Just as death is part of life, so is heaven and hell..it's how we live our lives, good and bad..not some opposing netherworlds that reward or deny...and think about how we use those words...laying on a secluded beach is heaven...divorce is hell...

"Religion had their shot at running the world. It was known as The Dark Ages".

I enjoyed it. So did my wife.

I have listened to tons of people who have had near death experiences from different societies around the world and 99% say there was nothing even close to "Hell" and punishment. It was all about an overwhelming feeling of love. Religions love to make up situations like Hell where you will be punished for any random reason. People who have experienced what we have as the closest thing to death say otherwise, even those who are very religious. I find that interesting. People have a life review where they feel the hurt that they have caused others to feel but it is no big deal and is very fast. I sort of wish people like Hitler are doomed to an eternity in flames but that doesn't seem to be the case.

IN huge amounts

Basically a final blissful trip

Between the biggest invasion in Europe since WWII, and spending the afternoon and evening in the ER with my husband who crashed into a tree skiing and dislocated his neck (surgery today was successful)...

My daughter asked, "why did this happen to dad?" Mind you this was his 3rd major injury accident in 3 years....another story.

While my mind raced all night as I tried to sleep, I kept negative cycling to, yeah, what did he/we do to deserve this? How did I anger the gods. There is nothing worse than seeing a loved one suffer...

Then I realized - no; it is all random. The gods didn't wage retribution against our family for some screwup I did somewhere along the line - and I'm sure there are plenty. It isn't his "karma". By the way - what's up with the Buddhist view that if you are suffering in this life it's because you fucked up in the last. How cruel!

No: it's all completely random (so long as you aren't being reckless).

And I found far more comfort in that, than in believing some diety decided that it was our turn in the barrel.

Sometimes seems religion has it backward!! I don't get where the succor and confort is in that!!

The strange thing is the universe is indifferent, random, and predetermined at the same time

...get told to shut up all the time!