A story

[VelvetEars]

A man had been a dedicated Christian all his life. One night Jesus appeared to him in a dream and said, "I will grant you whatever you wish. I know you would not wish for anything that would go against my Father's will."

The man said, "I would like to see both Heaven and Hell."

Immediately the man found himself in a great dining room with long tables at which hundreds of people sat. The furniture was the finest he had ever seen. Elegant china and silver service displayed the most delicious-looking food.

The man said, "This must be Heaven."

Then he noticed no one was happy. No one was eating. No one had elbows. People held silverware in their hands but could not put food on their plates or reach their mouths. All this great food, and yet no one could eat.

The man said, "Lord, I've seen enough."

Then the room went dark, and the man opened his eyes to see what he believed to be the exact same scene. Elegant furniture, china, and silver, delicious food. But with one major difference. The people could not reach their own plates with their hands, or their own mouths. But they could serve others' plates. And they could lift their spoons from those plates to other people's mouths.

The man said, "Thank you. Lord, for showing me Heaven and Hell."

[irish]

That all sounds like a bit of a nightmare!

I don't believe in heaven or hell.....
.....maybe it's just as well, especially if I have to spend eternity starving with hunger or feeding my neighbour food!

[Watchtower]

Jan 9, 2012 12:02:44 GMT -5 VelvetEars said:

A man had been a dedicated Christian all his life. One night Jesus appeared to him in a dream and said, "I will grant you whatever you wish. I know you would not wish for anything that would go against my Father's will."

The man said, "I would like to see both Heaven and Hell."

Immediately the man found himself in a great dining room with long tables at which hundreds of people sat. The furniture was the finest he had ever seen. Elegant china and silver service displayed the most delicious-looking food.

The man said, "This must be Heaven."

Then he noticed no one was happy. No one was eating. No one had elbows. People held silverware in their hands but could not put food on their plates or reach their mouths. All this great food, and yet no one could eat.

The man said, "Lord, I've seen enough."

Then the room went dark, and the man opened his eyes to see what he believed to be the exact same scene. Elegant furniture, china, and silver, delicious food. But with one major difference. The people could not reach their own plates with their hands, or their own mouths. But they could serve others' plates. And they could lift their spoons from those plates to other people's mouths.

The man said, "Thank you. Lord, for showing me Heaven and Hell."

Can you elaborate on what you mean here? I'm curious.

[avp60685]

I would like you to share where you got this story from please share

[irish]

Umph!!

Two posts.
Start a controversial thread and then...'poof'...'bang'... disappear.

Come back and talk to us!!!

[avp60685]

weird

[irish]

Jan 11, 2012 12:47:12 GMT -5 avp60685 said:

weird

Yes, very weird.

I think this wee thread might sink into the mire, avp!

[avp60685]

yes i think it will irish

[VelvetEars]

Here's one version.

media.radiosai.org/journals/Vol_04/01NOV06/heavan_hell.htm

[avp60685]

No wonder I was offended by this! It has Hindu references in it!

[Watchtower]

No wonder, but I'm sure it was not intended to offend and it's not bashing another religion, so I'd say let's just leave this thread be.

[avp60685]

right i won't post any more to this thread

[VelvetEars]

It's not a Hindu story.

I was using Bing because that's what I had at the time.

But if I go to Google there are Jewish, Catholic and Buddhist versions.

I'll just post the links to the Jewish and Catholic ones. I'm sure there's a Protestant version too.

www.rmbowman.com/catholic/s980124h.htm
www.jewishworldwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/poem_Difference_Between_Heaven_Hell.pdf

[VelvetEars]

Here's a poem that's related. I got it from Dear Abby but forgot to write down who wrote it.

THE COLD WITHIN

Six humans trapped in happenstance

In dark and bitter cold,

Each one possessed a stick of wood,

Or so the story's told.

Their dying fire in need of logs

The first woman held hers back,

For of the faces around the fire,

She noticed one was black.

The next man looking across the way

Saw not one of his church,

And couldn't bring himself to give

The fire his stick of birch.

The third one sat in tattered clothes

He gave his coat a hitch,

Why should his log be put to use,

To warm the idle rich?

The rich man just sat back and thought

Of the wealth he had in store,

And how to keep what he had earned,

From the lazy, shiftless poor.

The black man's face bespoke revenge

As the fire passed from sight,

For all he saw in his stick of wood

Was a chance to spite the white.

The last man of this forlorn group

Did naught except for gain,

Giving only to those who gave,

Was how he played the game.

The logs held tight in death's still hands

Was proof of human sin,

They didn't die from the cold without,

They died from the cold within.

[mercurytheatre]

bahavanasda...