Heaven and the 10 virgins

One of the most common obstacles in Christianity is when the wrong parts of parables are taken literally in the wrong way.

One of the most common mistakes occurs when people read how Jesus taught a parable in which 10 virgins were trying to get into a wedding party. 5 were not allowed in because they didn’t have oil in their lamps. They were identified as “foolish” because they brought no oil with them and were therefore unidentifiable by the bridegroom and not permitted to enter.

Attributes of the parable are often understood mistakenly in a false literal way by people who conclude that there must therefore be a geographical location (heaven) in which people will be happy only if they can enter into this geographic location, otherwise they will be unhappy. And that God stands at the entrance to this location and if people are foolish, He wont let them come in so they can be happy.

This idea is of course mistaken. A person who willingly yokes (becomes a disciple) themselves with God and allows light into their lives becomes changed in such a way that they are instilled with love, peace and attributes of Godliness. They enter into a heavenly state, in that they *become* “heavenly”-- rather than passing through a physical entrance into a specific geographic location—wherein if they leave, they will suddenly cease to be happy and if they enter they will again be happy.

God therefore, does not physically prevent people from entering a physical location, because there is no such physical location that imbues characteristic and attributes upon those who enter it. The whole concept of it being a location is analogous to entering into a state of  being.

But even understanding the location concept as a parable, people are still mistaken as to the nature of this parable as to Gods role. God prevent people from attaining these “heavenly” attributes and characteristics of love, joy and peace. There is only one way that these attributes and characteristics are to be attained. God stands inviting people into a state of being. They must be embraced through act of free will on the part of the one who is to receive them.

A person must choose to act in accordance to light. They must act in accordance to those things which they have already received. If light and truth is embraced, God is embraced and one may join Him as they assimilate the attributes and characteristics of God. They join themselves to God.