Heaven and Hell

[Wicket]

For those that believe in the literal truth heaven and hell (prompted by a reply on the 2 by 7 thread). Do you think/what are your views:

That those in 'heaven' live in eternal bliss?

Those that don't make the grade for heaven suffer tortue in hell?

What are your views generally?

[Old Mike]

That is the Christian position.

[TheWrathOfGrapes]

The concept of '18 levels of hell' started in the Tang Dynasty. The Buddhist text Jian Di Yu Jing (間地獄經) mentioned 134 worlds of hell, but was simplified to 18 levels of hell for convenience.

As per Abhidhamma (3rd Pitaka of Dhamma), there are 08 main hells. There are 16 'mini' Hells surrounding each of these 08 hells. There is a darkness Hell, a river like hell and a tree like Hell!

So, (8x16)+3= 131

131 or 134 hells - there's enough there for all of us!

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diyu

http://wiki.answers.com/Q/Are_there_18_levels_in_hell

[gram]

That is the Christian position.

The Christian positions vary quite a bit on this topic.

[Old Mike]

The Christian positions vary quite a bit on this topic

True.And on many others. 

[finding agent]

Ai cant imagine a loving father banishing, even the worst of sons, to hell forever.

And Ai cant imagine a by-the-book father retaining, even the best of sons, in heaven forever (Why then, put us here in the first place  ).

If either(hell/heaven) were eternal, I will be quite surprised.

Tho' the idea of, transient, visits to those places does make sense to me.

So my final answer is- Heaven & Hell ? Yes. Are they forever ? Cant be.

N.B: I like my answers(belief)very much, so please dont try to prove me wrong.

[resm]

Ai cant imagine a loving father banishing, even the worst of sons, to hell forever.

And Ai cant imagine a by-the-book father retaining, even the best of sons, in heaven forever (Why then, put us here in the first place  ).

If either(hell/heaven) were eternal, I will be quite surprised.

Tho' the idea of, transient, visits to those places does make sense to me.

So my final answer is- Heaven & Hell ? Yes. Are they forever ? Cant be.

N.B: I like my answers(belief)very much, so please dont try to prove me wrong.

1. Since God is omnipresent, there can not be a place where he is not present.

2. There is only one thing even God can not do: he can't hate anybody.

[gram]

The problem of evil is a very relevant objection.
An omnipotent and benevolent God simply should not create things which are less than perfect, leading to all those terrifying consequences.

[working_mom]

The concept of heaven and hell is a bit different in hinduism. Its very complex but this is what my granny explained to me when i was a little girl so here it goes.

God has a person who keeps tab of your sins and good deeds in a book. Based on the sins you have commited/against whom it was commited you are likely to be reborn. For example, if you are a chronic abuser of animals you are likely to be reborn as an animal and if you abused a sick person then you are likely to be  reborn as a handicap...so on and so forth. Those souls that do good go to heaven and attain moksha. Now, the concept of heaven varies in different hindu texts. Some say that, once you attain moksha in heaven you see god in purest form that is as a small toddler(Lord Krishna) and you also play with the Lord as a baby (Sorry no wine and virgins in hindu heaven )

Now coming to the question of why there is evil when god is benevolent and omnipotent? God, has created man and given him unlimited power in the form of brain....We are not puppets in the hand of god. Each of us, are blessed with a brain which can differentiate right from wrong. Hinduism sees god as a parent and as a parent when your grown child misbehaves you can warn and god does that in the form of conscience but we ignore as an errant child and we pay for this when our time in the world comes to an end.

I dont know how much of this is true unless i see it happening but as a child these stories kept me in line and now its keeping my kids in line as well.