Heaven and Hell?

[BurtWorm]

[slackmaster]

1. Afterlife is your impact on others

It lasts as long as someone remembers you or recognizes you as responsible for something they can see.

[elcondor]

2. Heaven only

I don't believe that G-d (if G-d is supposed to be ever-loving) could allow us to suffer forever just for something we did in a lifetime.

[Sirius_on]

7. Whats this G-d business?

I see people do this stuff and I wonder why. Regardless if you believe in GOD or not, why the (-)?

[elcondor]

8. Answer

"According to the custom of many Jews, the name of G-D was too holy to either write or speak in everyday use. This notion was extrapolated from Deu 5:11, which says we should not take G-D's name in vain. G-D, however, left it up to man to decide what was "in vain"." (from http://www.mindspring.com/~bab5/BIB/name.htm )

Also, many people believe that one cannot write G-d's name on paper because the paper can be destroyed. (I translate this into typing, even though it's not technically paper.) (Not all Jews believe this way, some only interpret this into saying G-d's "real" name.)


(I'm still in the learning process if anyone wants to expand on what I've said or correct me.) I hope I've answered your question! :-)

[Az]

10. An interesting sect

There was an interesting sect of Islam around a while back. They called themself Yahweh. They had some interesting ideas. Their main claim was that the white man was keeping the true name of god from them (Yahweh). This was such a strong conspiracy in their mind that no white man would say god's name in their presense under penalty of death.

Another aspect of their beleif was that the white man was literally the devil. Forget metaphors they had photographic proof that we have tails.

Needless to say I asked them "So you are saying that I will never say the name Yahweh in your presense?" I don't think they caught the conflict inherant in that statement. I found out where their temple was and managed to drive by it everyonce in a while and shouted Yahweh out the window.

Found out a few years later the entire religion was a front from a drug smuggling operation that got busted down in Florida. Wondered why they had more security that the Pope did. (true story)

[KCDem]

12. aha, "He Who Must Not Be Named", or something like that?

n/t

[KCDem]

13. I'm with you,

although I really can't justify it to myself. But I've never believed in hell and damnation. I do believe in some sort of afterlife, but not like the fundies do.

[BurtWorm]

3. there's a hellofa nice universe next door.

let's go.

[Archae]

4. Damn good album

By Vangelis. :-)

[Aristus]

5. I believe in Heaven and Hell, but I voted 'Hell is other people.'

It reminded me of a quote I heard somewhere: "I have a deep and abiding love for Humanity. It's PEOPLE I can't stand." :-)

[noonwitch]

6. We all become one with the divine light

Although, if you really want to go to hell, I'm sure it can be arranged.

[AlienGirl]

9. Reincarnation

With cosmic karmic comedy and ironic implications.

Tucker

[Cointelpro_Papers]

11. After life is a wet dream created by the weak.

There is no reason to think that their is an afterlife, their never has been any proof, or even any physical acknowledgment of such a thing. People believe it because people before them believed it. You can't rely on mommy anymore, so you make another saftey net.

[KCDem]

14. and is that so bad?

If it makes someone happier to have a belief, why is that a sign of weakness? I can rely on my mommy all I want to... more than I want to... but spirituality makes me comfortable.

I was brought up Christian... Dad a pastor, etc. Now, I'm married to an Atheist. I've been on antidepressants for most of the time that I haven't been pregnant or nursing since marriage. I know that part of the reason I've been depressed stems from the fact that I don't go to church and have no one to share that sort of a belief with anymore. Weak? No. I just want to have something major in common with my SO. He gets annoyed that I don't get excited about physics. Same thing.

I get really annoyed with people when they say that belief is a sign of weakness. That's bullshit. Weakness is calling people names because they have something that you don't share.

Sorry if I'm edgy, GD did it to me. But I am developing a great intolerance of late to people who can't tolerate my own spiritual choices. Live and let live.

[Cointelpro_Papers]

15. Hey, not edgy at all.

I didn't mean to portray that every person that beleives in heaven is weak, I just wanted to say it started out that way. Ahh, intolerance is a must, it's a way to boost your self-esteem, and let off steam. I don't have a problem with it per se, I was just giving my ideas about it all.

[KCDem]

16. lol, good, I thought I was

GD really had me on edge tonight. Normally, I'm in bed by 10:30, and here it is, almost midnight, and I'm still over there. (or, according the wacky DU clock, 4 am!) Need a drink but can't due to damn antibiotics.

[farmboxer]

17. Neither.

If depends on which believe system you are into, if any at all.

[roguevalley]

18. someone once said that hell is the absence of God's company

I think we live and survive hell here. We make it in our
minds and do it with our deeds. I don't think it exists
outside of living. I think we just get another chance to
get it right and come back.