Is Heaven a Fantasy? - Bellator Christi

By: Brian G. Chilton, Ph.D., M.Div. | July 7, 2023

Note: Please be advised that this article contains references to expletive material.

Recently, hit movie star Arnold Schwarzenegger expressed in an interview with Danny DeVito that he thought the idea of heaven was nothing more than “some fantasy.”[1] Schwarzenegger went on to say, “It reminds me of Howard Stern’s question to me … ‘Tell me, governor, what happens to us when we die?’ I said, ‘Nothing. You’re six feet under. Anyone that tells you something else is a f—king liar.”[2]

With great remorse, the former governor of California reflected that “We don’t know what happens with the soul and all this spiritual stuff that I’m not an expert in, but I know that the body as we see each other now, we will never see each other again like that … I know people feel comfortable with death, but I don’t. Because I will f—king miss the s—t out of everything.”[3] DeVito merely responded by saying, “Life! It’s the best!”[4]

About Arnold Schwarzenegger

It is undeniable that Schwarzenegger is an accomplished individual. Arnold won numerous bodybuilding awards, and quite frankly was nearly unbeatable in his prime. He was the primary focus of the cult film Pumping Iron, which especially has a strong following in weightlifting and bodybuilding communities. Guys like Schwarzenegger were inspirational in getting me started with weightlifting in my teenage years.

Additionally, Schwarzenegger is a much-accomplished actor. In full disclosure, Arnold Schwarzenegger is my all-time favorite action hero. Schwarzenegger’s films such as The Terminator, Running Man, Commando, Total Recall, and Predator are among some of the best action movies in cinematic history, even by today’s standards.

So, with the aforementioned information, it is important to know that I have great respect for Schwarzenegger, even if I do not accept his theological moorings. But with that in mind, is Arnold right in his assessment? Is heaven simply a fantasy for those who cannot cope with the concept of death’s finality? Or do we have good reasons for believing in a literal place called heaven?

If you have followed my material, you already know my answer. Heaven is not a fantasy. Rather, it is an actual place where the saints of God live immediately after their deaths on earth. But do we have good reasons for believing so? I would argue that there are at least five reasons for believing that heaven exists.

Heaven is Not a Fantasy Because of the Resurrection of Jesus

First, if Jesus has risen from the dead, then we have solid evidence for the existence of heaven. Not only did Jesus defeat death and the grave, but he also ascended to the Father forty days after his resurrection. Additionally, Jesus promised the following—“Believe in God; believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you? If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and take you to myself, so that where I am you may be also” (John 14:1b–3, CSB).

Jesus is the Resurrection and the Life

Additionally, Jesus assured Martha at Lazarus’s grave of a heavenly afterlife, saying, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me, even if he dies, will live. Everyone who lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?” (John 11:25–26, CSB). If Jesus died, arose, and ascended to heaven; then we have excellent reasons for believing in what he says about heaven.

Reasons to Know Jesus Arose from the Dead

So, how do we know that Jesus arose from the dead? There is too much information to share to give a proper assessment.

But to give a brief recap, the resurrection of Jesus is confirmed by early eyewitness testimony, multiple attestations to the historicity of the event, extremely early messages about Jesus’s resurrection (confirmed by NT creeds), early oral traditions affirming the resurrection of Jesus corresponding with both the informal-controlled and formal-controlled methodologies (a major deal!), enemy attestation, a confirmed empty tomb which is found at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, the Shroud of Turin, the change of the day of worship from Saturday to Sunday to celebrate the resurrection (a huge deal!), the transformation of those who were formally enemies of the church after seeing the risen Jesus, the novel idea of a resurrection occurring before the eschaton, and the willingness of the early disciples to give their lives for what they knew to have seen.

All of this speaks volumes about the veracity of Jesus’s resurrection. If the resurrection of Jesus is true, then heaven is most assuredly a reality.

Heaven is Not a Fantasy Because of Near-Death Experiences

Second, heaven cannot be a fantasy if near-death experiences are real. In other articles at Bellator Christi and my book Conversations about Heaven,[5] I supplied various reasons to believe in the authenticity of near-death experiences. Because of the objective nature of these experiences—particularly those postmortem observations made by an individual outside of their body that is verified by others in the room—near-death experiences cannot be merely a hallucination or an illusion of the mind. Therefore, the soul survives death, indicating the very real possibility of heaven.

Heaven is Not a Fantasy Because of the Nature of the Soul

Third, consciousness, or the human soul, is both a mystery and another signpost to the reality of heaven. Thomas Aquinas noted that “nothing subsisting is greater than the rational soul, except God.”^[6] As such, the soul is an essence that can exist beyond the scope of the mortal body. Surprising as it may sound, issues of consciousness and the soul are no longer conversations held in theological hallways. Consciousness has found its way into modern scientific discourse. Recent research into the odd and mysterious realm of quantum physics shows that consciousness impacts the physical domain. Subatomic particles behave differently when conscious beings observe them than when they do not.

Roger Penrose later asserted that “true intelligence requires consciousness”[7] and that the soul belongs in the realm of Platonic forms.[8] As such, the nature of the soulish consciousness is not one that can be contained by the physical realm, but supersedes it. Some have even argued that physical reality is only possible because of a prior existing consciousness. But that argument is for another time. Nonetheless, Schwarzenegger’s dismissal of heaven as a mere fantasy does not hold with the complex nature of human consciousness.

Heaven is Not a Fantasy Because of the Moral Order of the Universe

Without going deep into the issue, the moral order of the universe is a fourth reason for holding on to the reality of heaven. Nearly everyone recognizes that the world is not what it should be. We all long for a place that is better than the one we have. For someone who has been as successful as Schwarzenegger, this could fall on deaf ears. Life has been good to the Austrian-born bodybuilder. He received the breaks he needed to make it big in both the world of bodybuilding and cinematic history. However, there have been numerous individuals who were just as talented and just as sculpted but never received the same accolade that he did.

Furthermore, what do we do with a world where so much evil and sorrow are found? Some may be tempted to accept atheism as the standard reaction to such things. As one who was a former agnostic, I can say that non-belief only makes things worse. Why even continue living in such a hopeless environment? Well, the answer is that not only does God exist, but God has created a heavenly abode for those who wish to join him.

Heaven is Not a Fantasy Because of the Reality of God’s Existence

Finally, heaven is not a fantasy if God exists. The reality of God’s existence can be known through numerous avenues. Aquinas’s Five Ways provide support for the existence of God through the cosmological argument from motion, the nature of efficient cause, the argument from possibility and necessity, the argument from perfection and gradation, and the governance of the world.[9] Other arguments from design and a panoply of other key points strongly suggest that God exists. Therefore, if God exists, then heaven is strongly likely as it would be a place for a person to commune with God for all eternity.

Conclusion

At least five reasons suggest that heaven is an actual place and not a mere fantasy. Many more could be added if it were not for the limitations of space. Arnold Schwarzenegger has given much to the world by serving as a hero, an inspiration, and an entertainer. It is my hope that he will be encouraged by the promised hope of heaven.

For me, one of the strongest pieces of evidence for heaven has come from my three years of work as a hospice chaplain. I have seen firsthand how God has lovingly and gently escorted people from this life to heaven. The death of the believer is often accompanied by little miraculous events as the person passes into eternity, including seeing God, loved ones, angelic beings, and expressions of love and peace that nothing else could afford. My prayer is that you would be encouraged to see heaven as more than a fantasy, but a promised place of bliss.

About the Author

Brian G. Chilton is the founder of Bellator Christi Ministries and the co-host of the Bellator Christi Podcast. Dr. Chilton earned a Ph.D. in the Theology and Apologetics at Liberty University (with high distinction), a M.Div. in Theology from Liberty University (with high distinction); his B.S. in Religious Studies and Philosophy from Gardner-Webb University (with honors); earned a Certificate in Christian Apologetics from Biola University, and completed Unit 1 of Clinical Pastoral Education at Wake Forest University’s School of Medicine. Dr. Chilton is a member of the Evangelical Theological Society and the Evangelical Philosophical Society. In his spare time, he enjoys reading, working out in his home gym, and watching football. He has served in pastoral ministry for over 20 years and serves as a clinical chaplain.