ArOnIL

I've just begun reading C.S.Lewis's "The great divorce". The book brings about questions on heaven and hell (earth). Why is it we have been separated from our God?

I have just read the preface of it and already that gave insight to me. In life there are always choices, may they be good or bad. We humans have this habit of being selfish, therefore it brings about the misconceptions that with every two choices we make, we always have the tendency to want to have both options. We can't and will not be satisfied with just one option.

1.Misconception one - good + evil = good?
Take in the case of good(heaven) vs evil(hell). Between these two there is only option to make = the "either-or" method. However what some people have come to think is that we can always somehow merge the two together and with some hope, faith and prayer the good will overturn the evil and hence the merger of the two is considered to be good. Meaning people have the idea that good will always over power evil. So it defeats the purpose of making a decision. It is no longer A or B instead it has now become C. A new option. Maybe in some perspectives and situations this method is can be possible. But if we look at the values we hold on too, there is no C. We've only got one choice to make which will not be able to please both sides.

2.Misconception two - evil 'develop' into good?
Related much with misconception one. The belief that evil can develop into good. Does one think it possible for Hitler's intentions of killing the jews to have been good? His murderous ways are obviously evil and no matter how one would like to see, it cannot develop into something which is beneficial. Your view? Can evil be developed into good? Do you think the devil will ever one day develop back into good?....Whoa... too much..

Given this image. Choices are like the branches of a tree. Each decision made will then fork out into another two choices. If you notice none of the branches join together after growing out from another branch. Unlike how a river which has a forking along the way and the finally meet up together with the sea.


Branches 

However evil can be undone. Maybe there can be the metaphor of breaking the branch that was already evil to begin with. Or maybe one can look it and say the evil can be undone by choosing the right branch and then continue choosing the right branch later on.But we all know that the evil that had set foot in the garden of eden then, has already been undone namely our damaged relationship with God. It has been undone by the precious blood of Jesus to allow any reconciliation with the Father in heaven.

to close of..
"If we insist on keeping Hell (or even earth) we shall not see Heaven: If we accept Heaven we shall not be able to reatin even the smallest and most intimate souveneirs of Hell." - C.S.Lewis