The document discusses the concept of guilt in Dante's Inferno. Specifically, it examines whether the guilt felt by the condemned souls is self-imposed or derived from God's judgment. It argues that in Hell, where there is no opportunity to learn from punishment, guilt imposed by God makes more sense than guilt felt internally. It also questions whether endless punishment without the chance for redemption is a fair system.
The document contrasts taking up terrorism with embracing "Immortal Love" through a series of comparisons. It argues that terrorism should be avoided and instead one should choose "Immortal Love," which will liberate, heal, enrich, and empower them through every beat of their heart as they are connected to the universe. Embracing love is suggested as an infinitely better option than terrorism and its negative consequences.
The document discusses the author's reflections on their grandfather and the nature of humanity. It describes the grandfather as kind and soulful, with eyes that conveyed purity. The author questions whether humanity has free will or if our choices are predetermined by the universe. They consider if we are simply observers in a larger story beyond our control. While it is hard to feel empathy for those who cause harm, the author argues it may be easier if we believed people did not truly have a choice in their actions. The document explores the search for meaning and purpose in life's suffering.
The document discusses the concept of guilt in Dante's Inferno, specifically in Canto XII. It considers whether the guilt felt by the condemned souls is self-imposed or derived from God's judgment. The author argues that in Hell, where there is no opportunity to learn from punishment or change one's ways, guilt imposed by God makes more sense than guilt felt internally. The purpose and fairness of eternal punishment without chance for redemption is also questioned.
This document is a reflective essay by Sarah Causillas about her childhood memories of visiting First Encounter Beach on Cape Cod in Massachusetts. She recalls family trips to the beach in the late 1990s, describing the long drive, her mother's stories about spending summers there as a child, and hunting for razor clams at low tide despite the risk of injury. As an 18-year-old returning to the beach, she finds that she no longer enjoys the same carefree activities and has lost some of her childhood enthusiasm for the place. She hopes to inspire that sense of wonder in her own children someday.
The document contrasts taking up terrorism with embracing "Immortal Love" through a series of comparisons. It argues that terrorism should be avoided and instead one should choose "Immortal Love," which will liberate, heal, enrich, and empower them through every beat of their heart as they are connected to the universe. Embracing love is suggested as an infinitely better option than terrorism and its negative consequences.
The document discusses the author's reflections on their grandfather and the nature of humanity. It describes the grandfather as kind and soulful, with eyes that conveyed purity. The author questions whether humanity has free will or if our choices are predetermined by the universe. They consider if we are simply observers in a larger story beyond our control. While it is hard to feel empathy for those who cause harm, the author argues it may be easier if we believed people did not truly have a choice in their actions. The document explores the search for meaning and purpose in life's suffering.
The document discusses the concept of guilt in Dante's Inferno, specifically in Canto XII. It considers whether the guilt felt by the condemned souls is self-imposed or derived from God's judgment. The author argues that in Hell, where there is no opportunity to learn from punishment or change one's ways, guilt imposed by God makes more sense than guilt felt internally. The purpose and fairness of eternal punishment without chance for redemption is also questioned.
This document is a reflective essay by Sarah Causillas about her childhood memories of visiting First Encounter Beach on Cape Cod in Massachusetts. She recalls family trips to the beach in the late 1990s, describing the long drive, her mother's stories about spending summers there as a child, and hunting for razor clams at low tide despite the risk of injury. As an 18-year-old returning to the beach, she finds that she no longer enjoys the same carefree activities and has lost some of her childhood enthusiasm for the place. She hopes to inspire that sense of wonder in her own children someday.
This document discusses evidence for the biblical reality of hell from both the Old and New Testaments. It notes several Hebrew and Greek words used to describe hell, and provides examples from the Gospels where Jesus speaks of hell. Logically, it argues that if God is perfectly just and good, then evil must ultimately be punished. It also notes that philosophical arguments for God's existence, like the moral argument, imply hell as the destination for unresolved evil. The document advises being prepared to answer objections to the concept of hell, and provides suggestions for tactfully responding to questions about whether hell means non-believers are condemned.
The document discusses the topic of forgiveness from a spiritual perspective. It provides several quotes and perspectives on why forgiveness is important for spiritual progress. Key points include: forgiveness is necessary to be forgiven by God; forgiving others allows one to sleep in peace; true forgiveness means forgetting offenses so that goodwill can prevail; and cultivating forgiveness and humility teaches that only love can save and build up permanently. Forgiveness is presented as key to spiritual and moral advancement.
1) The document discusses the "Lucifer Effect" which refers to how human nature can be influenced by light or darkness based on a study where participants took on roles as prisoners or guards and it negatively impacted them.
2) It then relates this to the author's own experience with drug abuse and how engaging in bad actions leads to more bad actions and losing one's values and morality.
3) Finally, it expresses gratitude for being able to get treatment and realizing the damage done to their life, while acknowledging everyone has their own journey and God will teach lessons until they are truly understood.
The Road for Forgiveness and the Mediator's Role in the Journeyvirtualmediationlab
Cosponsored by the Association for Conflict Resolution Hawaii Chapter and the Hawaii State Bar Association ADR Section, this seminar on forgiveness in mediation was presented by Lou Chang.
Dante Alighieri wrote The Divine Comedy, divided into Inferno, Purgatory, and Paradise. The Inferno structures sins in circles of increasing severity of punishment. However, Dante's ordering does not always match the common view of how sins should be punished based on severity. For instance, hypocrisy and flattery are considered lesser sins than murder and robbery in society, but Dante places them in lower, less punished circles. Additionally, blasphemy would normally be seen as a worse sin than theft, but Dante places theft in a lower, less punished circle. Dante also emphasizes subdivision of sins like fraud, violence, and treachery to draw more attention to them compared to the
God will judge all people for their deeds, both good and evil. While judgment is a biblical theme, it is intricately connected to salvation and grace. The document examines examples from Genesis of how God extended grace even in contexts of judgment, such as in the Garden of Eden after the Fall and during the Flood story. Judgment is a reflection of God's justice, but His grace is also revealed from the beginning for those who accept it. Both judgment and grace are necessary to understand the fullness of Scripture.
This document discusses several philosophical perspectives on the problem of evil and how they relate to the existence and nature of God. It examines views such as Augustine's hierarchy of being, Irenaeus' argument that suffering enables growth, Aquinas' view that evil is the absence of good, and free will defenses put forth by Plantinga and others. The document also considers objections like the evidential problem of evil and process theodicy. Overall, it analyzes philosophical attempts to explain why an omnipotent and good God would allow the intense human and animal suffering that exists in the world.
An psychological, sociological and spiritual exploration of the need for forgiveness as well as its clear distinction from appeasement. A must-read for today's policy-makers.
Keith Shull_"Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God" Study GuideKeith Shull
Jonathan Edwards gave a fiery sermon called "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God" to convince colonists to repent their sins and accept salvation through Christ. He believed that all people were sinful and deserved eternal punishment in hell. Edwards warned that it was only by God's mercy and will that listeners were kept from falling into the fiery pit of damnation moment to moment. He urged them to reconsider their situation, as nothing they did could save them from divine wrath, and to seize the opportunity of Christ's open door of mercy while they still could.
Nature of christ part 2-the issue is still sin .BAntonio Bernard
The document discusses the doctrine of original sin from both Catholic and Protestant perspectives. It provides background on how original sin developed as a doctrine, highlighting perspectives from figures like Augustine. It discusses how original sin is viewed as inheriting Adam's guilt and privation of grace. The immaculate conception of Mary is presented as an exception. Protestant views expanding on original sin and predestination are presented. The fate of unbaptized infants is discussed. Jesus' response to the disciples about the man born blind is presented as contradicting the idea that sin is inherited at conception. Overall, the document explores theological perspectives on original sin and its implications.
The poem "A Hymn to God the Father" by John Donne contains a speaker's prayer to God for forgiveness of sins. In the first stanza, the speaker asks if God will forgive the original sin of humanity and acknowledges that he continually commits more sins. In the second stanza, the speaker confesses to leading others into sin. In the third stanza, the speaker expresses his greatest sin is the fear of dying before being forgiven, but asks God to assure him of Jesus' light and forgiveness.
This document discusses different Christian perspectives on the problem of evil. It is divided into 5 camps:
1) God is not all-knowing or evil came from free will.
2) God is not all-powerful or evil resulted from sin.
3) God allows evil for morally sufficient reasons like justice, free will, or soul-making.
4) Evil does not truly exist but is the absence of good.
5) Evil exists in the human mind due to concepts like pride, fear, and dehumanization.
The document examines views from thinkers like Augustine, Calvin, Aquinas and explores how beliefs about evil can influence perceptions of danger and punishment. In the end, the author
This document discusses judging others and examines several Bible passages on the topic. The key points are:
1) Jesus intervened when religious leaders wanted to stone a woman for adultery, saying "If any one of you is without sin, let him be the first to throw a stone at her." This showed that we should not condemn others when we ourselves are guilty.
2) Passages like Luke 6:37 and Matthew 7:1-5 instruct believers not to judge or condemn others, but to show mercy, as we ourselves need mercy.
3) While we should not judge, we can gently help correct others in a spirit of love, as shown in Galatians 6:1. Overall
The passage describes the internal struggle that Christians experience between their sinful desires and their desire to obey God. The author expresses this conflict by crying out "O wretched man that I am!" He feels trapped by his "body of death" - the sinful nature that remains even after becoming a Christian. However, he finds resolution and victory through Jesus Christ, who delivers believers from sin's power and death. In the end, Christians will be fully freed from sin when they receive their resurrected bodies in heaven.
This document discusses evidence for the biblical reality of hell from both the Old and New Testaments. It notes several Hebrew and Greek words used to describe hell, and provides examples from the Gospels where Jesus speaks of hell. Logically, it argues that if God is perfectly just and good, then evil must ultimately be punished. It also notes that philosophical arguments for God's existence, like the moral argument, imply hell as the destination for unresolved evil. The document advises being prepared to answer objections to the concept of hell, and provides suggestions for tactfully responding to questions about whether hell means non-believers are condemned.
The document discusses the topic of forgiveness from a spiritual perspective. It provides several quotes and perspectives on why forgiveness is important for spiritual progress. Key points include: forgiveness is necessary to be forgiven by God; forgiving others allows one to sleep in peace; true forgiveness means forgetting offenses so that goodwill can prevail; and cultivating forgiveness and humility teaches that only love can save and build up permanently. Forgiveness is presented as key to spiritual and moral advancement.
1) The document discusses the "Lucifer Effect" which refers to how human nature can be influenced by light or darkness based on a study where participants took on roles as prisoners or guards and it negatively impacted them.
2) It then relates this to the author's own experience with drug abuse and how engaging in bad actions leads to more bad actions and losing one's values and morality.
3) Finally, it expresses gratitude for being able to get treatment and realizing the damage done to their life, while acknowledging everyone has their own journey and God will teach lessons until they are truly understood.
The Road for Forgiveness and the Mediator's Role in the Journeyvirtualmediationlab
Cosponsored by the Association for Conflict Resolution Hawaii Chapter and the Hawaii State Bar Association ADR Section, this seminar on forgiveness in mediation was presented by Lou Chang.
Dante Alighieri wrote The Divine Comedy, divided into Inferno, Purgatory, and Paradise. The Inferno structures sins in circles of increasing severity of punishment. However, Dante's ordering does not always match the common view of how sins should be punished based on severity. For instance, hypocrisy and flattery are considered lesser sins than murder and robbery in society, but Dante places them in lower, less punished circles. Additionally, blasphemy would normally be seen as a worse sin than theft, but Dante places theft in a lower, less punished circle. Dante also emphasizes subdivision of sins like fraud, violence, and treachery to draw more attention to them compared to the
God will judge all people for their deeds, both good and evil. While judgment is a biblical theme, it is intricately connected to salvation and grace. The document examines examples from Genesis of how God extended grace even in contexts of judgment, such as in the Garden of Eden after the Fall and during the Flood story. Judgment is a reflection of God's justice, but His grace is also revealed from the beginning for those who accept it. Both judgment and grace are necessary to understand the fullness of Scripture.
This document discusses several philosophical perspectives on the problem of evil and how they relate to the existence and nature of God. It examines views such as Augustine's hierarchy of being, Irenaeus' argument that suffering enables growth, Aquinas' view that evil is the absence of good, and free will defenses put forth by Plantinga and others. The document also considers objections like the evidential problem of evil and process theodicy. Overall, it analyzes philosophical attempts to explain why an omnipotent and good God would allow the intense human and animal suffering that exists in the world.
An psychological, sociological and spiritual exploration of the need for forgiveness as well as its clear distinction from appeasement. A must-read for today's policy-makers.
Keith Shull_"Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God" Study GuideKeith Shull
Jonathan Edwards gave a fiery sermon called "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God" to convince colonists to repent their sins and accept salvation through Christ. He believed that all people were sinful and deserved eternal punishment in hell. Edwards warned that it was only by God's mercy and will that listeners were kept from falling into the fiery pit of damnation moment to moment. He urged them to reconsider their situation, as nothing they did could save them from divine wrath, and to seize the opportunity of Christ's open door of mercy while they still could.
Nature of christ part 2-the issue is still sin .BAntonio Bernard
The document discusses the doctrine of original sin from both Catholic and Protestant perspectives. It provides background on how original sin developed as a doctrine, highlighting perspectives from figures like Augustine. It discusses how original sin is viewed as inheriting Adam's guilt and privation of grace. The immaculate conception of Mary is presented as an exception. Protestant views expanding on original sin and predestination are presented. The fate of unbaptized infants is discussed. Jesus' response to the disciples about the man born blind is presented as contradicting the idea that sin is inherited at conception. Overall, the document explores theological perspectives on original sin and its implications.
The poem "A Hymn to God the Father" by John Donne contains a speaker's prayer to God for forgiveness of sins. In the first stanza, the speaker asks if God will forgive the original sin of humanity and acknowledges that he continually commits more sins. In the second stanza, the speaker confesses to leading others into sin. In the third stanza, the speaker expresses his greatest sin is the fear of dying before being forgiven, but asks God to assure him of Jesus' light and forgiveness.
This document discusses different Christian perspectives on the problem of evil. It is divided into 5 camps:
1) God is not all-knowing or evil came from free will.
2) God is not all-powerful or evil resulted from sin.
3) God allows evil for morally sufficient reasons like justice, free will, or soul-making.
4) Evil does not truly exist but is the absence of good.
5) Evil exists in the human mind due to concepts like pride, fear, and dehumanization.
The document examines views from thinkers like Augustine, Calvin, Aquinas and explores how beliefs about evil can influence perceptions of danger and punishment. In the end, the author
This document discusses judging others and examines several Bible passages on the topic. The key points are:
1) Jesus intervened when religious leaders wanted to stone a woman for adultery, saying "If any one of you is without sin, let him be the first to throw a stone at her." This showed that we should not condemn others when we ourselves are guilty.
2) Passages like Luke 6:37 and Matthew 7:1-5 instruct believers not to judge or condemn others, but to show mercy, as we ourselves need mercy.
3) While we should not judge, we can gently help correct others in a spirit of love, as shown in Galatians 6:1. Overall
The passage describes the internal struggle that Christians experience between their sinful desires and their desire to obey God. The author expresses this conflict by crying out "O wretched man that I am!" He feels trapped by his "body of death" - the sinful nature that remains even after becoming a Christian. However, he finds resolution and victory through Jesus Christ, who delivers believers from sin's power and death. In the end, Christians will be fully freed from sin when they receive their resurrected bodies in heaven.
1. Sarah Causillas
Method Notes on Dantes’ Inferno, Canto XII
What I want to focus on in my essay is the concept of guilt. In The Inferno, Dante
mentions that the condemned are not allowed to raise themselves “out of the blood more than his
guilt allows.” But what does Dante mean when he talks about guilt? Is it the guilt that the sinner
feels for the actions he has taken against the innocents around him? Or is it the guilt that God
puts upon him? I’m in favor of the second, but how can we be sure? I think that this concept is an
interesting issue brought about by Canto XII.
The 10 on 1
Guilt –
Who is the one who imposes it?
There are two options for the source of guilt, the self or a ruling power.
Is guilt less important if imposed by an outside force?
Would the condemned by sincerely remorseful or only sorry that they are now being
punished?
Is there a differentiation of guilt depending on if it was one’s own hand that did the
killing or the order for others to kill in your name?
In a place like hell, where no good comes from a lesson learned, is guilt really a
necessity?
If the things that you do in the mortal life forever influence you in the eternal, there is no
real way to earn a second chance.
What is the point of hell, if the punishment yields no fruits?
If hell was created by God as an act of justice, how can one reason that endless
punishment for all, regardless of the severity of their sin, is fair?
Is the definition of hell a place where reason and fairness have no place?
Thesis: The guilt in Dante’s Hell is derived from the judgment of God.
2. Sarah Causillas
February 23, 2009
Method Paper 2
Dante’s Canto XII
Guilt and a Lesson Learned
In Canto XII of Dante’s Inferno Dante comes across those who are violent against their
neighbors. Their unfortunate punishment is to boil in the blood of those they have killed for all
eternity, the depth is determined by how many deaths for which they were responsible while on
Earth. Dante is careful to mention that they are not allowed to rise “out of the blood more than
his guilt allows.” On first examination one must wonder what exactly this means. It may sound
as if the guilty soul of the damned will only allow itself out of its punishment a certain bit, but
this doesn’t make sense. Hell cannot rest on a system that relies on the guilty consciences of the
damned. What if the damned felt no guilt? This means that of course the guilt must be bestowed
upon them, more of a verdict than an emotion. The guilt of the condemned is determined by
God’s judgment, not by the conscience of he who is being punished.
In life guilt is an emotion that helps one process his or her actions and derive a lesson
from them. One learns not to do something if it makes him or her feel guilty. Guilt is a feeling of
wrong doing, which, in a normally adjusted person, results in an aversion to such wrong doing.
In short, guilt is a path by which one learns a lesson. A defendant is sentenced as guilty, then
punished and that punishment is supposed to teach a lesson. In a place like hell, there is no
productive outlet for someone to express a lesson learned. In Dante’s Hell it seems that no lesson
3. is ever learned. If no lesson is ever learned what is the point of endless torturous punishment?
The punishments also seem to be tailored according to the different severities of the crimes.
Killing one person will only cause your feet to be boiled in blood, while killing thousands will
cause your entire body to be submerged in the boiling blood. While this is a measure to keep
things a little bit fair, is continuous, but lesser, punishment in favor of continuous but greater
punishment really that much of an advantage? The perpetrator is still being punished for all of
eternity. There is no lesson learned, and if there is it’s truly fruitless. There is no second chance,
just continual pain and horror. One might argue that in a place such as Hell, where there is no
possibility for a lesson learned, guilt is not needed.
Hell is not like jail. Even if one gets a life sentence one will eventually die and, according
to Christian tradition, if one has sincerely repented for one’s sins and accepted Jesus Christ, one
will go to heaven. The punishment of jail therefore can teach a lesson, not all that go to jail learn
from their past transgressions, but the potential is there. Even if all prisoners do not learn, society
tried to teach them through this punishment. In Hell, if God is trying to teach unrepentant sinners
a lesson, where is the aftermath? What is one supposed to do if he or she has learned the error of
his or her ways? Where is one to go from there? He or she will still be stuck in hell, tortured until
the end of days. One is not given the chance to act on the lessons one has learned, to go back and
do things differently, to try to correct the wrongs he or she has committed, whole heartedly
apologize to the families of those one has wronged. If the punishment yields no fruit then there is
no point to the punishment or to that which brings the punishment, Hell.
4. Dante says that God created Hell in an act of justice. The God of the New Testament is
said to be a kinder God. He gave the world a chance to be saved through his son; he set out a
plan that would entail his son dying for the sins of the world in exchange for the ready
acknowledgment of this sacrifice and unrelenting dedication. The flipside to this master plan is
that anyone who doesn’t recognize the sacrifice and continues to do evil is punished by an
eternity in Hell as opposed to Heaven. This is God’s version of justice. However, God is only
kind as long as you are on Earth. Once you have failed the tests of the Earthly realm you are
irrevocably condemned to Hell. If we follow the train of thought carved out in the previous
arguments, Hell is not a place where you learn a lesson in order to apply it later. It is simply an
arena in which to be unendingly tortured. In such a scenario, where God has created Hell as a
sort of justice, we cannot reason that unending punishment for all, regardless of the severity of
the sin, is fair.
Perhaps this argument is missing the bigger picture. After all, there is a limit to the
amount of chances that one will be awarded in a lifetime. It is a Christian assumption that one is
given the opportunity to follow God many times in one’s life. It is actually a point that many
believers bring up in distress only to have the question explained away by religious leaders.
Although one is not allowed a second chance once they are already entrenched in the horror that
his or her actions has brought into reality, it is assumed that he or she had the opportunity in life.
This refusal of kindness seems strange from the God the New Testament describes. Is it possible
then, that instead of the punishment of Hell being the boiling blood, or being forced to eat
excrement, it is instead the inability to remove oneself from a position they could have easily
avoided? Maybe, Hell is, in fact, a place where the true punishment is the absolute absence of
reason, mercy or fairness.