Depends on the denomination. The Christians have the Lake of Fire Hell. Hel for the Norse is a place of torment. ‘Hell’ for Buddhists would be rebirth to Preta or depraved men. Most Wiccans don’t have a Hell, just a repeat of life to learn a Life-Lesson. Hades is but a place for the dead for the Greek - Tartarus being the equivalent to Christian Hell and Elysian Fields, Christian heaven (unless you prefer the classics then Hades is like Old Testament Sheol). For the Gnostics, Hell is but the separation from God. For others all together Hell is the permanent loss of consciousness. I could go on, but the list would be lengthy and I think you get the picture.
They all have what I’m gonna’ call a ‘scare tactic’. Separation, Karma, Torment. In short punishment. The question then is not IS there a Hell, but WHY is there a Hell. Morals, that which separates us from animals.
One can’t say for certainty “You will go to Hell and burn in a fiery furnace, if you don’t accept Jesus.” That would be the same as a Buddhist saying to you “Without enlightenment, you will be reborn as a cockroach.” You don’t believe them. They don’t believe you. Can you honestly say that your faith is stronger than hers? In the end, it doesn’t matter what you believe, just that you do believe. Christianity isn’t right for the Taoist, just like Taoism isn’t right for the Christian.
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The comment about that which separates us from animals brought to mind a quote, though I can't remember who said it. "People have the ability to laugh and cry because, unlike animals, we have the ability to see what is and what should be" Hell has been around for as long as religion has been around. And, yet, I don't believe that the thought of a hell came from morals. I think, more, it came as a scare tactic from the immoral. To make themselves feel better about their thoughts and actions. Do I personally believe in a hell? No. I do believe in rebirth, though. But, some believe it strongly enough that surely their thoughts have created a hell. If, and that's a BIG if, I were to entertain the idea, then I'd have to say an alternate dimension. How or why we would have a first class ticket to there, I'm not even going to guess. Now, I ask you, are people's morals truly higher than animals? After all, it's people that kill just to kill. Rape, pillage, and murder. Animals kill only to survive. If a mating is denied, the males go else where. Pillage....ok, they'll take food from other animals. Survival of the fittest and all, but again....it's for survival. Not just for the fun of it.
Well said! Many animal kill for the fun of it. The thing is...when do they kill for the fun of it. We only see that behavior in animals when they are 1) full and 2) over populated. Says something about humans, yes? They are having that problem right now with wolves in Idaho. MANY animals (specially those that show pack behavior) kill each other.....usually for a spot higher up in the hierarchy. They are killing elk and moose just for the fun of it. Animals also rape. I've witness many a time that dogs got hung up. The bitch didn't want anything to do with it, but because she was starting a heat, the pheromones caused a breeding reaction in the sire that apparently couldn't be denied. The difference here is .... animals are just that and live to be just that, nothing more. They constantly live the moment. Hung up on death and dieing is not something an animal dwells on. Humans on the other hand do. We also use the Hell as punishment to set those morals....humans know better and can show remorse. Most animals (I'm not say all -- this can be hotly argued) do not show remorse.
I had totally forgotten about the Idaho wolves. You're right. But, I think the people who use Hell as punishment and as a means to set certain morals into play are elevating their own beliefs and making themselves seem more in charge and important. This also leads into the issue I have with the 10 commandments. I mean seriously......do people REALLY need it to be written in stone to know that murdering and stealing is bad? Ugh
LOL. Yeah I hear ya...Dogma and organized religion...sheesh. HA! Though even Wiccans with their Summerland has the Wiccan Reed.....
What about Willy Wonka's Choc. Factory? That's where I'm going....is that dogmatic? LOL
*snort*....only if you're an Oompa Loompa. ROFLMAO. I can see you dancing around the chocolate river giving is a swirl between fetching fat little children out of the drain....Oh Man. You can come visit me in the Soda Chamber though...that's were I'd be...farten' and flyen'
Just don't forget to burp so you'll come down. lol Besides....I'm short enough to be Oompa Loompa...just not orange. And, even though I love my kids, I'm thinking heaven would be no little fat brats getting stuck in my chocolate river. Or turning into blueberries.....or being bad eggs....damn. I've seen that show WAY too many times. lol
LOL...an oldy but a goody
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