Hi, David
 I have been never discussed such things with my wife Irina. Maybe
Sasha knows.
 But I think answer is very easy-we must ask Someone Who Was in
Heaven for a while and Came to our
 world back!
 More important, I think,  for all of us - what is Hell like?  Let's
discuss this thinks!
 I still have no idea about that.
 Sincerely
                           Nikolai
 p.s. Don't ask, please, Muslims about Heaven-they know how their
Heaven look like.
       For the Christians It doesn't mean, because  of  our faith in
God. We simply must really follow Him and
       our life after death in this case could be a great surprise.
       Do you remember what Mouses told Jewish people in the desert
for their question how Is God look like?
 On Mon 08/06/ 2 14:41 , 'HAL'  sent:
    Christ  is Risen!   Father  Seraphim:   Elizabeth and I have been
discussing something for  months and we both have been meaning to ask,
but it never occurs to either one  of us in your presence.   What  is
heaven like ? Are there any descriptions anywhere? What about all
these life  after death visions that people report are they
legitimate....what's up with all  that anyway...demonic?   In
Christ, David      
 __,_._,___
 -------------------------
Msg sent via Internet America Webmail - www.internetamerica.com

Nicolai:

Well, You all should be asking what is Heaven like.....I should be stocking
up on ice ;)

David

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Better hold onto your slippers Dorothy
cause Kansas is goin bye-bye
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 "For since the beginning of the world men have not heard, nor perceived by
the ear, neither hath the eye seen, O God, beside thee, what he hath
prepared for him that waiteth for him." (Isaiah 64:4).

Some have said that heaven is blessedness in the presence of God, while hell
is the torments of our darkened conscience, separating us from God eternally
when it is already too late to repent. One of the fathers explained hell to
an inquirer by having him look at the bright sun through an opening in a
nearby window. Asked why he kept averting his eyes, the inquirer said that
the sun was too bright. In the same way, replied the elder, the brightness
of God's glory is blinding to sinners who have not turned to him in
repentance.

There is a book, "Eternal Mysteries from Beyond the Grave," in our church
library, describing accounts of like after death. They are quite edifying in
terms of helping us to maintain a consciousness of death. One story
describes vividly how one soul learned that an hour in hell is more horrific
than many years of suffering on earth. Of course, when reading them we have
to remember that they are attempts to describe a non-physical reality in
physical terms, and therefore are only true in a relative sense.

This doesn't really answer the question - but then, I have heard that St.
John Chrysostom, when asked where hell is located, responded by saying that
we shouldn't be concerned about where it is; rather, we should seek to learn
how to avoid going there. If we repent and turn to him, then we will
experience him - like the Prodigal Son - as a loving Father, or as the
gentle, radiant light of the morning sunrise.

So perhaps instead of buying ice, we should think of our lives as purchasing
a good pair of sunglasses? : )
 <http://www.orthodox.net>

Elena has kindly pointed out two quotes from St. Paul about this:

«Не видел того глаз, не слышало ухо, и не приходило то на сердце
человеку, что приготовил Бог любящим Его.» (1Кор.2:9).
"Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of
man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him."

Теперь мы видим как бы сквозь тусклое стекло, гадательно, тогда же
лицем к лицу; теперь знаю я отчасти, а тогда познаю, подобно как я
познан. [1 Кор 13:12]
"For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know
in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known."

As to Hell, I would think a total separation from God would be like dying
forever but never succeeding in actually getting it over with, so you would
go on suffering on and on forever  And who knows, maybe those in Hell can
see the ones in Heaven which would be an even greater torment. And didn't
the man on the cross with Jesus who accepted Him go to Heaven that day?  And
the other go to Hell? If so, that would suggest that we are judged when we
die.  If we are approved we get to stay in Heaven, if not we are cast
out/down to Hell.
Gloria

I believe it also says to be absent from the body is to be in the presence
of God....paraphrased.

In Christ
David

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Better hold onto your slippers Dorothy
cause Kansas is goin bye-bye
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Greetings to all on the feast of the Ascension!

"A total separation from God would be like dying forever but never
succeeding in actually getting it over with." I think this paints a very
vivid picture - a real reason to repent... And Christ himself indicates, in
the parable of the rich man and Lazarus (Lk 16:19-31), that yes, those in
hell can see those in heaven.

It is also very much true that we are judged when we die. The church teaches
that there are two judgments. First, each of us is judged at the moment of
our death. Freed from the body, which acts in some sense like a pair of
sunglasses blocking our spiritual sight, we see the glory of God. If we have
live a fallen human life, estranged from him through sin, then we experience
the light of His glory as torment. There is an excellent story about this in
"Eternal Mysteries from Beyond the Grave." Indeed, the apostles were blinded
by His glory on Mount Tabor (Mt 17:6)?

But for the sake of our salvation, Christ was Incarnate so as to end our
estrangement from Him. He became a man, died on the cross, rose from the
dead and ascended into heaven, bringing our human nature with Him, up to the
very throne of God, so that we might once again know God as Father. Reborn
with Him in baptism, empowered by the Holy Spirit, and being united with Him
in Holy Communion, we are able to live in Him and through Him in this life.
If we repent of our sins and live according to His commandments, we will not
be blinded by His light, but will experience His comfort as that of a loving
father.

The same is true for the final, general judgment at the end of the world,
when we each shall be changed, acquiring new, spiritual bodies, like
Christ's after the Resurrection.

All of this should certainly motivate us to make the acquisition of God's
grace, growth in virtue, and love of God the very highest priorities in our
lives! And yet I at least am so lazy... Lord, have mercy!

In Christ,
Nicholas
<http://www.orthodox.net>