HERE is an elaboration. The reasoning goes: hell must exist, even if no one is ultimately sent there, because if hell didn't exist, people would not be free to NOT go to heaven. PLEASE REFRAIN, BASHERS OF ALL STRIPES, I (an atheist myself) AM ASKING A PURELY ACADEMIC QUESTION.
2006-12-27 02:56:21 · 16 answers · asked by Philip Kiriakis 5 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Its the other way around.
Freedom of will exists, therefore Hell has to exist.
btw am not a christian
2006-12-27 02:58:23 · answer #1 · answered by Antares 6 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Good question...I would have to say yes, although that is not why I am a Christian. If there was no other choice but Heaven for everyone, than we would not have a choice at all.
I am a Christian because of the overwhelming evidence of a resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Edit 1- Royal Dancer
The Bible does mention a place called "the lake of fire"
Plus if Hell is reserved for the Devil & his angels alone & hell=the grave then if we all go to the grave..does that mean we all go to hell?
2006-12-27 03:10:58 · answer #2 · answered by Jeff- <3 God <3 people 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
No. Up until the last couple hundred years it was believed that Christians did not have freewill in their own salvation. The theology went along these lines: God elected select people for salvation, and no one knows if s/he is elected until death. However, if you were elected for salvation, but you did some naughty things, you had to go to purgatory for a little while. The only thing that was debatable in this discussion was when did God make the election? Was it before or after the Fall of Man?
About two hundred years ago with American revivals and the "anxious bench" and such did the idea of personal salvation come into play. Before this, the idea of freewill in regard to salvation was blasphemous.
2006-12-27 03:03:01 · answer #3 · answered by Mrs. Pears 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Well, this really is an easy question. You aren't free to sit at the lunch counter and make a choice between the soup & sandwich special, or the chili, if there's no chili on the menu. Only one alternative leaves you with no choice to make. YOUR choice is:
A) Never ending love, joy & peace with God through Jesus Christ
OR,
B) Eternal torment and anguish in a burning hell of inextinguishable horror that will rip your soul to pieces again, and again, and again without even a shred of hope of being able to leave that nightmare.
So don't make this anymore complicated than it has to be. I set before you this day, life and death, blessing and cursing - CHOOSE LIFE.
2006-12-27 03:18:06 · answer #4 · answered by firebyknight 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Native teachings call hell the Fear.
Putting my fantastic brain to work.
The magnetic core of the Earth has been pulling negative spiritual energies we create into the planet.
It is supposed to be buidling up. Which is why
people are "snapping" suddenly, and killing. When they get
angry, they are tapping into this powerful force.
When the Earth goes through a worldwide cataclysm in the days to come. This force will be unleahed with all its Fury.
And we will see things we don't want to see.
Read Isaiah 24, notably vs 18. KJV only. Chickenhearts take
the true meanings out of modern Bibles.
2006-12-27 03:05:33 · answer #5 · answered by Master_of_Psyche 2 · 0⤊ 2⤋
Hell was made for Satan and his fallen angels. God doesn't want men and women to perish. That is why He sent His Son, Jesus Christ to buy back eternal life with Him. After the fall in the Garden of Eden man was dead in sin. All men and women need to do is to accept what Jesus did on the Cross because Jesus is the way to heaven. Deny Jesus and eternal hell is just as real.
I guess we can say - We join Jesus in heaven or We join Satan in hell
2006-12-27 03:10:18 · answer #6 · answered by Jeancommunicates 7 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Ex Atheist here.
Hell is just a lie that religion tells about God.
The real God is unconditionally loving. He lets us wander around in this life no matter how long it takes till we find our way back home.
This is what free will means. We may procrastinate as long as we want because time has no meaning in eternity.
love and blessings Don
2006-12-27 03:02:59 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
The idea of hell is linked to the idea of life after death, of what happens to people after they die. If you are interested in this issue, i would refer you to this chapter from a book called The Great Controversy, by Ellen White:
CHAPTER 33 The First Great Deception
http://www.whiteestate.org/books/gc/gc33.html
She argues that the idea of hell is neither biblical nor logical and is black propaganda promoted by God's enemy Satan in the battle for the hearts and minds of the universe.
2006-12-27 03:16:41 · answer #8 · answered by Beng T 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Hell is the place prepared for Satan and his angels and for those who do not want to go to heaven. People are free to go to Heaven or Hell it is their decision whether to choose Jesus or not.
Some people will go to Hell even though it is not God's desire for them to go there. That is why He sent His Son, Jesus to take our place so that He, Jesus, will pay the price for everything we have done wrong. Sin cannot enter Heaven
2006-12-27 03:03:29 · answer #9 · answered by 4HIM- Christians love 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
In a nutshell, my opinion as how I understand so-called Hell: It's not that fiery place of eternal damnation, but rather a long, very great distance away from the presence of The Deity. So it's not a fixed place created by The Deity but rather non-tangible distance (if that makes sense) we put ourselves in accordance to how we perform and conduct ourselves in this physical life.
2006-12-27 03:07:57 · answer #10 · answered by Sick Puppy 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Academicly speaking, or other wise, the choice is not heaven or hell, but rather eternal life, or eternal death. Where there is a choice there exists free will. The blessing or the malediction? Because free will exists, the choice is yours.
2006-12-27 03:20:25 · answer #11 · answered by wannaknow 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋