V.S. Naipual, recent Nobel laureate, is interviewed in the current New York Times weekend magazine.
In this interview, he states
Is Naipaul’s view valid? Except for news reports of suicide bombers getting 70 virgins in paradise, I don’t think most Muslims have getting themselves into heaven as their primary focus.
Could the same be said about Christianity? Christianity (IMHO) seems to have a lot more of “commit that sin and burn in hell” or “don’t accept Jesus and you’ll burn in hell” proponents than Islam.
(I know this is two debates for the price of one but they both seemed interesting.)
And to give a quote with a different view: “My God, if I adore you for the fear of hell, condemn me to burn in that inferno. If I adore you in the hope of going to heaven, exclude me from that paradise. But if I adore you for the sake of you alone don’t hide from me your eternal beauty.” – Rubia, Muslim mystic