Thursday, July 31, 2008

Philosophy

I don't know how we got on the subject, but this afternoon, on the way to the library, my daughter and I talked about whether hell really exists, and if it does, if its reserved for people who were really, really bad, as differentiated from people who were less foul. She thinks the latter -- otherwise, the truly foul would get the same punishment as the less foul, which hardly seemed how a just and loving God would act. She also mentioned that she thinks what happens to you after you die might be affected by what you believed would happen after you die.

What a kid. Okay, when we got there, she did make me promise that if I ran into her while browsing books, I would not even acknowledge that I knew her (she'd be with a friend), but still -- what a kid.

3 comments:

STAG said...

Now thats pretty profound. Hell is of course an artificial concept invented by people (Dante) to scare little kids. Its based on a discredited Greek model involving a river and a ferry man, and a wicked witch named "Hel", and of course would never be tolerated by a truly loving God.

No point in bringing up the Elysian fields I suppose.

Sounds like you have a candidate for a degree program there. Her thinking is eclectic, unfettered, and wide ranging. You did a good job.

Cerulean Bill said...

I'd love to take the credit -- thoughtful, wise, non-judgemental while still providing structure and mores -- but the truth is, she's just a smart kid. All I do is listen and casually talk.

I like the Elysian Fields, myself.

Lone Chatelaine said...

I think I might totally agree with her.

About the hell part, not the part about acting like she didn't know you.

But then, I did the same thing to my Dad too, so...