barn would be the landing strip for my pinnace that would take us up to our interstellar ship in orbit. 

We would be on call to go anywhere and build houses, commercial buildings, industrial buildings and temples. We would never get tired, we would never feel pain, we would meet a lot of people. Discuss the things of God and stay in touch with our white stones. I don't know what we'd do the second Thousand Years.

[kimpearson]

16 hours ago, HappyJackWagon said:

Eternal life sounds very long. Perhaps even exhausting and boring.

After a few billion years will anything ever surprise or excite a person. Will never ending supernovas and gravity waves still be cool after its been done a few trillion times? Will the birth of the 343,432,234,756,234,687,875,124 spirit offspring still bring joy? Will there be anything to hope for or look forward to that hadn't already happened an infinite number of times?

There must be some magical element to eternity, something far beyond our comprehension, that will keep eternal life fresh, interesting, joyful, otherwise it sounds seriously and painfully too long.

I believe eternity will be full of diversity that will be fulfilling for ever.  No two worlds will be exactly the same.  No two spirits or Gods will be exactly the same.  Each spirit brought into existence will have their own unique personality and thus the work to help that spirit progress will be slightly different.  I think everyone in all the kingdoms will take part in that work but those in the lesser kingdoms will be doing the work through the power and authority of someone in the Celestial kingdom.  To me that is the big difference between eternal life and immortality.  Those in the Celestial Kingdom will have their own power and authority while everyone else will have to use that power and authority much like priesthood authority on this earth.  Everyone will be involved in the work and enjoy the blessings of that work.  It's why they are referred to as kingdom's of light.