I just thought of this on vacation, I do hope I'm not a lunatic

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~ThereAreNoTurkeys Aug 7, 2012

But if I am, I guess I'll adjust.

Here's the thing: I believe in Universalism _{("lol stopped reading there")}, which means that I believe that everyone's going to Heaven or something equally nice after death _{("oh that's what it means? Stopped reading there.")}. This raises one problem in particular that I've been trying to find a way around: Hitler, Mussolini, James Holmes, Timothy McVeigh, Jeffrey Dahmer, Osama Bin Laden, blah blah blah. How can they go to Heaven when they've done such horrible things?

My hypothesis, which admittedly may or may not be true: inside, they don't HAVE a conscience, a point of view, or a soul. They are influential and sociopathic common enemies for the human race. I call them the Nemos. No-ones.

Hitler for example (lol Godwin's law). I agree, there is no way that he can go to nice-afterlife-place after committing genocide. But what if, upon birth, something else was in his body - something instead of a soul, that uses the body as a puppet? Perhaps he's under the control of Satan himself. In any case, the body is an empty shell disguised as one of us - a Nemo.

I may be wrong on this, but if so, I would like an explanation why. I know it probably borders on solipsism, but Nemo is not a term to throw around lightly, or accuse your enemies of being Nemos anytime you disagree like a witch hunt. I promise I won't do that, and I beseech you to refrain from doing so as well.

That's all I really have to say.

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~SoldaLicious Aug 10, 2012 Hobbyist General Artist

(I'm not a Nazi, but) I actually don't think Hitler (or any of the other "evil" people) was evil. I think he did what he thought was right, or what would further his country or something. Maybe he was screwed up in the head, but really, we all are.

Sure, he killed A LOT of people, but it was a means to an end that he would have believed was justified.

Maybe killing (many) people is considered morally improper (understatement) but I don't think that makes someone "evil."

I don't believe in "good" or "evil" actually, so this all goes for "good" people like Ghandi or MLK Jr as well, they did what they thought was right, and it just //happened// to align with common moral ideas.

~TheLightsWentOutIn99 Aug 10, 2012 Student Writer

Eh, okay, what if entire ethnic groups or religions are these "nemos?"

*BabylonSabby Aug 10, 2012 Student General Artist

If I was a Universalist...I'd probably say that Hitler and anyone who is or was at some point a danger to humanity...would go to Heaven regardless of how 'evil' they were. Actually....I don't consider myself a Universalist, because it sounds like it's based somewhat on Christianity and my philosophical/religious views are VERY different from the typical Christian's, but I do think in a way, I kinda am. Because to me, God would be so intelligent, all-knowing, and so forth...that he (I actually consider him to be completely genderless, but refer It as a male, because that's how I know It) would forgive them regardless. He/She/It would probably see humans, no matter how old or intelligent, rich or poor, male or female...as mentally retarded, lmao. We'd be like...little, little...little children. Like infants if anything. So there would be no reason to really punish us, because we don't know any better than He/She/It does. I also believe 'good' and 'evil' technically don't exist. There's too much 'gray matter' to interpret each in a solidified, black and white manner. No one is completely evil, even Hitler, and no one is completely good. So what's the point of Heaven and Hell? There is none. And the Afterlife would be the same for all humanity. They would go to the only realm that would accept them. A neutral realm. A balanced realm. They would go to God. They would become a part...of God.

I think God is an endless chain of life and existence. Repelling and accepting over and over like an endless circle or river. And that this...movement...this existence...is what keeps the Universe going.

~Dragonflae Aug 10, 2012

Now all we have to do is find the Nemos!

~KingStephenArthur Aug 9, 2012 Student Photographer

you're making a lot of assumptions and making up a lot of random facts. that's all I have to say I suppose.

=Platonic-Playdough Aug 9, 2012 Hobbyist Photographer

Most of the assumptions aren't even based on facts... Most of them are based on old superstitions.

~stoneman123 Aug 8, 2012 Hobbyist Digital Artist

Your idea depends on the assumed existence of two things: souls and the afterlife. I see no evidence to suggest that there is an afterlife, or that the consciousness survives in any way after death. Further, I believe that the idea of the soul was mankind's invented explanation for the mystery of human consciousness. Modern science has rendered it quite obsolete. It's plain to see now that consciousness is a function of the human mind.

So basically, you take an outdated myth (souls), absurd wishful thinking (positive afterlife for everyone), and when faced with the natural moral objection of "evil" persons receiving everlasting reward, you invent an imaginary caste of soul-less humans. I am not impressed. In fact, I'm quite concerned.

~ThereAreNoTurkeys Aug 9, 2012

Well that was more than a little condescending. There's no reason to be concerned, on account of this is only a hypothesis, in terms of those "absurd" parameters.

If you work under the assumption that science explains everything, you're falling for a very clever trick that God has posed. This is not a bad thing - we all need people like you to advance our society.

=Platonic-Playdough Aug 9, 2012 Hobbyist Photographer

Right, but making a hypothesis requires you to make a well-informed guess that is based on gathered evidence. Most anything involving religion (or superstition) is nothing more than faith, and only faith... I most certainly am not calling you wrong, because we all see the world differently... But I wouldn't call what you are presenting to us a hypothesis, so much as I would call it just a general opinion.

I guess I will respond to your original post here so I am not leaving multiple comments.

I personally don't think that anything that humans find to be relevant is itself relevant to the rest of the universe. We are a very egocentric species in that way. I don't believe in the same god that you believe in, just so you understand where I am coming from. I believe that we live in a universe. That's it. Nature (everything) is neither kind nor cruel. It just is. When we die our consciousness (the energy that allows us to think) disperses into the atmosphere (this is supported by scientific evidence, actually, which is the amazing part) and then... We have no idea what happens. Interesting that one day we will all find out (not not... Depending...) Humans fear death because we have no idea what happens during the time of death and afterwards, but I honestly believe that death is neither a good or bad thing. I also don't believe that any sort of 'divine consequences' be it heaven or hell commence after death. That would be too similar to how we WANT things to be to actually be true. Okay, I'm done

=Platonic-Playdough Aug 9, 2012 Hobbyist Photographer

I am also going to correct myself when I said that we have no idea what happens at the time of death, which isn't entirely true... Scientists understand what process the mind and body go through, but what I meant to say was that no person who has not experienced death does not know what it feels like.

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I just thought of this on vacation, I do hope I'm not a lunatic

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