2. The Sorting, for Heaven or Hell
World Scripture
The hour is coming when all who are in the tombs will hear his voice and come forth, those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of judgment. John 5.28-29
Towards the wicked man and the righteous one And him in whom right and wrong meet Shall the Judge act in upright manner, According to the laws of the present existence. Avesta, Yasna 33.1 (Zoroastrianism)
He, having effected an activity of body that is harmful, effected an activity of speech that is harmful, effected an activity of mind that is harmful, arises in a world that is harmful. Because he has uprisen in a world that is harmful, harmful sensory impingements assail him. He, being assailed by harmful sensory impingements, experiences a harmful feeling, without exception painful, even as do creatures in Niraya Hell. In this way, there is the uprising of a being from what he has come to be; he uprises according to what he does; when he has uprisen sensory impingements assail him. So I speak thus: Creatures are heir to deeds. Majjhima Nikaya 1.389-90, Kukkuravatikasutta (Buddhism)
For the Son of man is to come with his angels in the glory of his Father, and then he will repay every man for what he has done. Matthew 16.27
Naturally every Hopi wants to join the spirits of his loved ones who have passed beyond. To that end he keeps his heart pure and is kind and generous to other people. When a bad person, one who is known as “not-Hopi,” dies, his fate is very different. Witches called the “Two Hearts” take him by the hand as soon as the breath is out of his body, and they lead him away to their own country. The country of the Two Hearts is as bad as they are themselves. Hopi Tradition (Native American Religions)
The Trumpet will be sounded, and whoever is in heaven and whoever is on earth will be stunned, except for someone God may wish. Then another [blast] will be blown and behold, they will stand there watching! The earth will shine through its Lord’s light and the Book will be laid open. Prophets and witnesses will be brought in, and judgment will be pronounced among them formally, and they will not be harmed. Every soul will be repaid for whatever it has done; He is quite aware of what they are doing. The ones who disbelieve will be driven along to hell in throngs until, just as they come up to it, its gates will swing open and its keepers will say to them, “Did not messengers come to you from among yourselves reciting your Lord’s verses to you and warning you about meeting [Him] on this day of yours?” They will say, “Of course!” But the Sentence about torment has still come due for disbelievers. Someone else will say, “Enter hell’s gates to remain there. What an awful lodging will it be for the overbearing!” The ones who have heeded their Lord will be driven along to the Garden in throngs until just as they come up to it, its gates will swing open and its keepers will tell them, “Peace be upon you! You have been good, so enter it to remain there.” They will say, “Praise be to God who has held true to His promise for us and let us inherit the earth! We shall settle down anywhere we wish to in the Garden. How favored are such workers’ wages!” Qur’an 39.68-74
At the gates of the land of the dead You will pass before a searching Judge. His justice is true and He will examine your feet, He will know how to find every stain, Whether visible or hidden under the skin; If you have fallen on the way He will know. If the Judge finds no stains on your feet Open your belly to joy, for you have overcome And your belly is clean. Fon Song (African Traditional Religions)
Teachings of Sun Myung Moon
How is it determined whether we shall go to heaven or hell? It doesn’t matter how religious we are. The answer is simple: if we lived mainly for ourselves, we shall go to hell. On the other hand, if on the balance, even by just one percent, our life was mainly dedicated for a public purpose, we shall overcome hell and arrive in heaven. (75:330, January 16, 1975)
Is the standard of a person’s conscience able to receive the heart of Heaven one hundred percent? No, it is not that way at all. In fact, the conscience of a fallen person is oppressed by so many restrictions. Nevertheless, at the entrance to heaven, our hoped-for destination, stands a gate of judgment. (4:269, August 8, 1958)
It is a gate that only those who lived for the sake of others can pass through. There are guards at the gate. Please understand well that whatever I ask of you is to enable you to pass through that gate. (203:193, June 24, 1990)
Heaven is a vast world, and it consists of three levels. Who will go to the highest level? It is those who most lived for others. It is the law there. If you lived for others, then wherever you go, people will welcome you.
However, for those who lived for themselves, the opposite scene will unfold. No matter where a self-centered person goes, the people will drive him out, saying “Huh! We don’t like your kind of people.” Everyone will reject a person who lived for himself, and everyone will welcome someone who lived for others. That is for sure.
You should know clearly whether you are on the path to heaven or to hell. This is not my casual viewpoint. I know the spirit world. People lead all manner of lives on earth, but no one can avoid death. Those who lived for themselves will go to hell, and those who lived for others will go to heaven. At death people are sorted into these two worlds. (203:100-01, June 17, 1990)