opinion

Faith Forum: What exactly is 'hell'?

"Hell is a burning inferno", says Billy Graham in his new book, "Where I Am."

Hell finds mention in many scriptures. Is hell a place of agony, full of demons, ruled by a death god? Is it extremely cold, a dungeon of torture, a place of punishment for the evil or place for purification of soul, blazing fire or boiling water? Is it the home of the devil, a lake of fire, a flame island, endless suffering and filth? Is hell under the surface of Earth? Is hell a state of non-existence?

Is hell a permanent destination or intermediary place between incarnations? Does the punishment at hell varies by the sins committed or everyone in hell is tormented at the same level? Is one sent to hell eternally; is the length of stay in hell finite; or after finishing one’s quota of punishments and fully paying for the sins committed, can one ascend to heaven?

Who makes the judgment to send someone to hell? Who guards the gate of hell? Is there a king of hell? Can one escape from hell? Some say that unrepentant sinners go to hell. Some call it a waiting room, some claim that it is not totally physical, while others indicate that it is just symbolic.

Do people who do not believe in your religion or do not believe in God always go to hell? Does hell even exist? Why a loving God would create an institution like hell?

We asked our panel of distinguished religious leaders of the region the following question: How would you describe “hell”?

Here is what they have to say:

NOT A CONDEMNATION, A CHOICE

Robert W. Chorey, Roman Catholic Diocese of Reno curia moderator

J.P. Sartre called it other people, but for Catholics Hell is not a literal “place” but a state of being. It is a state in which a person has totally chosen to reject God and subsequently all others – choices that are egotistical, self-centered, and/or self-interested. Consequently it becomes state of complete isolation and alienation. A state of “No Exit.”

Since we humans are created for community, this is the complete opposite of our nature.

It is not literally a place of fire and brimstone; those are symbols that try to communicate the reality of the pain of eternally being isolated, alienated and ineffectual; whereas Heaven is the state of total communion with God and with all, and remaining connected to all of creation and able to work to effect a change. This is our destiny.

God wishes communion for all of us. It is our choice.

NOT ETERNAL

Matthew T. Fisher, Reno Buddhist Center resident priest

Modern Buddhists understand the experience of hell as a situational and mental state we get into. Through unfortunate actions of body, speech, and mind we are tormented for a time. Who has not experienced this?

Traditionally, hell is one of the six realms of existence we have all experienced in our myriad cycles of rebirth. These are interpenetrating realities where we will be reborn according to our karma (our actions) in a present life. Hell is most assuredly a physical place of torment and terror, and it is a mind state of anguish and indescribable suffering. The Sutra on Jizo Bodhisattva describes 37 hells in gruesome detail - Hot and Cold hells. But hell is not a permanent or eternal state. When our karma has run its course we will be reborn in one of the higher realms, free from terrible torment.

TWO MEANINGS

Sharla S. Hales, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints area public affairs director

We speak of hell in two ways. First, it is another name for spirit prison, a temporary place between death and resurrection for those who were disobedient in life or who died without accepting the gospel. The gospel is taught there. Those who accept it then move to paradise. At final judgment, all in spirit prison and paradise will be resurrected and judged, then receive the glory they are worthy of.

The Book of Mormon prophet Alma explained: “[T]his is the state of the souls of the wicked, yea, in darkness, and a state of awful, fearful looking for the fiery indignation of the wrath of God upon them; thus they remain in this state, as well as the righteous in paradise, until the time of their resurrection” (Alma 40:14).

Second, it is the permanent location of Satan, his followers, and the sons of perdition, who are not redeemed by Jesus Christ.

IMAGINING HELL

Brian E. Melendez, American Indian spirituality scholar

From a tribal perspective, Hell as it is commonly known does not originate or occupy space in most native cultures — mainly because tribal cultures customarily did not reserve daily thoughts and functions in a sin dichotomy. We had no notion or need for sin. Pretty exciting stuff … there was once a world without Sin or Hell!

It wasn’t that people didn’t do unpleasant things or go against the Spirit, but that every action was associated with a grand lesson and understanding that led to further teachings. It’s quite possible that Hell is symbolic and fueled by negative thoughts and actions.

I would imagine most tribal cultures would agree that energies always find a home.

If Indians 500 years ago imagined Hell, it would probably look like globalization, no land, language or ceremony, contaminated water, pretty blankets of death, and demons on large boats who kill and get a holiday.

SPIRITUAL WASHING MACHINE

ElizaBeth W. Beyer, N. Tahoe Hebrew Congregation & Temple Beth Or rabbi

Remember: two Jews, three opinions. In one view, the Jewish mystics describe a spiritual place often translated as “hell,” but a better translation would be “spiritual washing machine.” Each act we do in this lifetime leaves a spiritual imprint. Positive acts become part of our soul’s beautiful tapestry. Wrongdoings leave a stain that needs to be cleaned. If we leave this world without fixing the wrongs we have done, our soul is unable to reach its resting place. We must go through a deep-cleaning cycle. Our soul is cleansed through an intense spiritual process to rid it of any negative residue and prepare it for heaven. This deep-clean cycle is normally limited to twelve months (Shabbat 33a). The whole process can be avoided if we truly regret the wrong and make amends with people we have hurt. It is possible to leave this world without spiritual schmutz.

PARADISE LOST

Stephen R. Karcher, St. Anthony Greek Orthodox Church presiding priest

The New Testament refers to hell as “everlasting torment," "everlasting fire," "the outermost darkness," and "the place of fire." Biblically and patristically, hell is understood as our failure to cooperate with Divine Grace in order to reach the vision of God and unselfish love. Both hell and paradise are actually the same reality except that they’re perceived differently, depending on our internal state. For example, both the rich man and Lazarus were looking upon the same reality, i.e., God in His uncreated light, but the poor Lazarus received "consolation", whereas the rich man received "anguish." So, it’s not right to think that those in hell are deprived of God's love, because, as St. Isaac the Syrian says, love is unquestionably given to all. He explains further that “the power of love acts in two ways: it torments sinners, while simultaneously it delights those who have lived in harmony with it."

HELL IN ALL REALMS OF GOD

Bradley S. Corbin, Bahá'í teacher

"Now punishments and rewards are said to be of two kinds. Firstly, the rewards and punishments of this life; secondly, those of the other world. But the paradise and hell of existence are found in all the worlds of God, whether in this world or in the spiritual heavenly worlds" (Abdu'l-Baha). With this passage we understand that hell can be experienced in this physical world as well as when we depart to the spiritual realm. To understand hell it helps to understand heaven. Heaven would be love and good fellowship, hostility and hatred would be the torments of hell. There is no fiercer hell than to possess a character that is evil no more a darksome pit nor loathsome torment than to show qualities that deserve to be condemned. “'Where is Paradise, and where is Hell?' Say: 'The one is reunion with Me; the other thine own self.’" (Baha'u'llah).

HELL IS REAL

Stephen B. Bond, senior pastor of Summit Christian Church, Sparks

Jesus uses the following terms to describe hell: “the blazing furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth” (Matthew 13:50), “the fires of hell” (Matthew 18:9), and a place of “torment” (Luke 16:23). The Apostle John describes hell as a “lake of burning sulfur” and a “lake of fire” (Revelation 20:10 and 14). The Apostle Peter describes hell as “blackest darkness” (2 Peter 2:17). In addition, the Apostle Paul describes hell as “everlasting destruction and shut out from the presence of the Lord and the glory of his might” (2 Thessalonians 1:9).

I mention these multiple references to illustrate the extensive biblical support for the doctrine of hell. Jesus (along with most of the other Holy Spirit-inspired authors of the New Testament) teaches that hell exists literally and it is an awful place to be. Worst of all, those in hell experience eternal separation from God.

HELL DENIED

Kenneth G. Lucey, UNR philosophy/religion professor

Bertrand Russell’s famous essay “Why I Am Not a Christian” of 1927 cited as one of his major reasons the key religious idea of Jesus’ that the vast majority of humanity would spend eternity suffering the torments of hell. Hell is supposed to be supervised by the devil. In rejecting Christianity, Russell was also denying the existence of the devil. What is the origin of these concepts of hell and the devil? All of these ideas originated in Persia with the religion called Zoroastrianism, a belief in a theist dualism of two equally powerful deities, a god of light and a god of darkness. The Persian king Cyrus was hugely influential upon Judaism because he conquered the Mesopotamians and freed the Hebrews from their Babylonian captivity. Zarathustra, the Persian prophet, originated the concepts of heaven, hell and a day of final judgment. So, ultimately Russell was rejecting these Persian concepts.

ULTIMATE HUMILIATION AND LOSS

Sherif A. Elfass, Northern Nevada Muslim Community president

Allah (SWT) created Hell to punish those who do not believe in Him, reject His messengers, or rebel against His commandments. Hell is an actual place although no one knows its location. It is huge and immensely deep (Quran 50:30). It has seven gates (15:43-44) and guarded by nineteen angels called “Guards of Hell” (74:26-30) with their chief named Malik (43:74-78). Hell has various levels of heat and punishment; each is reserved according to the extent of the disbelief and sins of those being punished (4:145). The lower the level, the greater is the intensity of heat (6:132). Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) said: "Fire as we know it is one seventieth part of the Fire of Hell.” The eternal horrors and pain in Hell are real but different in nature than their earthly counterparts. The torment will never be reduced and the disbelievers will never escape or have any break (2:86).

PERCEPTION AND EXPERIENCE

Guest panelist Marc F. Ullom, deacons Chair, First Congregational Church (United Church of Christ)

We are on a spiritual journey, and each of us is at a different stage of that journey. We each experience faith differently. Human and spiritual senses are limited, so we do not require adherence to literal definitions of heaven or hell. Some see hell as both a place and condition of torment. To others, hell is more a spiritual state of suffering – perhaps here and hereafter.

We do share common ground here. Our choices have implications – good and bad – for the future and for our posterity. Both good news and bad can flow from our decisions, and we look to Jesus’ example and his teachings for each choice we make.

We do not judge against each other. We learn together, choose, and live out those choices. We therefore do not pray about some particular place in heaven or hell, but for guidance at each step on life’s journey.

Next week’s topic:

How do faiths view wealth?

Faith Forum is a weekly dialogue on religion coordinated by religious statesman Rajan Zed. Send questions or comments to rajanzed@gmail.com.