Is there air conditioning in hell?
Hell is a human construct that has influenced our culture as well as affected the way religions recruit and retain followers.
You're going to hell… or at least that's what myriad different religions and cultures might lead you to believe. In Christianity and Judaism, we have the concept of sin, but the idea of a specific place for spiritual punishment is not so clear. Certainly, we face personal hells and hardships in life, so where does the notion that we can experience eternal torment come from?
The concept of such a place traces back to early Christianity, which warned of eternal torture in a fiery lake called Tartarus or Gehenna for those who rejected Christ. This belief evolved over centuries, serving as a narrative to instil fear of rejecting Christ within the early church. However, for many, including myself, this idea is seen as a fairytale, a construct designed to evoke fear and maintain control.
Do Jews and Muslims believe in hell as well?
Yes, both Jews and Muslims have concepts of hell in their respective faiths.
In Judaism, there is a belief in Gehenna, which is similar to the concept of hell in Christianity. Gehenna is a place of punishment or purification for the soul after death, but it is not eternal. Instead, it is believed that most souls will eventually be released from Gehenna and enter Olam Ha-Ba, the World to Come.
In Islam, hell is called Jahannam. It is described as a place of punishment for those who have rejected the message of Islam and have committed grave sins. Jahannam is described as a place of intense heat and suffering, and it is believed to be eternal for some individuals.
Both faiths also have concepts of paradise or a heavenly afterlife for the righteous.
Why make up an idea like Hell?
The idea of heaven and hell in any religious belief serves the same purpose: a carrot and a stick. If you do what we say (the religion and religious leaders), then you can go to heaven. If you do not, then it’s hell for you.
I don’t believe in hell. There are no such things as demons. There is no Satan or Devil. I am also not saying there is anything else after we die. Nobody knows. Not really. Death is a one-way trip (unless you believe in reincarnation, but that’s an entirely different topic). I still believe in a God that I do not understand.
Perhaps that is an irrational thing. But for me and many others, it is a comforting thing. To know that there is something more to everything. Although none of us wish to think of themselves living an eternity in Hell, are the religious right? No. We know the origins of the idea of Hell, and it makes sense as a recruiting tool for any belief.
The benefits of a belief in Hell
It also establishes firm boundaries around the faith community as a whole. It establishes certain behaviors and norms as well as managing expectations. So if you step outside of these established norms, you can be punished for eternity. Of course, many ruthless and corrupt church leaders around the world are happy to sin in secret.
Once they are found out, though (like disgraced former Hillsong Pastor Brian Houston), the religious community usually disavows those in danger of hellfire. However, the opposite often happens. The church rallies around accused pedophiles and other criminals who speak for God and claim their opponents are serving Satan themselves.
So if you are ever concerned that you might be going to hell, remember, it isn’t real. Who knows what lays beyond the veil of this world, but I can assuredly say that nobody knows for sure.
What does the Bible say?
The concept of hell, as a place of punishment or separation from God, is mentioned several times in the New Testament Gospels. The exact number of times varies depending on the translation and interpretation. Here are a few key references:
Matthew 5:22: "But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment; whoever insults his brother will be liable to the council; and whoever says, ‘You fool!’ will be liable to the hell of fire."
Matthew 25:41: "Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels."
Mark 9:43: "And if your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life crippled than with two hands to go to hell, to the unquenchable fire."
Luke 16:23: "and in Hades, being in torment, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham far off and Lazarus at his side."
These passages, among others, describe hell as a place of punishment or torment for those who have rejected God or committed grave sins. They are also works that were created many decades after the death of Jesus. Hell became a popular subject in the early church, so it is a focus of religious writing, art, and movements.
That still doesn’t make it true.
Thanks for reading, and make sure to subscribe for my regular writing.