134 | Transcending Hell

Transcend Human

Sep 26

Written By Daryl McMullen

September 26, 2022

Minute of Transparency: On Death's Doorstep

Today's Topic: Transcending Hell

What the hell?!
Hella good
Hell no!

// 1. WHAT THE HELL?!

In the past we've spent quite a bit of time on the Big 3 Questions:

Where did we come from? (Origin)
Why are we here? (Purpose)
Where do we go when we die? (Destination)

Now, Transcend Human believes these three questions apply to everyone. That it doesn't matter who you are - what gender, what race, ethnicity, religious persuasion or in what social class or socioeconomic level.

The belief is that we are all trying to find answers to these questions. And that until we do - we live with limited capacity. We're handicapped on some level - unable to live the full life we're capable of.

We don't die if we don't have answers - but we just kind of float through life in reaction mode. Reacting to everything that comes our way.

It isn't until we have answers to the Big 3 Questions that we can start living proactively.

Once we have defined our purpose - we start making better decisions, and we're able to plan for the future - setting goals based on the fulfillment of our purpose.

Again, this is for everyone. It isn't unique to Christianity.

A person living oblivious to the Big 3 Questions will completely change when they find Buddhism, Taoism, Confucianism, Islam, Judaism, etc.

Because each of these spiritual paths provide answers to the Big 3 Questions.

So based on those answers - the person new to the path will move from wandering, to traveling.

What's the difference?

When we don't have answers to the Big 3 Questions - we are wandering:
- When we wander we walk in a variety of directions
- Taking in whatever comes our way
- Reacting to the environment we encounter
- We experience a lot of things, but we're never sure if we're making progress or not
When we have answers to the Big 3 Questions - we are traveling:
- Traveling is completely different because there is a destination
- We know exactly where we are going
- And we can decide how to get there
- We can take the fastest route - typically a straight line
- Or we can take the scenic route
- But either way - we have a goal, a destination

Now, this might sound like a bunch of psychology mumbo jumbo.

But I believe this is true of every person. And that it is one of the most important things each of us will do in our lifetimes.

Sure we have big milestones like learning to walk, learning to ride a bike, graduating from high school, getting married, having kids, all that good stuff...

But somewhere in there we start asking the Big 3 Questions. And until we answer them - we're just wandering through life.

Maybe it will help if I explain it this way:

Think about the culture we live in
And the many things people do
In this country (as well as many around the world) we have the following:
- Educational system - which is required at first
- But at some point it ceases to be mandatory - and it's up to us what we do with it
- This is part of Question 2 - finding our purpose
- Many of us answer Question 2 by deciding what we want to do for a living
Next - think about the music industry:
- Music is an excellent way for people to work out the Big 3 Questions
- Think about songs you have heard over the years
- Imagine by Jon Lennon is the perfect example
- But think of the thousands of songs out there that ask similar questions about our existence, our purpose and our future
And just like music, we have fine art, books, television and movies
- We can see the same themes woven throughout these art forms
- Books about our existence and how to live our lives
- Movies like Interstellar that suggest there are things at work we don't even see
- Paintings like the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel - working out the connection between man and the spiritual
And don't forget about the platform we're engaging in right now - podcasting:
- I feel like this is a platform that has exploded with shows attempting to answer the Big 3 Questions
- Just take a few minutes to search for podcasts like Transcend Human
- There are thousands in categories like "self help" "psychology" "spirituality" "religion" "life coaching" etc.
- Each bringing their answers to the Big 3 Questions in a format they believe you will connect with

Like I said earlier - this quest to find answers is deep within each of us - and we will each find our answers in different ways.

For me - the answers came through Christianity.

For me - Christianity is how I'm able to answer the Big 3 Questions:

I tells me where I came from - a Creator God
It provides me with purpose - to maintain a relationship with my Creator and to love others - who were created by the same God I was
And finally - it provides for my future - suggesting that if I choose - I can live forever with my Creator
These answers have seen me through the darkest times in my life:
- Through my childhood - and the separation of my parents
- Through the drinking years - dealing with addiction
- Through the painful experience of being hurt by the leadership at our church
- And most recently as I engaged in the process of deconstruction

But this episode really isn't about the Big 3 Questions. It's about the third of the three questions.

The final question - the question about our future - the destination we're headed toward.

And in many religious traditions - the destination is really two outcomes.

There is heaven and there is hell.

These two options even reach into Greek Mythology. Not so much the heavens part - but definitely the concept of hell and purgatory - ruled by the god Hades.

// 2. HELLA GOOD

I find it fascinating that this idea of hell is so prominent in so many religions.

But when you really stop and think about it - why wouldn't it?

We live on a planet with billions of people
100% of us die - hopefully due to old age after a long a fulfilling life
But ultimately - death is a given and it's coming for all of us
So knowing that - and wanting so badly to figure out what happens after we die:
- It only makes sense that we would think up the two options
- Now - go with me here - because as a Christian I believe that the two options were explained to us by God through the Bible and through His people over time
- But let's just say that isn't true
- Wouldn't we have logically come to the conclusion that there must be at least two options when you die?
- Why you ask? Well because of our behavior of course!
- When you look around it's very plain to see that there are different kinds of people in the world:
  - I'm not talking genders
  - I'm not talking races or ethnicities
  - I'm not even talking socio economic status
  - I'm talking behavior
  - And we very loosely throw out words like good and bad
  - She's a good person
  - He's a bad person
  - And I know a lot of that is subjective and cultural
  - But what I'm suggesting is that if we grew up in a culture where God, religion and spirituality didn't exist - don't you think we would come to the same conclusion?
    - As we began to think through our mortality
    - And as we looked around and saw that there were kind people, and there were people that just wanted to kill other people
    - One would certainly entertain the idea that after death there has to be two places
    - A place where the good people could live free from the threat of death
    - And a place where bad people would go so they could no longer harm the good people
- Is it just me?
  - Here's another interesting thing to think about
  - Science is a relatively new thing to us
  - Especially the science that suggests there is nothing past death
  - The science that says, "Enjoy it while you're here - because the minute you die - you're gone forever."
  - You understand this way of thinking is very modern - and grew out of Darwin's theories on evolutionary biology
  - The Origin of the Species - his master work was published in 1859
  - That's only 163 years ago
  - And get this - it was after 1970 (my birth year) that legislation finally removed creation from public school in favor of evolution
  - In my lifetime!
  - So before this whole creation vs. evolution thing started - the idea that there was life after death was the most commonly held belief
  - Even in Eastern religions - things like Karma, Enlightenment and Reincarnation were after life beliefs based on the type of person you were on Earth

So to summarize - the idea that there is life after death - and even the idea that there will be options based on the type of person you were on Earth - shouldn't surprise us - because they were the norm. Which is interesting to me for many reasons. But here's just one...

As a Christian - I believe in the following chain of events:

God created us
Satan rebelled in Heaven and was cast out
He was chained to this Earth where he eventually convinced Adam and Eve to sin
Which led to them being removed from the perfect Garden God build for them
Which opened their eyes to the truth about sin - that it eventually takes your life
But!!
I believe that God, because He loves his kids, told them all about sin, how it worked, what it would do to the world, the end result, and the fact that there was something after it - if they were willing to put their faith in Him
To me - this is why almost every religion or spiritual pathway includes some sort of afterlife
Because God told us there was in the very beginning
Yes - it's been muddled up, changed, misunderstood
But isn't it interesting that for centuries people believed that there was something after this life
Until Darwin of course - and the scientific revolution - which took off in a whole new direction
Clearing the slate of anything spiritual - and choosing only to believe in what is front and center - physical to our world - things that can be measured, quantified and reproduced
Which is crazy - as things like love, altruism and hope fall outside of science - unable to be studied - and yet they exist
But more on that at another time...

So while I don't view hell as a good thing - I think it's Hella Good that we understand where it came from and how important it really is.

I've been listening to the Deconstruction Zone Podcast, and Episode 11 (Called: The Mechanics of Deconstruction) an episode that quickly devolved into a full on conversation about hell.

And it probably sparked my interest in doing this episode.

The hosts discussed what they were taught about hell, how their beliefs have shifted over time and how integral they can be to their faith.

Here are just a few of the interesting things that came out of it:

One of the hosts grew up with a belief in predestination. And to her, that conflicted with what she was taught about hell. In other words, why do I even need to know about hell if I'm predestined to go to heaven?
They also discussed how hell is often a motivating factor - keeping people in church out of fear
Another thought that came out is this:
- Maybe we need to start viewing hell through the lens of an All-knowing God
- This can be liberating
- Knowing that we may not understand hell correctly
- But that if God is truly loving and wants nobody to be apart from Him
- Maybe He knows something about hell that we don't
- Let this one boggle your mind:
  - If God is who we believe Him to be - omniscient, omnipotent and omnipresent
  - The creator of all things - then hell has to be part of His plan
- Put that in your pipe and smoke it!
  - In other words - if God created everything then by default - hell was created by God
  - Now...this truth can hit us in one of two ways:
    - We can blame God for hell - and use it as a reason for not believing
    - Or we can believe that if God controls hell - we don't need to worry - because He probably has a good reason for it's existence
Danny - one of the hosts - explanation that to him hell is merely "separation from God"
- Which we'll touch on a bit more in the next section

Ultimately - their podcast episode isn't the end all be all to the hell conversation.

But I think it's a great example of a few things:

The concept of hell is something a lot of people wrestle with
People point to the concept of hell as a tipping point - one that can keep you locked in a religious community - or one that can push you away from your religious community
Hell isn't something you can wrap up in a nice little bow. The hosts simply had a conversation - and often made statements like, "Well I'm not the expert." Or, "It's not like I have the answers."

Which is where many people find themselves: interested in the concept of hell - but finding few answers.

Which takes us into the final section...

// 3. HELL NO!

So let's summarize where we've been:

In section one - What the Hell?! we discussed the Big 3 Questions - and how big of a deal it is for us to answer them
In section two - Hella Good we discussed the fact that the last question - the question about our eternal destination is where we find the after life dilemma - the whole question about hell

So let's take it one step further and talk about 4 of the most common views of hell within the Christian tradition. Then I'll wrap it up by discussing the way I lean.

Obviously there are other religious traditions that have their own views on death, the afterlife and eternal punishment. But theses are 4 views I've seen within Christianity:

Science says, "No!"
- Believe it or not - there is a group in the Christian tradition called Christian Science - or Christian Scientists
- And while their belief about hell is a little gray - it suggests that there is no hell - and that everyone is on a path to heaven
- The interesting thing is that the field of science suggests there is no after life period - death is the end of the line
- And yet the Christian Scientist chooses to believe in heaven, but not hell
The Catholic Twist
- I'm not going to lie - the Catholic view of hell is always in flux
- Because catholics believe the Pope is god on Earth - they also believe the Pope can get word from God in order to change doctrine
- So over the years Pope's have had dreams, and visions about hell - slightly changing how the church views it
- But for the most part there are two elements to the after life:
  - Purgatory: The belief that you go to a holding tank after you die. While there - people on Earth can pray for you and give to the church in order to help you move from Purgatory to heaven
  - And if that doesn't happen - the person goes to hell - a place of eternal torment
Eternal Torment
- This is one of the standard beliefs on hell in the Christian tradition
- Probably the most popular
- The idea that people go to a physical place called hell - and they are tormented there for eternity
- This belief about hell came directly from the Catholic Church, and ultimately mythological teachings from Roman and Greek Mythology
Eternal Separation
- There is a much smaller group within the Christian tradition that believe this
- The idea is based on a complementary belief about death
- The idea that death is a sleep - not a point in time where you leave your body and go to heaven or hell
- The belief is that when you die you are dead, and in the grave until Jesus returns
- The Bible describes this numerous times
- It refers to death as a sleep - explaining that the dead don't know anything
- So following this understanding - the person who chose not to go to heaven - remains dead - in a state of eternal sleep - separated from God
- This eternal separation isn't painful - because remember - the dead don't know anything
- And it's eternal - because it's irreversible
- The death is permanent

Now obviously, I spent a little more time explaining Eternal Separation. Because this is the path I've gone down. It's the view of hell I choose to hold onto.

For me - there is complete consistency between the Jewish view of hell and the concept of Eternal Separation. Jews believe in a place called Sheol - a dark, deep pit of "forgetfulness" as they refer to it. Some Christians combine this belief with the mythological teaching of the underworld - where souls are eternally being tormented.

But the more accurate explanation is the way jewish people refer to Sheol. As a place where the dead exist. Not just bad people - but everyone who passes from this life.

That sounds a lot more consistent with death as a sleep, and the concept of Eternal Separation.

Now, some of you are wondering why I would bring up the Jewish view of hell at all?

Well, that goes back to another one of my beliefs - which is the string of truth. A string that stretches straight from Adam and Eve's conversations with God, through the patriarchs and the prophets, through the Jewish nation and eventually to Christianity.

To me - this is one of the core reasons I'm still a Christian - even as I've deconstructed many of the religious and cultural beliefs I was raised with.

If I'm going to believe in God - I have to believe that He passed down truth from one generation to the next so there is always a group of people standing up for it as a witness to the rest of the world.

I'm about done - but there is one other thing I feel is important.

Think about the impact each of these views on hell have on people. What you'll find is that God is very hard to understand in three of the four.

The science view is pretty sketch - and people quickly poke holes in this theory:

Wouldn't you find it hard to believe that a dictator, who committed genocide and was proud of it until his dying day - would be in heaven? Simply because he was created by God?
Not that people who commit terrible acts can't at some point change and choose God over their past - but there is no evidence that this happens every time

Next, people have a hard time with a God that would torment a person for eternity when they only sinned for 60 years

This is the case in both the Catholic view and the popular Christian view

But the fourth explanation - Eternal Separation is only one that seems to fit God's personality:

Which is the same as every parents personality - because we were created in His image
That personality is made up of two things - love and justice
As a parent - we love our kids and would do anything for them
At the same time - we set limits, and have punishments for behavior that is out of the box
Similarly, God loves us more than we will ever know - and He works with us for our entire life
He points out the things that get us into trouble and works with us to live lives with purpose and meaning
All the while no forcing us - giving us the freedom of choice in all things
Ultimately, our eternal destination is also our choice:
- We can choose God as our Earthly partner, and allow Him to save us
- Or we can refuse that gift - and choose not to hang with Him after death
And if we choose the latter - it's the most loving thing God can do
He allows us to make the choice to cease to exist for eternity
Sad, but at the same time love in action
If you're interested in more information about this - it's also referred to as Annihilationism, Extinctionism or Destructionism

Let's Land the Plane:

This week was a bit rough. Difficult topic but one that has a big impact on all of us.

This week I would just ask you to think about these things:

What were you taught about hell?
How does your belief about hell impact you and your relationship with your Creator?
Do you think it would help to dust off a few books and revisit the concept of hell for yourself?

And that's it folks! Thank you so much joining us this week. Absolutely love having you along for the journey.

Until next time everyone, have a great week, and as always, keep Transcending Human!

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