210) The Salvation of Eden, Chapter 42 -- As mortality opens one's eyes
She tried to turn her head to the side, and this time, her body responded, giving her a view of the rest of the room. It was triangular, with four beds, one on each wall, and hers, in the middle. The others were empty.
73) Dear Ancestors,
Dear Ancestors, thank you for this chance you’ve given me, to live. For the songs you passed on. The babies you nursed at your breasts, taught to walk, and speak, and play, and fish, and build, and love, and read, and forgive. Thank you for your courage, the sacrifices you made in the wars of your time. The wisdom you discovered in silent meditation. The poems. The traditions, dances, beautiful creations of art and worship. Thank you for the recipes you passed down through generations of care-takers labouring over hot stoves, for the endless mouth-watering concoctions we coaxed from the abundance of water and soil and sunlight. Thank you for the luminaries who inspired all who came after, to strive for the Good, to love unto death.
30) Hell: Epilogue
“Hell” is an allegory. It can help a person understand the suffering of feeling existentially Alone. And thus, it points towards Connection, through opening to suffering.
This is useful, if it helps you connect with others, and if it motivates you to go more deeply into your questions. But it’s not useful if it just scares you into clinging to The Answer that some particular cult insists upon.
29) Hell, Part 2
Hell is like a logic trap, constructed so you only have one answer, one solution. As soon as you throw Infinity into an equation, it trumps everything else. Pascal knew this; this is what his wager was all about — that faith is not based on reason. But anyway, back to Hell as an unfair logic trap:
Hell = You Have To Give Your Life To God Or You Are An Idiot.
It’s the best sales-pitch ever. Buy my product, or Burn In Hell For All Eternity.
I call bullshit.
28) Hell, Part 1
Do you remember what it was like when you first heard about Hell?
For me, running into Hell was a soul-wrenching struggle of childhood. I mean, seriously man, Hell is the scariest thing ever!! And my young mind was excellent at imagining the unspeakable agony of actually BURNING. For all eternity! ….. wow….. like….damn…..who thought up THAT idea?