Dear JJ: I believe the concepts of heaven and hell are fairly universal and appear in one form or another across religions and cultures. The common factor is that wise and just actions lead to spiritual satisfaction and peace, whereas selfish and imbalanced actions cause suffering. So however you want to depict these two realms or realities of existence, that varies from system to system. As Shakespeare said it, that nothing is either good or bad but our thinking makes it so. Much of our heavenly peace or hellish suffering depends on what we focus and attract. In Christian terms, "divine forgiveness in Christ" breaks the cycle and makes the difference if we die in our human state of suffering or sin; or if we are reborn into the Kingdom of God where we transcend these material cycles and find peace.
You don't have to use the concepts of heaven and hell to teach this; you can even use the secular concepts of the human conscience seeking security, happiness and peace, and wanting to avoid pain fear and suffering. And you would be teaching the same things.
The All Beneficent
