I've become aware of an interesting aspect of religion. I assume this is more or less universal.

In the hospice where I volunteer, ALL patients go to heaven. None go to hell.

As a kid I was indoctrinated in the idea that if I committed a mortal sin, such as missing Mass on Sunday, and died without confessing it I was going to Hell. There were mortal sins and venial sins, the latter only condemning one to Purgatory for an indefinite period. Purgatory had all the aspects of Hell, including the absence of God, but had a limited stay.

But no one goes to Purgatory, either, and I KNOW there are folks with less than exemplary lives who pass through our doors.

It seems the only people who go to Hell are those who die at a distance, those we don't know well, folks in the next county or State. Our own, the ones we know, they are immune from Hell.

But what does that mean? The "others" go to Hell, ours don't, but "ours" are "others" too.

I think this is a major breakdown in discipline and theology. I believe Christianity has a problem here they will simply have to continue to ignore, because there is no good answer.

(I also believe that's why the US ALWAYS fails to try to understand opponents. If we understood them we would be more eager and able to negotiate settlements to differences, and the US wants to use power.)