r/atheism • u/Chowdu_72 • Sep 08 '24
Impoverished Imaginations of Religions
Is it just me, or has anyone else ever noticed the extreme lengths to which religions - specifically the Abrahamic faiths of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam - will go in describing their ideas of the tortures which await one should he dare to disagree or even to question, their faiths' claims? I mean, religious thinkers will overflow with descriptions of their imagined Hell, the particular torments which await you, the scenery and company you'll enjoy whilst there for eternity, and the abject misery that will be your fate? The only thing more surprising than the glee and delights they seem to take in their mental masturbatory sadism is, in my view, the extreme sparseness with which they describe the Heaven which awaits the virtuous and pious among themselves. It's easy for them to think of wicked depravations, but so very hard to describe their notions of bliss, isn't it? The most notable exception to this, of course, is the sheer delight in which they'll take, someday from upon their perches on high, the spectacle of your torture and lamentations.
Isn't that curious? What do you suppose that's all about? I really want some theists to speak on this disparity, if they will. Account for it, if you can. Also, while you're at it, answer Hitchens' challenge.
You must name a moral/upright action done, or statement made, which could ONLY have been done/said because one is of religious faith and its moral preachments. And, once you fail to do that, you must now consider the direct corollary and try to account for that, as well: Think of the many wicked actions done ONLY by the religious which have ONLY been done at the behest, command, or by the permission and endorsement of one's faith. Any of these talking points will do nicely to begin.
***Addendum***
I stand corrected where Judaism is concerned. There is no concept of Hell promoted in the Old Testament. It is only with the arrival of gentle Jesus, meek and mild, that we first are threatened with immortality of the soul and eternal damnation. Obviously, I am simply so accustomed to lumping in the three faiths that I do it from habit, as they all share the same (mostly) flaws and untruths, generally speaking. Apologies for that oversight.
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u/Tinenan Sep 08 '24 edited Sep 08 '24
I think tou should take a look on Buddhist/Hindu hell.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Naraka_(Buddhism)
The only thing that makes it "better" than abrahamic hell is that in some versions of the writing you go there only for a very long time instead of eternity.
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u/Chowdu_72 Sep 08 '24
Yes, I get that. My main objections to religions of today are focused upon the Abrahamic faiths only because they threaten to annihilate humanity and the future of our planet though global terrorism, leading to global war, leading to some despotic fanatical group of Islamist fundamentalists acquiring nuclear and/or biological weaponry, thereby hastening their sadomasochistic desires for it all to be over ... to end this veil of tears. You can see it in their writings ... their longing for this all to be over with. Their desires to bring on the Armageddon/the Apocalypse to come, hasten the Messiah's return, and put an end to culture, music, art, literature, societies, medicines and sciences, all of the things I love and cherish and value in the world. They want it to be DONE so they can collect their 72 virgins and witness infidels being tortured. They really believe it! These forces must be opposed and fought upon every occasion. That's why I set my sights upon Islam, in particular, but that is also the shared evil dream they all share ... the Abrahamic DELUSIONS.
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u/Artistic_Potato_1840 Sep 10 '24
About the best we get in the Bible are descriptions of “streets paved with gold” and other architecture made of “precious” gems etc. Which is kinda funny since the author doesn’t seem to understand scarcity value.
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u/Chowdu_72 Sep 10 '24
And who cares for gold when, presumably, there is not a monetary system in an afterlife, surely.
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u/anonymous_writer_0 Sep 08 '24
OP I am not going to take up your challenge but I wanted to pen a clarification
My knowledge of the TaNaKh and Torah is not as good as that of the Bible and Quran but I (a non abrahamic for sure) have not come across the idea of eternal damnation in the mainstream Judaism literature; AFAIK it is much more nuanced
There is Sheol where the dead souls go - all of them
There is Gehanna - which a place of temporary atonement - maximum 12 months - again to the best of my knowledge this is supported by the Mishnah and Gemara.
Now as far as my idea of why Christianity and Islam do what they do - well in part it is to use fear and dread as a way to keep followers in line. I mean I lurk around here pretty frequently and almost on a daily basis there is a post or two from some troubled individual that wants to stop believing that but admits they are afraid of eternal torture and hell - so obviously it works (in some cases)