Heaven and Hell Motivating Life’s Action
Some time ago, I wrote a post about a TV show called "The Good Place". The show mainly focuses on the afterlife, and while it is a comedy, it raises some thought-provoking questions about heaven and hell, their representation in the present, and whether the fear of hell leads people to do insincere good deeds in order to earn a place in heaven.
First, let's discuss how heaven and hell are depicted in different religions.
Christianity
In Christianity, heaven is often described as a place of eternal happiness and peace, where believers are reunited with God and their loved ones who have also passed away. Hell, on the other hand, is often described as a place of eternal suffering and punishment for those who have rejected God and lived a life of sin.
Islam
In Islam, heaven is described as a place of eternal bliss, where believers are rewarded with all kinds of pleasures for their righteous deeds. Hell, on the other hand, is a place of eternal punishment and suffering for those who have rejected Allah and lived a life of sin.
Hinduism
In Hinduism, the concept of heaven and hell is not as straightforward as it is in other religions. There are multiple heavens and hells, each with their own unique characteristics and levels of suffering or bliss. These are believed to be temporary states that the soul experiences after death, before being reincarnated into a new body.
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If someone where to ask me how do you imagine hell i would instantly think Dante's Inferno as a vast and terrifying place where the punishments would be ironic and symbolic, fitting the nature of the sin committed with river of boiling blood and fires everywhere.
The major religions have somewhat similar representations of heaven and hell, with some differences, of course. The question that came to mind after watching the show and pondering on the topic was: do people fake their good actions? This is a truly philosophical question.
In my opinion, the answer is yes, heaven and hell definitely influence people. For the majority of people, from the moment we are born, we are taught to be good, follow rules, and that when we die, we will end up in heaven. Even for those who do bad things, they may believe that they are doing it for a good purpose and for God, so they would also end up in heaven. However, I also believe that while we may be influenced, we don't solely act based on this belief. Being good or bad is the result of so many factors, such as the way we grow up, our society's values and norms, our mental state, and even our hormones like testosterone and endorphins. While heaven and hell do play some role, especially for believers, it's not the only factor that determines our behavior.
The fear of hell certainly motivates millions. I am amazed how many are paralyzed by it. The uncertainty of what happens after death is a mind trip.
Yeap a big mind trap!!
I think it is definitely a motivator for many. But I think we as creatures are born with the programming to do right by each other even without the knowledge of heaven. I am sure societies have lived together with out a belief in heaven or hell throughout history.
Well as far as i can search there some kind of hell or heaven or something about after life. Because it seems easier to live believing that this is not the end !
Yeah, I don;t disagree, I was just pointing out another view. I personally believe in them, but not exactly the staight and narrow view as most religions preach them.
People just keep projecting
people are run by projections
actually quite funny if it wasnt that sad/ if the projections would have some better content..
but life is just the most creative and I also often wonder how special/ crazy that moment is..
I often tell - reality and funny comics have switched places
so series like simpsons and southpark (which were exaggerated satire of reality) are now obsolete cuz reality is now the exaggerated satire version of reality,,
just a few thoughts
True words !
I don't believe in an afterlife. I think it is fade to black, and dissolve back into the chemical soup. However, I might be wrong. If I were wrong I think I'd rather go to hell than into a heaven as described by the religions. Firstly, I lead a pretty decent life where I am not evil, or mean anyone harm. So if I was rejected for being a good person, but a non-believer, then that means God is extremely petty, not all-loving. That kind of God sounds human derived, not godly.
But, I don't act good "just in case" there is a God and I am wrong, but rather, because I believe that my actions count in the here and now and in my own eyes, I want to know I did my best as I see my best to be. It is selfish, as all actions are, but the consequences and ramifications depend on what I see as best, which tends to help others along their journey through life too. So, even if I am wrong and there is a God and I end up in hell, I will have helped some other people in their life and the world might be a little better for it, even if heaven isn't.
I also have the same view about the afterlife. If one believes in physics then that means that our energy won't die but transform into something else but our consciousness will cease to exist. And that is something that while it's hard to thing of it gives you a sense of freedom and I find it that the people that are not believers are nicer nowadays because they understand that they don't have a second chance good or bad everything gets credit in here and it is paid paid here.