In the Bahai Teachings we find that Bahaullah uses the two terms heaven and hell to express the condition of being spiritually near to or far from God:
"They say:' Where is Paradise, and where is hell?'...The one is reunion with Me, the other thine own self (Epistle 132
See the Hidden Words:
O SON OF BEING!!
Thy Paradise is My love; thy heavenly home , reunion with Me. Enter therein and tarry not. This is that which hath been destined for thee in Our kingdom above and Our exalted dominion.
"The salvation brought about by the Manifestations of God is more than a grace assuring everlasting existence.(Michael Sours)
Bahaullah writes:
"These Essences of Detachment (The Manifestations), these resplendent Realities are the Channels of God's all-pervasive grace. Led by the light of unfailing guidance, and invested with supreme sovereignty, they are commissioned to use the inspiration of Their Words, the effusions of Their infallible grace and the sanctifying breeze of Their Revelation for the cleansing of every longing heart and receptive spirit from the dross and dust of earthly cares and limitations. Then, and only then, will the Trust of God, latent in the reality of man, emerge, as resplendent as the rising Orb of Divine Revelation, from behind the veil of concealment, and implant the ensign of its revealed glory upon the summits of men's hearts.
(Gleanings,67)
Abdu'l-Bahá:
"attachment to the world has become the cause of the bondage of spirits, and this bondage is identical with sin"(Some Answered Questions 142)
(Rom. 8:5-6)
"For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace"
Paul "seems to be indicating that death is not the passing away of the body and life is not merely physical existence. He associates the orientation of the individual towards carnal or spiritual practice with these states of existence." (M. Sours)
"It is helpful to note that the fate of the believers, according to the Bible, is eternal life (John 3:15) and the fate of disbelievers is eternal hell (Matt.18:8, Rev.20:10), but in both cases the fate is eternal, Therefore the promise of eternal life is more than the promise of eternal existence. Eternal existence seems to be granted to both believers and disbelievers. Thus Scripture is in agreement with the logical argument that the intellect, because it is non-elemental, exists after the destruction of the elemental, or physical, body (Promulgation 415-16, S.A.Q 259.66)
Certain Scriptural passages suggest that some souls entering hell are eventually annihilated (Matt.10:28) This may be because non-spiritual existence is non-existence in relation to spiritual existence (S.A.Q. 319-20)
Abdu'l-Bahá states,'non-existence is only relative and absolute non-existence inconceivable' (Promulagation 88)."(M.Sours)
More specifically, He writes:
"The torments of the other world, consist in being deprived of the special divine blessings and absolute bounties, and falling into the lowest degrees of existence. He who is deprived of these divine favours, although he continues after death, is considered as dead by the people of truth. (S.A.Q. 261)
I hope I will hear a life sign from my readers. You are invited all of you.
Bye fior now
Laila