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Metaphor

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Hell is a metaphor created by man to deter evildoers. Conversely, Heaven is also a man-made metaphor to encourage righteousness. Religion is a defense mechanism created by humans to alleviate a fear of physical death. In essence, it is a form of organized behavioral modification designed to differentiate inherently good people from individuals deemed as bad. Nobody wants to believe that death signals the end of our existence, and this rang true thousands of years ago just as it does today. Thus, religion was created as a means to calm people's fears of that which is unknown. Regardless of just what we're taught; depending on location and upbringing, we want to believe that a Supreme Being created all forms of life; and we want to believe that our spirits, souls, or consciousness; whichever term one prefers, will endure for eternity.

Depending on creed, there are many names for this Supreme Being; including God, Allah, Buddha, The Great Spirit, and several others. In the Christian faith, it is believed that The Creator sent His only son to the world to die for the sins of humanity. The problems with religion are as follows: Who is to say which one; if any, is right? Why would those who are either unfamiliar with a particular faith or simply believe a different interpretation be condemned to an eternity in Hell if they were otherwise good people? To be bold, who says Hell is necessarily a punishment, anyway? Consider this for a moment: Satan (or Lucifer) was once an angel who resided in Heaven alongside God. He decided that the rules were too tough to adhere to, so things like lust and greed were more his style. As a result, he was shunned from the Kingdom of God and cast into a place called Hell. He became the sworn enemy of God.

Let's look at society today. Most people do not adhere to the teachings of the Bible. This series of books was written centuries ago, at a time when people thought about things differently. Times have changed. It has been learned that attributes such as lust and greed are a part of normal human behavior. Evidence of this can be found by scientists who specialize in the various functions of the brain. Therefore, if we take what the Bible says in a literal sense, about 99% of the human population has a one-way ticket to Hell waiting for them at the second they gasp their last breath. If Satan knew that humanity would not be able to unequivocally comply with God's authority at all levels, would he not welcome these individuals as

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