Physics' Analysis of 'Olam Ha-Ba[1] Possibilities of Gan 'Eden[2] and Geheenom[3]
and the Role of Teshoovah[4] by Retson[5] Ha-Bore[6] Using
f(x) = y

by
Dallas F. Bell, Jr.

Eschatology is concerned with the end times on earth and the last four events for humans beyond earth: death, resurrection, judgment, and heaven or hell.  For efficiency, the scientific community doesn't always seek to repeat every experiment before accepting relevant finding of the outcome.  This allows personal experience and tradition to be credible evidence for beliefs.  That Kuzari Principle was explained in Saadya Gaon's Emunot Vadeot and R. Yehuda's Kuzari.  Personal experience and tradition are incorporated into the categories of que sais-je (Fr. for what do I know).  That remark was made by Michel E. de Montaigne (1533-1592) in Apology for Ramond Sebond.

What we know of 'olam ha-ba or the afterlife can be derived from observation, faith in Scripture and traditions, and conjectures from logical reasoning.  All human organisms will reach a point where there is a decomposition of their tissue necessary to sustain life and death occurs.  Two historical exceptions to this rule are Enoch (Gen. 5:24; Heb. 11:5) and Elijah (2 Kings 2:11-12; Matt. 17:3) who were taken directly to the righteous abode of God ha-Bore (Heb. for the Creator) called Gan 'Eden (Heb. for heaven).  In that process it can be determined that God judged them righteous for His eternal paradise.

Death began as a consequence of sin (Gen. 2:17: 3:17-19; Rom. 5:12).  To be absent from the body is to be present with God (2 Cor. 5:8).  Jesus told the converted sinner on the cross that that day he would join Him in paradise (Luke 23:43).  It is appointed for man once to die and after this is God's judgment (Heb. 9:27; 2 Cor. 5:10).

Jewish Pharisees believed in a resurrection from the dead (Acts 24:15: 26:8).  When God spoke to Moses from the burning bush, He said that He is the God (present tense) of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.  He is the God of the living and not of the eternally dead (Ex. 3:6, 15; Mark 12:26-27).  Jesus said many will sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in heaven (Matt. 8:11) but other people will be cast into outer darkness with weeping and gnashing of teeth in geheenom or hell (Matt. 8:12).  Fallen angels already occupy hell with the ability to influence humans on earth to lie, steal, murder, and do other anti-God behavior (Is. 14:12-15; Eze. 28; Jude 6).

From the seed of Abraham and Sarah came Jacob, whom God loved, and Esau, whom God hated (Mal. 1:2-3; Rom. 9:13).  He can have mercy on whomever He wants (Ex. 33:19; Rom. 9:15-18).  It is evident that God justly does not love or hate all seed and non-seed of Abraham and Sarah.

What is the hellish nature of Sheol [7](Heb. literally means subterranean retreat) or geheenom fire.  Should the heat of hell be considered exothermic (gives off heat) or endothermic (absorbs heat)?  No.  Infiniteness is eternal and not subject to rules of entropy as is present in our universe of time.  Human souls are eternal[8] then an eternal hell without souls would be without judicial function and would exist without purpose contrary to a perfectly efficient omniscient God.  It is reasonable to conclude that hell[9], like heaven[10], is not temporal but is the abode of those justly assigned by God.  As stated earlier, Satan[11] and his fallen angels or demons exist in eternity and are not righteous as justly required by the holy God.

Therefore, purgatory (L. purgatorium) or a temporal place of punishment is inconsistent with the end of time and the entropy end of souls placed there and the eventual end to its eternal usefulness.  Also, the notion of reincarnation of the soul into another earthly after death existence, for the purpose of reaching a superior level of altruism, is inefficient in a world of entropy and is antithetical for the omnipotent God.

Death is not an end of the essence of human energy.  This can be described as a false vacuum and as a phase transition from the entropy earthly state to an eternal state in either eternal heaven or eternal hell.  Those left on earth are forced to mature in the understanding that realistic gardens are filled with fatalistic graves. 

Exegesis (Gr. for to guide or to lead out) is an interpretation of a text, chiefly the Bible, that leads to discovering its proper significance or relevance.  Quintus S. F. Tertullianus (c. 160- c. 230) used allegory explanations of biblical text while preferring the literal usage.  Like Origen Adamantius (c. 184- c. 253), Tertullian used literal interpretations unless that obviously did not make sense.

Unlike Origen, Tertullian said the soul was not preexistent and as such was not subject to reincarnation etc.  He saw the soul as sinful and God made the world from nothing through His Word (His only Son--Jesus[12]).  Anicius M. S. Bo‘thius (c. 475- c. 526) looked at maximal propositions and differentiae as both rhetorical and dialectical.  James J. O'Donnell, Provost of Georgetown University, recommends Henry Chadwick's 1980 book titled Boethius or John Marenbon's study for further explanation.[13]

There should be healthy critical analysis of human devises of reasoning which are subject to being incorrect.  For example, Claudius Ptolemaeus (c. 127-145) developed the theory that the earth is the center of the universe—geocentricity.[14]  Nicolaus Copernicus' (1473-1543) theory was that the sun was the center of the universe.  People today share views like these while other people do not.  It is axiomatic that someone is incorrect.  Tertullian rejected philosophy, as did the apostle Paul (Col. 2:8), and said quid ergo Athenis et Hierosolymis (meaning what has Athens to do with Jerusalem).  This is not an anti-intellectual stance, but emphasizes best usage.

Philosophical debate is not a spiritually neutral exercise.  It is either truth verses untruth or is untruth verses untruth.  Untruth is not neutral words or ideas.  It has a spirit of satanic evil on it (Gen. 3:1; John 8:44).  Untruth opposes truth spiritually and can be defended spiritually.  Truth has the spirit of God on it (Ps. 119:142-160; Gal. 2:5, 14).  Man does not wrestle against flesh and blood but against principalities of evil or the spiritually wicked (Eph. 6:12), which can be defeated (Rom. 8:38-39).

Especially abstract pursuits, such as cosmology (the distant past) and eschatology (the distant future), have little present observable evidence and are subject to disputes of untruth.  Once an untruth is believed, such as the earth is flat, it will systematically mitigate against true beliefs and results in cognitive dissonance.  This is the principle of propaganda to intentionally state an untruth or lie until it is neurologically → spiritually accepted as truth.  That process is made easier if the lie fulfills a desired outcome by the target audience.  Being spiritually unprepared to constant exposure to untruth will cause a belief shift toward that untruth, as seen in the students of many heretical colleges and seminaries. 

Faith comes by hearing truth and hearing by the (truthful) word of God (Rom. 10:17) and vice versa.  Faith of untruth also comes by hearing untruth and with hearing untruth comes an eventual rejection of the true word of God.  No man can find out the work of God made from the beginning to the end (Job 5:9; Eccl. 3:11; Rom. 11:33).  Cosmology and eschatology can not be fully known beyond biblical revelation which must be applied or rejected (Deut. 18:15-18; John 5:46-47; Acts 3:22-26).  Solomon said all else is vain (Eccl. 3:14-22).

Logic can be seen as an eternal science.  Mathematical foundations have changed from Greek geometry, to algebra, and to a logic emphasis today.  Rabbi Adin Even-Israel (aka Adin Steingaltz, b. 1937) affirms that Talmud logic gives the description and explanation for all views of case studies constructed on the basis of the analysis of all equiprobable cases.  On the other hand, mathematical logic serves to eliminate any concrete context.

A Judaic conjunction is different from a conventional one in that it is associative and not idempotent and commutative as well.  Andrew Schumann gives an example that the views of Lot's "enter my dwelling and wash your feet" (Gen. 19:2) statement as A*B, whereas Abraham's "wash your feet and enter my dwelling" (Gen. 18:4) statement is B*A.  The difference lies in Lot's view being inconsistent with the law and Abraham's view is the correct order under the law.[15]

Robert J. Aumann (b. 1930), Nobel Prize winner, and Michael B. Maschler (1927-2008) used game theory[16] to analyze Talmudic dilemmas.  For example, the division problem of dividing the heritage of a late husband with his three wives depends on the worth of the heritage compared to it original worth.[17]

Another way of analyzing text is with the physics function of (f) x = y.  This formula can convert or restate a game theory matrix.  For example, using the decision matrix of Job, we see that Job (x) had either one of four outcomes with God (y); Job was faithful (1) and God was merciful (1), Job was faithful (1) and God was not merciful (0), Job was unfaithful (0) and God was merciful (1), or Job was unfaithful (0) and God was not merciful (0).  God knew that (x,y) would = the best outcome of (1,1).  If we use (f) x = y where Job's faith is x, God's perfect attribute of mercy is f, and y is God's blessing on Job, the process is mathematical and other conclusions can be drawn (e.g. Satan cannot stop x = sin(y) where God will bless (y) the faithfulness of His man Job (x) and Satan is a liar to suggest otherwise).[18]

From nature it is known that there must have been a first Causer of all effects.  This Creator must be greater than all His effects.  We know love, mercy, justice, etc. exist and so must have preexisted creation as the perfect attributes of the Creator.  His existence outside of time shows that He is infinitely perfect, omniscient, omnipresent, omnipotent etc.  That power is employed with wisdom and truth, which is the only source of mercy for unrighteousness of any person (x) who is unable to rise to God's level of perfection (y), x cannot = y.  If man repents (x) he cannot = righteousness (y) without (f) of God's forgiving grace.

Self-righteousness (f) from a perspective of (x) cannot = infinite righteousness (y).  In this case, f has no function of power capable of changing x into y, so x = x or x = -y.  Self-righteousness is largely hypocrisy and such hopes will perish in death (Job 8:13, 13:16, 15:34; Prov. 11:9).  Esaias (Isaiah) prophesied of hypocrisy and that vain worship (Is. 29:13; Matt. 15:6-9).

Given the proper f of God, all people can be equally righteously forgiven or y = y.  However, the amount of forgiveness can vary (Luke 7:40-50), such as demonstrated by the comparison of the one son with his prodigal brother who returned to a forgiving father (Luke 15:11-32).  The penalty of damnation for the equally unforgiven can also vary (Matt. 23:14; Mark 12:40) just as failure to tithe the equal percentage of one's personal possessions can vary (Mark 12:41-44).

x y (means x is true because y is true) can be observed in the pervious example of Job.  Job was forgiven by faith only because of God's attribute of mercy.  That being true, we can look at scriptural truth.  The God of the first cause's inspiration is eternal and infinite (f) and human language (x) would equal (y) scripture.  That means the scriptures are inerrant and immutable based on f and not x.  They are then fit for doctrine (2 Tim. 3:16) and must be believed (John 5:46).  It would be incorrect to say y is not immutable based on x without f.  If f is not of the first Causer of all effects the x will never = y.

If the scriptures are true and (f) x = y of righteousness, then y also := or =Def (meaning equal by definition) eternal abode in heaven.  Since there is always unconfessed sins of omission along with commission, once a repentant person (x) is forgiven (y) by God (f), the saving grace cannot be changed.  This "once saved, always saved" theology is "once saved = always saved" based on God's omniscience and omnipotence (Jere. 31:34; John 10:28; Rom. 8:38-39; 1 Peter 1:5).  That being so, to reject God's grace (f) := or = Def  unforgiveness –y and an eternal abode in hell, as with Pharaoh who was not truly repentant (Ex. 9:27-35) and Judas whose repentance was not forgivable[19] by God (Matt. 26:24, 27:3-10; John 17:12; Acts 1:16-20, 25).

Righteousness is dependant (x) on repentance for righteousness for independent sin(y).  The righteous are perfect before God in that they serve God's laws by their mind yet serve sin's laws by their flesh (Rom. 7:25).  Then there is no more law of the flesh in heaven (1 Cor. 15:50) only righteousness (Is. 65:17; 2 Peter 3:13).

Jesus was observed to be sinless (Is. 53:1-12; 2 Cor. 5:21; 1 Peter 2:22).  His attributes were of the new covenant Messiah (Jere. 31:31-34; Matt. 26:26-30; Luke 1:67-80, 22:20).  This could be stated (f) is God's prophesy and x is the man = y the Messiah/Christ or y Jesus = y Messiah.

The term for replacing the function of God (f) with a lesser entity is idolatry.  As should be expected, the ramifications for this act are drastic.  Eve desired to be wise, a good thing, but sought to achieve this by herself (Gen. 3:1-24) and was exiled from Eden.  Abraham and Sarah sought a male child, a good thing, but had a child with a maid who would become a future enemy of their child later given by God as promised (Gen. 16:3-16).  Jesus did not seek to meet His needs during the 40 day fast (Matt. 4:1-11).  Satan accepts x and y but replaces (f) with a lie.  Herod was eaten by worms for that heresy (Acts 12:21-23).

Today's common heresies are to achieve the desire to materially prosper by forcing God's (f) function by "naming it (a desire to God) and claiming it (forcing God to give the desire)" philosophy or "sowing a seed" to force God to make an exponential return on the giving.  Members of the new Sanhedrin Court in Israel recently met for peace talks with the Muslim enemies of Judaism and their God.  Their y will not be peace as they desire, but is a movement to support a one world government led by the anti-Christ (2 Thes. 2:4; Rev. 13:4-8).

King David almost replaced himself for God when he sought vengeance against Nabal (1 Sam. 25:1-42) which is God's domain (Deut. 32:35-36; Eze. 25:12-17; Heb. 10:30).  The correct solution is to stop the replacement behavior and repent as David did.  God will be worshiped by man or the stones will cry out to Him (Luke 19:40; Heb. 2:9-12) where (f) God and (x) stones = (y) worship of God.

God may be replaced by demons (Lev. 17:7; Ps. 106:37; 1 Cor. 10:20; Gal. 4:8; Rev. 9:20) or by myth, such as Zeus, Jupiter, Diana, Mercury etc. or by animals and objects.  God may also be replaced by the institution of church (2 Peter 2:10-22) or government[20] (Ps. 146:3; Is. 30:1-7) or other men (Jere. 17:5) or wealth (Ps. 49:6-7) or weapons (Ps. 44:6).  The result of those idols leads to sexual perversion[21], murder, and other destructive illogical outcomes.  By induction if y is homosexual expression for physical intimacy, it is known that f cannot be God.

Women[22] have a tendency to replace God when put in a chronic fearful state.  In 2007, Jiongjiong Wang found fMRI (functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging) results when women are stressed the limbic part of the brain for emotion had increased blood flow while males increased blood flow to the right prefrontal cortex for problem solving.  Women had a longer lasting response to stress than men and have twice the rate of depression and anxiety disorders than men.  Generally, females support government control over their lives while men, generally, resist government control.  Shelley E. Taylor, psychology professor and lead researcher at the University of California at Los Angeles, points out that men respond to stress with "fight-or-flight" and females "tend-and-befriend."[23]

Mary W. Meagher, psychologist at Texas A&M University, found women are more easily frightened by loud noises than men.  She determined that sound stressors can heighten acute inflammatory pain.  Young girls, when exposed to traffic noise, develop a sense of helplessness and become less motivated.  Clifford Nass, Thomas M. Storke professor at Stanford University, discovered female voices are more readily accepted for instructions and males voices are accepted for authority.  This is why default voices are female for technology or telephone operations where relationships and communication are valued and are male when authority is valued.  Prolonged misapplication of those voices could be a stressor, such as a female military officer giving orders to soldiers for dangerous combat or a male nurse trying to comfort an ill patient.  Nass said that it is not clear that this inconsistency would be a stressor; but would lead to increased arousal and negativity.[24]

Societal institutions that misapply male and female roles can expect males to resist the stress and females to submit to the change and become depressed, thereby increasing the gap of societal efficiency of males and females.  Matriarchal societies are always third world systems.  The natural sex roles that emphasize sex strengths are modeled in the Bible.  Males and females are equal in Christ (Gal. 3:28) yet women are to keep silent in church (1 Cor. 14:34) even though in the last days sons and daughters will prophesy (Joel 2:28; Acts 2:17.  Many biblical women have been prophets (Ex. 15:20-21; Judg. 4:4-5; Acts 21:8-9 etc.) and demonstrated godly truths.  Breaking away from biblical teaching can lead to a two-dimensional world of geometric male and female figures of oppression as portrayed in the 1884 satirical novella by Edwin A. Abbott[25] (1838-1926) titled Flatland: A Romance of Many Dimensions.

In conclusion, the readers of this paper will next face death in their transitions to the afterlife.  Aiden Wilson Tozer (1897-1963) wrote The Pursuit of God and is quoted as saying "God's justice stands forever against the sinner in utter severity.  The vague and tenuous hope that God is too kind to punish the ungodly has become deadly opiate for the consciences of millions.  It hushes their fears and allows them to practice all pleasant forms of iniquity while death draws everyday nearer and the command to repent goes unregarded.  As responsible moral beings, we dare not so trifle with our eternal future."  The chorus to Johnny Cash's (1932-2003) 2003 song Hurt is "What have I become, My Sweetest friend, Everyone I know, Goes away in the end, And you could have it all, My empire of dirt, I will let you down, I will make you hurt."  Victory[26] over the sting of death (1 Cor. 15:55-56) comes with being persuaded that our belief in the God that is able to keep that which we commit against that final day on earth (2 Tim. 1:12).

------------ALL RIGHTS RESERVED © 2012 DALLAS F. BELL, JR.-----------

---