...why expect anyone to worship the god whose rules decide such matters? Why would you expect others to see such sentiments as anything other than offensive?
Do you find yourself listening attentively when someone says your parents are going to hell for not believing in someone else's faith? Why expect others to listen attentively to you when you make such claims?
Relevant scripture: Revelations 21:8
2006-08-30 12:13:15 · 22 answers · asked by bobkgin 3 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
You are asking them to answer a logically asked question - good luck with that dude! Expect to be damned to hell for even thinking such a thing!
Peace my brother!
2006-08-30 12:18:48 · answer #1 · answered by Lee 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I am a Christian.
I do not agree with the interpretation of the Bible that "Hell" exists (as in a place of eternal suffering)
I am not a scholar, but here is my gist.
God loves us. We are his Children. What parent could stand by his children being tortured for all eternity?
It doesn't add up for me.
Besides in my interpretation, God is not a God of confusion. If there was such a place it would be more clear. It wouldn't be up to interpretation.
My understanding (Again I am not a scholar) is that for horrible sin the punishment is to be "unmade". That you are "unwritten".
I cannot fathom how God makes that work, but it does say in the Bible that God will whipe away ALL tears, maybe thats how. If at the end of all things God "unwrites" every sin after judgement has been made that would also erase every tear.
If you want to do some research you should check out a site called BlueLetterBible.org it is a bible you can search online by word or phrase. Including the Strongs Concordance which allows you to look up the hebrew, & greek etc. for the root meaning.
Good luck.
2006-08-30 19:24:24 · answer #2 · answered by Crystal Violet 6 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Hmm. I don't know of many countries without laws, if a country didn't have laws I think it would be a pretty rotton place to live. Likewise, every country has a leader or some sort of leadership body, a country without such would be rather unorganized. Likewise, God's kingdom, of which He is leader, has rules and laws by which we must abide, for breaking such laws, yes, we go to hell. Just like...if you break the laws in an earthly country, you go to jail or can even be put to death.
Ultimately, it's really your choice, not God's.
2006-08-30 20:23:30 · answer #3 · answered by Soldier for Christ 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
God isn't ruling on such matters. Self appointed experts i.e. Christians are deciding the matter. If they say you or anyone else is going to hell.....why it must be true. And they're not going to change their minds just because you find it offensive.
2006-08-30 19:19:15 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
The idea of 'Hell' was created by men, not God.
In the times of Jesus they burned their trash in a huge fire outside of the cities. This fire was constantly burning. That gave the government officials the idea of hell so they propagated it and used it to control people.
A Course in Miracles tells us that what is ONE thing, one source, can not have an opposite. Fear is the only true Sin as that removes us from the presence of Gods awareness.
Your dad's soul is fine, don't be offended by people who would say otherwise. Pity those people that they are so crippled by their religion.
2006-09-07 15:37:03 · answer #5 · answered by Anne A 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I am sorry about your father..but that must mean you know that there is a hell.
I have plenty of family who are on there way. The job of the Representative of Christ is to share the gospel to all we come across. Not to condemn but to tell them that there is a better way. It is up to them to choose to believe or not. I only have what I know to be real to me. And that is that time and time again The Lord proves himself to me. Even though he already did that day on the cross, He still shows His love by His promises and answered prayer. He speaks to me through His word and through other people. I believe in heaven and hell but I choose Heaven.
You left out an important part to that scripture...
v.6 and 7 It's your choice to live or not.
I hope that doesn't offend you. I hope it helps.
2006-08-30 19:27:51 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
If God cannot decide such matters, then who? You?
2006-09-07 15:45:22 · answer #7 · answered by Preacher 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Crystal Violet said it very well!
And you must understand that the book of revelation was written in later years in coded messages by Christians who were trying to communicate between others without being caught and executed. So any interpretation of that book would be difficult without knowing their codes.
2006-08-30 20:02:05 · answer #8 · answered by a_phantoms_rose 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
That would be my father too and I'm a Christian. I worship Him because I believe He is the one true God. I believe He is our Creator and deserves our worship. He has the right to make the laws because He is God. I believe whole heartily, but I can't force my father to believe - it has to be his choice. I worry about his soul everyday though.
2006-08-30 19:20:47 · answer #9 · answered by TJMiler 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Sorry about your father, but he had the same chance every one of us is given.
Besides, only God has the authority to definitively judge someone's eternal destiny, no matter what men, or even the Bible, seems to indicate.
More importantly, what are you doing about yourself? Is your son going to be whining for you on Yahoo someday?
2006-08-31 01:45:45 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋