I believe that if there is a god (and I believe there is) he would never let a evil angel (Satan) torcher us for eternaty. I believe that the early church pushed this idea to scare us into church. God would be no better than the leader of North Korea when he says do as I say or else you would be pushed. God is better than that, don't you think?
2007-01-10 16:25:27 · 27 answers · asked by Dutch 4 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
For the idea of hellfire to work, people are basically saying that God and Satan are in league with one another. Hellfire is a scare tactic. A loving God would not send you to live for eternity with his nemesis and then use his power to deny you death and instead make you suffer forever.
You are much more discerning than most in Christendom. Beleiving in God, and realizing the falsehood of hellfire is key to finding the truths of God's purpose.
2007-01-10 16:40:34 · answer #1 · answered by No More No Less 3 · 2⤊ 1⤋
God is a mercyful God. He give us a choice, we either choose Him or Satan ways of doing things. 2Peter3:9 says The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but long suffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance. We are either His children or the devils children, When God casts the devil into the lake of fire so shall them that rejected God,not that I'm saying that you are a devil worshiper or something,but Jesus died on the cross that we may be saved if we believe on him, God loves us that much that He Him self manifest in the flesh and step down from His thrown that He may bring us back to the way it should be in the beggining a personal relationship with Him without sickness, sorrows, death, wars etc. So we choose our own destiny,God does't force nothing on us.It's pretty much a simple choice. I wish we can sit down and discuse this more because there is so much to talk about. Good question.
2007-01-10 16:49:57 · answer #2 · answered by Smiley 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I am sorry but you seemed a bit mixed up in your church history. The early church didn't come up with the evil angel Satan. It was in the OT. Way before the early church.
But at least I see that you are clear about something. "God is better than that"
Know that when man fell, everything was degenerating. God only warn us about it and He even provided a way out for us in the form of His beloved Son, Jesus Christ to redeem us from this fallen world. You are right. God is love!
2007-01-10 16:37:51 · answer #3 · answered by Luke Lim 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Of course not. He doesnt. Its the bible's interpretation for karma made so that early people could understand it. It doesnt mean you will literaly be stuck with the devil in some place called hell. People's interpretations of religious literature is so, SO wrong!
Just like the people on earth couldnt come from just adam and eve. Thats impossible. But as i said, people still think its literal, and it isnt. Thats how the bible explains evolution. Think about it. How the hell do you explain evolution to the simple people 2000 years ago?
Back to your question : Yes, the church did put great amounts of effort into scaring people with heaven and hell, so that there could be some regulations among people, and everyone wouldnt just be running around doing what they please, and harming others. Remember, the church has been the most (or second to most) powerfull form of 'government', so they could basically manipulate people into thinking all sorts of things. Im not saying they did, im not saying they didnt. I truly dont know. My point is that it's hard to know what's real and what's not. You just have to go with what makes sense to you.
2007-01-10 16:29:16 · answer #4 · answered by nerveserver 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋
I don't think hell is a place in which you're being tortured by Satan or demons, it's separation from God. Being separated from God eternally is torment. You may argue that bc you're not a Christian, you're separated from God, and are getting along fine, but even now, God still reaches out to us and there is still some of Him here on Earth, but not completely, which is why we still suffer under the Curse bc of sin.
2007-01-10 16:31:32 · answer #5 · answered by STEPHEN J 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
you seem a bit confused but think of God as a Creator, not a punisher.... Religion was invented by man not by God. God is what you see to be the best of life as we know it.
If the man in the past has killed and kills today in the name of God it doesn't mean that this is God' will.
The mistake we make often is to confuse the Creator with some stupid peolple that think are enlightened by Him.
If there is Life there is God if there is death there is Men with all his deviations
2007-01-10 16:35:59 · answer #6 · answered by lovephoto 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
it isn't accessible for a holy and righteous God to forget sin and "let human beings off the hook" because he's "lengthy previous gentle on them". A holy and righteous God won't be able to countenance sin. Sin must be paid for, and there is purely one cost. Now i understand all this reformed theology receives up some peoples' noses yet all i'm able to inform you is this - God loved the international a lot he despatched Jesus, so as that each and each and every human being who believe on him will be saved. and when you consider that God changed into incarnate in Jesus, reconciling the international to himself, then God's love is so dazzling and his justice so acceptable, that GOD did something about the pickle we may were given ourselves into. God loves us a lot he crafted the device of redemption and salvation. God loves us a lot that he paid the perfect cost for our sin - for all sin. yet one element God will not in any respect do, can't in any respect do, is forget sin. the love God has shown fallen humanity isn't unconditional. We ought to call upon the call of Jesus if we are to be saved, if we are to be recipients of his dazzling love. some will reject that love. they are going to be lost, to eternity. however the alternative will be theirs. God's love is previous human calculation or journey. however that's acceptable love. And his justice and holiness is acceptable. Love and Justice will be served, to His eternal glory.
2016-12-02 02:55:09 · answer #7 · answered by lesure 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
God is loving, Right.
God is loving but also Just.
If God just let everyone go to heaven because he felt bad for him what kind of judge would that be?
A Judge that lets all free?
If God did that then he would be no better than Devil himself.
God shows His unending love for us by giving us his Son. He gives us a choice, to ask for forgiveness, or to reject it.
No One seems to understand this concept...
2007-01-10 16:35:07 · answer #8 · answered by catchingfreak51 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
The Bible tells us that both God and Satan are powerful forces, you are either won over to the good side or the bad side. You can always accept God to live in your heart, even on your deathbed, but so many are stubborn or weak or whatever. You just need to keep God number one in your heart and you really can't keep yourself obsessed over what is happening to the one who don't unless you think you can help to convert them.
2007-01-10 16:31:25 · answer #9 · answered by boxersgirlbunny 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋
God doesn't want that for anyone. It's when people turn away from him and don't listen to His Word that they bring it upon themselves.
I believe that God is sadder than anyone of us could possibly imagine everytime he has to sentence someone to an afterlife without Him.
2007-01-10 16:39:19 · answer #10 · answered by dave_butterflyer 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋