CHAPTER 1
READ THIS FIRST
If you haven't read the "Introduction," please do so; it will help you understand how and why this book is put together the way it is. It is not like any other. It is more about remembering the pathway to Truth and removing the rubble in our way.
There are books that set out to prove the existence of Heaven through the experience of others. This is wonderful, since if one person can experience Heaven, we all can. This text is very different in that it sets out to prove the existence of Heaven because it must be, because it has always existed. However, proof and heaven are two of the most misunderstood words in any language. It has been necessary, to refine their definitions to even have a chance. These definitions aren't new, merely forgotten by many.
It has even been necessary to invent the structure of this book, as it doesn't fit well into existing genres. It's a problem of expectations. Here we are building an argument and it would be helpful to read it and consider it, in order. This will help you gain a stronger understanding of Heaven 2.0. It is most effective if you read all parts of the argument, which tends to build sequentially; it isn't just a collection of facts.
It is necessary to find the flaws in our usual assumptions and definitions and look at the evidence around us with new eyes, else we continue to miss the mark. The most important way to approach this subject is that you must be open to seeing both proof and Heaven differently.
Proof is more than what a mathematician or scientist may require. In a way, it is like a jury. Proof is what the members accept as verification and fits in with the facts and their experience. Many people believe in Heaven, but don't remember why and would be hard put to explain it logically. We set out to do this.
If one is to consider understanding Heaven, it is helpful to start with core assumptions and consider your beliefs as to who we are, how we got here, where we are going and what the "end" will look like. Some assumptions are wrong. It is why we look to atheists to point out the problems of Heaven 1.0. Heaven 1.0 doesn't work for many people, precipitating the need for an upgrade.
There are many spiritual belief systems; Wikipedia mentions 4,200 different religions. Christianity is reputed to have over 33,000 denominations. They are wonderful, are "good enough" and work great — until they don't. This book is for those for whom traditional ideas are inadequate, though not necessarily wrong. This book provides a deeper explanation and corrects minor misunderstandings based on the belief that we are a physical body. If you need more, once you realize you are already in Heaven, answers will flow to you from Heaven regarding life's dilemmas, without need of somebody to tell you.
Looking at the problems atheists have with modern religious ideas really is a good place to start, since they are willing to point out areas of inadequacy. It is very useful to review their thoughts, since if they can be answered, it might be beneficial for all concerned. All believers want a deeper understanding and a stronger belief. Those who are stuck and no longer believe, might want to figure out what is holding them back. We must look at what the atheists are saying, not in anger, but in gratitude because they point out blind spots in what is being taught by many of today's teachers. This book is an encouragement for those who are seeking on their own, choosing not to wait until traditional command and control sources change what they teach.
The great religious teachers lived hundreds of years ago and yet, despite the passage of so much time, mankind does not seem to have made a lot of progress. Could it be that we have built barriers to keep our lives pretty much as they are, spiritually? There have been wars, genocides, slavery, and many forms of anger and trauma throughout history and it appears they are still happening today. It is for this reason that these blocks must be looked at because if we do not become aware of them, we will continue to do what we have always done; as the saying goes, the more things change: the more they stay the same. Truth often becomes cliched because it is the Truth.
We really have to talk about why people say they want to go to Heaven, but would not give up their body to do so. What is going on? Very few people would go to Heaven TODAY, if given the choice to continue living on earth or die to go to Heaven. Maybe we aren't too sure that Heaven exists or we don't understand what it is really like. Maybe we just like it here.
[An aside: most suicides do so to get away from a painful situation or to punish someone else, not to go directly to Heaven. However, some suicide bombers seem to reason this way: do the will of Allah and go to heaven immediately.]
If you think about it, we really do value our bodies and are really "attached" to them, literally and figuratively. We are highly focused on the five senses in the here-and-now. Even if we hate our bodies and what is happening to them, we remain steadfast in thinking only about its welfare.
Despite the fact that our lifetime is limited and has a beginning and an end, it is the only life we think we know. The fact that we must use words to communicate is a barrier to people understanding each other. Unfortunately, words mean different things to different people, especially if it is a different sub-culture or language. The temporary nature of our lifetime as an individual and the need to use indirect symbols to communicate (words) constitute barriers to meaningful discussions about Heaven. For now, that seems to be all we have. Those who can communicate directly (i.e. psychics or empaths) are often discounted.
It is also important to note that this book uses the word "Heaven" and seldom the word "God" because of the enormous baggage that the word "God" carries in people's minds. It is also important to realize that God is not a person in the same sense that we are a separate person. On the other hand, for those who seek a "personal relationship" with God, you cannot get more personal than Oneness. Ultimately there is only one "Person." Oneness transfigures ideas of individuality and specialness as we remember our native Nondual state of...
