No Coincidences

Tag: life after death

  • What is Hell?

    What is Hell?

    Studies have shown that humans will prefer pain over boredom. We as humans need stimulation. When left in a room with the options being complete boredom or a painful electric shock, many will choose the electric shock just to feel something.

    You can watch this YouTube video for an interesting study on this:

    There is this idea that perpetuates throughout Christianity that hell is fire and pain. I don’t think that’s actually the case. I think hell is boredom, stagnation, lack of growth, lack of purpose, selfishness to the point of looking only at oneself. I think hell is being stuck.

    Mark 9:43-44 reads:

    43 And if thy hand offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter into life maimed, than having two hands to go into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched: 

    44 Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched.

    Doctrine and Covenants 76:43-44 reads:

    43 Who glorifies the Father, and saves all the works of his hands, except those sons of perdition who deny the Son after the Father has revealed him. 

    44 Wherefore, he saves all except them-they shall go away into everlasting punishment, which is endless punishment, which is eternal punishment, to reign with the devil and his angels in eternity, where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched, which is their torment-

    The word translated “hell” in Mark 9:43 is the Greek word Gehenna. Gehenna was a garbage dump in ancient Jerusalem.

    “Gehenna was located on the south end of Jerusalem and had been a site for pagan child sacrifices during Old Testament times (2 Kings 23:10). During Jesus’ lifetime, Gehenna had a constant fire burning to dispose of the waste that was left there—from regular household trash to the carcasses of animals and convicted criminals (Jeremiah 7:31–33). Because of this, the Jews considered Gehenna to be a cursed place full of filth.” (See this link for more information).

    This is where we get the reference in Mark 9:44 “fire is not quenched.” Gehenna or hell was literally a place where fire never stopped, and I believe this is where the popular idea of hell being a place of fire comes from. I think the more critical point in those verses is the phrase, “Where their worm dieth not.” This is not referring to a literal worm, as I don’t believe the endless fire represent literal fire in hell. I believe the fire represents never ending torment.

    But what is this torment? Is it physical pain? Worse.

    As I mentioned earlier for that study, people would prefer any sensation to that of no sensation. I think the endless torment is being stuck for eternity.

    I read a book that once described what hell might be like. It considered hell to be like being a worm deep within mud. The worm squirms around, with no purpose or meaning. The worm can’t see, it can’t feel, it can’t think. It’s getting nowhere. It endlessly squirms in the mud.

    I believe the worm that dieth not is our eternal soul. What could be worse than an eternity of… nothing? What could be worse than being the equivalent of a worm squirming within mud, forever?

    Just the thought should terrify you.

    God has provided us a plan of growth and progression. He has provided us a way to become like Him. Those who reject Him will be stuck, forever. There will be no progressing for them. Their “worm dieth not.”

    I am grateful to God for all that He has given me and all that He has afforded me. I know that because He loves me He has allowed me to grow and progress in eternity. Not to be stuck and stagnant. Growth. I am grateful for that gift He has provided me. 

  • The Life Beyond

    The Life Beyond

    The Life Beyond by Robert L. Millett and Joseph Fielding McConkie Copyright 1986.

    I recently was asked by two friends who have different religious beliefs from me, what do you believe happens to a person when they die?

    This is the great question right?  One of the 3 great questions.

    1. Where did I come from?
    2. Why I am I here?
    3. Where am I going?

    What a world we’d live in if every conversation we ever had started with that question:

    Hi, my name is Brayden.  Say, what do you think happens to us when we die?

    Wouldn’t that be great!  Less discussion about politics, sports, and tv.  What amazing conversations could come about from that question.

    It amazes me how many people in the world float through life without knowing any sort of answer to these questions.  It’s no wonder we’re in a world that seems untethered from any understanding, sense of reality, or sense of meaning.  What’s worse than all those who don’t know the answer to these questions is those that don’t even ask the question.  It baffles my mind that so many live on this earth, day by day, moment by moment, without daily stopping to ponder: why am I here?

    I believe the reason for this attitude by many people and much of society is due to a feeling that there is no answer.  No one can know so why ask?  I believe every person has asked these questions at some point.  They eventually determine it’s unknowable and move on.  I believe this cuts us off from growth.  How can we grow to our full potential if we have no understanding of our true potential?  How can we reach our true potential if we believe this whole life is for no purpose or reason?  How can we reach our full potential if we don’t even know if there’s something after all this?  In that case, what’s the point?

    That’s why when this question comes up I internally jump for joy.  I know many skeptics, doubters – ye with little faith – still say, “you can’t really know.”  I don’t care.  I know!  I know where I come from.  I know why I’m here.  I know where I’m going.

    It’s one of my greatest wishes that every person on this earth knew the same.  I believe it would make people happier.  I believe it would make the world a better place.  It’s why I’m writing this.  To share what I know.

    The Life Beyond is a book I recently finished by one of my favorite scholars.  Robert Millet was a panelist on the youtube video series I’ve used to study the lectures on faith.  I’ve seen Joseph Fielding McConkie on many of the books I intend to read.

    This book details everything we know about The Life Beyond.  Through scripture, modern revelation, prophets, and all other light and knowledge we’ve received, they go into great detail about what happens after we die.

    Could there be a more important book?

    Can you believe this book exists?  Can you believe you’re not reading it right now?

    Hundreds of millions stumble around in darkness, with fear of death and wonderment about life.  Here is scripture, from God, light and knowledge, revelation, that answers the most important questions in this life.

    For those with little understanding of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, this book would be like feeding a steak to a newborn.  Milk before meat.  I understand that.  Still, why isn’t everyone reading it?  If anyone reading this has ever asked, why am I here?  I invite you to read this book.  Then ask questions.  It can change your life.

    To conclude I’ll share one excerpt from the book that I enjoyed. 

    “The Family Unit Beyond the Veil

    Paul said, ‘I bow my knees,’ as do we all, ‘unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named” (Ephesians 3:14-15).  In a manifestation to Brigham Young after his death, Joseph Smith told his successor to be sure to instruct the Saints to keep the Spirit of the Lord, promising that if they would do so, ‘they will find themselves just as they were organized by our Father in Heaven before they came into the world.  Our Father in Heaven organized the human family, but they are all disorganized and in confusion.’  Brigham also said that Joseph showed him the pattern, ‘how they were in the beginning.’  He said that he could not describe it but that there must yet be ‘a perfect chain from Father Adam to his latest posterity.’

    During an illness, Jedediah M. Grant visited the spirit world two nights in succession.  He reported a perfect order and government that existed there, saying that the ‘righteous gathered together,’ that there were ‘no wicked spirits among them,’ and that they were ‘organized in family capacities.’  ‘To my astonishment,’ he said, ‘when I looked at families, there was a deficiency in some, there was a lack, for I saw families that would not be permitted to come and dwell together, because they had not honored their calling here.’” (Emphasis added)

    What a marvel it is we have these truths and how lucky we are.  May we all fulfill our callings here, and start by asking, why am I here?