...Heaven and Hell were both here on earth, and we just get born into a setting befitting what we did in a past life? Not that I personally believe what I'm saying here, but it's an interesting thought.:)

Interesting, except surely there aren't that many people who's lives are so bad or great as to be compared with heaven or hell? Surely each life, bad or good has a silver lining or downfall? Whereas heaven or hell should not have either.

If heaven were perfect, it would be boring as hell, so there you go.:D It's sort of a mix of things I guess.

We already have Heaven on Earth..., What do you think the Playboy Mansion is...:D

As for Hell on Earth, hmmm...I think the state of New Jersey fits.;)

Isn't this what Belinda Carlile(sp?) once sang about? :)

On a more serious note, this is kinda what Hindu's believe. Through reincarnation, karma, etc. However, a Hindu can achieve a greater level of spirituality where he enters a sort of heaven.

Only one problem: this can only be true if the system had a finite number of organisms. As we know the number of humans has been increasing.

Originally posted by Teg
Only one problem: this can only be true if the system had a finite number of organisms. As we know the number of humans has been increasing.

Exactly true, that is why I don't buy that "reincarnation" crap. Humans think and believe so much spiritually that they themselves seem to make up things that 'they' believe are 'divine.' It may feel good to believe in, but I don't.

I don't buy reincarnation either, but what makes you think you would always come back as a human? And what if all the creatures that have gone extinct have been reincarnated as humans? Still, the idea of reincarnation is highly unlikely. This was all just an interesting thought I was mulling over in my head.:)

I knew someone would come back the multiple organism transfer. The problem here is that at any given point in history there will never be the same number of organisms on the planet. Extinctions are a good example of this. Where do those consciousnesses go while there are fewer creatures in the system? Humans have been steadily executing life on the planet, breaking down systems. There are less and less of those creatures that make up the majority: insects. Can you even imagine the chaos of insect reincarnation? They live for very brief periods.

The biggest problem lies in the early explosion of complex organisms. Where did the extra souls come from?

Souls, Reincarnation, and Heaven are all machinations of the hopeful wish to persist. They have no data to support them.

I know. You're missing the point.

How so? Your conjecture: reincarnation. I provided evidence to the contrary.