We are connected
to the Cosmos as a whole:
all life and energy.
Few are aware of this connection.
Life demands our full attention.
We toil in the distraction of the now.
But with the sensitivity of meditation,
it is possible to experience a spiritual connection
with the conscious energy of the Cosmos,
and become aware of the love that gives us life.
- Summa 21
Each year there is a celebration of Halloween, mostly as an excuse to wear an uninhibited costume, party with friends, and take the kids on a Trick or Treat expedition. Contemplation of Halloween also elicits the specter of all the lore we have created over the centuries about the characteristics of Hell.
But that raises a logical question: Where is this place of unending suffering and degradation? Human lore is filled with stories and images. But do we still believe them?
So I have a question: Can we create our perception of Hell based on 21st century knowledge?
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We could create wonderful concepts of Heaven and lurid details about Hell based on ancient sacred teaching; and many believers have chosen to do so. But we also have the option of basing our thoughts about the afterlife on the logical interpretation of available evidence. For a 21st century Christian, a belief in the afterlife shaped by observation and analysis is not only more realistic, it provides a greater sense of spiritual confidence.
We tend to think of Heaven as “up there” and Hell as “down there”. Just as there are several levels (or places) where one may find the experience of Heaven, there are also several levels (or places) where one may experience Hell.
Heaven is good, desirable, joyful, pleasant, peaceful, and beautiful. In Heaven one may find love, companionship, friendship, wisdom, and truth.
Hell is bad, repellent, depressing, repulsive, painful, and hideous. In Hell one will experience hate, hostility, animosity, ignorance, and deception.
In Heaven there is plenty. In Hell there is hunger. In Heaven one has good health. In Hell one must deal with the experience of debilitating disease and painful injury.
Within Christian tradition, we find many references and descriptions of punishment for acts against God and man. With great conviction, we are told Hell awaits the sinner in the afterlife. As an alternative, there are promising visions of a perfect paradise for those who believe and practice the word of God. Heaven is the reward for true believers.
These ideas may have been inspired by God, but they were written by men who had only a limited knowledge of the universe. We can forgive them for being influenced by their existing frame of reference. Superstitious, biased by the mythology of oral tradition, and motivated to explain Hell and Heaven in terms that would be familiar to their peers, these men would record their vision in the language of their age.
But we have gradually acquired a better understanding of our universe. We are compelled to respect the knowledge God has given to us. With it, we can express our understanding of Hell and Heaven in 21st century terms.
The philosophical reasoning of the two dimension thesis is not complicated. We live in a bipolar universe. If there is a Heaven, then there must also be a Hell. If Heaven is paradise, then Hell must be a nightmare. If Heaven is a place of tranquility, then Hell is a place of constant mayhem. When we talk about paradise, our most perfect example is called Heaven. When we talk about severe physical and emotional pain, we often reference Hell in describing our experience.
Here on earth, in this physical universe, we have the intellectual and emotional capability of producing an existence that is closer to Heaven, - or nearer to Hell. We have a choice. We have free will. It’s up to us. Jesus wanted us to use our intellectual and emotional capacity to establish a paradise (often referred to as the Kingdom of God) on earth. He taught us the word of God provides us with the necessary moral blueprint to achieve our objective.
Heaven exists within a separate dimension of time and space. Here we find God, angels, and those who have learned, adopted and practice the wisdom of the Cosmos (the wisdom of the Holy Spirit). “Heaven is good, desirable, joyful, pleasant, peaceful, and beautiful. In Heaven one may find love, companionship, friendship, wisdom, and truth. ...In Heaven there is plenty. ...In Heaven one has (the feeling of) good health.” When we speak of going to Heaven we are contemplating the transformation of our energy – our Life Force (or soul) - from one dimension to another.
We must always remember this essential point. Just as there are physical laws that govern the natural physical universe, there are spiritual laws that govern the not physical universe. In this sense, when we wander from God’s canon, we deviate from the laws of the Cosmos. The more we ignore the word of God, the greater our sin and the probability we will create the conditions of Hell. On the other hand, if we learn and follow God’s commandments, we are more likely to create the Kingdom of God here on earth.
There are three problems with traditional Hell mythology.
It’s not “down there”.
There is no Hell beneath the surface of our earth. Geologists, seismologists,
volcanologists, geophysicists, and oil field workers have never found any
evidence of Hell under our feet. To reach the center of the earth we must
descend through 62 miles of semi rigid crust, 410 miles of plastic upper
mantle, 1392 miles of semi rigid lower mantle, 1367 miles of semi liquid outer
core, and 378 miles of rigid inner core. To be sure, it is very hot at the
inner core – about 12,600 degrees F. But we will not find Dante’s Hell. It does
not exist
Hell would be too big to hide.
In order to hold all the sinners who have been sent to Hell by all the world’s
religions, Hell would be a sprawling place with several hundred miles of
tunnels, planes, and caverns. It would have to be big enough to hold over a
billion people. It would be impossible to conceal a place that big. But despite
exploring our entire globe by satellite and boots on the ground, we have never
been able to find a physical Hell on earth – at least not in this dimension.
Death Creates a New Self.
When death overtakes us, our physical form is usually buried in the ground, or
burned to ash. It does not matter when, where, or how we decease. Our physical
remains do not vanish into the unknown. They remain where we put them until we
move them again. Assuming we choose to believe there is an afterlife, the soul
(spiritual self) obviously leaves the physical self, and becomes a new form of
being.
But if there is no Hell in the traditional sense, then we are confronted with several questions.
• If there is no Hell beneath the surface of the earth, then where is it?
• Is there any place where sinners suffer great physical suffering?
• Is there a place of punishment, reflection, and repentance?
• Does God judge us when we die?
The short answer: we are judged, hell exists, and there is suffering.
Repentance is possible.
Let us start with the world we know.
Hell is actually easy to find. But we must understand the events and conditions we are observing. How often have we heard the phrase: “War is Hell”? Going through a divorce is Hell? It’s hotter than Hell? These phrases describe the physical and mental suffering of our experience –
and they happen right here, in our life, on this planet.
Up until the late 20th century, it was assumed that one must live by a strict moral code. The Church told us that if we failed to abide by the rules, we would go to Hell. Other religions took a similar approach to enforcement. Obey or be punished. Although the direct moral influence of the Church has declined over the years, following the rules continues to frame our human activity and thought. We cannot break the natural laws of the Cosmos without exposing ourselves to physical or emotional injury.
Because we have free will, we have the means to create our own personal Hell. If we sink into the abyss of moral decay, if we defile our being with drugs or alcohol, if we participate in perverted lust, if we are filled with vengeful hatred, if we are deceitful, arrogant or contentious, if we debilitate ourselves with too much stress, or if we ignore the wisdom of experience: we are doomed to suffer the consequences. In so doing, we create our own self-inflicted Hell; right here on this earth; in our lifetime.
If our rejection of God continues unto our death, then our destiny is annihilation. Upon our death, we cease to exist. That is the result of our willful rejection of God’s commandments, our refusal to seek to be one with God, and our denial of God’s love.
But wait. Does that mean we are always responsible for the creation of the hell we experience?
No. Unfortunately, we may have little or no control over the experience of hell in its many forms on this earth. Terrifying storms, floods, earth quakes, and forest fires inflict the destructive power of natural events. Human history is filled with examples of the hell created by people who use their political, economic or personal power to dominate others. Disease, injury, hunger, war, hatred, and grinding poverty are a constant source of suffering. Good people suffer injury and privation, beautiful children are murdered, mental illness destroys rational thought, people die of starvation and disease, and we are plagued by the fear of losing our economic well-being. The events and conditions of Hell are imposed on us from an almost unlimited number of sources. In these however, the genesis is frequently the result of human conduct. Unlimited greed, a lust for political power, military aggression, blind ideology, willful ignorance, visceral hatred, and so on. These are the failings of the human character. The result is physical suffering and mental anguish, often for both the sinner and the innocent.
We all become victims.
Yes, Hell certainly exists. It is a state of being, located on this earth, and in this life. But ...
While visiting with the Essenes, Jesus made friends with an old priest who helped to guide his thinking. In his conversations Jesus learned why spiritual healing is just as important as physical healing. He was also grateful for the chance to openly discuss his experiences with the older man.
“I have thoughts and dreams,” Jesus told the old priest “Sometimes when I dream I have unstoppable power over all I can see. I am invincible. But there is always death and fear all around me. I am powerful but afraid.”
“We are good and evil,” said the old priest “our dreams are a reflection of the conflict within our soul between wanting to help and wanting to dominate.”
“How do I know the difference?”
“That which is good in the eyes of the Lord is always constructive, positive and compassionate. Evil is bad because it is always destructive, negative and heartless. We become confused because to be good one must sometimes also be bad. That is why you must continue to develop good judgement; always focus on the ultimate truth of what you are doing.”
“Where does evil reside?”
The old priest looked sorrowfully at Jesus... “Within our minds, we make our own hell.”
The existence of hell is summed nicely in this verse.
When it comes to descriptions of Hell,
We have been very creative.
Fire, pain, and humiliation greet the sinner.
Our literature is littered with ghosts and devils.
Hell does exist. It is here.
We make our own, we humans.
With often ugly words and thoughts,
We descend into the abyss of hostility.
Hell exists on this earth.
It is both physical and spiritual.
Where else would one find human suffering?
Where else the stress of despair?
How else can one explain random illness?
How often strikes accidental injury or death?
Why do events and persons make us victims?
Why suffer malicious wickedness or wretched despair?
We are witness to the misery of Hell on earth.
Even the just may experience the pain,
Of failure, frustration, injury, or death,
Whether their own or someone they love.
Yes, this is Hell. It is here.
But mostly it is our own fault.
We become sinners when we break God’s law.
We are the creators of our own personal Hell.
War. Torture. Violent behavior. Vile words.
The sins of arrogance, conceit, fraud,
Drugs, alcohol, and perversion lead to
Misery, death, injury, disease and famine.
But we can avoid the Hell of human sin.
The Holy Spirit gave us the ability to think and reason.
God the Father gave us commandments to follow.
By these we are able to create God’s Kingdom on Earth.
Be aware of the Holy Spirit’s counsel.
Avoid the road to Hell.
Punishment follows the sinner.
Grace comes to the faithful.
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Theological text from "Summa 21" ... Story from "Am I Your Son"
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Micah reached into the beautiful bouquet of flowers and picked out a perfect white rose with a blush of red.
“There is a rose here for each of your children.... seven beautiful babies. This white rose celebrates your first one, a baby boy whom God wants you to name Jesus. He will be known as the son of God with the power to heal and teach.”
It is amazing. Curious. Jesus is one of the most important humans ever to walk on the face of our planet, yet nobody seems to have had the presence of mind to write down the dates of his birth, ministry or death. Although there are many historical and Biblical references to his life and work, there are only vague references to tell us when these events occurred.
It is therefore impossible to establish confirmed dates for the birth, ministry and death of either John the Baptist or Jesus. Biblical references are subject to interpretation, and the Roman historian Flavius Josephus – who does mention both men in his texts – may have been more interested in the narrative he was writing than accurate historical information. Most scholars believe John and Jesus were born sometime between 6 and 4 B.C. (Before Christ, Before the Christian era). It would appear John was born sometime in March or April. Jesus was born about six months later in September or October. Other dates are possible. John started his ministry between 26 and 28 A.D. (Anno Domini, in the Year of Our Lord). Jesus began his ministry between 27 and 28 A.D. John was imprisoned in the spring, and beheaded in August, of 28 or 29 A.D. Jesus was crucified in 30 A.D. It should be noted the popular date of birth we observe for Jesus, December 25, was established by the Catholic Church in 336 A.D. (Julian calendar) in order to replace a pagan Roman holiday (Saturnalia) with a Christian holiday. Ironically, this is also the date when Romans gave tributes to the Sun God.
To further confuse the date issues, we should note the calculation of years and months in the Hebrew calendar does not match the calculation of these time spans in the Julian (old Christian) calendar; the Hebrew New Year may have actually started between the birth of John (in March or April) and the Birth of Jesus (in September or October); and finally, there is no year zero.
Thus the confirmation of specific dates for the life of Jesus is very difficult. Each time we focus on an event in his life, we are immediately confronted with the problems of historical verification. Supporting evidence tends to be amorphous.
However, if we think of individual dates as points in time that must logically relate to other events in the same timeline, then it becomes somewhat easier to develop a sequence that is reasonably supported by historical information. For example: If King Herod died in early 4 B.C. and Jesus was born before Herod dies, then it is logical Jesus was born before 4 B.C. Other historical events in 4 B.C. involving Herod’s family, throne succession, and the time needed to put down a bloody rebellion serve to firm up our conclusion.
With this approach in mind, read on. These dates are an interesting way to visualize history, but in the final analysis what matters to us is that both men existed and both men had an incredible influence on human history
Mary was born in either Nazareth or her mother’s family compound in Sepphoris. (Note 1) Under Jewish law when a girl began to menstruate she became a woman and could be married. This transition usually occurred when she was 13 or 14 years old. Research suggests Mary (Mariam) was born in 20 B.C., betrothed at age 13 or 14 (7 or 6 B.C.), married at age 14 (late 6 B.C.), and gave birth to Jesus when she was 15 (late September or early October 5 B.C.) She was probably 48 (almost 49) when Jesus was crucified. Mary apparently died when she was 58 or 59 years old in 39 or 40 A.D.
Tradition tells us our Christian calendar starts on the date Jesus was born. That would be at the beginning of the first year A.D. (There is no year zero). But the date of his birth was accidentally miscalculated. In 525 A.D.
Pope John I asked Dionysius Exiguus to create a set of tables that would establish the proper dates for Easter. Dionysius invented a method called Anno Domini (A.D.) to number the years for the Julian calendar (introduced by Julius Caesar in 46 B.C.). Dionysius renumbered the years of the Julian calendar, using the birth of Jesus Christ as year 1 in the Roman numbering system. Unfortunately, Dionysius miscalculated the date Jesus was born because he apparently misunderstood how the years in the Hebrew calendar were numbered.
But we can determine the probable date Jesus was born.
Jesus was born before the death of King Herod the Great, who died in early 4 B.C
Under orders from Emperor Augustus, an enumeration was taken in Syria in 7 B.C. In the lands of the Jews, however, it was delayed by a political quarrel between King Herod and the Emperor. Herod was finally forced to order the enumeration, and it was started in late 6 B.C. or early 5 B.C., when Quirinius was special legatos Aogusti to Syria.
Herod had totally alienated the Jews. Enumerating an oath of allegiance to Emperor Augustus, or simply counting the number of people in Israel, only served to sharply increase the anger of a rebellious Jewish population. It was believed any kind of census was a violation of Jewish (religious) law. Then by late 5 B.C., King Herod, obviously very sick with a painful disease, began to exhibit increasingly erratic and ruthless behavior. No one was safe from his anger.
The people of Nazareth knew what was coming long before Herod died. Joseph, was determined to protect his wife and her baby from the growing rebellion led by Judas the Galilean, son of Hezekiah the Zealot. The was a large Jewish population in Alexandria which had reasonably good relations with the Romans and there would be plenty of work for a skilled carpenter.
Despite the risk, Joseph and Mary left Galilee during the only time of relative safety in September or October of 5 B.C. Jesus was born as they traveled south in the little town of Bethlehem.
Publius Quintilius Varus, Rome's governor in Syria, was ordered to restore order throughout Israel. He led two complete Roman legions and a large number of Arab troops under King Aretas into Galilee. Sepphoris was destroyed and apparently many of its residents were sold as slaves. Varus then marched south to Jerusalem. He systematically crushed the rebellion with incredible brutality. He occupied Jerusalem and as a symbol of Roman power; crucified 2,000 Jewish rebels. It took several months for the Romans to quell the revolt and establish Herod’s son Herod Antipas as the tetrarch of Galilee and Peraea, Philip as tetrarch of the territories north and east of the Jordan, and Herod Archelaus as ethnarch of Judea, Samaria, and Idumea.
Other than a story about Jesus meeting with the Priests in Jerusalem in 9 A.D., we know nothing about his life during these years. However, according to cultural custom it is likely he married a girl from either Nazareth or Sepphoris. We do not know if they had children. The Gospels focus of the years of his ministry and tell us nothing about possible issue.
There would have been plenty of work for him and his father in Sepphoris to augment their jobs in Nazareth. Herod Antipas declared Sepphoris to be the capitol of Galilee in 3(?) A.D. and proceeded with a number of construction projects. Wealthy Jews, government employees, and anyone who wanted to influence government policy moved to Sepphoris, creating a building boom that lasted several years.
In 18 A.D. Herod Antipas, founded a new capitol on the shores of the Sea of Galilee and named it for the reigning emperor Tiberius. Most of those associated with his government also moved over the next few years, creating plenty of work for a carpenter in Tiberias. As we may expect, employment opportunities in Sepphoris quickly declined.
Joseph apparently died sometime between 9 and 25 A.D. Jesus assumed the responsibility of financially supporting his mother and (possibly) two brothers. He needed to find work. The solution was easy. In 19 (?) A.D. Jesus decided to move his mother and two brothers to Capernaum. There would be more work available in the larger town of Capernaum (which was on a trade route between Syria and cities in Israel) and Jesus would also be able to find additional work in Tiberias.
In late 23 A.D. Jesus experiences an intense emotional event that redirects his life toward preparing for his ministry. For 27 year old Jesus it will be a three year period of study and meditation. He learns God is his father. His cousin John visits with Jesus and they share their thoughts on God’s theology, values, and the message he will deliver to all who will listen.
An educated guess is late June or during July. He would have been 30. John the Baptist had begun his own Ministry in 26 A.D. and by the time Jesus went to see him at the Jordan river, John had already accumulated a number of dedicated followers. John and Jesus had become close friends who shared many theological and philosophical beliefs. Impressed by his dedication, wisdom and relationship with God, John already knew Jesus was destined to have a significant ministry. His observations also convinced him that Jesus had become the Messiah; the savior of mankind described in ancient prophesies. As Jesus walked toward him down the gentle slope to the river, we hear John cry out in joy: “Here is the one I have been talking about!”
At first an elated John wants to have Jesus baptize him. He believes the act of baptism will wash away all his sins, as is the custom. However, Jesus has a different purpose for coming to see John. He tells John that he is the one who has come to be baptized. But his purpose is not to wash away his sins. For Jesus, the ceremony of baptism will mark the beginning of his ministry. It will be his personal moment of dedication and commitment to the task God has given him. From this day forward, there is no turning back. The baptism occurred in a pool near the Jordan River where a shallow ford permits travelers on the road between Jerusalem and Amman to cross the river.
John began his ministry on the Jordan in June of 26 A.D. A 30 year old Jesus is baptized by John and begins his ministry in August of 27 A.D.
John is arrested for criticizing Antipas in the spring of 29 A.D. Antipas will have him beheaded in August. John’s ministry has lasted 33 months. By fall, all of his followers will join Jesus.
When word of John’s beheading reached Jesus in the fall of 29 A.D., he was at the peak of his public mission. But Jesus knew his own Ministry would soon be over. He was encountering the same opposition that had ended John’s work. Thereafter, Jesus spent more personal time with his disciples in order to prepare them for their own individual ministries. Jesus brought his Ministry to a close with his entry into Jerusalem in April, 30 A.D. When he died, Jesus was 33. His ministry has lasted 32 months.
There has been much debate about these dates. There is a line of thought, for example, that Jesus died in 33 A.D. But there is a problem with this conclusion: Neither the Biblical nor the historical records reveal reliable dates. Mark, Matthew, Luke and John were written to present a narrative of personalities, events and doctrine from the viewpoint of the respective authors. The timeline was less important than the story. In like manner, the only other records of this period and place we have reflect the cultural perspective of the author. We can, however, infer reasonably accurate dates by relating them to historical events that occurred in the same timeframe. This analysis favors the dates described above.
Both John and Jesus would have been characterized as rebels. Think about it: They were critical of government power, and frequently censured religious behavior. This was an era when challenges to established authority were regarded as a way to commit suicide. It is unlikely their activities would have been allowed to go on for more than two or three years. John was arrested because he had the audacity to denounce Herod Antipas, Tetrarch of Peraea and Galilee, for the ruler’s adulterous and incestuous marriage with Herodias, divorced wife of his half-brother Philip. Although it is apparent the Romans were not particularly worried about Jesus, the priests who ran the affairs of the temples were furious. Jesus was more popular, and drew larger crowds. Not only was he challenging temple authority, he was even criticizing institutional morality. His demise came after he triumphantly rode into Jerusalem on the back of a donkey (or colt). It must have been quite a sight. A crowd of excited peasants lined both sides of the road. And there was Jesus, 12 apostles and over 100 followers marching down the dusty road and up the ramp into the Temple.
For temple priests, however, that had to be the last straw. Jesus frequently used the phrase “Kingdom of God” in his ministry. For him, it was a reference to a place where God lived (heaven). But most Jews believed only God had the right to rule Israel. For them the phrase “Kingdom of God” meant establishing an Israel free from Roman rule. Hence it was regarded as a rebellion code phrase for kicking out the Romans and restoring God’s rule over Israel.
Thus when Jesus entered Jerusalem to celebrate Passover for the last time, the adulation he received would have thoroughly annoyed his opposition. Many wanted to end his activity. The basis for a confrontation between Jesus and the Romans was already in place.
The ministry of Jesus was on a collision course with destiny.
The ministry of Jesus spanned a period of approximately 32 months before he was arrested and crucified.
But in the final analysis, we should not be overly concerned about the chronology of his life. Why? Think about it. Jesus brought us a message that is timeless. His resurrection is about everlasting life. If we do not know the exact dates, perhaps it is because God wants us to focus our thoughts on the significance of what Jesus is teaching. Not a point in time and space.
Let us be thankful Jesus existed. This man, who was the son of God, created a theology and philosophy that would influence the development of civilization for centuries.
Ron
Note 1: Historical information indicates the Virgin Mary and her mother, Saint Anne, were born in Sepphoris. The crusaders built a church over the site and dedicated it to Anna during the twelfth century A.D. The question remains: when did Anna and Joachim move to Nazareth?
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Every life has a purpose. In the greater scheme of things, we can participate in the spiritual energy of the Cosmos. This in itself gives our lives purpose.
When we open our hearts to sincere prayer, enter deep meditation, perform an unselfish act of compassion, express our genuine love for another human, or perform any act or have any thought that connects us with the spiritual energy of the Cosmos, we are giving our life purpose.
But there is more. God may select us to help him. We become the physical instrument that enables what he wants to accomplish. The adoption of a child that needs love, education, and direction. Helping to revitalize the mission of our church. Joining with others to insist the institutions of Government espouse and practice Christian values. And on and on. Although there is much to be done, the timing of our participation is up to God. It may be while we are young, much later in life, or a continuous counsel.
And of course, as individuals we are welcome and encouraged by God to discover a purpose for our life. Perhaps a new purpose every day. An act of compassion or love. Cheerfully doing the chores that help to make our home a happy place.
In this effort, we must, each one of us, place our trust in God and find our own way.
From Summa 21:
We have different gifts, according to the grace given us.
If our gift is prophesying, let us use it to enlighten.
If our gift is serving, let us serve
with grace.
If our gift is teaching, let us teach the truth.
If our gift is healing, let us heal with love.
If our gift is helping others, let us give generously.
If our gift is leadership, let us govern with integrity.
If our gift is showing mercy, let us do it cheerfully.
Unfortunately, all to many humans choose to sever their connection with the spiritual energy of the cosmos. Drugs, depression, criminal behavior, arrogance. Life assumes a negative, destructive and callous purpose. Too often the end result is death.
What a shame. This is not the way to spiritual salvation. Let us avoid the path of self-destruction. A loving God encourages us to live a positive, constructive, compassionate and productive life.
Let us therefore embrace God’s values and connect with the spiritual energy of the Cosmos. From Summa 21:
Let us be humble in our beliefs. In truth, most of us are pursuing the same quest. We want to be sure life has meaning. We search for a truth that is greater than ourselves, even if we are unable to fully comprehend the meaning of our discovery.
Of course life has purpose. Discovery begins with spiritual awareness.
Ron
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