# The Good Place and the Reality of Heaven and Hell
*2016-08-28*

> Bill Young reflects on the TV series *The Good Place*, using it to discuss Catholic ideas of heaven and hell, and offers prayers for the victims of recent tragedies.

## A TV Show Sparks a Theological Conversation

The episode begins with a look at the sitcom *The Good Place*, starring Ted Danson and Kristen Bell. In the series, Bell’s character dies and is mistakenly sent to “the Good Place,” a euphemism for heaven, while she should have been in “the Bad Place,” or hell. The show’s premise revolves around her trying to hide her unworthiness and avoid being discovered, while the ethics professor played by William H. Harper also ends up in the Good Place. Bill uses the show to illustrate how our treatment of neighbors—"love thy neighbor as yourself"—determines our ultimate destination.

## Heaven, Hell, and Everyday Moral Choices

Bill recounts a coworker’s simplistic view that anyone who hasn’t murdered someone belongs in heaven. He corrects this by pointing out that the series shows the protagonist’s selfish and reckless behavior—drinking, overeating, and neglecting others—as reasons she doesn’t belong in the Good Place. The show, Bill argues, opens a dialogue about how our daily actions affect our eternal destiny.

## Guardian Angels and Divine Intervention

Transitioning from the TV discussion, Bill shares a story he heard from a priest about a man who, during a flood, refused rescue because he was “waiting for the Lord.” Three rescue attempts failed, and the man died, later confronting St. Michael, who reminded him that God had already sent help. Bill uses this to emphasize the Catholic belief in guardian angels and the importance of praying for their protection, especially before dangerous activities.

## Personal Testimony of Angelic Protection

Bill recounts a personal experience driving south on the Florida Turnpike. While praying for his guardian angel’s protection, a speeding car with flashing lights passed dangerously close. He believes that if he had been in the other lane, a serious accident would have occurred, attributing his safety to the angel’s intervention.

## Prayers for the Fallen

Bill offers prayers for the victims of recent tragedies: the 24‑year‑old pitcher José Fernández and his friends who died in a boating accident, and those injured in a train accident in Pennsylvania. He recites a traditional Catholic prayer for the deceased, asking God’s mercy, eternal rest, and the perpetual light to shine upon their souls.

## Scriptural Reflection

Bill concludes with a reading from John 3:14‑21, emphasizing Christ’s love, the call to believe, and the contrast between light and darkness. He invites listeners to contemplate these verses in light of the episode’s themes.

*Our everyday choices, guided by love for neighbor and prayerful reliance on God’s angels, shape our journey toward the Good Place.*