Can hell be a pleasant, enjoyable place where everything is rosy, rather than a terrifying realm filled with torture and blazing flames? Well, it seems German director and actor Werner Herzog has a theory that supports such a comparison, after watching half an hour of the film Barbie, directed by American filmmaker Greta Gerwig.
In an interview with controversial host Piers Morgan, the director stated that he had not yet seen Oppenheimer and had only watched 30 minutes of Barbie; however, this was enough to prompt him to ponder a theory revolving around the world Gerwig presents in her film.
“I was curious and wanted to see it. And I still don’t have an answer, but I do have a suspicion. Could Barbie’s world be pure hell? For the price of a cinema ticket, as an audience member, you can witness an almost perfect hell,” Herzog said.
Although the director’s words have resonated in the entertainment media, the truth is that he is interested in his theory and asserts that he will watch the entire movie to continue with it:
“I don’t know yet, Piers Morgan, give me a moment to finish it. I have to see the whole thing first,” he emphasized.
For his part, the controversial host has aimed at Barbie: “Believe me, let me save you from horror. I watched it all, and it’s hell. I completely agree with your initial assessment after half an hour. And I recommend that you don’t watch the rest.”
What Is Hell Like?
Throughout the centuries, different cultures and religious cults have written and taught about what the entrance to hell is like. For Christians, the gate to hell is symbolic and represented by the choice of sin and separation from God. There is no specific physical description of a gate to hell in the Bible, but there is talk of the conscious choice to turn away from God and follow a path of evil and sin.
In Islam, it is described that the gate of hell is a real entrance that sinners will pass through on the Day of Judgment. According to Islamic teachings, the entrance to hell is guarded by angels who punish the damned, and it is said that the entrance is narrow and difficult to pass through. In Hinduism, the concept of hell is different and is related to the cycle of reincarnation. There is no physical gate to hell, but it is believed that negative actions and negative karma lead to an existence of suffering in the lower realms after death. Meanwhile, in Buddhism, hell is considered a mental and spiritual state rather than a physical place.
This story was written in Spanish by Daniel Matute in Cultura Colectiva.
