Discussing
Heavenly features

Did anyone see Albert Brooks and Meryl Streep in Defending Your Life? It's a wry comedy about the afterlife and one of my favorite treats to watch. Of course the theology is bad, but it depicts the afterlife as an active, meaningful and very real existence. Not gooey or foggy or abstract. And it's hilarious, if you like Albert Brooks dry sense of humor.

Most of the movies that depict heaven I don't concentrate on I usually want to leave that to the suprise that it will be. I remember Jessie Duplanis (please don't laugh at the spelling) had a revelation of heaven and he spoke on it, about how colors were vivid and unlike what we think that our true colors are. I say I get more out of movies try depicting hell. It is scary because I imagine 10 times worse than the depictions and it makes me seek Heaven more. I guess that is my two cents of the day :)

Interesting I will have to watch that movie. Did it help you wonder about Heaven?

I don't think I have been affected one way or another by anyones depiction of Heaven (With exception the Apostle John of course)
I remember taking a Junior Soldier class at The Salvation Army in New Zealand & a young fellow saying Heaven for him would be riding his b.m.x. over the clouds, while our elderly Officer said that would be more like Hell & her Heaven would be sitting under a tree reading a good book! I did not know what life was like before I was born. I did not know what LIFE was like before I was born again & I won't know what Everlasting LIFE is like untill I am in Heaven !!

I guess I am the exception. I have always wondered what Heaven will be like. Randy Alcorn's book, Heaven, comes as close as I have seen to providing a scriptural, fascinating and pragmatic description. I've also always enjoyed CS Lewis's book, the Great Divorce as well. NDE accounts are interesting to me as well. The Apostle John, Isaiah and Jesus devote considerable ink to describing the afterlife, so I don't think it's wrong to imagine. Unless you are a personality type that is fearful of imagination. Of course it will be different and better than we can imagine. But we CAN imagine.

Thanks Rick, I agree the Apostle John, Isaiah & Jesus all had things to say about Heaven but they weren't imagining it, they revealed what they knew. Paul had first hand knowledge too but he was not allowed to reveal it. Maybe I made it sound like I am against imagination? No, just that I find the revalations from God to much more exiting! I had many years ago a dream--vision, ( maybe imagination)! I was in Heaven & Jesus gave me a white robe to wear. The robe was much too big & I said it was not mine,Jesus replied "No it belongs to Me". That ever since has been my 'vision' of Heavan, a place I wear the Righteousness of my Lord.

I didn't mean to disagree with you...I meant the comment about imagination in general. That sounds like a wonderful vision! I bet if we polled Christians most would admit to having a dream or vision of Heaven. (I have as well). Which would seem to make sense since we are citizens of Heaven right now...and seated in heavenly places with Jesus right now. Paul says to "Set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things." and also, "So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal."

Hello to all i would say none of these movies i have not watch and if i did it would not have an affect on me one way or another if i remember right god said in exdous 20 4th verse thou shall not make unto thee any graven image or any likeness or any thing that is in heaven above or that is in the earth beneath or that is in the water under the earth.this falls under the ten commandments no disrespect some question i just do not get god laid down the guidelines for us but we still like to try and set our own logic in this life and why? but i tell you this it will never work he meant what he said and he's not changing for me nor anyone i think question like that are just brain pickers.Just rest in jesus all and may god be with us now and forevermore amen.

You are so right in how you commment on this cause in exdous 20 4th verse it tell us the guide lines that god laid down for us. I would just like to say to you keep trusting in jesus as he is the answer to life.

the (out of stock!) August 2004 issue of the (secular) "Believer" magazine features a "Schema" (by Brian McMullen and Stvn Villereal called "The Afterlife in Movieland" that lays out the best examples quite elegantly