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Would you say that is true of all societies which have had a concept of heaven and hell? I can recall off hand that the Japanese, the Hindus, and the Aztecs all had concepts of heaven and hell. In all cases, were these concepts invented to control peoples minds?Majikthise said:To control peoples minds.
Yes. What better way to coerse people into behaving as you see fit than to promise them eternal bliss for following and pain and suffering for independent thought? It's much more cost effective and less destructive physically than brute force. Concepts of heaven and hell may differ slightly from one religion to another but the basic premise is the same. Different cultures have different ideas of what is saintly and what is evil. If we were forced to eat dogs we would consider it hell, another culture might consider it heaven.Sunstone said:Would you say that is true of all societies which have had a concept of heaven and hell? I can recall off hand that the Japanese, the Hindus, and the Aztecs all had concepts of heaven and hell. In all cases, were these concepts invented to control peoples minds?
I assume it's plausible that at least one of the many cultures which have had a concept of heaven and hell invented the concepts themselves. I'm wondering why anyone would invent such concepts.SOGFPP said:Nothing like a loaded question..... hehe
I'm just curious as to why you're so convinced that we did. I'm not attempting to prove you wrong, but you ask the question as if the non-existence of heaven and hell is fact. So, I'd like to know how you can be sure they don't exist.Sunstone said:Why did we invent heaven and hell?
You are assuming that I believe heaven and hell don't exist. Actually, I believe that they can neither be proven nor disproven to exist.Katzpur said:I'm just curious as to why you're so convinced that we did. I'm not attempting to prove you wrong, but you ask the question as if the non-existence of heaven and hell is fact. So, I'd like to know how you can be sure they don't exist.
No, actually I'm assuming you don't believe in heaven and hell and consequently are convinced that the concept is manmade. I must not have explained myself very well.Sunstone said:You are assuming that I believe heaven and hell don't exist. Actually, I believe that they can neither be proven nor disproven to exist.
Why do I ask the question the way I ask it? The concepts of heaven and hell show up in many cultures, from Japan to Mezoamerica. I assume that not all of those concepts are divinely inspired, but rather that at least some of them are invented. My question is why did some societies invent the concepts of heaven and hell?
I didn't, did you?Sunstone said:Why did we invent heaven and hell?
Katzpur said:Now that you mention it, I find the idea that the existence of heaven and hell is found in so many different cultures to be evidence that they actually do exist. QUOTE]
The beleif once held that the earth was flat was also found in most cultures at one time, as was the beleif that the sun circled the Earth.This was not evidence that these concepts were true.
There is a difference between viewing history as an element in divine revelation, and the limitations of science in a specific time period.Majikthise said:The beleif once held that the earth was flat was also found in most cultures at one time, as was the beleif that the sun circled the Earth.This was not evidence that these concepts were true.
I'm not sure what happens.... never beenMajikthise said:Will one physically feel the fires of hell burning away flesh, and heavens comfort?
OOOH! I want one of those, I've read all my Archie comics.:areyoucraRonald said:Hey! I've got a funny Bible, it says that death and hades are cast into the lake of fire. It says that the people saved out of this world will inhabit a new earth. The old earth is to be koshered by fire. While this is going on, those saved out of this world must be somewhere! How about Y H V H 's bossom!?
Like I said I've got a funny Bible, it never says anyone except the one who came down from heaven will go up to heaven! It leaves God to do, what God will do. Maybe more people should have a funny Bible, huh?
The specious idea of heaven and hell affects the thoughts and actions of human beings thereby manifesting itself in the physical world.Hell is about fear,weakening the abilities of rational thought,making a mind more susceptible to control.Heaven is a reward that never has to actually be given.This promise has the same effect I conveyed conserning fear.Nice how it all ties together ,huh? The ability to control peoples minds is true Power.SOGFPP said:There is a difference between viewing history as an element in divine revelation, and the limitations of science in a specific time period.
Your examples deal with the physical world, heaven and hell don't fall into that category.
Scott
I think it originated from Zoroastrianism.Sunstone said:Why did we invent heaven and hell?
Are you sure that the "evidence" you have conjured up is reliable?Katzpur said:Now that you mention it, I find the idea that the existence of heaven and hell is found in so many different cultures to be evidence that they actually do exist.
No, I'm sure that they generally believed in a heaven and a hell. No, it was not invented to control people's minds. We are born as manipulators, and most of the time when people manipulate others, they don't even realize thats what they're doing. We manipulate, in accordance with our emotional needs. To me, saying that it is mind control, is inaccurate. I think it's a little more complex than that.Sunstone said:Would you say that is true of all societies which have had a concept of heaven and hell? I can recall off hand that the Japanese, the Hindus, and the Aztecs all had concepts of heaven and hell. In all cases, were these concepts invented to control peoples minds?