Help me not fear heaven/hell

[Belacqua]

delicate flower

It's a splendid day here. Two kinds of flowering plants are blossoming, so the garden smells wonderful.

Japan divides the year into 24 seasons. The current season is called "Bugs wake up." Each of these is subdivided into three, so we are now in the short period called "Leaf bugs become butterflies." Granted, this is timed for Kyoto, and I am quite a ways west of there, so my garden is not quite in sync. 

Last year in the typhoons the terrace wall above my garden collapsed and a good part of the mountain slid into my east garden. There was mud and stones the size of microwave ovens. But there was a nice coincidence: years ago I planted a tree in front of the wall, and it's about a foot across at the base now. When the stone wall collapsed the top three meters came down vertically like a garage door, and the tree was perfectly placed to hold it up in that position--which meant that the house was protected.

Finally the city has got around to repairing this area. One very kind old guy is moving all the debris by himself, with just a wheelbarrow since the path here is too narrow and steep for a car. I've been pleased to see that he is not strict about his schedule -- since there is no supervisor nearby, he can take breaks long and frequently. It would be inappropriate, I think, to work in a Japanese garden any other way. 

So I'm fine, thanks.

[tackattack]

You don’t go to hell for being a bad person, just like you don’t get into heaven for being good. If you live in fear you’re not living in love and that’s probably not a healthy place to be in.

[Catharsis]

Stop trolling    and don't be a bad person and you'll be fine.

You calling someone a troll? That’s delicious

[Fake Messiah]

I am, on the other hand, scared of going to Heaven. Imagine if I had to spend eternity with these nuns!



Or any nuns! Or Hitler! Please comfort me!

[purplepurpose]

You don’t go to hell for being a bad person, just like you don’t get into heaven for being good. If you live in fear you’re not living in love and that’s probably not a healthy place to be in.

I agree. As soon as I decided to give the rest of my life to relatives, fears went away. Maybe that's God saying "You won't go to hell, if you do the right thing, you will get your peace/happiness you want in the end".

[Deesse23]

The problem is my atheism is only at 99%. There’s 1% of me that still thinks I could be wrong and that I’m going to hell for being a bad person.

What about the 1% for being no muslim?
What about the 1% for being no xxx?

(Do you think) you became a worse person after you dropped your belief? Do you think a (christian) god would judge you as a worse person, just because you think you have not enough good reasons to believe in it? If he did so, wouldnt that make him a shitty god? Do you think it would be fair to send you to eternal damnation for being intellectual honest to yourself? Even if you became a worse person, and even if it would be fair to punish you, do you think eternal damnation would be fair? If you believed in a god that cares for your well being (much) and if it existed, what should a possibly reasonable reaction of your god be to your intellectual honesty? Eternal damnation?

[downbeatplumb]

Hey, everyone. I thought I’d ask for some help here.

I was raised Christian but don’t believe in god anymore. I think it’s all nonsense. We’re on this pale blue dot alone. I believe in science and reason.

The problem is my atheism is only at 99%. There’s 1% of me that still thinks I could be wrong and that I’m going to hell for being a bad person. I’m also afraid of the idea of endless life, mostly because I struggle with anxiety and the idea of eternal anxiety in heaven is my idea of hell.

Can anyone help me unhinge the last 1% so that I’m not afraid of heaven and hell anymore? It would mean the world to me. I’d like to not have this hang over me for the rest of my life.

- Fleeing Jesus

What is heaven supposed to be same with hell, they seem to be outside of our space time somehow but the descriptions are just all variants on things that happen here.
Flaming pits torture or playing harps in worship. Its all obvious fabrication, so just chill.

[chimp3]

Fleeing Jesus seems familiar. I think he has been having this fear for a long time and has not found any relief on at least one other forum.

[Fireball]

Fleeing Jesus seems familiar. I think he has been having this fear for a long time and has not found any relief on at least one other forum.

I'm thinking you're right. Might be a sock?

[chimp3]

Fleeing Jesus seems familiar. I think he has been having this fear for a long time and has not found any relief on at least one other forum.

I'm thinking you're right. Might be a sock?

Possibly!