Does the Outer Darkness really exist?

[WWE LOVER]

7 levels to the afterlife, huh? And if we can't forgive ourselves, we wind up in a cold, smelly, pitch-black place for, potentially, a long time. It almost sounds like my apartment right now, so I really don't see the downside.

All kidding aside, I have to wonder if the Outer Darkness really exists or not.

Does Hell exist? Is it possible that when we die we wind up burning in a lake of fire for all of eternity? Sounds like a pretty scary prospect. So if it doesn't exist, where did this idea of Hell come from?

Isn't it a man-made idea that is used a mechanism to control the masses? Atheist Pat Condell describes it as "religion's only weapon" - the fear of eternal damnation.

So while many of you have come to accept that the Outer Darkness exists, to play Devil's advocate, I wonder if the other side can purposefully feed us misinformation about things related to afterlife fate. For example, we have talked at length on this site that one shouldn't commit suicide as it might cause that person to be unable to forgive himself/herself, and the Outer Darkness is where that person would wind up. Does Heaven use this as a scare tactic to keep us on the straight and narrow, like the Church uses Hell?

It's poll time, so it's time to let the local wildlife know your thoughts:

A) Based on my research, I am totally convinced that the Outer Darkness exists
B) Based on my research, I believe that it is likely that the Outer Darkness exists
C) Based on my research, I believe that it is unlikely that the Outer Darkness exists
D) Based on my research, I am totally convinced that the Outer Darkness doesn't exist
E) I am uncertain whether or not the Outer Darkness exists

Feel free to mention any research that you have done to back up your vote.

[Truth seeker]

im voting A)

all the transcripts communications from spirits when asked about hell or something similar they mention the cold lower dark spheres..and many said that because the mind its very powerful in the afterlife this awful place is sustained by the guilt and others feelings of the people living there..

also astral travelers mention this place,and in the bible says..

Matthew 25:30

And cast the worthless servant into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’

maybe they are talking about that place? who knows , as always lets keep an open mind.....there are limits about what we are supossed to know, many spirits have said I think even Mikey said that theres things we will not grasp during this life...

[WWE LOVER]

im voting A)

all the transcripts communications from spirits when asked about hell or something similar they mention the cold lower dark spheres..and many said that because the mind its very powerful in the afterlife this awful place is sustained by the guilt and others feelings of the people living there..

also astral travelers mention this place,and in the bible says..

Matthew 25:30

And cast the worthless servant into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’

maybe they are talking about that place? who knows , as always lets keep an open mind.....there are limits about what we are supossed to know, many spirits have said I think even Mikey said that theres things we will not grasp during this life...

This is a good point, truth seeker.

Carol had informed me one time that what Mikey says is information that is "allowed to come through." This leads me to wonder exactly what kind of info is allowed to come through, and if there are things that are withheld or that we are lied to about as truthful knowledge could result in us being more self-destructive.

[Fasaga]

7 levels to the afterlife, huh? And if we can't forgive ourselves, we wind up in a cold, smelly, pitch-black place for, potentially, a long time. It almost sounds like my apartment right now, so I really don't see the downside.

All kidding aside, I have to wonder if the Outer Darkness really exists or not.

Does Hell exist? Is it possible that when we die we wind up burning in a lake of fire for all of eternity? Sounds like a pretty scary prospect. So if it doesn't exist, where did this idea of Hell come from?

Isn't it a man-made idea that is used a mechanism to control the masses? Atheist Pat Condell describes it as "religion's only weapon" - the fear of eternal damnation.

So while many of you have come to accept that the Outer Darkness exists, to play Devil's advocate, I wonder if the other side can purposefully feed us misinformation about things related to afterlife fate. For example, we have talked at length on this site that one shouldn't commit suicide as it might cause that person to be unable to forgive himself/herself, and the Outer Darkness is where that person would wind up. Does Heaven use this as a scare tactic to keep us on the straight and narrow, like the Church uses Hell?

It's poll time, so it's time to let the local wildlife know your thoughts:

A) Based on my research, I am totally convinced that the Outer Darkness exists
B) Based on my research, I believe that it is likely that the Outer Darkness exists
C) Based on my research, I believe that it is unlikely that the Outer Darkness exists
D) Based on my research, I am totally convinced that the Outer Darkness doesn't exist
E) I am uncertain whether or not the Outer Darkness exists

Feel free to mention any research that you have done to back up your vote.

Sorry WWE Lover

I'm voting F) All of the Above, because based on my research I can hit every category.

Truth Seeker has hit the nail on the head as to the uncertainty of what we are supposed to know, and also the source and motivation of that information, we have ascertained that there are tricksters in the Spiritual Rhealms that would like to keep the confussion and speculation going, so in essence, the information may be genuinely from an incarnate source, relayed to the rest of us in all good faith, but is just plain wrong.

However, that being said, I believe there is accurate information coming through as well which unfortunately gets clouded with the inaccurate, so we again are left with a choice as to which path to believe.

I think we are all too often distorting the facts with what we would like to believe, creating purely fictitious scenarios so we can feel so much better about the afterlife, putting too much importance on issues that have no real baring on the whole concept of spiritual development.

I think we also are desparately trying to rationalise the spiritual side with rules and regulations that are relevant to this dimension but have no significance on the other.

I agree with your opening, 7 levels???? . That's a prime example of how we need to represent something so we can have a chance of understanding a concept beyond most peoples reasoning.

[vic smyth]

B) Based on my research, I believe that it is likely that the Outer Darkness exists

Based on Jesus/early Christian beliefs, Emmanuel Swedenborg, and Multidimensional Man. Most cultures in most times believe that when you die your spirit goes 'up' or 'down'. But everlasting punishment burning in flames -- simply scare tactics used not only in Christianity but also in some Buddhist religions as well.

If this life is an illusion or a dream, is the afterlife and/or reincarnation also part of the illusion?

With Lovingkindness (metta),
vic

[shantu]

Well, I've never heard of the Outer Darkness, but I do believe we create our own personal hells if we have a conscience or our heavy energy leads us to one until we begin to take responsibility for what we've done. Personally, I don't hold to only 7 levels... seems pretty limited to me and one thing I've learnt so far - the afterlife is limitless.

[Carol and Mikey]

My answer is B. Mikey tells me the outer darkness exists, but do know some of the aspects are "mind created". (Mikey is agreeing with what Truthseeker had said). Your guilt and agony creates the "mind image". Mikey describes it as an area of low love, but there is always loving guidance and help available trying to assist these souls in understanding forgiveness and love. As far as 7 planes goes, Mikey continues to say Heaven, or whatever you want to call the Afterlife, has hundreds of aspects that are based on love. It is all about love. The higher the vibration, the more loving and glorious that "aspect" is. He does talk about 7 general "locations"/planes or areas with many, many aspects of different loving vibrations within each area. It is not linear. But saying 7 planes is more understandable to us on earth. He continues to say the 7th plane (or whatever term you choose to use) is Celestial. One opinion.
My only research is Mikey.
Carol and Mikey "in Spirit"

[Birki]

I'll go with "F" as well. Nothing exists but God (or Mind as Roberta says). However, I am sure the illusion of the Outer Darkness exists for some people (so "B", I suppose).

[poeticblue]

The outerdarkness exists but im sure thats not we would call it. Just like the afterlife is technically not called the summerlands or heaven. Doiiiii!!

[mokandi]

E. Hopefully I'm wrong and it's C