What do you think of the concept of hell?(the modern Christian one)

It is one of my most hated part of Christianity, it was also one of the major reason that kept me from being an atheist. I reckon that a lot of Christian are only Christian because of the fear of being burned for all eternity. Lonelynight

Probably not true... Catholics I knew committed mortal sins all the time.

But back on topic, hell doesn't really make sense to me.

Hell is empty, and all the Devils and here.

A scare tactic invented to force conversion to Christianity.

Yeah, the concept of hell is a very confusiing one considering the assertion by Christians that God is omnipotent, omniscient, and all loving.

There should be no reason for Hell whatsoever.

A scare tactic invented to force conversion to Christianity.

789shadow

Almost the same way heaven is used as a bribe.

Yeah, the concept of hell is a very confusiing one considering the assertion by Christians that God is omnipotent, omniscient, and all loving.

There should be no reason for Hell whatsoever.

raynimrod

He clearly doesn't "love" satan :P

Yay yet another paradox! The all loving god doesn't love someone

I don't think people so much hate the concept of hell as much as the concept of God's punishment. In Islam, humans are believed to have been sent solely to worship God, the Creator. If they ascribe partners to Him or worship other than Him, or commit evil, etc, then they are neglecting this duty. Then, punishment is due.

Some people think that God is supposed to be forever loving and "caring" for his creation. Why does he allow strife on the Earth? War, hunger, disaster. In Islam, it is said that it is only a test for the next life, and that God burdens us only with what He knows we can bear, and that He knows all things.

wow, that sounds really religious...i never knew that could come out of me! ehh, just know that it's just opinion...

I agree with some of it and disagree with some of it. I agree that a person who willfully chooses to turn his/her back on God and refuses to repent in spite of knowing God's message, he/she has essentially run headlong into Hell and has nobody to blame but himself/herself. My disagreement has to do with the concept of original sin; I don't believe that a person born today is in any way responsible for the sin of Adam and Eve [p.b.u.t] (when they ate the forbidden fruit). I believe that only Adam and Eve [p.b.u.t] were responsible for that; they repented after doing it and were forgiven by God (as the Qur'an says).

I dunno, I think hell is where you make it. I believe this life is a trail for the next one, and demons do exist exactly where they've been for the last how-many-years. If you believe in hell there's the other side that you have to beleive in too.

In my former Christian faith, we didn't really believe in a hell.

[QUOTE="Lonelynight"]It is one of my most hated part of Christianity, it was also one of the major reason that kept me from being an atheist. I reckon that a lot of Christian are only Christian because of the fear of being burned for all eternity. ImaPirate0202

Probably not true... Catholics I knew committed mortal sins all the time.

But back on topic, hell doesn't really make sense to me.

I believe in hell. How do you explain criminals and mass murders that commit atrocities and get away with it in the real world. I sure hope people like Hitler rots in hell.

[QUOTE="cybrcatter"]I remember my Sunday school teacher talking about all of the fun activities that will grant you a one way ticket to hell. I realized at that point that Satan was pretty cool guy. He knows how to party, and isn't afraid of anything. Nibroc420

I believe in hell. How do you explain criminals and mass murders that commit atrocities and get away with it in the real world. I sure hope people like Hitler rots in hell.

Xtasy26

Utterly morally indefensible: in itself; in the way it corrupts the motivations of those who believe in it; and in the way it has overshadowed the true message that Jesus brought to the world. Its development is without a doubt the most corrupting and terrible series of events in the entire history of the Christian faith.

[QUOTE="raynimrod"]

Yeah, the concept of hell is a very confusiing one considering the assertion by Christians that God is omnipotent, omniscient, and all loving.

There should be no reason for Hell whatsoever.

Nibroc420

He clearly doesn't "love" satan :P

Yay yet another paradox! The all loving god doesn't love someone

Yep, also - why did God create Satan in the first place? If he's omnipotent, why doesn't he just destroy him?

It makes no sense whatsoever.

I don't imagine hell being filled a bunch of fire and heat. I imagine it being very cold and very dark. Constant confusion and constant pain for all eternity. Cause your soul is damned.

[QUOTE="Nibroc420"]

[QUOTE="raynimrod"]

Yeah, the concept of hell is a very confusiing one considering the assertion by Christians that God is omnipotent, omniscient, and all loving.

There should be no reason for Hell whatsoever.

raynimrod

He clearly doesn't "love" satan :P

Yay yet another paradox! The all loving god doesn't love someone

Yep, also - why did God create Satan in the first place? If he's omnipotent, why doesn't he just destroy him?

It makes no sense whatsoever.

[QUOTE="ImaPirate0202"]

[QUOTE="Lonelynight"]It is one of my most hated part of Christianity, it was also one of the major reason that kept me from being an atheist. I reckon that a lot of Christian are only Christian because of the fear of being burned for all eternity. LJS9502_basic

Probably not true... Catholics I knew committed mortal sins all the time.

But back on topic, hell doesn't really make sense to me.

Yes

[QUOTE="raynimrod"]

[QUOTE="Nibroc420"]

He clearly doesn't "love" satan :P

Yay yet another paradox! The all loving god doesn't love someone

Nibroc420

Yep, also - why did God create Satan in the first place? If he's omnipotent, why doesn't he just destroy him?

It makes no sense whatsoever.

[QUOTE="Nibroc420"][QUOTE="raynimrod"]

Yep, also - why did God create Satan in the first place? If he's omnipotent, why doesn't he just destroy him?

It makes no sense whatsoever.

ToastRider11

It sounds like a horrible place to me. I mean to me heaven sounds almost as bad. Sounds too boring for me. But if I had to choose between heaven and hell. I'd choose the one with less torture.MgamerBD

What he said. Not that I think Heaven would by any means be a terrible or horrible place (Lutheran btw) but being there in God's palace...forever and ever? I mean it'd be better than burning forever, but damn. Do we get to walk among earth at any time or something? Truly an odd concept. Perhaps I wouldn't think the same way up there if God lets me in and its like your a robot or something :D

Honestly the idea of reincarnation sounds really cool, as long as it was as another human.

[QUOTE="raynimrod"]

[QUOTE="Nibroc420"]

He clearly doesn't "love" satan :P

Yay yet another paradox! The all loving god doesn't love someone

Nibroc420

Yep, also - why did God create Satan in the first place? If he's omnipotent, why doesn't he just destroy him?

It makes no sense whatsoever.

But, God created everything - right?

[QUOTE="Nibroc420"][QUOTE="raynimrod"]

Yep, also - why did God create Satan in the first place? If he's omnipotent, why doesn't he just destroy him?

It makes no sense whatsoever.

raynimrod

But, God created everything - right?

I don't really believe in hell, nor am I christian, but my interpretation is that its more of a mental state of being, than a physical state of existence. If you sin, sin, and sin away and reject a sort of moral, spiritual side to yourself, you're going to just go deeper and deeper into a state of unhappiness and misery. I guess the reason anyone can be forgiven of their sins, and save themselves from going to hell is they can wake up and be conscious of whatever "bad" they've done and make an effort to change as a person. If you wake up to all that you've done( I'm assuming someone is a bad bad person :P) and don't make a real effort to change, the hell would be even worse( which is really kind of analagous to waking up in hell)

I kind of appreciate the concept of heaven, and hell, but only while being physically alive on earth. People can be in heaven if they make the choices such as surrounding themselves with people they truly love, and become "spiritually awake", and move beyond selfishness and think about those around them, and not have their lives ruled by stress

Likewise, someone can find himself in hell if he surrounds himself with people that only really serve a role to be taken advantage of, and keep running from his faults, and continues a life of stress, or supressed stress

These kind of represent opposite ends of the spectrum though and plenty of people find themselves in between in a place that isn't really hell, or heaven.

[QUOTE="raynimrod"]

[QUOTE="Nibroc420"] God didn't create Satan Satan was once a high ranking Angel, who sought to steal god's power. So he was banished from heaven and earth, into hell where he would suffer forever. At least that's the story i was told as a child. It's very silly though :PNibroc420

But, God created everything - right?

Hmmm, I can see why so many people think this is the probable cause of everything in the Universe. It just makes too much sense.

[QUOTE="Nibroc420"][QUOTE="raynimrod"]

But, God created everything - right?

raynimrod

Hmmm, I can see why so many people think this is the probable cause of everything in the Universe. It just makes too much sense.

[QUOTE="raynimrod"]

[QUOTE="Nibroc420"] Yep, even himself ;)Nibroc420

Hmmm, I can see why so many people think this is the probable cause of everything in the Universe. It just makes too much sense.

Someone hasn't seen the new episode of family guy that was shown tonight :P

Why is everyone getting their vision of hell from Dante's Inferno? You do know that was just a made up story right? Your soul/spirit can't feel "fire" or "flames".

Heaven and hell are ridiculous extremes to me. I don't like the idea of either. If there is a afterlife, it would reasonably be somewhere in the middle unless God really isn't who Christians think He is(but maybe they do think he can be that malevolent).

Heaven sounds boring, harps, fluffy clouds etc.

Hell sounds like more fun, gambling, lecherousness, etc.

I believe in hell. How do you explain criminals and mass murders that commit atrocities and get away with it in the real world. I sure hope people like Hitler rots in hell.

Xtasy26

Why is everyone getting their vision of hell from Dante's Inferno? You do know that was just a made up story right? Your soul/spirit can't feel "fire" or "flames".

Hatiko

An awful lot of the modern impression of hell comes from Dante's Inferno, but the part that includes flames is not one of them. That comes from the Bible. In fact, Dante's Inferno held that the lowest bowels of hell were completely ice due to their distance from the warmth of God.

Hell is the thing that converted me to atheism. I'm not going to attend a church where the priest tells me that I'm going to hell, its rude.

Hell is the thing that converted me to atheism. I'm not going to attend a church where the priest tells me that I'm going to hell, its rude.

toast_burner