Why do you feel it necessary to condemn others to hell?

Question

I really don't understand it. How is that being Christ-like? I find it very cruel and a cowardly way of hurting another person because they don't believe the same as you. We create our own personal hells right here and now when we do this to each other. I am a Buddhist but was raised Catholic and I know all of the arguments you could give me after 23 years of study both Catholicism and sacred scriptures so please refrain from the quoting. Why do you write this as a response to people? It personally pains me.

I guess I'm still getting over being told this everyday for a long time......

I am not lumping everyone together and come from a family that contains atheists, protestants, catholics and jews.

Thank you for the responses even if you were telling me I am choosing hell. In the end, I do appreciate all of you as human beings. Namaste

Answer 1

Don't forget your buddha-potential, Yogini, and please don't feel pain because of what someone else said out of ignorance. Try and arouse your bodhicitta again and again and resolve to break out of the habit of poisonous mind states. You have knowledge that is useful to you and there is no better time than when under attack to have patience with yourself and your attacker. Remember the story of the Precious Teacher, Guru Shakyamuni Buddha, who felt equanimity towards his most learned and devoted disciple presenting immeasurable offerings on one side and his most vile and hateful enemy on the other slashing and stabbing at him with a knife. Sure, in a conventional way, it sucks to hear people of any faith use hateful speech but this is Death trying to cheat you out of your rightful place among the countless buddhas and bodhisattvas who have gone before. Don't give up your wish! Let this person who insulted and hurt you be seen as The Teacher and from the depth of your heart consider him or her supremely precious. Besides today is March 28, a very auspicious day to offer everything to the Guru - everything - all things, good and bad.

Answer 2

We are not condemning anyone to hell, only God knows our hearts.

The Bible is very clear about the eternity, we spend it somewhere. You have a free will. We should love one another despite of our differences. I cannot say to you that you are going to go to heaven or you are going to go to hell, but I can tell you what God tells about that in the Bible. You do not have to believe it but that does not change anything.

This is an open discussion column, we share knowledge. I am here to learn too. I follow Jesus, and I am fine with that fact that everyone does not believe the same way I do. If you do not believe in hell, why should you even be bothered about the responses. Remember, only God knows your heart. You might be going to heaven, you just do not know it yet. You have the choice, no one here sends you hell. : )

Answer 3

Oh... Judgement!

As a former Catholic, you no doubt know that the Church condemns NO ONE to Hell. In fact, as Catholics, we are commanded not to judge the state of another's soul (because we are not that person, how can we judge their holiness?).

Perhaps you are referring to people warning others about the dangers of Hell? That is good-- In fact, helping a person recognize that they are committing a sin is a spiritual work of mercy! But this is not judging the person, merely the sin.

Obviously, this can be abused. Sometimes people like to throw around hellfire and brimstone to scare other people, or make themselves feel more important. The ancient Pharisees judged others in that manner all the time. Unfortunately, people are, well... human. We make mistakes. All we can do is pary.

I hope that helped! :)

Answer 4

You say that you are a Buddhist, but your 'Catholic upbringing' really SHOWS in your question, to the point that I have to wonder if you aren't 'professing to Buddhism' on a strictly MENTAL level and are still 'a Catholic girl' in your heart.
I know that there are many people who call themselves 'Christians' who ROUTINELY 'condemn people to hell' in the erroneous belief that if they 'frighten them' they'll 'turn to Christ' and 'be saved.' I'm a Catholic (converted) who came to the chuch from 'atheist/agnostic' throught Vedantism and Buddhism and Episcopalianism, and I just 'can't understand' the pyschology behind these so- called Christians doing what they do. Why does it 'bother you' so much? You should 'know' in your heart that you are not going to 'go to hell' just because they 'tell you that you are going to hell' ... and if I was you, I'd just 'turn the other cheek' and if they keep pestering you turn to them and say 'If going to Heaven means I'd have to continue to put up with you and your self-righteousness, I'd rather go to Hell ...' and just walk away ... they won't 'get it' but you'll have pulled a 'good one' on them ... and perhaps, when they get to Heaven to be 'judged' by God, they'll finally 'see' that they were WRONG and you were 'more correct' than they were ... and I'm fairly sure that you are going to Heaven ...

Answer 5

I personally don't believe in Hell, but I do however agree.

I don't understand why anyone, would chose to be like that. I understand people can't be nice all the time, but I find that just mean , maybe sometimes even cruel. I understand that they personally can't condemn anyone, but they still tell anyone they think is wrong that they are going to hell.

Not everyone is like that tho, which is a breath of fresh air.

Thank you.

Answer 6

...I say this kindly, but you missed a few things in your studies.
...Friend, we can pretend nothing is wrong, and tell people the same, but that is dishonest, when the Bible says the following:
...Romans 3:23 "For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God."
...Romans 6:23 "For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord."
...Hebrews 9:27 "And inasmuch as it is appointed for men once to die, and after this the judgment..."
...Revelation 20:15 "And if anyone's name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire."
...Hell is a real place, where evil and evildoers will be confined forever. It is described as a lake of fire, a place of outer darkness, a place where there is wailing and gnashing of teeth, away from the presence of the Lord.
**
...I cannot condemn anyone to Hell. I must tell them, though, that the Bible says that is where they are headed unless they trust in the Lord Jesus Christ as Savior. Observe John 3:18:
...18 "He who believes in Him is not judged; he who does not believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God."
...It is being obedient to Christ and therefore is Christ-like, because we are commanded to take the Gospel to the ends of the Earth, and tell it to all people.
...I urge you to trust in the Lord Jesus alone as your Savior. (Acts 16:31)
...Whosoever will, may come.

Answer 7

As a Christian I neither have the ability nor the authority to condemn anyone to Hell and most Christians I know realize this too. I prefer to share the "love of Christ" instead of trying to scare people into salvation. I'm sure you have had some bad experiences with some mis-guided Christians but all of us aren't like that.

Answer 8

I apologize for those who do this. It is not Christ-like in any way. It is judgmental and even detrimental to the goal these people are supposed to seek: spreading the love and forgiveness taught by Jesus.

There is a difference between being "child-like" and childish. They fall into the latter. Arguing like my 7year old when they can't get you to do what they want. Instead of "It's my ball and if you don't want to play by my rules, I'm telling mom" its "My way is the only way and your going to hell if you don't believe."

Answer 9

I am a Christian and I would never do this.
I don't have the credentials to judge, only God is righteous, not me!
Just because you were raised Catholic does not mean you know most Christians. I attended the RCC through my youth and I only found the loving Jesus through a non denom. Church that followed the bible and not the traditions of man.
†

Answer 10

It doesn't bother me - how can I be upset that I'm being told I'm going somewhere I know doesn't exist by people who believe in an entity I know doesn't exist? The only fire I'll experience after I'm dead will be when my body is cremated - and I'll be way past caring by then.

Do Christians really, honestly think that they will "save" us or convert us by repeatedly banging on about how we're going to hell? What sad empty lives they must have if they believe that or have nothing better to do.