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okasha

(11,573 posts)
20. There's a story from the Latin Kingdom
Mon Mar 25, 2013, 08:18 PM
Mar 2013

of Jerusalem that doesn't exactly answer your question but perhaps speaks to its context.

One night a Crusader priest was returning to his lodging after midnight. He met no one on the street except an elderly Sufi woman, who was carrying a torch in one hand and a pail of water with the other. «Grandmother,» said the priest, «where are you going so late at night, with no one to protect you?»

«My son,» she answered, «With the torch I am going to burn down the green trees of Paradise, and with the water I will put out the fires if Hell, so that men and women may love Allah for himself alone, and not for hope of reward or fear of punishment.»

I've had many Newest Reality Mar 2013 #1
I think the allusion dipsydoodle Mar 2013 #2
You can believe in anything you can think up or learn from... Walk away Mar 2013 #3
Or separate but equal heavens for dogs BlueStreak Mar 2013 #9
Unfotunately, most people seem to believe that their fantasy is the only right one.... Walk away Mar 2013 #28
many jews believe in heaven but not hell. unblock Mar 2013 #4
Hell no! xtraxritical Mar 2013 #5
Yes, if you're Christian. aquart Mar 2013 #6
Satan referenced in Old Testament. Warren Stupidity Mar 2013 #8
It's an old question Fortinbras Armstrong Mar 2013 #7
If I had been forced to sit through COLGATE4 Mar 2013 #10
For many people Worried senior Mar 2013 #11
That's a question you never want to ask Lordquinton Mar 2013 #30
I don't think so. Wait Wut Mar 2013 #12
I like the Mormon thing where everybody gets their own planet. xtraxritical Mar 2013 #16
You don't *have* to believe in anything... gcomeau Mar 2013 #13
The universalists don't. backscatter712 Mar 2013 #14
I like that view. hrmjustin Mar 2013 #15
The Gates Of Hell And Heaven struggle4progress Mar 2013 #17
Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam struggle4progress Mar 2013 #18
I think you answered your own question. Gore1FL Mar 2013 #19
There's a story from the Latin Kingdom okasha Mar 2013 #20
Hell is a pagan concept adopted by Christianity... Humanist_Activist Mar 2013 #21
Why do you believe in Heaven? brooklynite Mar 2013 #22
I just do. hrmjustin Mar 2013 #23
Not necessarily ButterflyBlood Mar 2013 #24
Thank you for this. hrmjustin Mar 2013 #25
The question I've always had is: how could the Bible be so obtuse? brooklynite Mar 2013 #31
In at least some of the Old Testament days, the Israelis didn't believe in the afterlife. backscatter712 Mar 2013 #35
If you believe in Heaven you can believe anything you like. bemildred Mar 2013 #26
Hell is meant to scare people to follow the "rules" socialindependocrat Mar 2013 #27
This. Hell, and religion in general, are used by power-elites to scare and control people. backscatter712 Mar 2013 #36
I agree with you. I just thought, though socialindependocrat Mar 2013 #37
It's less a matter of what you have to believe than a matter MineralMan Mar 2013 #29
Of course not skepticscott Mar 2013 #32
Never sugarcoat anything do you. hrmjustin Mar 2013 #33
My Grandma didn't believe in Hell - like you, a loving God wouldn't do that to us. OriginalGeek Mar 2013 #34
I've seen a Christian right here on DU proclaim that anyone who DOESN'T believe in hell... trotsky Mar 2013 #38
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