Fantastic question! I'm curious to see what contortions people get into to fit this into the religious framework. I suddenly got this image of a perfect heaven with perfect justice, fairness, no pain... as a vast land of statues, unmoving, unfeeling...

These people...Oy. =P The reason there is bad that happens is because of satanic allowences by people. See, Satan tricked Eve in the garden. Eve knew it was wrong to eat of the forbidden fruit. He did have a convincing arguement ( For he is the great deciever ) and she followed hiss logic, despite what she had been told, and ate the fruit. At that point, sin entered the world, and people haven't been doing all that good of a job going against it. The answer to whether he will take away free will or not is no. He will not. Why ? Because in heaven there will be no evil. No evil, no pain, no sadness, no hardship. Just love and God's glory. How do I know this ? It's in the bible. How do I know that the bible is true ? Two reasons : 1. it was written by the holy spirit through people, 2. you can see how many times it was right. Prophecy, life lessons, history, etc. ( briliant question. Couldn't help but touch this one ;) )

When something bad happens to us or we do something which is wrong, you have never heard anyone but the sociopaths say “God told me to do it”. A normal human being will know and accept that he/she had a choice between right and wrong and chose poorly, if we choose something from two options why do we choose? We choose because we wanted or thought it was the right thing to do then it is to be understood we chose out of our “free will” as we have not been forced or obliged to choose one or the other. Heaven as imagined by many or ridiculed by others does not exist, heaven is an immaterial state of purification, eternal peace and light for the soul thus there is no better or worse, it just is if you believe. Once our souls have reached the state of purification, eternal peace and light all that is left of our material being is our soul/spirit, none material, invisible and untouchable it has no human form as it is not material. As it is not material we don’t have a mind or a conscience to tell us that we have free will or not, we are passed the human stage and have entered an immaterial state of grace. Farewell.

Those who will be in heaven will be those who have CHOSEN to serve the Lord. They made the choice Adam and Eve did not.. Therefore there will be no problems in heaven regarding free will. All are there by choice.

All the @ssholes will be in HELL! Peace at last!!! Peace at last! THANK GOD ALMIGHTY we will have peace at last!!!:)

I think there will be no difference. You will make it whatever way you did on earth...if your life here is good because that's how you choose to live your life, I think that's how you will choose to live your life in Heaven. :) Happy Saturday! :)

This is the Kingdom. We choose Heaven or Hell constantly. No one ever said Heaven would be easy.

I see were you're coming from, this world is full of nothing but suffering and misery. And no, God doesn't like the condition of things today. But if you sincerely want an answer to your question, then please consider this article. http://www.watchtower.org/e/200611/article_02.htm

First, when bad things happen and people blame God-to be consistent with their logic,when good things happen, do they "blame" (thank) God, too? I suggest you look into the book, "Evidence That Demands a Verdict" by Josh McDowell if you really want serious answers about your very serious future.

well for me t is easy god does not exist and there is no heaven good luck here on earth . all those who say a single word that supposebly god means s hould keep their mouth shut

Excellent question!

It's all a contradiction. If God made us, then he gave us not only free will, but a particular personality and upbringing. He's supposed to be omniscient, so when he made us the way we were, he would have known exactly what we'd do in any situation. Which means he couldn't possibly punish us for anything bad we do in life, because it was him who made us that way, and knew how we'd turn out!

The problem here is "What does it mean to have free will? When God created humans, among the many marvelous gifts he gave them was free will. The Bible tells us that God created man in his ‘image and likeness,’ and one of the qualities God has is freedom of choice. (Genesis 1:26; Deuteronomy 7:6) Thus, when he created humans, he gave them that same wonderful quality—the gift of free will God also gave us the mental abilities, such as the powers of perception, reason, and judgment, that work in harmony with free will. These enable us to think, weigh matters, make decisions, and distinguish right from wrong. (Hebrews 5:14) However, was the marvelous gift of free will to be without limits ? Well, would you care to drive an automobile in heavy traffic if there were no traffic regulations, where you were free to drive in any lane, in any direction, at any speed? Of course, the results of such unlimited freedom in traffic would be catastrophic. It is the same in human relations. Unlimited freedom for some would mean no freedom for others. Unrestricted freedom can result in anarchy, which damages everybody’s freedom. There must be limits. Therefore, God’s gift of freedom does not mean that he purposed for humans to behave in any manner without considering the welfare of others. God’s Word says on this point: “ Behave like free men, and never use your freedom as an excuse for wickedness.”? (1?Peter 2:16, The Jerusalem Bible) So God wants our free will to be regulated for the common good. He did not purpose for humans to have total freedom, but relative freedom, subject to the rule of law. To understand why God allows wickedness. One must understand what happened back in Eden and why God chose to handle matters as he did.

Keysha...As far as the books of the Bible being written after the fact, . It has been suggested that no other book of the Hebrew Scriptures is as well attested to as Daniel. To illustrate: The famous Jewish historian Josephus attests to its authenticity. He says that Alexander the Great, during his war against Persia in the fourth century B.C.E., came to Jerusalem, where the priests showed him a copy of the book of Daniel. Alexander himself concluded that the words of Daniel’s prophecy that were pointed out to him referred to his own military campaign involving Persia. This would have been about a century and a half before the “forgery” as proposed by critics. Of course, critics have assailed Josephus concerning this passage. They also assail him for noting that some prophecies in the book of Daniel were fulfilled. Yet, as historian Joseph D. Wilson remarked, “[Josephus] probably knew more of the matter than all the critics in the world.” The authenticity of the book of Daniel received further support when the Dead Sea Scrolls were found in the caves of Qumran, Israel. Surprisingly numerous among the finds discovered in 1952 are scrolls and fragments from the book of Daniel. The oldest has been dated to the late second century B.C.E. At that early date, therefore, the book of Daniel was already well-known and widely respected. Notes The Zondervan Pictorial Encyclopedia of the Bible: “A Maccabean dating for Daniel has now to be abandoned, if only because there could not possibly be a sufficient interval between the composition of Daniel and its appearance in the form of copies in the library of a Maccabean religious sect.” I could give you example after example of cases where the Bible's critics have come to accept certain ideas presented as fact, only later to be proved wrong by archeology. The book of Daniel is just one.

Personally, I feel that if God was simple enough to be understood He wouldn't be complex enough to be worshipped.

Interesting point.

Nah, if you screw up in heaven, he probably just sends your ass down here for a bit to remind you what things are like when he's not running the show.

If this is so, hypothetically, I am sure that Heaven will be better. The idea of Heaven is a place of eternal good. Adam and Eva ate from the tree of knowledge of good and bad. If men associate with the bad of which they now have knowledge, then when the bad will be extinguished, they will perish together with the bad. The people who associated with the good, they will stay with the good forever.So Heaven is not a place where people who associated themselves with bad, would like to be. There is one thing: God created the tree of knowledge of good and bad by His standards. Not by what we presume what is good or bad.

There's no short answer to your question...I will give you the Bible answer, but you will have to read it and think about what your reading...If you have any questions ask. Humans are to blame for much of the suffering. They fight wars, commit crimes, pollute the environment, often carry on business in a manner motivated by greed rather than concern for their fellowman, and sometimes indulge in habits that they know can be harmful to their health. When they do these things, they hurt others and themselves. Should it be expected that humans would be immune to the consequences of what they do? (Gal. 6:7; Prov. 1:30-33) Is it reasonable to blame God for these things that humans themselves do? Satan and his demons also share responsibility. The Bible discloses that much suffering is because of the influence of wicked spirits. The suffering for which so many people blame God does not come from him at all.—Rev. 12:12; Acts 10:38; ” How did suffering get started? Examination of the causes focuses attention on our first human parents, Adam and Eve. Jehovah God created them perfect and put them in paradise surroundings. If they had obeyed God, they would never have got sick or died. They could have enjoyed perfect human life forever. Suffering was not part of Jehovah’s purpose for mankind. But Jehovah clearly told Adam that continued enjoyment of what He had given them depended on obedience. Obviously, they had to breathe, eat, drink, and sleep in order to continue living. And they had to keep God’s moral requirements in order to enjoy life fully and to be favored with such life forever. But they chose to go their own way, to set their own standards of good and bad, and thus they turned away from God, the Life-Giver. (Gen. 2:16, 17; 3:1-6) Sin led to death. It was as sinners that Adam and Eve produced children, and they could not pass on to their children what they no longer had. All were born in sin, with inclinations toward wrongdoing, weaknesses that could lead to illness, a sinful inheritance that would eventually result in death. Because everyone on earth today was born in sin, all of us experience suffering in various ways.—Gen. 8:21; Rom. 5:12. Ecclesiastes 9:11 says that “time and unforeseen occurrence” also have a bearing on what happens to us. We may get hurt, not because the Devil directly causes it or because any human does it, but because by chance we are in a place at the wrong moment.

Why does God not do something to bring relief to mankind? Why should we all suffer for something that Adam did? Well there's definately more envolved that just free will, but free will does play it's part. In the Bible, God tells us how we can avoid much suffering. He has provided the very best counsel on living. When applied, this fills our lives with meaning, results in happy family life, brings us into close association with people who really love one another, and safeguards us against practices that can bring much needless physical suffering. If we ignore that help, is it fair to blame God for the trouble that we bring upon ourselves and others?—2 Tim. 3:16, 17; Ps. 119:97-105. Jehovah has made provision to end all suffering. He created the first human pair perfect, and he lovingly made every provision so that life would be pleasant for them. When they deliberately turned their backs on God, was God obligated to intervene so as to shield their children from the effects of what the parents had done? (Deut. 32:4, 5; Job 14:4) As we well know, married couples may have the joys that go with producing children, but they also have responsibilities. The attitudes and actions of parents affect their children. Nevertheless, Jehovah, as an expression of marvelous undeserved kindness, sent his own dearly loved Son to earth to lay down his life as a ransom, to provide relief for those of Adam’s offspring who would appreciatively exercise faith in this provision. (John 3:16) As a result, the opportunity is open to people living today to have what Adam lost—perfect human life, free from suffering, in a paradise earth. What a generous provision that is!

But why would a God of love allow the suffering to continue so long? you may ask. Consider this... have we benefited because he has allowed it until now? “Jehovah is not slow respecting his promise, as some people consider slowness, but he is patient with you because he does not desire any to be destroyed but desires all to attain to repentance.” (2 Pet. 3:9) If God had immediately executed Adam and Eve, following their sin, none of us would be in existence today. Surely that is not what we would want. Moreover, had God at some later time destroyed all who were sinners, we would not have been born. The fact that God has allowed this sinful world to exist until now has afforded us the opportunity to be alive and learn his ways, to make needed changes in our lives, and to avail ourselves of his loving provisions for eternal life. That Jehovah has granted us this opportunity is an evidence of great love on his part. The Bible shows that God has a set time to destroy this wicked system and will do so soon.—Hab. 2:3; Zeph. 1:14. God can and will undo all the harm that may come upon his servants in this system of things. God is not the one who is causing the suffering. But by means of Jesus Christ, God will raise the dead, heal obedient ones of all their illnesses, root out every trace of sin, and even cause former grief to fade from our minds.—John 5:28, 29; Rev. 21:4; Isa. 65:17. The time that has elapsed has been needed to settle the issues that were raised in Eden. One really needs to know what happened back there and understand the issues raised to really understand why God has allowed wickednedd to continue to our day. We personally are anxious to have relief. But when God takes action, it must be in behalf of all who love what is right, not just a few. God is not partial.—Acts 10:34. Illustrations: Is it not true that a loving parent may allow a child to undergo a painful operation because of beneficial results that can come from it? Also, is it not true that “quick solutions” to painful ailments are often only superficial? More time is frequently needed in order to eliminate the cause.

Since I know Ariz I know you're not a troll heaven is the lost Eden and our reward for choosing God despite our free will to choose other paths

Good question... according to the Bible, Satan obviously had free will when he was in Heaven, yes? Hopefully God will take away the ability to harm others. Hopefully, he will also take away things like hurricanes, tornados, earthquakes, tsunamis, etc. that cause suffering and have absolutely NOTHING to do with free will or sin!

There will not be sin in heaven. There will not be any evil to be tempted by there. At the White Thrown Judgement.Books are opened. Everyone will be Judged according to their works that they have done in this life. The good things and the bad things. We will be judged by GODS LAW, not mans. As you probably know nobody(except Jesus Christ) has ever kept the law of God.Therfore everyone of us will stand guilty before him at the judgement. But another book will be opened.Which is the Lambs(Jesus) book of life. Anyone NOT found in the book of life will be thrown into the Lake of Fire that was prepared for the devil and the angels that followed him. This Lake of Fire was not prepared for mankind. But since God will never force anyone to serve Him, It is each persons "CHOICE" to choose Him or reject Him. To receive GRACE or be judged according to THIER WORKS by GODS HOLY LAW> So you see it is your "CHOICE"!

This is in response to Knownothing's post...Not really meant to answer the question specifically. Note what the book Natural Disasters—Acts of God or Acts of Man? has to say: “There is no evidence that the climatological mechanisms associated with droughts, floods and cyclones are changing. And no geologist is claiming that the earth movements associated with earthquakes, volcanoes and tsunami are becoming more violent.” Similarly, the book Earthshock observes: “The rocks of every continent contain a record of innumerable major and minor geological events, every one of which would be a catastrophic disaster to mankind if they occurred today—and it is scientifically certain that such events will occur again and again in the future.” In other words, the earth and its dynamic forces have more or less remained the same throughout the ages. Hence, whether or not some statistics indicate an increase of some forms of geologic or other activity, the earth has not become uncontrollably violent in recent times. What, then, accounts for the increase in the frequency and destructiveness of natural disasters that we read about? If the forces of nature are not to blame, the finger of guilt seems to point to the human element. And, indeed, authorities have recognized that human activities have made our environment both more prone to natural disasters and more vulnerable to them. In the developing nations, a growing need for food forces farmers to overcultivate what land they have or to reclaim land by clearing away vital forest covering. This leads to serious soil erosion. Expanding population also hastens the growth of slums and shantytowns haphazardly built in unsafe areas. Even in the more developed nations, people, like the millions living along the San Andreas Fault in California, have exposed themselves to danger in spite of clear warnings. In such circumstances, when an unusual turn of events—a storm, a flood, or an earthquake—occurs, can the disastrous result really be called “natural”? A typical example is the drought in the African Sahel. We normally think of drought as the lack of rain or water, leading to famine, starvation, and death. But is the massive famine and starvation in that area due simply to lack of water? Says the book Nature on the Rampage: “Evidence gathered by scientific and relief agencies indicates that today’s famine persists not so much from prolonged drought as from prolonged abuses of land and water resources. . . . The continuing desertification of the Sahel is largely a man-caused phenomenon.” A South African newspaper, The Natal Witness, observes: “Famine is not about lack of food; it is about lack of access to food. In other words, it is about poverty.” The same can be said of much of the destruction resulting from other catastrophes. Studies have shown that the poorer nations suffer disproportionately higher death rates from natural disasters than do the richer nations of the world. For example, from 1960 to 1981, according to one study, Japan had 43 earthquakes and other disasters and lost 2,700 lives, averaging 63 deaths per disaster. In the same period, Peru had 31 disasters with 91,000 deaths, or 2,900 per disaster. Why the difference? Natural forces may have provided the triggers, but it is human activity—social, economic, political—that must bear the responsibility for the large difference in the loss of life and destruction of property that resulted.

This is not a question that lends itself to a simple answer. There are complex issues involved. It is a question which philosophers and theologians have been arguing about for thousands of years without much resolution. Fortunately, today, as a result of psychic research and scientific investigations into the paranormal, some light is being shed on this matter. Firstly, we do indeed have free will, though how much we have seems to vary from individual to individual. Nevertheless, having the freedom to make choices, we are forced to live with the result of our choices. Bad choices bring about bad results. Could God intervene and stop the evil and suffering? Yes, he certainly could; but that would deprive us of our freedom and reduce us to little more than puppets with God as the puppetmaster. That's not what the creation is all about. The violence and suffering in the animal kingdom is more difficult to explain, and the best we can come up with is that the Creator, God allows this temporarily for the eventual attainment of some higher moral purpose. What that may be we cannot comprehend at this stage of our development. Make no mistake, the universe and all it contains, including us, are works in progress. As smart as we may think we are, we still have a long way to go. As for the question of life in Heaven versus life on earth, this is actually an improper question; sort of like asking "how high is up?" Why? Because Heaven, as it's conceived of by most people and religions simply does not exist. The idea of people riding around on little clouds playing harps and choirs of angels endlessly singing praise to the Almighty is an invention of churchmen and religionists. There is no such thing. Likewise there is no fiery hell where the bad guys are tortured throughout eternity. When you think about it, infinite punishmnet for finite crimes is certainly not consistent with a loving, compassionate, forgiving Creator. Yet churchmen would have us believe that it is so. Rest assured, that it is not! What we do know is that the spiritual realm consists of a near infinite range of levels or planes of existence. We also know that in the spiritual realms, unlike earth, opposites do not attract. There, like attracts like. When the time comes to depart this earth, you will find yourself among people who think,act, and believe exactly as you do and have reached the same level of spiritual advancement as yourself. If you find that disconcerting, you may be in need of a change. About the best thing any of us can do is simply follow the golden rule and "do unto others....etc." The very highest levels, the so-called celestial planes, may correspond somewhat to the idea of "heaven." Unfortunately, very little information from that level reaches us and we know little to nothing about it. It is safe to say that the most highly advanced among us are there; people like Jesus, Buddha, etc. At the other extreme is the so-called lowest astral plane, which corresponds somewhat to the religious concept of hell. However, it is neither hot nor eternal. The best information we have indicates it is cold, dark and hideous beyond imagination. Only the most evil among us wind up there. Jesus was referring to the many levels in the spirit realm when he said that "My Father's house contains may mansions." For more information on the research which has been done and continues to be done in this area by scientists, physicists,and high technicians visit www.victorzammit.com.

No, just the opposite !!! In the presence of Infinite Good, Truth, and Beauty the temptation simply can't exist. I am standing before a mountain of emeralds and you offer me $100 -- I laugh at you. .Same with Heaven. What is 'better' than God that would influence a free will?

Was the fine gift of free will to be used without limits? In directions given to early Christians, God’s Word answers: “Be as free people, and yet holding your freedom, not as a blind for badness, but as slaves of God.” 1 Peter 2:16 For the common good, there must be boundaries. Hence, free will was to be regulated by the rule of law. Otherwise, anarchy would result.

Well we have a free will but that’s not it. Here’s a text that can help. The Evil One controls the whole world.”​—1 John 5:19. We all have a sense of who is the The Evil One. Satan right? But why is he controlling the world?

What free will decision causes children to get leukemia?

The people who choose to do bad things, will not be there