Happiness in heaven?

[27lw]

This may not be the right forum to ask this, but here goes:

Let’s assume that someone goes to heaven after death (perhaps after a stint in Purgatory). Then let’s also assume that the person has some loved ones that ended up in hell. Does the person in heaven know where their relatives are, and how can the person have perfect happiness if he knows that a loved one will be in hell forever? Or is he just so divinely happy, that he can’t worry about all the people in hell at that point?

 

[HardRockGTR]

Oh my goodness, I was just going to ask this EXACT question. This is a very big problem for me when it comes to Christianity and similar religions in terms of afterlife.

I’m going to keep an eye out on this thread.

 

[Linusthe2nd]

This may not be the right forum to ask this, but here goes:

Let’s assume that someone goes to heaven after death (perhaps after a stint in Purgatory). Then let’s also assume that the person has some loved ones that ended up in hell. Does the person in heaven know where their relatives are, and how can the person have perfect happiness if he knows that a loved one will be in hell forever? Or is he just so divinely happy, that he can’t worry about all the people in hell at that point?

There will be nothing about our life in heaven that will be disturbing in any way. We will be happy and filled with joy every second. So if we are aware that a loved one wound up in the other place it will not upset us. All evils will be resolved in the Beatific Vision. I think that is all we can say with certitude.

Linus2nd

 

[27lw]

Thanks for your answer, Linus.
Do you know of any books or writings that discuss this? Or is it simply too theoretical to contemplate - - for us mere humans on earth?

 

[Beryllos]

If you do an Advanced Search of CAF, and select “Search Titles Only” (not “Entire Posts”) and “Show Results as Threads” (not “Posts”), and enter keywords heaven loved ones (or similar sets of words), you will find this is a popular topic. I don’t have the time to fully research it and distill it for you, but in a quick and spotty reading I found these two posts which at least begin to address your follow-up question about “books or writings that discuss this.”

An interesting and good read on this subject is The Great Divorce by C. S. Lewis. He takes us to “purgatory” where people have to make the decision to embrace eternal joy or reject it. Lewis deals with the topic of how those who are in heaven feel about their loved ones who reject it. I haven’t read it for a while, but it is quite interesting and satisfying–at least it was for me.

… Remember too that the Bible also gives us other wonderful promises.

“For the Lamb in the midst of the throne will be their shepherd,
and he will guide them to springs of living water;
and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.” (Revelation 7:17)

“he will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning nor crying nor pain any more, for the former things have passed away.” (Revelation 21:4)

God Bless you!

 

[jesus4ever]

I would say not to worry about such things. I would also say add your loved ones in your daily prayers, Say a divine Mercy chaplet for them from time to time so this way if they maybe indanger of hell your prayers that you have said throughout your life may help them to at least get into purgatory.

BE A PRAYER WARRIOR NOT A WORRY WARRIOR GOD BLESS

 

[Linusthe2nd]

Thanks for your answer, Linus.
Do you know of any books or writings that discuss this? Or is it simply too theoretical to contemplate - - for us mere humans on earth?

The Catechism of the Catholic Church discusses the afterlife toward the end of the book and a few remarks here and there in different places. Anything not in the Catechism is pure speculation.

Linus2nd

 

[tonyrey]

This may not be the right forum to ask this, but here goes:

Let’s assume that someone goes to heaven after death (perhaps after a stint in Purgatory). Then let’s also assume that the person has some loved ones that ended up in hell. Does the person in heaven know where their relatives are, and how can the person have perfect happiness if he knows that a loved one will be in hell forever? Or is he just so divinely happy, that he can’t worry about all the people in hell at that point?

When we realise our loved ones don’t love us we may regret their absence but it won’t spoil our happiness because we know they don’t want to be with us. If they cared about others they wouldn’t be in hell!

 

[HardRockGTR]

When we realise our loved ones don’t love us we may regret their absence but it won’t spoil our happiness because we know they don’t want to be with us. If they cared about others they wouldn’t be in hell!

Because a person who cares about others cannot masturbate. Or not believe in Christ. Or eat meat on Fridays. Or not have premarital sex. Or preach about accepting other people’s beliefs even if they’re wrong.

Makes sense.

 

[StrawberryJam]

There will be nothing about our life in heaven that will be disturbing in any way. We will be happy and filled with joy every second. So if we are aware that a loved one wound up in the other place it will not upset us. All evils will be resolved in the Beatific Vision. I think that is all we can say with certitude.

Linus2nd

So, one would be aware that their unfortunate loved ones wound up in another place, and that would not disturb the personal happiness of oneself.
Or, somehow the ability to be aware of things are blotted out in order to have happiness?

 

[tonyrey]

Because a person who cares about others cannot masturbate. Or not believe in Christ. Or eat meat on Fridays. Or not have premarital sex. Or preach about accepting other people’s beliefs even if they’re wrong.

Makes sense.

Non sequitur. The Church teaches that our ultimate authority is our conscience. We are not expected to be infallible…

 

[tonyrey]

So, one would be aware that their unfortunate loved ones wound up in another place, and that would not disturb the personal happiness of oneself.
Or, somehow the ability to be aware of things are blotted out in order to have happiness?

They are not unfortunate but unloving - as far as others are concerned. In other words their love for themselves is excessive and blots out all other considerations.

 

[HardRockGTR]

Non sequitur. The Church teaches that our ultimate authority is our conscience. We are not expected to be infallible…

I am unable to believe, however, that a person cannot care about or love other people if he or she doesn’t have faith in Christ, or the other things I mentioned, which is what was alluded in the quote I replied to.

 

[Paddy_Walker]

This may not be the right forum to ask this, but here goes:

Let’s assume that someone goes to heaven after death (perhaps after a stint in Purgatory). Then let’s also assume that the person has some loved ones that ended up in hell. Does the person in heaven know where their relatives are, and how can the person have perfect happiness if he knows that a loved one will be in hell forever? Or is he just so divinely happy, that he can’t worry about all the people in hell at that point?

You don’t really need to imagine being in heaven. I’m sure that right now while you are here on earth you have former friends/loved ones in hell. But are you miserable all the time right now because of that? You may not even have thought of them. If you do think of them you will also have to forget about them and get on with your life again and your work and your fun times on vacation, your fun times out with friends, etc.

 

[SuperLuigi]

This may not be the right forum to ask this, but here goes:

Let’s assume that someone goes to heaven after death (perhaps after a stint in Purgatory). Then let’s also assume that the person has some loved ones that ended up in hell. Does the person in heaven know where their relatives are, and how can the person have perfect happiness if he knows that a loved one will be in hell forever? Or is he just so divinely happy, that he can’t worry about all the people in hell at that point?

There’s no worries or sadness in heaven.

 

[vz71]

Hell was their choice.

Knowing they got what they wanted will not interfere with our joy.

 

[Cadellin]

I wonder about this matter myself. The best my feeble little mind can come up with, is that if our happiness depends on our loved ones being in Heaven with us then God will ensure they make it. How? By living a good life, by praying for them and though our good life and prayers we will bring about their salvation as well as our own. In other words, if we bind them spiritually to ourselves they’ll go where we go. That is to say, when Jesus saves us he’ll consequently save them as well, so that if we go to Heaven our loved ones will also.

The flaw in the argument might be that we see our loved ones, instead of God, as the source of our happiness. What we love in our loved ones is the dim reflection of God we see there. Once we are in Heaven and see God directly, we won’t feel the attachment to what were really only mirrors. That might sound denigrating of our loved ones, but then, as Christians, isn’t that all we’re trying to be: perfect reflections of God’s love?

 

[Cadellin]

You don’t really need to imagine being in heaven. I’m sure that right now while you are here on earth you have former friends/loved ones in hell. But are you miserable all the time right now because of that? You may not even have thought of them. If you do think of them you will also have to forget about them and get on with your life again and your work and your fun times on vacation, your fun times out with friends, etc.

The thought that they might be in Hell is a bit disconcerting, but the realisation that it’s equally true they might be in Heaven is what allows us to carry on and enjoy life.