this reminds me of the saying "be careful what you wish for - you may get it.
It isn't my wish to be honest.. I suspect that the poll wouldn't really give me an honest estimate, given the pool of people are more religious than not...
But, how many times have I heard the statements 'I hate aging' --'wish I had a chance to go back and do things differently, 'wish I could freeze this moment forever' our mortality undoubtedly plays a large part in our approach to how we live and perceive our existence ...
this thread was really inspired by the ' in paradise, now what?'..
It is because we experience a myriad of emotions that we can differentiate between them and select the few that are endearing to wrap ourselves in their memory ... I don't think many appreciate that it is part of the way we were created---it is because we experience, aging, boredom, disease, debt, depression, that we understand excitement, youth, riches, health.. and we aspire for all of those most of our lives, I know because of the billions spent on the beauty and plastic surgery industry.. people spend their youth working, so they can earn money, to have some in the bank for that retirement home, some for a jar of anti-wrinkle cream, a bottle of hair dye or even plastic surgery if need be, and an occasional trip abroad, a good holiday time with the family, new clothes to buy.. but we experience so much unpleasantness for so few moments of rejoicing and happiness and it is in that contrast to the others unpleasant emotions that makes the good ones so real and actual for us.
But that is all we know.... if God were to communicate with us with what we know of happiness it would be to recapture that which we as humans find most pleasant. How else can we make a contrast? It is in health, eternal youth, family, friends, warmth, streams and meadows that we find our happiness here...
How else to communicate to us when there are no words to describe to conjure up an image of that which no eyes have seen nor ears have heard nor ever occurred to 'the human mind' to what do we compare it to? There is no contrast to what we don't know...
A different creation will not need nor have a reason to be bound by earthly conditions.. We are what we are if we see a different face in the mirror by morning from disease or a burn, or amputation of even a fabulous new body...what is inside of us remains and goes and can most definitely go on to better... Anyhow this was pre-mature a conclusion, as I was hoping to hear some from those who have chosen the other options..
thank you though to all the participants..
peace
lol 
