Easter is a time for reflection. As Christians, our focus should not be the traditional existential threats but a potential S-risk (suffering risk) that’s often overlooked by the Effective Altruism community: eternal damnation in hell.
For us Christians, hell represents an infinitely long period of excruciating suffering. The scale of this potential suffering dwarfs any conceivable earthly catastrophe. Even the most nightmarish extinction events pale in comparison to an eternity of torment.
From an EA perspective, this raises a critical question: Shouldn’t preventing hellfire be our top priority?
Here’s why it deserves serious consideration:
Scale: The sheer number of souls potentially at stake is immense. Depending on the denomination, billions could face this fate.
Intensity: The suffering described in hell is often characterized as unimaginable and unending.
Irreversibility: Once condemned, there’s no escape.
So, what can we do?
Traditional EA focuses on near-term, measurable interventions. However, the nature of the afterlife makes traditional solutions challenging.
Here are some potential avenues to explore:
Increased outreach and evangelism: If preventing hellfire requires faith in Christ, then efforts to spread Christianity in could be a great existential risk mitigation.
Advocacy for annihilation: Fewer humans means fewer people that can face eternal torment. Encouraging apocalyptic x-risk could potentially reduce the overall suffering risk.
Prayer and research into theology: Perhaps there are unexplored avenues with God that could shed light on the nature of hell and potential escape routes.
I believe the potential scale of suffering justifies further exploration. What are your thoughts?
S-risk for Christians
Easter is a time for reflection. As Christians, our focus should not be the traditional existential threats but a potential S-risk (suffering risk) that’s often overlooked by the Effective Altruism community: eternal damnation in hell.
For us Christians, hell represents an infinitely long period of excruciating suffering. The scale of this potential suffering dwarfs any conceivable earthly catastrophe. Even the most nightmarish extinction events pale in comparison to an eternity of torment.
From an EA perspective, this raises a critical question: Shouldn’t preventing hellfire be our top priority?
Here’s why it deserves serious consideration:
Scale: The sheer number of souls potentially at stake is immense. Depending on the denomination, billions could face this fate.
Intensity: The suffering described in hell is often characterized as unimaginable and unending.
Irreversibility: Once condemned, there’s no escape.
So, what can we do?
Traditional EA focuses on near-term, measurable interventions. However, the nature of the afterlife makes traditional solutions challenging.
Here are some potential avenues to explore:
Increased outreach and evangelism: If preventing hellfire requires faith in Christ, then efforts to spread Christianity in could be a great existential risk mitigation.
Advocacy for annihilation: Fewer humans means fewer people that can face eternal torment. Encouraging apocalyptic x-risk could potentially reduce the overall suffering risk.
Prayer and research into theology: Perhaps there are unexplored avenues with God that could shed light on the nature of hell and potential escape routes.
I believe the potential scale of suffering justifies further exploration. What are your thoughts?