So, I thought this was a pretty good conversation to have. Hell, God, death, and all that jazz, opens into Wisdom, through the process of: Questioning. Learning. And remaining open to both.
I believe “salvation” is found through you choosing, again and again, to open to uncertainty. That’s not all of it (and after all, I’m not enlightened, so what do I know anyway?), but it’s an important part. Opening to uncertainty is part of the alchemistry of wisdom that Religion, writ large, is an attempt to codify and systematize.
“Hell” is an allegory. It can help a person understand the suffering of feeling existentially Alone. And thus, it points towards Connection, through opening to suffering.
This is useful, if it helps you connect with others, and if it motivates you to go more deeply into your questions. But it’s not useful if it just scares you into clinging to The Answer that some particular cult insists upon.
This conversation should lead to, I think — an exploration of Wisdom. An intimate, personal examination of your own feelings of joy, contentment, compassion. But…..this is a conversation for another time. I just wanted to talk about Hell for now…. 🙂
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Anyway, I’m not afraid of Hell anymore. That’s cool with me.