Thinking About Heaven and Hell.

Perhaps it is a general statement, perhaps it is not entirely true, but I have an impression that many in my day and age have a sort of belief in the existence of a heaven. The notion of hell, on the other hand, is being dismissed with a shudder.

I believe in the existence of both. Some may dismiss my belief as non-informed, anti-intellectual evangelical, or fundamentalist, perhaps – and in such naïve judgment reveal their own shallowness of heart. It is not popular to maintain a belief about the existence of hell.

Given that it does exist: Will I end up in hell at the end of this life?

What are the criteria for concluding that this is a likely outcome?

Argument of reduction: If there are only two options, and I do not qualify for option 1 – which is heaven, I consequently qualify for option 2 – which is hell.

If criteria for heaven are perfection, sinless-ness, purity, obedience, unselfish love, - well, even one of these make me disqualified. Not even with all my goodness, with my selfless acts, with my acts of charity – can I ever obtain any qualification for heaven.

Consequently, the other option is the only open one.

And hell is a painful place.

What if there is a heaven, and there is no hell – like a majority in my culture wants to suggest. If none of us qualify for heaven, what are we left with? Nothing? A void? Some even argue for this, and they voice the opinion that becoming nothing, simply disintegrate in body and soul, is better than an existence where there is pain.

If the criteria for entering into a blissful and entirely good heaven entail what I have suggested, none of us qualify. Why, then do we imagine our entry into this wonderful place? Is there a hope that perhaps we might hit the undo-button for all the things in our lives which disqualify us? There is no undo-button in real life. 

Do we hope that our misdeeds simply will vanish in thin air and we do not need to own up to the mess we made? We will all of a sudden smile nicely to our former victims – people we slandered, stepped on, teased, because now we face a new reality? Are victims and victimizers in the same boat? What sort of heaven would it be with me there? It certainly would not be the perfect place any longer.

Consequences of our choices, our thoughts, words and deeds qualify us for hell rather than heaven. It is a grim fact, and easy to support. The dream of heaven is futile; it has no real support. The argument of a void might have more weight to it.

And yet, most people find it too unfair, unloving, not right if they are denied entry into heaven. They blame God. It is his fault. He should know better. He should not be so demanding. He should make us qualify somehow.

He actually did, believe it or not, but that is another story.