Posted by Bruce Moen on June 13, 2003 at 06:16:06:
In Reply to: Is there a hell? posted by cowgirl on June 12, 2003 at 19:46:57:
Cowgirl,
In my explorations I've visited several hells. That there are such places is one of those things that irks me. You see, in my view hells do not exist until someone creates them. I'd describe nonphysical reality as a very plastic place, one in which the power of thoughts and beliefs can mold an area of nonphysical reality into what is thought and believed.
For example, I was raised as a Lutheran and that religion believes/preaches that a hell exists, describes it, describes what it's like for those who exist within that hell, and sets up the list of rules (beliefs) that will cause a person to go to that hell after death. In my view the act of a large group of people, like Lutherans, holding those beliefs creates the hell they believe in. In effect that group held belief "molds" an area of nonphysical reality into what is believed by the group. For those who exist in that hell it is just as real and solid as our physical reality is to us.
The thing that really irks me is that the only reason a person goes to one of these hells, created by their religion, is that they believe the place exists and they believe they deserve to go there after they die. It is their religion itself that is creating the hell and the rules one breaks to "deserve" to go there.
In my view the person's religion is responsible for the pain and suffering of its followers in hell. And Lutherans aren't the only ones creating hells and sending their followers there, every religion that tells its followers to believe in such a place is doing the same thing. Each hell fits with the specific beliefs of the religion that created it, and only the followers of a specific set of beliefs, like a religion, will be found there. There are no Catholics in Lutheran hell, the Catholics create their own.
See, that's another aspect of hells. The only people residing in a hell are those who share the same set of beliefs that created the hell in the first place. In my view not everyone who holds those beliefs will go to that hell, but the only ones you'll find there are ones who do.
I'll get off my soap box now, it's just one of those things that really, really irks me.
<< I have been told that those that commit suicide, go to "hell" but then have watched Mr. Van Praag make contact with a person that commited suicide and they sent a message that they are fine etc.... <<
Sounds like whoever told you "that those that commit suicide, go to hell" took on a belief from someone. Is that belief true? Perhaps Mr. Van Praag's contact demonstrates that this belief is in error?
>> can anyone out there give me any answers?? I'm still wondering... <<
I'm the kind of guy who insists no one take on my beliefs about things. I'd much rather that folks learn to explore on their own and discover whatever the truth is on their own. In sharing what we each find perhaps we'll build a clearer picture of what's real and what's not. That you are "stilling wondering" is great. Such wondering often leads to knowledge.
Bruce
Afterlife Knowledge Conversation
For Claudio, Posted by Bruce Moen on June 14, 2003 at 16:37:02: In Reply to: Re: Is there a hell? (for Bruce) posted by Claudio on June 14, 2003 at 10:14:47: Claudio, Sure, feel free to translate and put it on your site. Bruce |