Ah, yes, the "beatific vision," a view I've heard so often from so many...
A view that (to me) is so foreign to scripture, the observed universe, and our human experience, I am at a loss as to how it could possibly be so widely held. I find it far more akin to the Star Trek idea of assimilation by the Borg...
Maybe I'm Jewish and don't know it? I think the average Old Testament Jew would be horrified by this concept. Abraham and his sons looked forward to a rich life in full possession of The Land, not some eternal gazing at God...
Certainly being in the personal presence of our Creator will be an unmatched thrill... but like any other pleasure, to be appreciated it must needs be cyclic. To imagine our ultimate, eternal purpose to be a perpetual "God-gasm" is belittling to God's entire revelation of himself.
Forgive me, John, if I'm misconstruing your concept of "beatific vision," and feel free to correct my understanding of how you see things... :)
But God himself admonishes us to enjoy his creation. There's a whole lot of creation to enjoy, including myriad other "Thou"s as counterparts to the "I-Thou" relationship between us and God.
Nope, you aren't belittling 'my' views - you and I just disagree - your views are worlds apart from mine and you're entitled to them. You do seem eclectic in your views though and I've learned to be tolerant of all kinds of different perspectives and feel absolutely no need to correct anyone or merge my beliefs with theirs. I think working in apologetics does that to you. Regardless, I no longer get enjoyment from comparative religions and think everyone eventually pursues their own path. Mind you, I do know people who would spend hours trying to argue you out of aberrant theology into the kingdom of orthodoxy, but you probably believe you're already there, lol
Thanks, John, for your gracious attitude... :)
I recognize that my views are, in many cases, "fringe." But they have been hard-won through a lifetime of study, and consequently not readily dislodged. And I'm always open to correction from a biblical perspective. Faced with a scriptural and logical argument, I've been known more than once to admit I've been wrong... But I do enjoy a good debate when I find anyone interested in a theological topic!
This of course drives my poor spouse up a wall, and so I try to confine my debates to venues where she is absent.
But I have no tolerance for arrogance--which I find none of in you, though I've met a few characters here on Steemit that have been pretty insufferable. They'll confront me rather harshly, but have no game when it comes to scripture or logic.
You of course are also entitled to your views on this and all other matters. I will merely reserve the delightful prospect, when our paths cross in The Glory, of reminding you (as often as possible) that "I told you so!" ;)