The word "hell" in the bible was translated from the words sheol, hades, and gehenna. Gehanna was a place for burning trash in Jerusalem, and hades/sheol was simply the grave. The lake of fire symbolized destruction, not torment. Is the idea of hell just made up to scare people?
2007-03-11 16:46:16 · 25 answers · asked by Shinkirou Hasukage 6 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
But the lake of fire can't be hell, because hell (the grave) is cast into the lake of fire, and is destroyed...
2007-03-11 16:51:50 · update #1
Revelations takes place at the end of the world, so that means that we don't go to hell after we die, which seems to be the idea that alot of people have...
2007-03-11 16:53:37 · update #2
Yes, but all of those verses that have the word "hell" in them actually read "grave" in their original language...
2007-03-11 17:00:27 · update #3
You are quite correct. Gehenna is a place of burning and cleansing. It is not seen as permanent.
The idea of a permanent Hell comes from the Pagan Hellenic intellectuals who came well after Christ.
2007-03-11 16:53:54 · answer #1 · answered by Tirant 5 · 3⤊ 0⤋
Why are unbelievers more apt to believe Heaven exist but hell does not? What's in a word?
The concept of hell is not exclusive to the Christian faith.
Babylonians believed in "the land of no return," the Hebrews wrote about going down to the realm of Sheol or the place of corruption, and the Greek spoke of the "unseen land." Even Buddhism recognizes seven hot hells and the Hindu Rig Veda speaks of the deep abyss reserved for false men and faithless women. Islam recognizes 7 hells.
Jesus specifically states that nonbelievers will not be able to escape the condemnation of hell (Matt 23:33) (Luke 12:4,5).
It exists!! Forget the fire and brimstone, the real hell is being separated from God for eternity and remembering that you rejected Him for eternity, forever, and always!!!!
2007-03-11 17:30:02 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Because that's what the churches preach so that they'll come to church in fear. Nothing was ever tormented in the Lake of Fire, that's true.
THE OLD ENGLISH “hell,” denoted that which is covered (hidden or unseen). Consequently, it once served as a suitable translation of the Greek hades, which means “imperceptible” or “unseen.” In modern English, however, due to the corrupting influence of human tradition, “hell” has come to mean “the abode of the dead; the place of punishment after death [in which the dead are alive].” Consequently, since in modern English the notion represented by the term “hell” constitutes, to say the least, interpretation, not translation, it is unconscionable for modern translators to render either the Hebrew sheol or the Greek hades by this expression.
Yet it is worse still, whether in old English or modern English, to render the Greek tartarosas and especially the Greek geenna, also as “hell.” Such “translations” are not translations at all; they are but the product of circular reasoning and hoary tradition. Whatever one’s understanding may be concerning the matters to which these words make reference, as a translation of the Original, the rendering “hell,” in all cases, is wholly unjustifiable. Yet it is this very rendering, the single term, “hell,” for all these distinct words in the Original, which has spawned all the familiar talk concerning “hell” which prevails among “Bible-believing Christians” today.
2007-03-11 16:49:42 · answer #3 · answered by Justsyd 7 · 3⤊ 3⤋
I am an agnostic, so I don't agree with everything Christianity has to say. But I do agree with the concept of hell, even if it doesn't actually exist in a literal way.
If the concept of a "hell" is enough to scare someone out of stealing from me or murdering me, how bad can it be?
2007-03-11 16:54:03 · answer #4 · answered by Gordon Freeman 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You will have to ask Jesus. He spoke a lot more on the subject of hell than He did on Heaven. It doesnt do much good either to think of hell as only a "symbol". A symbol is always "weaker" than what it represents. I.E. Your shadow is a "symbol" of the real you. Which is the "weaker"? So, if hell is ONLY a symbol, then God only knows how awful the real place is.....theBerean
2007-03-11 16:55:09 · answer #5 · answered by theBerean 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋
It does mention that the people thrown into the fire will be eternally departed from God. This would be the most tormenting part. They would have already witnessed God (and His love), but then they would be turned away, never to be shown His love again. I think that would be more painful than fire.
2007-03-11 16:53:46 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
No, whatever, you want to call it is not made up. The bible tells of this story where there is this guy in torment. He see's someone on the other side and begs them to dip their finger in water and give it to him so he can have some comfort from the heat. The other guy basically says he couldn't help the first guy even if he wanted to.
As you see, this is not quote/unquote.......but I assure you, it is in the bible in so many words. Maybe, some other person will give you the scripture.
2007-03-11 16:53:11 · answer #7 · answered by Wayne 3 · 1⤊ 2⤋
Rev 18-22
2007-03-11 16:50:36 · answer #8 · answered by robert p 7 · 3⤊ 1⤋
Since you brought up Revelation....it says that all whose names are not found in the book of life (believers in Christ) are thrown into the lake of fire. And don't make the mistake of thinking that isn't exactly what it says.
Call it what you like; I don't wish to end up there.
2007-03-11 17:35:50 · answer #9 · answered by Esther 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
christians belive that way because the book says theres a lake of fire . your soul wont die and you will burn an the pain is never ending and demons will tourment you . saddam and hittler is there and people will be in the same lake with them and you cant talk because all you do is scream from the pain of burning and demons pokeing you with pitch forks its a nightmare
2007-03-11 17:00:36 · answer #10 · answered by dan m 6 · 0⤊ 2⤋