Exploration of Heaven & Hell (inquiry)

Heaven & Hell

Hell:

Hell is a place of punishment after death or, in more abstract terms, a state of spiritual damnation. In religions and mythologies that separate the dead according to their conduct in life or the purity of their souls, the evil go to hell while the good go to heaven.

Hell is related to the concept of the underworld. In the myths of many ancient cultures, the underworld was the mysterious and often gloomy realm of the dead. Although usually imagined as a dark underground kingdom associated with caves and holes in the earth, hell was not always a place of punishment and suffering. Later belief systems introduced the idea of an afterlife which the wicked received punishment, and hell was where that punishment occurred.

Although the word hell comes from Hel, the Norse* goddess of death, hells appear in the beliefs and mythologies of many cultures. Common features of hells include burning heat or freezing cold, darkness (symbolizing the soul's separation from light, goodness, and truth), physical agony that represents spiritual suffering, and devils or demons who torment the damned.

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Christian View:

Christian belief built upon the Jewish notion of hell as a place of punishment for the wicked and the home of Satan, the chief devil, and all of his evil demons, or fallen angels. Most often hell was pictured as an inferno, a place of flames and cruel heat. Many early Christian writings emphasized the agonies that sinners suffered in hell when demons boiled them in kettles or stabbed them with pitchforks. In such interpretations of hell the punishments were often tailored to fit specific sins.

During the Middle Ages, Christians sometimes pictured hell as a fiery dragon's mouth swallowing up sinners. In The Divine Comedy, an allegory of the soul's journey written in the early 1300s, Italian poet Dante Alighieri drew upon many mythological traditions. He portrayed hell as an inferno of punishment, descending through many levels where sinners of different categories received punishment. Dante also described the realm that Christians had come to call purgatory, a state between hell and heaven. Christian belief included the possibility that a soul could, after punishment in purgatory and true repentance, work its way toward heaven and salvation.

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Heaven:

as a sacred place or a state of being, appears in the myths and legends of cultures around the world. It can be the dwelling place of the god or gods, the place where people who have lived virtuously find their reward after death, or both. Heaven has often been described as a paradise of some kind, located above or beyond the limits of the ordinary world, perhaps high on a mountain peak or floating on a distant island. For example, the Hottentot god Tsuillgoab lives in a beautiful heaven in the clouds. Over the centuries, traditional ideas have changed, and many people now think of heaven more in terms of a state of spiritual existence or salvation than as a precise though otherworldly place

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Christian View:

The Christian idea of heaven is based on the Jewish one. Although modern Christians are more likely to interpret heaven as spiritual union with God, earlier generations of believers placed that union in a physical setting that was often described in great detail. In the early 1300s, Italian poet Dante Alighieri created a vision of heaven in the Paradiso, the last section of The Divine Comedy, a long allegory about the soul's journey. Drawing on both Christian and pagan traditions, Dante portrayed paradise as high above the earthly world. It consisted of nine heavens, one inside the other, rotating around the earth. The tenth heaven, which included all the others, was the destination of blessed souls who were ranked in order of their virtue, the more virtuous being closer to God.

Artists and writers of the Renaissance developed three visions of heaven. The first, the realm beyond the skies, was the source of images of heaven as a place of clouds and winged angels. The second, the garden of paradise, was the natural world raised to the level of divine perfection—an image associated with the Garden of Eden, the lost paradise that once existed on earth. The third vision was that of the heavenly city, a symbol of perfect organization and harmony.

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Angels:

In many of the world's religion angels are spiritual beings who act as intermediaries between God and humans. Messengers of God, angels may serve any of a number of purposes. Their role may be to teach, command, or inform individuals of their destiny. Angels may also act to protect or help people.

The word angel comes from the Greek word angelos, meaning "messenger." In Western religions, the word specifically describes a kind, or benevolent, being. However, in most other religions, the line separating "good" angels from "bad" angels is not always clear. An angel may act benevolently in one situation but with evil intent in another.

destiny future or fate of an individual or Differing Views

Over the centuries, people have described the function of angels in various ways. The role of angels is developed in greatest detail in religions based on revelation—the disclosure or communication of

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Christianity:

The Christian concept of a three-part universe came from Judaic and Zoroastrian ideas, as did Christian ideas of angels and their functions. In the Christian view, angels are God's messengers. Angels proclaimed the birth of Christ and continue to play an active role in the daily lives of Christians. They bring strength to those who are weak and comfort to those who suffer and carry the prayers of faithful Christians to God. According to legend, guardian angels watch over children.

Supernatural:

The show Supernatural most likely has the strongest representation of heaven and hell in this modern age, the show includes both demons and angels with the battles between heaven and hell. The show follows along in the path of brothers Sam and Dean Winchester as they travel across America in a 1967 Chevy Impala fighting the things that go bump in the night.

Demons in supernatural:

Supernatural portrays demons as abominations taking up 'vessels' on earth or as they refer to them as "meat-suits" demons can be expelled from a vessel with a simple exorcism chant that I shockingly have memorized.

Demons also can be held captive by simply drawing a symbol known as a "devils trap" on the ground or ceiling, they cannot step a foot outside the circle unless it is damaged in any way.

One of demons (or any other unholy entity) weakness is salt, salt is used as a weapon against unholy beings to harm them in order to slow them down.

Cassiel/Castiel supernatural:

Angels are portrayed as furious warriors of God, ruthless and cynical creatures, well...that is all expect for one particular angel named Castiel, who in the biblical verse is named cassiel the angel of Thursday. Castiel in supernatural first appeared on the show as a stoic, serious, warrior, Then as he spent more time on earth he began to see the beauty behind human life and no longer lived by gods rules. Many say he fell in love with humanity or other wise known at the righteous man who in biblical sense cassiel the Angel fell in love with, which caused him to be absolutely fascinated with human life, watching over earth but never inferring.

Castiel on the other hand then rebelled against God, leaving his brothers and sisters. Castiel reverted to being a fallen angel on earth learning to be human with the help of the righteous man (Dean Winchester) and his brother (Sam winchester).

I could most likely speak about this topic for hours upon hours but I'm going to end it here so I don't bore you.

The story of the devil:

lucifer (the Angel) was gods favourite, he had always played by his rules and he was his first born son, he was the first of the seven archangels. When God had the brilliant idea to create a new planet where a new form of creatures known as "humans" will walk and live, the other angels loved the idea and of course obeyed their father not interfering with any of gods big ideas. Lucifer on the other hand hated the idea of creating a new species, after all, his father only needed his children, why desire more when you already have a loyal family?

Lucifer rebelled. he despised humanity the minute God created it. God in his fit of power condemned Lucifer to hell to rule the underworld for all eternity. Lucifer then was given a knew title; being known as the 'devil' where he punishes sinful humans that's don't follow gods rules, just as he had done.