Description
Let’s tackle a core image in billions of minds, and one that doesn’t take kindly to criticism; an image that is long overdue for critique. And please understand that the importance of this goes far beyond theology. This heaven-hell dipole (which I shall explain momentarily) is enthroned as a central image in literally billions of minds all over the planet. Furthermore, it has held that central position for a long time, coloring the the thinking of a large segment of humanity, from a position of “everyone knows.”
I further find it problematic because a part of its appeal comes from one of our least useful instincts; that is, our dipole instinct. By that I mean the ease with which we jump to binary thoughts involving us-them, all-or-nothing, and so on. That’s why I didn’t title this issue “A Brief History of Heaven and Hell.” The dipole nature of these beliefs are of central importance, and I think that will become clear as we proceed.