PARADISE - Eilat Interfaith Encounter Group, June through October 2008:

June 12th, September 11th, October 30th 2008
Paradise

Today the issue of paradise is very trendy and many people deal with mysticism and Kabala.

The theological root of paradise is in the creation of man. In the Koran paradise have larger space.

It is a far away place, unknown, a good place where people go after they pass away from this world. It exists since the dawn of history in all cultures.

One explanation: the human can not accept that after the moment of death nothing remains from the deceased – it is hard to accept the possibility of annihilation.

Another explanation: paradise is the place where long ago humans lived in prosperity and happiness. Due to their bad deeds they lost this good life. Now they long for them and they can go back to them only after death.

Eden (=the Hebrew name for paradise) is a name of a place. The Latin name is derived from the word PARDES – a Persian word (also used in Hebrew) for a special garden.

In the genesis of creation – God created a garden in Eden, which is in the east, and put man in it. The description sounds like a place in Mesopotamia.

The Bible does not refer to paradise. Also the Protestants don't. The Catholics have it but as a later development.

In Egypt people lived for the dead and the Jewish scriptures guided to stay away from this custom.

In the Pharisee Judaism the issue of the next world developed. The Talmud says that anyone of denies the next world does not have part in it.

Jesus, who was the student of Raban Gamliel, supports the Pharisee view – belief in the next world.

The sages of blessed memory cautioned from defining the next world as paradise.

The sixth of the seven wedding blessings mentions paradise.

The mourning prayer (the Kadish) prays that "in paradise will be his rest".

The sages say that paradise was one of the ten things that were created before the creation of the world and is the source of abundance for the world. When Messiah comes – this world will become paradise.

The Kabala approach emphasizes paradise and hell.

Paradise in the Druze faith:

The day of judgment – the end of the world, when each will be judged in front of God. It will come after things become very bad.

In paradise life will be very good. A hundred years of sun and no moon, then the human will die and will be born again. The Druze believe in reincarnation.

In Christianity:

We were happy to welcome Fr. Alberto, who was a member in our group until he left for Burkina Paso in West Africa. Once a year he joins an encounter of our group.

Life in this world is preparation for the eternal world.

Hell is for the bad people – they will not see God and stay in this place of suffering.

The Catholics have a third place – a place to purify the soul, where through their punishment they will come closer to paradise.

Sinners go to hell. For some sins the human can ask for forgiveness and after some time in the place of purification – go to paradise.

The original sin of Adam and Eve is transferred to every human who is born. Only baptism cleans it. That is the reason form baptizing the baby quickly – so that if he dies he will not go to hell.

In the day of judgment all people will be judged. Those who are in paradise of hell will stay there and those in the middle world will go up to paradise.

Jesus dies to save humanity and not to judge it.

In Islam:

Paradise is the perfect place where righteous people arrive – this is common to all religions.

Jihad – a war against the enemies of Islam, a commanded war. The five pillars of Islam are personal commandments; the Jihad is a collective one – of the whole people. The war is for Allah.

The martyrs gain erasure of sins and immediate entry into paradise, where pleasures are promised. The martyr also gains the right for seventy family members to enter paradise.


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