Heaven and Hell

Throughout the history of mankind the question of the afterlife has never ceased to haunt people.

No, no, take it easy. This is not a religiose, nor a historical essay. This is just a short introduction.

Very short, indeed!

So, during the history, people from different times and places created different worlds where you, or more correctly your soul goes after death in that hypothetical places which are inaccessible to the living. And also they populated them with all kinds of diverse fantastic creatures.

Different cultures had different approaches to the afterlife creation. East cultures prefer various options of reincarnation.

Ancient Greeks considered that after life the souls go to the kingdom of Hades, which is a gloomy and sad place, in general. Only for a few VIP persons there were some exceptions. And also some were provided with hellish conditions. Lets mention Sisyphus, for example.

About Abrahamic religions, as I know, in the original Jewish religion there is no any afterlife. The belief in afterlife come in some denomination of Judaism later, from the Christianity.

Relax, relax! I am not going to teach you, or preach. Just a bit more reasoning.

Christians created the Heaven, to stimulate righteous behavior. Later they considered that this is not enough and added the Hell, to frighten the disobedient. Some denominations added also the Purgatory – you have right of a second chance, some deny the existence of the Hell, but it’s the last time to stop with the theory, because the short introduction become a bit longer.

Just to mention that the Muslims also share the idea about Heaven and Hell in they own way.

So, from the text so far you have understood that I don’t believe in the afterlife. But I believe in the Heaven and the Hell.

Yes, Heaven and Hell do really exist and every one goes through them during their live.

You start your live from Heaven and the road leads inevitably to the Hell. Without any exceptions.

The differences are only when you will enter the Hell.

There are too many different cases, but in general when you are born you are surrounded by “angels” and “cherubs”, who carry about all your needs. Satisfy all your desires. Protect you from any kind of dangers. Comfort you.

Yes, there are also pain and diseases, but they pass fast and you forgot them soon.

Gradually more and more opportunities open up before you. You are full of energy. Every thing seams reachable and achievable. You learn and understand more and more things, you get to know the world more and more and you need just to grown up and all the world will be yours.

Slowly slowly, step by step restrictions are starting to appear. One by one you start having obligations, which rise more and more.

The “angels” and “cherubs” turned out to be simple people, who do not have unlimited possibilities. Just opposite.

You start to encounter unpleasant people, often even hostile. And you don’t realize at what exact moment you have been expelled from Heaven. And so, having tasted more or less the fruits of knowledge “by the sweat of your face you shall eat bread” (Holy Bible, The Book of Genesis, 3.19) Starting even from school and continue in your whole entire life.

And then, after a short period of relatively successful life the things go more and more bad. One by one your close friends and relatives are leaving this world. Often suffering a lot.

Your energy, endurance toughness begin to fade.

Your organs start to function worse and worse. You start to suffer from chronic pain and illnesses.

Hire are enormous number of variations.

The things may get worse – to be sick and to loose your home and to stay on the street…

Yes, Hell has to many circles. Much more than nine. And you can easily fall from one to the other. The only thing certain is that hell is inevitable.

"Abandon all hope, ye who enter here"

This inscription is nowhere in reality but it hangs over our head from the beginning of our lives.

And as one of my favorite singers and lyrics writers Ronnie James Dio sings:

“They say that life’s a carousel

Spinning fast, you’ve got to ride it well

The world is full of kings and queens

Who blind your eyes and steal your dreams

It’s Heaven and Hell”

Indeed, this is the only kind of afterlife – to leave behind things that will be remembered for a long time.

As did also that guy, who created that inscription, supposed to hang over the gates of Hell.

But few are the chosen ones to whom it is revealed.