What exactly is the point of hell?

Question

I don't believe that God would be so childish as to send people to hell. What purpose would this serve?

What is the point of it? So people spend an eternity in a most unpleasant environment...to what end??

Please give me your informed opinions, not on what hell is supposed to be, I know this, but what is the purpose of hell.

Thanks guys

Answer 1

Hell is definitely real, but it's a place of our own choosing. You may say "Hey, then I choose heaven." Oh really? Do you desire to be close to God? You actually think heaven is some place where everyone gets a big mortgage free mansion and a Cadillac? None of those things are there literally. It's only being close to your God?

So what is your God? You want to play and have fun now and not worry about God until you die? Then you want to be close to Him? Maybe Hell is a place with mansions and Cadillacs, and heaven is being with Him.

In Orthodox Christianity (I'm not preaching, just giving the facts ma'am), during the Divine Liturgy (communion service with bread and wine), we believe that we are participating in the literal heaven. It is our sinfullness that keeps us from seeing heaven for what it really is. We are blinded for our desire for money, passions, envy, whatever. (I actually have first hand information from people who have witnessed unbelievable events during that ceremony. I won't describe them here because no one would believe me anyway. I used to do that, but I didn't convert anyone. But it's real if you get involved.)

Answer 2

some denominations nonetheless have faith in a Hell that God tosses human beings into for countless transgressions. the assumption of Hell is seen in the process the background of human thought structures. that's a huge subject. To till now cultures it made experience that undesirable human beings had to be punished, it looked in basic terms truthful. The Greeks had Hades, Egyptians the Netherworld, Islam, Buddhists and Hindus all help a thought in Hell. Artists and poets are in charge for the lavish Christian Hell. The Church observed the assumption of Hell for countless reasons alongside with a place that replaced into even worse than existence on the midnights a while in Europe. It replaced right into a doctrine to scare human beings into accepting authority and doing reliable. Fundamentalists are huge on the Hell of previous. cutting-element Christian perspectives against Hell "eternal punishment" can consult with outcomes that are eternal, no longer an eternal technique. Vindictive justice isn't nicely matched with the God of love and compassion revealed interior the hot testomony. The punishment would not greater wholesome the crime (i.e. non-eternal sin and disbelief). Hell contradicts the Christian assertion of the terrific victory of God over evil.

Answer 3

Do you seriously believe a loving God (1 JOHN 4;8) would torture people forever and ever?? The bible teaches this regarding HELL—

1. The dead cannot experience pain (Ecc 9;5,10)

2. The soul does not survive the death of the body.(Ezk 18;4)

3. Upright people also go to Hell. (Job 14;13)

4. People get out of Hell.(rev 20;13,14)

5. The word “torment” means “Jailer”(matthew 18;34)

6. The word Gehenna is not the same word as Hell and is used symbolically.

7. We are not subject to punishment AFTER death. (Romans 6;7)

8. Eternal torment is not compatible with God's personality. (Jer.7;31)

Answer 4

I know what you mean, that was my big question before I became Baha'i and learn all the new things about it.

In Baha'i faith the hell and heaven is how you will be close to God. Closer you are happier you will be and if you are far you will not be as happy. but it does not mean that you will stay there forever there is always God's Mercy and your family prayer which will help you get closer to God

the reason the other religions did not say it is because at those time humanity was not ready to understand it and the only way was to give earthy examples, like fire and garden and...
but when Baha'i faith came humanity was ready to understand the true meaning of hell and heaven....

http://www.bahai.us
http://www.bahai.org

Answer 5

The purpose of hell is to punish people who don't follow God. He gives you the Bible to follow and live by. Most people live about 70-90 years and that's how long you have to get saved and start living right. If not, you don't deserve to go to Heaven. So therefore you go to Hell and burn for eternity. And if you die before you are old enough to understand about God, then you automatically go to Heaven (that's said in the Bible so I know that's true).

Answer 6

Jesus said there was a hell. He gave and example of a person in hell. Hell was made for the devil and his angels. Jesus came to destroy the works of the devil.

The devil has caused people to sacrifice their children through fire to devils. This grieves God and it never entered his mind His people would do this.

So God so loved the world that He gave His Onlty Begotten Son that whosoever believes in him will not perish but will have ever lasting life.

Answer 7

I believe the point of hell is to scare people into being good. Sorta like when you were little and your parents told you santa clause wasn't coming if you were bad. You are lied to your whole life. I have been studying this religion recently called gnostics (which means knowledge in hebrew) they don't believe in hell. The founder of this new "religion" is sylvia browne. She like many others believe in a whole new realistic way of life. You should check it out sometime, it makes you realize all the bad stuff people try to scare you into believing isn't always true. God teaches us to forgive one another even if the person isn't sorry,so why wouldn't he forgive us. Hell also relates back to churches years ago wanted people to donate money, so they told their communitys to donate money and you won't go to hell. Its based on guilt. This is my opinion :)

Answer 8

Well at the beginning of time when God created Adam & Eve, the Garden of Eden and the Serpent in the tree he gave man a choice. The choice to follow and obey Him or to not. We are either 100% with Him or we are against him (Matthew 12:30). The Lord wants more than anything to see us come to follow him on our own free will. He has set forth his Commandments to us and desires for us to come to him. He wants us to love him but he wants us to come to Him on our own calling, whether or not we respond to His call determines our fate of Eternal life in Heaven or Hell. So the point of Hell (to the best of my knowledge) is to punish those who squandered their life on foolish things and not things of the Lord.

Answer 9

1. HELL exists as God said so since the beginning of the earth. Read the parable of the Rich man and Lazarus..what happened when the rich man died?
2. I have known this man who cameback to life after being dead for 2 days and now coverted to Christianity. He testimonied us that he saw hell and heaven and one of the prophets told him to repent and that was why he was resurrected. THIS IS TRUE STORY!

Answer 10

The purpose of Hell...Hmmm...I would think that Hell would have been created so that the people serving God would have something to fear and disdain. Something for the worshippers to fear enough to obey all of God's rules.