[ "It is that NO known "afterlife scenario" lets ME be the ultimate
decider of where I'm gonna go, and what I'm gonna be."
_____________________________________________________________
On what basis do you make this claim?  The postmortem principle of like attracts like means that you are drawn to realm of your core desires and personality.  If you choose a Hell, then you and your likeminded cronies create that Hell by your own desires.  It's just that you won't be able to conceal your thoughts and you will be subject to the principle of receiving the measure and standard that you dish out to other residents.  If you inhabit a realm devoid of God's love, that fate will result from your preference for a godless realm.  So what the Hell's your beef?
*****************
HERE'S my beef, Don.
I like to be LEFT ALONE by people.
In my "afterlife", I'd like have the capacity to become so massively
POWERFUL (mentally, physically, and financially) that I could FORCE others to stay out of my face!!! If I
was a walking arsenal of POWER, I would at least be left
alone, after I was messed with ONCE. (That's all it would
take..!)
But in "Hell", I wouldn't get to be massively powerful. I'd
probably be WEAK (and have to STAY that way FOREVER) and I'd get disrespected, tortured and butt-f***ed on a regular
basis. (Wouldn't be HELL otherwise, would it???)
ALSO... I LOVE PRIVACY! If others could read my mind,
I'd be screwed on that one (no pun intended.)
So annihilation is best for me... and the faster I could get
annihilated, the better.
So you see, Don... if you are right about the afterlife, I face
the same problem as ever. Inane, goody-goody Special Olympics "Heaven"...
OR a wretched existence in "Hell." (Wow, some choice, huh???)
THERE'S my #6%&ing BEEF, Don old boy...

B-man

[B-man:] "HERE'S my beef, Don.  I like to be LEFT ALONE by people....... I LOVE PRIVACY! If others could read my mind, I'd be screwed on that one (no pun intended.)  So annihilation is best for me... and the faster I could get
annihilated, the better."
_____________________________________________________________

Brendan, you are making false assumptions that deprive you of the postmortem joy you might obtain.  Jesus and modern paranormal evidence for the afterlife agree on this point: the afterlife is governed by the principle of like attracts like.  Like myself, you are very private.   So by this principle, you will likely be drawn to a realm of other souls who jealously guard their privacy.   I have read many reports of astral journeys to heavenly realms that draw attention to seemingly rural areas for those who prefer solitude.  You don't have to worry about others reading your mind if they keep away from you.

[B-man:] "So you see, Don... if you are right about the afterlife, I face
the same problem as ever. Inane, goody-goody Special Olympics "Heaven"...
OR a wretched existence in "Hell."
______________________________________________________________

Sewdenborg discovered that there are a countless variety of heavenly planes, each suited to the unique personalities of their residents.  One of these options is a private contemplative lifestyle in which you will not be besieged by "goody-goody special Olympics."  True, you must treasure pure unconditional love to achieve these heights, but what burden does that pose if you are not subjected to unwanted obligations?  You can focus on the bliss of reveling in the energy of divine love and pursue favorite hobbies.  True, you must overcome any bitterness and selfish exploitation of others.  But you will also be allowed, indeed encouraged, to explore your own unique sources of pleasure.  Granted, not physical sex--but an even more satisfying source of heterosexual union exquisitely described by ES.   Consider this quote from Sedenborg on the issue of privacy in the heavens:

"One person is present to another only if that presence is intensely desired....Conversely, one person moves away from another to the extent that there is any sense of reluctance....as soon as they disagree, they vanish....Whenever people move from one place to another, whether it is within their town, in their courtyards, in their gardens, or to people outside their own community, they get there more quickly if they are eager to and more slowly if they are not.  The path itself is lengthened or shortened, depending on their desire, even though it is the same path.  I have often seen this, much to my surprise (Heaven and Hell #194=195)."

So why not explore the prospect of a heaven perfectly suited to your needs?  Don't take for granted that you know everything that can and cannot make you happy in the postmortem state.   Allow yourself to experience the real God of loving freedom who lurks behind the Fundamentalist counterfeit God.

Don

Brendan, you are making false assumptions that deprive you of the postmortem joy you might obtain.
******************
-So be it.
______________________________________________________________

Sewdenborg discovered that there are a countless variety of heavenly planes, each suited to the unique personalities of their residents.  One of these options is a private contemplative lifestyle in which you will not be besieged by "goody-goody special Olympics."  True, you must treasure pure unconditional love to achieve these heights, but what burden does that pose if you are not subjected to unwanted obligations?  You can focus on the bliss of reveling in the energy of divine love and pursue favorite hobbies.  True, you must overcome any bitterness and selfish exploitation of others.  But you will also be allowed, indeed encouraged, to explore your own unique sources of pleasure.  Granted, not physical sex--but an even more satisfying source of heterosexual union exquisitely described by ES.   Consider this quote from Sedenborg on the issue of privacy in the heavens:

"One person is present to another only if that presence is intensely desired....Conversely, one person moves away from another to the extent that there is any sense of reluctance....as soon as they disagree, they vanish....Whenever people move from one place to another, whether it is within their town, in their courtyards, in their gardens, or to people outside their own community, they get there more quickly if they are eager to and more slowly if they are not.  The path itself is lengthened or shortened, depending on their desire, even though it is the same path.  I have often seen this, much to my surprise (Heaven and Hell #194=195)."

So why not explore the prospect of a heaven perfectly suited to your needs?
*****************
-Because there's no such place, Don. Some of the things I like
are what you would frankly call hellish.
I believe there are some "hellish" experiences I have not had, which
would have been a great test of my fiber and my worth, were I to deal with them successfully. These things are not to be had in your conception of a "heaven."
There are other "hellish" experiences (sins?) I did not indulge in, which I regret not indulging in to this day...
There have been some "heaven-incompatible" things which I have
attempted, and did not achieve to my satisfaction. These failures gnaw at me to this day, and always will. I won't have a second chance at many of these things in this life (too old, or they were one-shot deals) and opportunity to tackle them again won't present itself in "Heaven." In "Hell", I'd be doomed to fail AGAIN (such is hellishness!) Only reincarnation, or cryonics with rejuvenation would allow me to tackle such undertakings...
Plus, I DON'T WANT to "love everybody." I DON'T WANT to be "all-forgiving." Just doesn't jibe with the ideals I hold for myself... which might strike you as unusual, some of them... were I to share them with you (which I'm not going to do.) But these ideals are MINE, arrived at over a lifetime of thought... whether they are "right" or "wrong" in a metaphysically objective sense, doesn't matter to me. They came to me NATURALLY, without having to shoehorn my values into somebody else's value system. They are "right" to ME, and that's all I care about... and I'd rather ***cease to exist*** than let them go. Simple as that...
What's so awful about oblivion, anyway? Why does EVERYBODY loathe
such a prospect (even to the point of preferring traditional Christian "torture in hell" to it for THEMSELVES? On other forums and blogs, I've literally been told as much!)

B-man

P.S. Why is SEX singled out for "illegality" in "Heaven"
And #$%&ing WORK isn't? Every account of "Heaven"
I've read, says you've got to WORK (not for yourself,
but SOMEBODY ELSE.)
I'll tell you why, Don. Christianity is a kill-joy religion. It
glorifies SUFFERING. To paraphrase Mother Theresa:
"The suffering of the poor people is a very beautiful thing."
(I assume the suffering of RICH people is ugly then..?)
Sex is fun. Work ISN'T. Hence the presence of work (most
likely menial) and the absence of sex.
'Nuff said!

  Along Don's last post regarding Howard Storm, etc.

  I also recommend Dannion Brinkley's stuff, now there is a story of intense and extreme transformation Brendan.    

  Apparently Dannion was quite the materialist with very little self or other love.  Probably thought happiness consisted soley of money, food, sex, and status (looking good to others).  One bad arse kind of dude.

Lol let's just hope that your Total self doesn't choose such a drastic and extreme method of "wake up call" like Dannion's did!

  Anyways, point being that maybe Don has a point in his above post (though i'm not fond of his sometimes intellectually bullying methods or name calling)?

  Maybe there is much more to happiness than you have yet to imagine, or experience beyond material considerations?

  What i do know from personal experience is that when i was a materialist who had very little self love (though plenty of ego which seemed like self confidence and self esteem), and lacked acceptance and tolerance towards others, i was a miserable and depressed person until i started to move out of that mode more and more.