The Idea of Hell

[Leonardo17]

I want to start this discussion with the saying of the Stoic philosopher Epicurus (341-271 BC):
 
“Death, therefore, the most awful of evils, is nothing to us, seeing that, when we are death is not come, and when death is come, we are not.”
 
Isn’t this simple statement simply much more useful than most of the theistic stuff people are being fed with?
 
Here is the famous nine circles of hell by Dante:


 
I think the book is much more amazing that these representations.
 
And here I even found and Islamic adaptation that is (supposedly) based on the Quran itself (or on some interpretation of the Quran):





(I think it's incredible how different religions have the ability of copying the stupidest ideas from one another)
 
These are stuff that used to scare me in the 90’s, did not really interest me in the 00’s and that I am finding rather repulsive today.
 
“Hel” used to be the general name for the afterlife among ancient Germanic-Scandinavian people. The name Gehennom or Dje-Han-dam in Arabic used to be a place in Israel in which human sacrifices were carried-out in very ancient times.
 
On a spiritual level it can mean many different things. The life we are living can be defined as “Hell” if we have made it like this and the divine is usually seen as the element that can free us from Hell (like in the paintings of Jesus slamming open the gates of Hell).



(Above: Painting from the Chora Church in Istanbul. Adam and Eve are being rescued from their tombs)
 
On some other level, there are also believes in the east that those who were restless in their lives who die with feelings of anger, jealousy, hatred etc. in their lives have it more difficult than the rest of us in the after lives. That is also defined as some sort of “hell” but as far as I know it’s temporary because the Universe will end up rebalancing these negative karmas and painful energies as well.
 
So maybe we must look straight at it: I don’t think its ok in 2024 to tell scary stories to people to people in order to manipulate them or make them comply to whatever ideology or ritual etc. you have in mind for them.
 
This idea is a fairy tale and I also believe than scaring young individuals with stories like that is not a healthy thing to do either.  

[Nay_Sayer]

I can't remember who to attribute this to; "If what they say about hell is true and who will go there, Then I will be in good company"

[BrianSoddingBoru4]

I can't remember who to attribute this to; "If what they say about hell is true and who will go there, Then I will be in good company"

Sounds a lot like Twain’s, ‘We long to be in Heaven for the climate, and in Hell for the company.’

Boru

[Nay_Sayer]

I can't remember who to attribute this to; "If what they say about hell is true and who will go there, Then I will be in good company"

Sounds a lot like Twain’s, ‘We long to be in Heaven for the climate, and in Hell for the company.’

Boru

I want to say I heard it from Stephen Fry

[Rev. Rye]

Well said, Leo, but as a fan of Dante, that shape for the circles of Hell is almost exactly wrong. That pyramid would have to be inverted to do it any justice.

[Fireball]

Sounds a lot like Twain’s, ‘We long to be in Heaven for the climate, and in Hell for the company.’

Boru

I want to say I heard it from Stephen Fry

Stephen Fry!  I remember his response to some Anglican jackass about what he would say to god. Can't be bothered to look it up; youtube seems to be married to some huge advertisement cabal instead of playing what is requested. 

[Ivan Denisovich]

Epicurus of course nailed it but this dumb theistic stuff is useful. It's useful to priestly caste in that it helps them control the "flock".

[zebo-the-fat]

And remember, the flock ends up either being fleeced or eaten!

[Paleophyte]

Hell tells you nothing about the afterlife and more than you probably want to know about the believer.

[BrianSoddingBoru4]

I want to say I heard it from Stephen Fry

Stephen Fry!   I remember his response to some Anglican jackass about what he would say to god. Can't be bothered to look it up; youtube seems to be married to some huge advertisement cabal instead of playing what is requested. 

If it’s the one I’m thinking of, Fry said he’d ask God, ‘Bone cancer in children? What’s THAT about?’

Boru