even i wouldnt do that.
2006-09-22 16:37:31 · 23 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
That's what you get for not having infinite knowledge...
And it's not just the infinite knowledge, it's the holiness and the perfect judgement among other things....
2006-09-22 16:42:18 · answer #1 · answered by ? 3 · 0⤊ 3⤋
It is my understanding that the word "Hell", as used in the Bible, NEVER describes a place of eternal suffering for the damned.
Instead, many Biblical allusions to "hell" actually refer to the place of burial for the dead, commonly known as the "grave".
Smith's Bible Dictionary says,"[HELL] is the word generally and unfortunately used by our [Bible] translators to render the Hebrew [word] Sheol . . . It is clear that in many passages of the Old Testament, Sheol can only mean "the grave" . . . (Genesis 37:35; 42:38; 1 Samuel 2:6; Job 14:13). [BRACKETS MINE]
In the New Testament "hell" is the translation of two words, Hades and Gehenna . The word Hades, like Sheol, sometimes means merely "the grave," (Acts 2:31; 1 Corinthians 15:55; Revelation 20:13) or in general "the unseen world."
Apparently, the word "hell", as it is used in the Bible, has multiple meanings. I will not discuss those different meanings in my answer.
It is my understanding that the notion of "hell" representing a place of eternal torment, seems to have been taken from paganism and somehow become ingrafted into mainstream Christianity.
So then, if eternal torment does not await the wicked after they die, what does? It is my understanding that the wicked will be resurrected (Acts 24:15) and, at some point in time thereafter, will be judged (Revelation 20:12) and ultimately destroyed (Philippians 1:28). There will likely be great suffering prior to their destruction (Matthew 13:41-42).
My answer to this question is not complete. I encourage everyone to research this matter further. The internet offers a wealth of differing opinions about the afterlife, as described by the Bible.
May the God and Father of Christ bless us,
Ron Holtman Jr.
2006-09-22 19:41:10 · answer #2 · answered by holtmanjr 1 · 0⤊ 1⤋
You make a wise and valid observation. A finite crime, no matter how large, never logically deserves an infinite punishment. From the dogma preached by people like those who answer above me I can come to three conclusions,
1. God is not logical, but is actually a hateful cruel being not worthy of our worship.
2. God is an idiot, and dosen`t know what he is doing.
3. Men wrote the bible and put all the rhetoric about hell in, in order to make people behave themselves. (or more accurately to behave the way they want people to behave)
If you ask me the third conclusion seems to be the most likely.
2006-09-22 16:52:46 · answer #3 · answered by LenV 2 · 2⤊ 0⤋
It seems odd that there would even be a hell, he would have known about the fallen Angel who would become Satan at the beginning of time meaning that he could have prevented it.
Even with the most liberal counting of Christians you would still have 4.5 Billion people going to hell most of which are rich and live in Industrialized nations.
That is definitely a God I can believe in.
2006-09-22 16:52:33 · answer #4 · answered by arsenal21 2 · 2⤊ 0⤋
The hell in the spirit world will not continue forever. Even the spirits who have committed the greatest sins will have suffered sufficiently by the end of the Millennium (see Acts 2:25-27). They will then be resurrected.
2006-09-22 17:22:31 · answer #5 · answered by Isolde 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Well you'll be told that God is just so holy that his holiness requires him to eternally torture anyone who doesn't flatter him correctly. No one can really define what holy is, and why holiness makes it okay to be an eternal sadist or kill all the firstborn of Egypt, or have all the Amalekite women and children massacred except the virgin girls who the soldiers can keep for their personal amusement. As best as I can tell "holiness' is a free pass to be a monstrous a$$hole and insist you be adored for it.
2006-09-22 16:42:42 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
No, God does'nt let people go the hell for all eternity. People let themselves go by simply re3fusing the free gift of salvation that Jesus offers to every man, woman boy and girl. You get to choose first... and based on your choice, He makes his choice. God is mercifufl and not willing that anyone should perish. Unfortunately, people are not so merciful to themselves. They are selfish and want to do what they want regardless of the result. Don't blame God if you end up in hell. It's your own fault. You can change it though....just by repenting of your sin, choosing to believe in God, and living for Him.
2006-09-22 16:44:27 · answer #7 · answered by rejoiceinthelord 5 · 1⤊ 2⤋
Look at it this way... You have a bunch of kids, You love them all. you tell them what to do(how to act). You take them out and they go crazy. You take the home and you tell them again how to act. This time some do,but others just go crazy(you can't tell me what to do!).You take them back again. How many time would you do this? God is not going to be happy to do this. But all have been given a chance or 10000000000,to correct themselves. And they still won't.
2006-09-22 16:45:57 · answer #8 · answered by whataboutme 5 · 0⤊ 2⤋
It's not that God lets people go to Hell. They choose it. Every perosn is given the opportunity to serve God and not go to Hell, whether they do it or not is on them, God gave them the choice.
2006-09-22 16:47:44 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 2⤋
Yes
2006-09-22 16:39:19 · answer #10 · answered by chico2149 4 · 0⤊ 3⤋