2007-04-11 19:15:16 · 11 answers · asked by bubsmom06 2 in Social Science ➔ Anthropology
Objectively, organized religions created the ideas of heaven and hell and just about every religion since the first had some sort of views on the idea. And since religions have been around almost as long as spoken language then there wasn't a time before heaven and hell. On the other hand, religion is a human construction so is there even a heaven or hell? And isn't the whole point to have something to look forward to?
2007-04-11 22:06:07 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
I think the Catholic church claims ( or maybe it was just Dante in the Divine Comedy) that everyone would be in Hell, because they didn't know of Jesus. They also have this story called the Harrowing of Hell, that had Jesus travel ling through hell and moving Adam, Eve, and all the assorted prophets and patriarchs that had died before he showed up to heaven.
That's one version of the myth, but christianity was selling itself as the new way at the time. The Mormons allow you baptize dead relatives, so that's how they cover anyone before Smith showed up.
Given that most religions claim they've always existed, the problem doesn't arise with their afterlife myths.
2007-04-11 20:12:13 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Organized religion doesn't determine direction to Heaven or Hell. Organized religion is based on man's interpretation of God's word (or other diety).
Acknowledging the supreme being of God is the act of acheiving admission into Heaven, for Christians the accepatnce of Christ as your savior. Now, if one is not a Christian and do good in the world, as God wants you to, will you still get into Heaven??
I won't find out about it that way.
2007-04-12 15:51:51 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
This is a theology question, not an anthropology one. Ask in religion and spirituality.
Speaking in anthropological terms, most cultures do not have an indigenous concept of an eternal torture zone in the afterlife. Bad people rarely tend to be punished for all eternity in the comparative study of cultures.
some common beliefs are that the "evil" end up coming back to earth as spirits or that they are destroyed.
2007-04-12 04:18:13 · answer #4 · answered by LabGrrl 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
They are probably in the same place that the people in third world countries who have never heard of religion or Jesus are. In the ground, where we will all be. When you ask these types of questions, the bible stops making a whole lot of sense doesn't it?
2007-04-12 08:39:28 · answer #5 · answered by mike b 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Organized religion didn't corner the market in salvation, despite what any of them say. You are judged by the type of person you are inside; not by the literature you read or by the building you congregate in.
2007-04-12 05:28:59 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
NO religion gets you to Heaven, ONLY the grace of God.
2014-03-22 08:40:20 · answer #7 · answered by ? 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
God has laws and these laws cannot be broken.
We live in a universe governed by laws.
God is smart enough to care for us all in the way he sits fit to do.
I know that when Jesus was dead, he went and preached to those spirits that were in prison.
So go figure....
2007-04-12 05:28:24 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
that is an awesome question. I wish I had even the slightest amount of an intelligent answer... :)
2007-04-11 19:23:21 · answer #9 · answered by Theresa M 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
wow what a good question
Good news and bad news.
The good news is there is no hell
the bad news is there is no heaven
but i believe that we are born again with only dreams of your past life.
2007-04-12 04:21:17 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋