...... to be burned for eternity in a pit of fire?
2006-10-03 20:03:04 · 28 answers · asked by LadyRebecca 6 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Thanks for your answers so far folks - yes, obviously one has choice, but can anyone provide something of substance to the heart of this question - cheers
2006-10-03 20:16:01 · update #1
Thanks for your comments and input tish-a-li.........you may be interested to read Jack Bauer's comments which counters this rather effectively
2006-10-03 20:25:36 · update #2
Because God is a jealous, cruel God. He loves to give that free will stuff away, but if you choose it - damnation. In other words, it's His way or the highway. But you get to decide, and knowing what the wrong choice gets ya, He's pretty confident you'll choose His way. There is no free will in Christianity.
2006-10-03 20:09:16 · answer #1 · answered by ReeRee 6 · 0⤊ 3⤋
It wouldn't be love any other way, and God does not want a bunch of puppets dangling from strings who dance at His command... He desires that people freely choose His nature and enter into a better place with Him called fellowship or communion. The problem is that since the fall of Adam the whole human race has been polluted with evil and wrong; sin, and as someone else said, hell is the default condition. If people want to go to hell and be seperated from God for eternity, God has to allow them that choice, sad as it is. But, He has done everything He can to help them see the right way and make the happy decision without actually making it for them. He even went to the extent of surprising the earth with a personal visit when they weren't expecting it, as a baby born to a virgin. And to make it special, so no one could mix it up, He had his prophet Isaiah speak and write down the prediction of what would happen: "Behold, the Lord Himself shall give you a sign, a virgin shall conceive and bear a son who shall be called Immanuel" (Which means "God with us") He wrote it 700 BC, you can read it yourself today in the Bible... Isaiah 7:14 is the verse. But He still leaves it up to each individual if they will accept the facts or not... and that's love, and that is the heart of it, if you can receive it.
2006-10-04 03:54:16 · answer #2 · answered by skypiercer 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
For every choice you make there are consequences. If you chose not to go to work you risk losing your job, If you choose to speed you may get a speeding ticket, if you chose to reject God you will spend eternity in Hell.
God has the very best, and He wants to give it to you. If you reject His gift, you are telling Him you do not want anything He has to offer, so He will not force you to spend eternity with Him, the only other option is eternity separated from Him in Hell.
Eddie7 has no clue what he is talking about, and I challenge anyone to show me where the Bible says "God will take people out of Hell"
Judith R- the book of Revelation was written by John the Disciple of Jesus approximately 50 years after Jesus death and Resurrection, not 300 years after.
2006-10-04 03:25:03 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 2⤋
Extremely simple young lady. You have a choice of believing or not believing. You apparently don't believe or you would not be wondering why you could burn in hell, at least not thoroughly convinced yet anyway. God gave you this free will so you may chose. Right choice, Heaven, wrong choice, hell. Take it from there. It couldn't get much simpler than that, but it's your choice to make. God Bless.
2006-10-04 03:12:26 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
Given there are 10,000's of different God from which to choose, the concept of "free will" as promoted by Bible thumpers is more like a lottery than free will
A person has the freedom to choose, but only God knows which is the correct choice.
Atheism, however, is the only logical choice.
2006-10-04 03:49:42 · answer #5 · answered by Left the building 7 · 1⤊ 1⤋
That's why you are responsible......because you have free will. If you were already predestined to go to hell before you were born then I don't see how God could hold you responsible. There are 2 things about heaven 1) it's open to all 2) it's a free gift. But you must come Gods way. Because you have freedom of choice to choose or reject Gods way, you are responsible.
http://www.intouch.org/index_76034.html
2006-10-04 03:21:28 · answer #6 · answered by upsman 5 · 1⤊ 1⤋
He also gave us a list of ways to live our lives to be pleasing to Him. He did not want to be a dictator and He is a very loving God considering that you can go astray and seek forgiveness and be forgiven. Maybe the easier way is that when we have children we tell them the rules and what will happen if they break the rules. The same goes for God.
2006-10-04 03:08:26 · answer #7 · answered by wolfy1 4 · 3⤊ 0⤋
It only sounds cruel if u think the Lake of fire means eternal burning instead of destruction. When Adam sinned and made his choice, God didn't promise him heaven or hell, just the fact that he would die and go back to the dust he was created from.
2006-10-04 03:53:33 · answer #8 · answered by jaguarboy 4 · 0⤊ 2⤋
If a person chooses to state that there is no God and that they themselves (or all humans), are the highest consciousness that exists in this universe. Then, the only consequence is that you have to take responsibility for every one of your own actions.
It's okay not to believe in a higher power, it simply means that you should ensure that all other human beings (who also have no God), are taking care of our beautiful planet and each other and the animals and the atmosphere.
No consequence...other than taking full responsibility for all things.
2006-10-04 03:23:38 · answer #9 · answered by ? 5 · 1⤊ 2⤋
Free will is the most important spiritual concept and the least
understood. It explains so much.
Our Creator doesn't make anyone go to hell. But He doesn't
make anyone go to heaven either.
Think about it!
I see things in metaphysiacl terms. The physics of other
dimensions. There is a creative aspect to things, and a
destructive, (recyling), aspect.
Either a person gains self-control over their spirit, and rises
to spiritual heights. Or a person loses control and ends up
like a spiritual/psycho. (Insanity).
And they will end up in the recycling forces, and it ain't pretty.
Our spirit has a WILL to survive. And who knows how much
suffering it can take, before it realizes it doesn't have to be
there, or gives up?
The WORD says God will get people out of hell at some
point. It's the Lake of Fire, that God throws death and hell
and everything into, that we have to worry about.
The COSMIC RECYCLER!
2006-10-04 03:15:46 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 3⤋