Of another world

[davem]

Originally Posted by LMP

Warning: speculation: regarding sub-human or super-human, I've been wondering these last few years about such myths as the minotaur, or hippogriffs, or what have you. Now, they may just be fantasy, but if one posits the power of fallen angelic beings to incarnate as they wish and commit whatever unspeakable acts they wish to, who knows what might not result? But as I said, that's just speculation.

I think you're falling into a trap of your own making here - trying to force all other mythologies to fit within the limitations of the Biblical account. Minotaurs, Hippogriffs, Unicorns & the like do not belong in the Biblical world, anymore than Hobbits or Elves do. This is the problem with seeing the Biblical account as the Archetype from which all other mythologies 'devolved'. The main problem with the Judeo-Christian approach is its division of all things/beings into good or evil. In the myths from which these creatures came they are not all 'evil' - most are 'neutral', or even 'Good'. But if you try & force them into a Judeo-Christian model you will find it very hard to place them on the side of the Angels & inevitably end up 'demonising' them - which is in fact what happened with the Old Gods & Goddesses, the old scared places, the old tales - as I pointed out.

Originally Posted by Formendacil

I cannot express my utter dread and horror at the idea of not having an afterlife. What POINT is there to life, if this short span -so easily ended in a car accident or a medical breakdown- is all we get.

Call me whatever you like... the very idea gives me the jibblies.

That doesn't cause me a problem, actually. The idea of just going on & on & on, for ever & ever & ever would seem equally 'hellish'. Anyway, worrying about what happens after death is about the best guarantee of not living a fulfilling life as I can think of. Of course, Christianity is by no means the only religion that offers a promise of an after-life, & I think I actually prefer some of the Pagan visions of an afterdeath state - the Wiccan idea of the Summerlands is very appealing for instance. Whatever, I have always had a deep sense of trust in God, or the Universe, or whatever label you want to stick on it, & whether I continue in some way after death or not has no effect on that.

Hell actually makes sense.

No it doesn't. It would require God to just shrug His shoulders at the suffering of His children. Meister Eckhart posited that Hell is non-existence - God can only know the Good, & to the extent that he is aware of any Good in anything He will hold it in existence (or in Eckhart's theology He will 'continue to create it's existence') - therefore it is not in Hell. If, however, an individual were, through its own choices, to cease to have any good in it, God would cease to be aware of them & of their need to be constantly 'created' & they would simply cease to be. This would not involve 'punishment' or rejection by God, or damnation, etc, it would simply happen.

Basically, it set about showing how RATIONAL a faith Christianity is, and it got my mind thinking quite a bit about lately about just how true that is.

I'm sure the followers of all religions could show how 'rational' their belief is - it just depends on how you define 'rational'.

[alatar]

Originally Posted by davem

No it doesn't. It would require God to just shrug His shoulders at the suffering of His children.

At some point the Father must say, enough, you've made your choice, and though I love you, I will abide by your wishes, self-destructive as they may be. Does God hold us captive if we choose not to be with Him?

Meister Eckhart posited that Hell is non-existence - God can only know the Good, & to the extent that he is aware of any Good in anything He will hold it in existence (or in Eckhart's theology He will 'continue to create it's existence') - therefore it is not in Hell.

But God knows the Devil (they talk at times), and as the creator of all things, must have created this Hell as well. As you and Eckhart say, maybe Hell is non-existance, but what does that exactly mean to a being that is not limited by time or space? You once existed, and so must still exist somewhere in God's view. Maybe that what Hell is, being trapped in God's RAM.

Or does God dump you down the memory hole, and this begs the question: can an omniscient omnipresent god will itself to forget something? Sorry, but don't have enough coffee for that one.

If, however, an individual were, through its own choices, to cease to have any good in it, God would cease to be aware of them & of their need to be constantly 'created' & they would simply cease to be. This would not involve 'punishment' or rejection by God, or damnation, etc, it would simply happen.

The assumption is that God is absolutely Good, and so cannot fathom one degree of unGood? All of the Christian God's subjects/children are by definition ungood, yet exist. Maybe I'm just not seeing it.

I'm sure the followers of all religions could show how 'rational' their belief is - it just depends on how you define 'rational'.

Agreed. Great thing about this forum is that I've learned that people are so different. Why, some even think that Balrogs have wings.