WHY UU's ARE MORE LIKELY TO GO TO HEAVEN by David Lawyer, Aug. 1997 There are many fundamentalist and evangelical religions that claim that unbelievers in their dogma will all go to Hell. According to their dogma, most UU's will go to Hell. But I believe that the opposite is more likely true: That (if Heaven and/or Hell exists) most UU's are more likely to go to Heaven and less likely to go to Hell than adherents to most other religions. Some other religions say that if you accept their dogma you will go to Heaven and avoid Hell. This is a strong selling point for their religion. UU's need to use the same type of argument to sell their "religion" except that we don't claim that you will definitely go to Heaven if you become a UU. In fact we don't even claim that Heaven exists (or doesn't exist). Here is the argument for why UU's are more likely to go to Heaven and less likely to go to Hell. We show this by considering all cases. There are 2 cases regarding the existence of Heaven and Hell. Either 1. Heaven and Hell don't exist or 2. Heaven and/or Hell exits. Case 2. implies that a gatekeeper to Heaven/Hell exists which we call "God". Case 2. is then further subdivided into two cases, 2A and 2B. 2A. God is rational and just. 2B. God is irrational and/or unjust. Let us examine these 3 mutually exclusive and exhaustive cases: 1. 2A. and 2B. Case 1: Neither Heaven nor Hell exists. Thus it doesn't make any difference what you believe as far as going to Heaven or Hell is concerned. Most UU's probably believe in this case. Thus (if this case is true) they will lead more productive lives on earth by not wasting time trying to do unimportant things to improve their chances of going to Heaven (and avoiding Hell). Note that this case says nothing about the existence (or non-existence) of God. Case 2A: Heaven and/or Hell exists and God is rational and just. Would such a God send people to Hell merely because they rejected a dogma which reason and conscience told them to reject? Not likely! Many people accept dogma for the selfish reason that they hope it will get them to Heaven (and avoid Hell). How would a rational and just God evaluate such people? Would not the accepting of dogma for selfish reasons be condemned by such a God? Since most true UU's are more rational and just than other religious people in both their beliefs and actions, would not such a God favor UU's regarding Heaven/Hell? Case 2B: Heaven and/or Hell exists and God is irrational and/or unjust. Almost no UU's (and hopefully not too many non-UU's) believe in this case. If this case be true, watch out! An unjust and/or irrational God could select people in all sorts of strange and illogical ways and thus there may be no advantage or disadvantage of being a UU. However if we knew the nature of such a God, perhaps we could somehow get to heaven. But how does one determine the "nature" of an unjust and/or irrational God? Thus if case 2A holds, UU's are more likely to go to Heaven (and avoid Hell). If case 1 holds it makes no difference regarding Heaven/Hell. In case 2B it might make some difference one way or another but it's not clear how. Thus on balance, the assertion that UU's are more likely to go to Heaven (and avoid Hell) is "proved" QED. UU's will hopefully not exaggerate our possible claim to heaven by reciting this poem by Johnathan Swift: We are are the chosen few The others all are damned There is no room in Heaven for you We don't want Heaven crammed