Religion
In reply to the discussion: If you believe in Heaven do you have to believe in Hell? [View all]Humanist_Activist
(7,670 posts)technically so is heaven as well, Elysian Fields(heaven) and Tartarus(Hell), note in the Greek of the New Testament, reference to hell generally call it Tartarus.
Ancient Judaism, along with portrayals of the afterlife in the Old Testament are more like Hades, called Sheol, or graveyard or resting place. Not a place of punishment or reward, but a place of rest. Indeed, some Jewish sects don't believe in a true, soul lasts forever, afterlife at all.
As far as believing in one over the other, well, frankly, the god of the Bible is a cruel, capricious individual, but the worst he could do to you was kill you, Jesus was worse for introducing Hell in the first place. So sure, you can believe heaven and not hell, don't know if you can properly call yourself a Christian though.
Generally I don't understand why anyone believes in either, they are rather obvious myths.