What I don't get is how hell is so monotonously painful, having only one thing to offer, that being discomfort as a result of searing heat. And of course, heaven is a placeof comfort and relaxation, and there is milk and honey and all those that went before us will be there to greet us, unless they went to hell. Now, if you are a sinner, you go to hell. Unless you are forgiven, that is. In which case you get to go to heaven. The trick is to make sure you get forgiven before you die. And how do you get forgiven? Why, you go to confession and accept Jesus as your lord and savior, and voila! You get to go to heaven. But when Jesus said "Let he who is without sin cast the first stone," nobody was able to cast a stone, so right there things were looking pretty bad for people.
Not that you can't get forgiven and stuff, just that it's too pat an answer. This is midieval mythology, designed to scare people into acting against their baser instincts, and it worked some. There was a lot less general knowledge back then, being as how the world was flat and all. A lot of people got burned at the stake then too, as if the concept of hell wasn't quite scary enough for people.
My favorite part about the heaven myth is the references to Midas-like gold on everything and mansions and other trappings of extreme, gratuitous wealth-- which is generally counter to the poverty of Jesus and the Apostles.
It's like heaven/Christianity was set up deliberately as a way to lure the poor (who make up almost all of any society-- the rich being in the very top percentile). If you set up a religion, make sure it has mass appeal. Telling the poor that they will be filthy rich in the afterlife is a good start.
"Not that you can't get forgiven and stuff, just that it's too pat an answer. This is midieval mythology, designed to scare people into acting against their baser instincts, and it worked some. There was a lot less general knowledge back then, being as how the world was flat and all. A lot of people got burned at the stake then too, as if the concept of hell wasn't quite scary enough for people."
Maybe one of these geniuses can use nanotech to finally answer the question, how many angels can dance on the head of a pin?