I am reading on different religions. And on reading up on Chistianity, I have found so many similairities btween REAL events and the events that "supposedly" happened in the Bible. I'm not really sure if I believe in Go, Heaven, or Hell. I belive in being a good person, and a good neighbor, and being one with nature. I guess that makes me closer to being a Pagan than a Christian.
2006-10-30 02:57:11 · 21 answers · asked by *Peachy* 1 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Yes they excist
2006-10-30 02:59:35 · answer #1 · answered by I give you the Glory Father ! 6 · 0⤊ 1⤋
The Bible talks about the earth, the first heaven (sky), the second heaven (space), and the third heaven (the throne of God). But the Bible actually talks about "hell" more often.
The final "hell" is literally called in Scripture the "lake of fire". That is where all the unrighteous will be thrown at the Great White Throne Judgment of God at the end of the 1000 year reign of Christ.
Today, when a Christian dies, their soul/spirit is immediately brought into the presence of the Lord (Col 2:5) in the third heaven. When an unbeliever dies, they will immediately find themself in Hades, in torment (Luke 16:19-31).
All those in Hades are brought before the Great White Throne at the end of the 1000 years, judged, and thrown into the lake of fire(Rev 20:11-15).
Then, God will make a new heaven and a new earth (actually heaven and earth coming together) and God will dwell with the righteous for eternity.
2006-10-30 03:07:28 · answer #2 · answered by CapLee 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Well, heaven is not "out there" somewhere, remote in space. It is not some spatial location which can be pinpointed on some other planet in some distant galaxy in the great reaches of space. Heaven is within. Heaven is this new dimension which is as present on earth as it is anywhere else. "The kingdom of heaven," Jesus said, "is within you," Luke 17:21). It will help us to understand this if we look at what he says about the pattern, for the tabernacle was a pattern of this.
THE NEW CONSTITUTION
by Ray C. Stedman
http://www.raystedman.org/hebrews1/0090....
Hell is often pictured as a fiery furnace where people are dragging around in chains, being continually burned and never being able to do anything about it. The Bible does use some symbols of hell that reflect that idea, but hell is really exclusion from the presence of the Lord. God is the source of everything that is good -- beauty and truth, life and love, joy, peace, grace, strength, forgiveness. All those things come only from God, and if a man won't have them, then God finally says to him, "I've been trying my best to get you to take these, but if you won't have them, then you must have your own way." And they are shut out from the presence of the Lord.
And if they're shut away from the source of all goodness, then what's left? The opposite -- darkness and death That is what they had been dishing out, and that is what they will finally obtain. God will let them have their own way, and when they get it, it will be the last thing they want.
2 THESSALONIANS: Restrainers of Lawlessness
by Ray C. Stedman
http://www.raystedman.org/adventure/0254...
2006-10-30 03:00:39 · answer #3 · answered by Bruce 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋
If you are studying religion, then you'll notice similiarities between most of them. Each has a higher being (God), a peaceful afterlife (heaven), and an accountability system for wrongdoing (hell). Most teach the same basic principles of being good to each other and living modestly. I honestly believe the literal version of hell, especially in the Bible, was a way to scare people into attending church to atone for sins, a great way for churches to gain power over their followers. Read The Forgotten Truth by Huston Smith. I think that will explain a lot.
2006-10-30 03:05:49 · answer #4 · answered by Angel Baby 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Earth is in a dimension or realm. Likewise, so are both Heaven and Hell. And there are other realms called heavenly realms that are not Heaven.
Duality in scripture is common...making analogous or allegorical readings of the perceivable world to things that exist in the spiritual realms.
Gehennah was a real physical place near Jerusalem, but is also an allegory for Hell for instance.
Are they real? I am convinced they are, because the One who told the Truth and showed us the Way spoke of them.
2006-10-30 03:06:44 · answer #5 · answered by Just David 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I think that earth may be hell, but unlikly. Did you know that now there is proof your soul can live without your body? This one guy used science to figure it out. Also, have you ever heard of NDE or near death experiances? It's when you are dead, but people get your heart pumping again. I can't expain things very well, so look it up on google or something. There is a DVD called The Search for Heaven. I recomend it to you, see what you think. You can find it on Amazon.
2006-10-30 03:11:10 · answer #6 · answered by LindaOaxaca 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
that also makes you a spiritualist too. i do believe there is a literal heaven and hell and i also believe that we are all connected in some ways than others but i do also understand that life on earth is a "punishment" of sorts so if earth is the hell then i would say we create our own heaven and hell on earth as well. being good doing good and accepting all as equals is the main key to a heavenly after life too.
2006-10-30 03:01:24 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes, the Bible is true. Supposedly 6,000 prophesies proclaimed and 5,000 already fulfilled. The last 1,000 deal with the last days and those are being checked off while we live in this time frame. Amazingly when we look at the life and ministry of Jesus Christ, he fulfilled more than 300 prophesies concerning his birth, life, crucifixion and resurrection. Some of these prophecies written 700 - 1000 years before his birth in Bethlehem. To say these things just happened is pure blindness to the truth. But realize this: Jesus says that he is the way the truth and the life and no one comes to the Father but by him. Check out John 14:6.
Outside of The Bible the ideas of Heaven and Hell don't really exist or else I really don't know where else these concepts come from. Now that doesn't mean they don't exist. That would be like you telling me that the law of gravity doesn't exist and that if I believe you and jump off a 10 story building every thing is going to be fine. In reality my body would be crushed and I would physically die. The Bible says that the soul that sins will die. So when we sin, even one time we die. But Jesus gives us the reality of eternal life in that he took the full wrath of God on himself and died on the cross for our sins and the sins of the world. His promise to us is if we repent of our sins and trust Jesus to save us, God will honor that and grant us eternal life with Him in Heaven. Repentance means more than just apologizing for our sins but to also turn away from them and attempt to stop doing them. Does that mean a Christian does not sin and is holier than thou? Absolutely not. But here lies the difference. The world drinks iniquity like water and loves to live in sin. The Christian resist sin although he does sin but tries to avoid sin. Big difference. Is the Christian perfect? No. Only God is perfect. But here lies the difference. The Christian is forgiven and the world is hostile to God and His holiness.
2006-10-30 03:13:34 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Heaven and hell do not actually exist, except in the minds of xtians.. These concepts were dreamt up by man kind himself, then these concepts were written about in some (self proclaimed) 'holy' book...
There is no 'afterlife' or eternal life.(thats more man made concepts).. get real ... You get one chance and one life here on earth... make the most of it coz you are a long time dead.
2006-10-30 03:02:31 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes there do exist Hell and Heaven....we as muslims BELIEVE in it that there is Life after Death. Its a belief thats it. U definetely might be a good neighbour and a very good person. Its a just a Belief.
2006-10-30 03:00:44 · answer #10 · answered by MJ 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Hell is real and it's not hear on earth. The Bible says it is a everlasting fire-Matthew 25:41, a lake of fire- Revelation 20;15, and a place of torment-Luke 16:23,
2006-10-30 03:14:25 · answer #11 · answered by Texas T 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋