Heaven and Hell

It is said among a sect of the Russian Orthodox mystics that there is no difference between Heaven and Hell; they are the same place. They only become different places in that we perceive them differently once we enter them. They become different based on our response to entering the presence of God.

Those that loved God in this life are filled with joy at once being one with Him. For those that rejected God and are full of darkness, nothing could be worse than entering His Holy Light. This place becomes Hell to them. In this way there is really nothing God can do about those in Hell, it is a place of their own making.

Now, I don’t think this is literally true, but I do think it is very thought provoking for it tells us some truths. 1) Heaven and Hell are places of our choosing: we determine how our afterlife will be based on how we relate to God in this life. 2) There can be nothing but Hell for those that reject God.

We are eternal, let’s start living like it! Everyone around us will someday a creature beyond beauty, or a thing from our worst nightmares. Every action we take pushes those around us closer to one of those two destinies. Let us live with that in mind and promote life.