The concept of Hell is inherently wicked. When you think about eternal punishment, you have to think if there are such crimes that deserve eternal punishment. Eternity is such a loooooong time. To punish somebody that long, I don't care what crimes that person did, is just cruel. Human beings at least are more merciful when we say that a convicted murderer or rapist has squared himself with the law after serving the full lifetime sentence. You have to think whether there's more wisdom in inflicting punishment versus making misguided people amend their ways for the better.
Heaven and hell actually conjures up images of an after-life theme park. Well, that's just me.
The existence of heaven and hell cannot be proven. The concept itself does not represent maturity. I find the word God-fearing actually to be suspicious. That we can only behave well when there's fear of punishment or when a reward awaits a certain act. I think people should do good things and avoid doing bad things because they are inherently good people who like helping others and don't like to hurt people...not because we desire a handout or we fear the surveillance camera from the sky. As a parent, I do not wish that my kids treat each other well only when I'm around to scold them or compliment them. I like them to be inherently good and see the rewards in cooperation and friendship itself. Otherwise, I'd need to be running an eternal day care center.
I find a lot of wisdom from this an 8th Century Islamic Saint, Rabi'a al-'Adawiyya: “O my Lord, if I worship Thee from fear of Hell, burn me in Hell. If I worship Thee from hope of Paradise, exclude me from thence". By the way, I'm not a muslim...if that matters to you.![]()




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