What is Wrong with the Heaven/Hell Scenario?

Question

Is a benevolent dictatorship really the utopian paradise that it is claimed to be? Does God really reward all loyal believers with infinite bliss and punish all non-believers with infinite torment?

Why would I want infinite bliss? Why would I deserve infinite torment?

Answer 1

What's NOT wrong with the heaven/hell scenario? First of all, there's no reason to believe that either place exists, except that it's written in a book and passed down by hearsay from generation to generation. Second of all, the idea that there's a PLACE that can bring psychological torment or bliss is psychologically naive. Peace and suffering have nothing to do with external environment, and everything to do with internal outlook. Or as Emerson put it, "To different minds, the same world is a hell, and a heaven." In other words, you could put a happy person in a physical hell and they'd still be happy, and you can put a miserable person in a physical heaven and they'd still be miserable.

Answer 2

I'll take one and save the other for someone else :-)

Oh, this is taken from 1960 btw

Many Protestants and Catholics believe that the dead who have not gone to heaven are either in purgatory or in hell-fire suffering excruciating pains. A Catholic publication distributed by the Knights of Columbus says: “There can be no doubt that purgatory is real, that suffering there is real.” As for those in hell, it says they are hopelessly lost. Hell and the Lake of Fire, a Protestant pamphlet, states: One man will enjoy the pleasures of heaven forever. “The other man is suffering everlasting punishment and shall be in hell and the lake of fire forever and forever.”

There is absolutely nothing in the Bible to support either of these doctrines. The word “purgatory” cannot be found in Catholic or Protestant Bibles. As for the word “hell,” it has its origin with the Greek word Hades and the Hebrew word Sheol. The original word in each language means mankind’s common grave, a pit, a location where the dead and buried ones are unseen. The Bible says that Jonah and Jesus were in hell. Of Jesus, Peter said: He was not “forsaken in Hades [hell, AV],” that is, the Bible hell, the grave. The Revelation prophetically states that “death and Hades [hell, AV] gave up those dead in them.” Here The Revelation states that the dead in Hades or hell are dead, not living, and that they do have hope of deliverance. The Bible is conclusive on this point, that the dead “are conscious of nothing at all.” If they are not conscious, then they cannot be suffering. Further: “There is no work nor devising nor knowledge nor wisdom in Sheol [the grave, AV], the place to which you are going.” Those who teach otherwise lie about the dead.—Acts 2:31; Rev. 20:13; Eccl. 9:5, 10.

Answer 3

As far as I can tell infinite bliss WOULD be hell, think about it, when someone tickles you,it feels good, tickles you a little more it feels better,after 45 seconds or so, it starts to hurt, now imagine being tickled for eternity.

Answer 4

Say to those who disbelieve, 'You shall be overcome and be gathered unto Hell; and an evil place of rest it is

Every soul shall taste of death. And you shall be paid in full your rewards only on the Day of Resurrection. So whosoever is removed away from the Fire and is made to enter Heaven has indeed attained his goal. And the life of this world is nothing but an illusory enjoyment

Answer 5

HELL IN KJV
One Hebrew word “sheol” is rendered hell. Definition; hades or the world of the dead (as if a subterranian retreat), grave, hell, pit. Three Greek words are rendered hell; geenna, hades, and tartaroo. Definition of geenna; a valley of Jerusalem, used (figuratively) as a name for the place (or state) of everlasting punishment: - hell. Definition of hades; properly unseen, that is, “Hades” or the place (state) of departed souls: - grave, hell. Definition of tartaroo; (the deepest abyss of Hades); to incarcerate in eternal torment: - cast down to hell. Tartaroo is used only one place II Pet.2:4.
Christ teaching the Pharisees in Luke 16:19-31 shows us a separation from God is truly what hell is. The “water” is symbolic for God’s Spirit and love. The word “tormented” means distressed in the Greek, not torture. The “fire” is symbolic for the shame and desire not to be separated from God.
So all who die the first death of the flesh return to God Ecc.12:6-7, but on which side of the gulf do they end up?
Hell is not eternal but is done away with in Rev.20:14-15, called both the second death and lake of fire. This second death is non-existence, for death and hell and those not written in the book of life. This second death or lake of fire is like fat drippings that fall into the fire. Just a poof of smoke into non-existence.
Psa.37:20 But the wicked shall perish, and the enemies of the LORD shall be as the fat of lambs: they shall consume; into smoke shall they consume away.
In my mind what’s worse yet is no memory of you, no tears will be shed for you like you never existed.
Rev.21:4 And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.
So hell is a separation from God and is not eternal torture or burning. Eventually hell will be done away with or passed away and also some souls. Like fat drippings in the fire, a poof of smoke into non-existence, the second death.

Answer 6

An intelligent loving creator creating infinite punishment for finite sin, just doesnt go down easily for me.

Answer 7

Only if the true meaning and purport of heaven and hell were clear to all-


Heaven (aka Swarga in Hinduism) is a place in the mighty Cosmos wherein the souls rest in peace until they get to manifest a body on Mother Earth. But there is one condition attached. Any soul can only go to Heaven provided there is a positive balance of karma in hand.

All souls with a negative balance of karma go to hell (aka Naraka in Hinduism).

For every soul (aka Atman in Hinduism) at any point of time there are three abodes available. Either manifest a body on Mother Earth provided matching womb is available (for any soul to manifest on Mother Earth the existence of matching parents is an essential must).

If the matching parents are not available on Mother Earth then it is imperative that the soul would have to rest either in Heaven or hell based on the balance of karma of the earlier manifestations.

And what is karma? Right from the first manifestation the closing balance of any life form is transferred to the next manifestation through the process of karma. It is only karma which keeps the system going. In absence of karma the complete existence of Cosmos would come to a halt.

Does this mean that the reincarnation and the rebirth theory are correct... yes, they are hundred percent correct. Every human being started his first journey as an amoeba (single cell formation), then evolved into insect life, animal life and finally gained the form of a human being.

In all these stages the system of Heaven and hell plays role only after one has manifested the form of a human being... the last in the chain of manifestations.

We need to remember here that it is not Heaven that one would want to go but it is the kingdom of God where Mahavira, Gautama Buddha, Jesus Christ and Prophet Mohammed went.

Every enlightened soul rests finally in the kingdom of God (aka Baikuntha in Hinduism). A place of no return... none can enter the kingdom of God in bodily form. Only souls that have reached the stage of salvation (known as moksha in Hinduism) can enter the kingdom of God.

Starting from the stage of amoeba to reaching the stage of salvation... Announces the end of the journey of the soul! This is also the end goal of every human life. The materialistic oriented human beings who measure everything in terms of money in the present Kali Yuga (the metal age) consider Heaven to be place of enjoyment. And that to with no strings attached.

Our wanton desires and materialistic tendencies prompt us to go to Heaven. Above 99% people on Mother Earth would want to go to Heaven for they do not understand the true meaning of Heaven. Indulgence or no indulgence is for us to decide.

It is a chain of 8.4 million manifestations as a whole out of which 1.1 million manifestations are in human form alone. The total journey of the soul requires 96.4 million earthly years... a long journey indeed! More on heaven and karma here- http://www.godrealized.org/understanding_the_whole_concept_of_heaven.html and http://www.godrealized.com/karma_sutra.html

Answer 8

If there is a Heaven it is as follows:

A place full of close minded 'God' worshippers, praying, singing hymms and playing harps for eternity.

If there is a Helli it is as follows:

'Sinners' such as you and me (ordinary people) drinking alcohol, playing sports, listening to 'evil' music, having out of marriage sex and loving it.

HEY, I KNOW WHERE I WANNA BE!!

Ave Satanas.

Answer 9

people who know the lord do not have to ask we know heaven is a pain free place an hell is where killers racists an terrorists wind up.

Answer 10

That's a temptation from religion itself.