The doctrine of eternal damnation in hell fire really disturbs me. Could it be real?

Answer 1

I have, on several occasions, contended that this monstrous doctrine – of vicarious sacrifice, of eternal damnation, of hell fire – is a doctrine of detestable cruelty, fabricated by the Christian Church and fathered upon its god. But we do know that in spite of the despotic reign of the Old Testamental god, “eternal torture” never entered his mind; once he killed or murdered his enemies, his thirst for blood [which he often demanded] became satiated, and no vindictive punishment was reserved beyond the grave. Enter the New Testament and the scenario changes! We see the Devil and his angels heating up hell fire for the coming of the enemies of the “All-Merciful God”!!

Let us examine the notion that “eternal damnation is punishment for sin”. Can it be justified that a finite man commits finite sin in an insignificant fraction of eternity, and is thereby sentenced to infinite punishment without parole? Granted that punishment is desirable when it is intended to have deterrent or reformatory effect, but how could eternal torture reform anybody? It is then clear that the idea of hell fire, rather than be reformatory punishment, is genocidal, callous and wicked! Moreover, can any sane mind contemplate, for even a moment, a system of justice that prescribes only capital punishment for all categories of transgression against the law? Would such a system be equitable and just? Thus, if you commit mass murder, you are hanged; for arson, you are beheaded; and for beating traffic light, you face firing squad!! Ridiculous, isn’t it? One cannot but agree with William Shakespeare who declared:
“Oh Judgement, thou art fled into brutish beasts,
and men have lost their reason!”

Answer 2

Could it be real? Well - it seems that those who carry out the most evil acts known to mankind, such as the 9/11 atrocities or the blowing up of four separate London underground trains in July 2005 just for the Hell of it( etc. etc), believe that they are carrying out their God's command and therefore that they will go to a super heaven not "eternal damnation in hell fire"?

As I understand Christianity, the bottom line is that You have to believe in Jesus to be saved. If you do not believe Jesus is God, you will go to Hell? So like the others, they too seem to believe even the most wicked people that have ever lived, like the murderer of the Hollies or Adolf Hitler, if he has decided in the last minute of his life in that bunker in Berlin that he now all of a sudden believes in Jesus, he will be spared from eternal damnation too. Whereas all the most wonderful people who have ever lived on earth and devoted their life to altruism and self sacrifice for the good of mankind, but happen to believe in some other Faith, like Buddism or Judaism or Athaism or whatever, are going to end up in this eternal damnation in hell fire for failing to believe in Jesus?

No one ever comes back to tell us where they went, so we have no way of knowing. Surely if there really was a God as descxribed in the Bible he would make sure we did know if they are correct or otherwise as with God "all things are possible".

So while I am certain in my own mind there is a life after death somewhere we will all go to, my conclusion is the whole associated beliefs about Hevans and Hells are so totally devoid of rationality or logic, and clearly such utter and total poppycock I submit "you need not be disturbed"?

Answer 3

Not according to the original texts of the Bible its not.
When Christ returns, it ushers in a 1000 yr. period of teaching and disipline (both of which are badly needed); no judgement even occurs until the end of that teaching period. Then all those who are condemned when the judgment happens, will follow Satan into the "lake of fire". The only thing that will last forever and ever, is the smoke that rises up forever and ever. Thats an idiom that means you are done, kaput, finished, gone. The lake of fire will only exist long enough for those to be turned to ashes from within. There is no eternal torment or damnation involved. when those die in the lake of fire, then the lake of fire is also done away with. Thats whats in the actual texts of the Bible.

Answer 4

Hell is a place in the heart of the earth right now & it is a place of torment, In Rev. 20: 13-14 We see Hell is cast into a lake of fire. So Hell is NOT eternal, Nor is the lake of fire, When Hell is cast into the lake of fire, God also cast satan & all wicked people, to be judged & tormented according to what evil deeds they did here, Some may burn a thousand yrs. & some may burn a million yrs. But the end results is that after all is tormented Then their soul will be annilated, They do NOT have eternal life, I know many thinks hell is eternal, I use to, but after 37 yrs. of Serving God, I see a different picture than what I was taught. There is only ONE source of eternal life, & that is through Jesus Christ. Notice when God cast hell into the lake of fire, That takes hell out of the heart of the earth All the wicked is raised & Judged, & are cast into the lake of fire, That cleansed this earth all traces of sin, & this earth is redeemed back to God & we will be as it was in the garden before the fall. For people to say that hell is eternal, then that gives those people eternal life, & Jesus Christ is the only form of eternal life, I know they will use the verse where it says & the worm dieth not, But ask your self something about hell, what is that worm, The body is what has the skin worms & not the soul, So that worm that dieth not, is only in hell, & in hell it will not die, That worm is their conscience, telling them they had a chance & missed it, But when they are Judged at the great white throne Judgement, Then God takes that soul & cast it into the lake of fire to be destroyed, & cease to exist, And remember I said hell is also cast into the lake of fire, There is no more traces of sin on this planet, Therefore the lake of fire is not on or in this earth, but somewhere out there in space. And after it serves it's purpose, it will cease to exist.

Answer 5

Of course not... Hell is an invention that fulfills one purpose: to provide a threat of punishment for people who don't behave according to the rules of the priests and kings who once governed society. Why do you think hell is always depicted as something like the inside of a volcano; full of fire and brimstone? Because that was the most frightening thing that those primitive people could think of.

When you die, the plug is pulled and that is the end of it. Live life well now. The only thing that will remain are your deeds and thoughts in those you leave behind.

Answer 6

It could be real, but then so could The Flying Spaghetti Monster. Eternity is a really, really long time. I'm actually more disturbed the the concept of having to worship a diety who is so unforgiving that he would damn me for eternity without possibility for redemption. I'd rather be a free man in Hell than a slave in Heaven. Just my 2 cents....

Answer 7

Doctrine of eternal damnation in hell fire is only to create fear in the minds of people. As Some move the path of righteousness out of fear. It only helps them.

Answer 8

No, if you truly believe in God.
God moves in mysterious ways and only God knows what is forever and what is to be changed and when-- not a priest, not imam, rabbi, elder, and so on are God. They are people who do not understand the fist commandment--nothing and no one is to be placed between me and My God.

Besides One God means One God for everyone, not One God for the "right" believers and eternal damnation for the "wrong" believers and God knows what for the unbelievers.

Also--do not judge. . . it applies to you and me and to the religious leaders as well.

However this is my understanding and I am human, and I might be wrong.

Answer 9

I'm glad it does disturb you. Think about our moral ideals from the justice system. We believe that the punishment should fit the crime - yet the Bible teaches that if you don't love God, you'll burn for all eternity - sounds more like a teenage girl than a moral God to me. We also believe in Western civilization, anyway, that we all should have freedom of speech and thought - a person shouldn't be punished for just talking about or thinking about something. Yet, if we think about things that conflict with the Bible, we go to hell? Sounds more like a way to control people instead of promote moral maturity and compassion.

Answer 10

People ask religious questions here all the time but most of them just ask for sh*ts and giggles. If you're actually serious about your question email me. The short answer is no, there is no eternally burning hell. It's Biblical misunderstanding and poor interpretation that leads to this false doctrine.