Do you think God is torturing John Lennon right now?

It's really hard to explain, because the word "sheol" and "hades" haven't any good literal translations (they're often translated as "hell"). From what most linguistics say, it's both a place and a state of being.

Because of the confusion on this, different denominations believe differently. Some denominations believe that all of us "sleep" till the day of judgement.... both believers and non-believers alike, because believers who didn't take their salvation seriously and act as a Christian are succeptible to the same Hell they threaten others with. However, believers who will be saved are "asleep in Christ", implying that they won't feel the time pass till judgement.

So, everybody dies once and "sleeps", but those who are judged will die twice. Once by the death we know, and again in their death from being cast into the Lake of Fire.

I'd definitely be interested if you can find something to support the idea that Hell doesn't exist or isn't everlasting... Who knows? As much as I study, I mighta missed something. Hook me up!

 

You apparently have NEVER read the "Bible".

 

Ohh, hell exists and you will burn in it eternally.

Ever growl at a kid to make 'em laugh?

 

Dude, yer talking about God...the being that created the greatest act of genocide ever wiped out every single person from old pensioner to newly born in 40 days and 40 nights......his actions here on earth make Auschwitz look like a holiday park.....from a whole populant, life filled planet he chose only to allow Noah, his kin and as many animals as they could squeeze onto a boat survive.

Hell? Well this being also thinks that the greatest punishement he can dole out to humankind is to live fore an eternity out of his prescence .... persoannaly, existing outside of God's awareness sound pretty good to me...

 

The whole eternal torture thing was gradually built up beginning with the adoption of Christianity by the Roman empire. Scripture can be read that way, by it takes a bit of creative interpretation. The whole purpose of the eternal torment theology was to enforce obdience not to God but to the state. Religion turned out to be a very good tool for this. Essentially Christianity and the teachings of Paul and the OT prophets (not of Christ) were adapted to the purpose.

EDIT ADDITION:
Now the Bible does teach that there will be hell, and that there will be enternal torture. However, the only beings who will be in hell are Satan and his fallen angels. At the day of judgement God will judge the "quick and the dead", all humans living at the time, and all who have ever lived will be judged. Those found worthy to be in God's presence will be saved, those found unworthly will be destroyed utterly. Why do people still believe in this enternal torment of humans stuff? Well one theoy could be that 1,700 years of dogma is a difficult thing to overcome. That's all I have for that really.

 

According to the Bible those folks had 120 years to accept Noahs warnings from God. They could have accepted and would have been welcomed into the Ark or maybe they could have built one themselves. They freely choose to reject Noah's warnings and then they suffered the consequences of their choice.

 

Of Course they rejected Noah's warnings. Would you believe some guy who was building a gaint boat in his yard, collecting animals, and proclaiming the imminent destruction of the world. Seriously, if people had believed noah it would have been because they had stopped using their brains.

 

And this makes the biggest act of genocide ever acceptable does it?

 

I love God. I don't think God tortures the unsaved. I think God wants us to love God-self and embody love so as to let others know about God's love and consolation.

 

i think thats just an excuse. by saying god wants us to love is saying the love is like the greatest feeling that there is and god wants us to experience it and i dont think god is love. Love is too little to be God love is a human emotion

 

A lot of people feel that love *is* the best feeling that there is... This isn't to say that love never hurts... But its pleasures far exceed any hurts we may have because of it. This great mysterious feeling is what incites the poet to say, "It is better to have loved and lost, than never to have loved before".

It is better to have G-d, than not, in my opinion. Sometimes, it sucks, and sometimes, it's hard... But just like hipdrifter (my fiancee) can make my life difficult sometimes, I love him regardless and wouldn't want anyone else in his place. The L-rd is kind of like that too, at least the way I see it.

 

more proof that religion is just an emotional crutch?

 

Hi Arch Nemesis!!! You are my favorite nemesis that I am writing to at this moment.

I think nemesises are emotional crutches and once you get past the crutch of nemesisiness you can perceive the truth.

 

LOL! Not quite what I was thinking... Spirituality should help us to order our lives a bit better, by giving us structure, discipline, and guidelines to maximize happiness/minimize pain for both ourselves and those around us. Do keep in mind that what might make us happy in the short-term may cause misery in the long run... Just something to think about.

Besides, with all of the detrimental emotional crutches people use (i.e. obsession with wealth, over-indulgence in drugs/alcohol, temporary comforts in fleeting sexual relations, etc.), spirituality is much safer. IF used properly...

Dude, you just wrote "sissiness". LOL!

 

Dude. Lemme tell ya. Stuff is happenin.

You remind me of ICP for some reason. Like... I don't know why. but you do.

My judgement of your statement is that you do not understand the scripture verse you are refering too. It doesn't say "don't judge" it says "judge not lest you be judged..." For those of you who think what you do holds up to scrutiny, go ahead and judge others.

Fuzzy- In your case, I wouldn't recommend it...

Oooga booga... the religion monsters gonna get you..