[Historical Note]
This 2025 post is a matured continuation of my earlier reflections originally published in 2009: 2009 original version.
Every human being, throughout life, carries an ancient longing: to comprehend the meaning of existence and the nature of that which transcends sensory experience. Thus, with humility, I embark on this reflective journey—a sincere attempt to explore how humanity, from ancient times to the present, has contemplated the divine order, the reality of transcendent beings, the afterlife, heaven, hell, and the notion of eternal judgment.
This journey is not merely a speculative inquiry into what may exist beyond the physical world, but rather an exploration of how humanity—as self-aware beings—has sought to understand its place within the cosmos and before the powers it perceives as higher. Across various traditions, humanity has acknowledged a Supreme Creator, spiritual beings such as angels, and the existence of rebellious spirits often referred to as demons or evil forces.
In many beliefs, the divine realm is not thought to dwell within the ordinary physical space we inhabit daily. Instead, it is imagined as being "above"—a symbol of height, glory, and separation from the perishable material world. Yet modern understanding reminds us that such notions of "above" and "below" hold no absolute meaning when speaking of the vast universe. What remains are the symbols humanity employs to approach the unfathomable.
Many traditions speak of the Creator’s merciful descent into the story of humanity, bridging the eternal and the temporal, heaven and earth — a mystery unfolding in sacred history, nourishing the hope planted deep within the human heart.
Ultimately, I offer these reflections not to impose any singular truth, but as an open invitation to ponder together: that amidst the limitations of human intellect, there remains space for awe, awareness, and the humble recognition of something far greater—whatever name each heart may use to call it.
"May this reflection serve both as an intellectual meditation and as an open door for respectful dialogue across worldviews."
