Didier:I would concur, especially when you tie in the Apocalypse (Revelation).
Was it ever portrayed as graphically before Dante's Inferno, though? Further, isn't that a mainly allegorical work?
by trevor 24 Replies latest jw friends
Didier:I would concur, especially when you tie in the Apocalypse (Revelation).
Was it ever portrayed as graphically before Dante's Inferno, though? Further, isn't that a mainly allegorical work?
I have still to see a religion which would completely give up resorting to the fear of death.
By using "resorting", the implication is that all religions are devised and their leaders controllers. I think that leaves out the other, real possiblility that our fear of death is no accident, and that not all the motives of all founders were dishonest.
Any religion that ignores or makes light of death is not addressing the elephant in our common living room. Any religion that ignores or makes light of the fear (or even sorrow) of death does likewise, imo.
bebu
I have still to see a religion which would completely give up resorting to the fear of death.By using "resorting", the implication is that all religions are devised and their leaders controllers. I think that leaves out the other, real possiblility that our fear of death is no accident, and that not all the motives of all founders were dishonest.
bebu,
You are right, I expressed myself poorly. Actually I agree with you.
Death (or, more exactly, life and death as perceived by conscious mortals) is central to religion, logically prior to the political use of it.
I'd take issue with the JW (and others') slogan, "religion is about death, the Bible is about life". That's pure sophistry imo.
Any religion that ignores or makes light of death is not addressing the elephant in our common living room. Any religion that ignores or makes light of the fear (or even sorrow) of death does likewise, imo.
My point is I don't think such a religion exists (yet).
You don't think that religion is about assuaging fears of death?
The notion may also derive ultimately from the Canaanite/Israelite notion that the lord of the underworld (= Sheol), Mot, and the other chthonic gods, are insatiably hungry and death exists to provide them with a neverending food supply....