If someone professes a belief in 'eternal punishment', what does that say about their character and morality?

Answer 1

It suggest to me they actually have the sense to believe the God who created this world and to believe his Son whom He sent from heaven to explain these things.
What does it say about the character and morality of those who believe such issues are left to conjecture and opinion?

Answer 2

A person that believes in "eternal punishment" is to be pit-tied. They fall into the category of:
Sadist
Masochists
Misanthropes
Religious Zealots
All of the above
They do no have a normal sense of morality, and walk through life with a morbid hatred of what they feel are mankind's faults.

Answer 3

It means they probably behave morally but have no real intrinsic morals - it's like a parent who gives their child chocolate if they eat their greens - if the next day their parent said they didn't have to eat their greens and could still get chocolate, they wouldn't eat their greens - the behavior was dependent on there being a reward or punishment.

BUT having said that, have you ever tried to convince a child to eat their greens? it's difficult. So maybe the only way is to use chocolate! Keep in mind that an adult is different to a child but I think the concept is applicable..

Answer 4

Not much. I agree with Jamie, "...comply only because of fear of consequences." I actually know someone like this. He doesn't act on his anger & hatred for fear of hell, but he FEELS it. He does "good" things grudgingly, because he wants to go to heaven, not because they're from his heart. "...sense of character & morality" are not the singular province of those who believe in eternal punishment. People who believe they are born sinners have a bad go at it from the start. Like a very BAD little kid who behaves only to avoid getting "bonked," or for the reward of being "good." There is no honesty or truth in this.

Edit: Great analogy, Basil!

Answer 5

Just a note on what some one else said here! Not believing in a hell does not mean one lacks a sense of morality or consequence! This game is always going strong isn't it? I would like to see us tackle this kind of wording...manipulation...ahhhh MISDIRECTION! THAT'S IT! IT"S MISDIRECTION! Finally...I would like to see us disect this approach more directly. Lets define it and really learn to disarm it.

As for your question, I would say that that kind of belief system is designed for people who cannot find it within themselves to do what is right and good without being under threat or being promissed a supernatural reward. It is more than an analogy of cause and affect! It is supernatural and therefore does not apply to our daily experience of cause and affect! The addition of things like confession and Jesus dying for the sins of humanity neutralizes the power of that lesson in our daily relationships to others. In facxt it directs us away from the here and now and sensitizing ourselves to those around us. Although Jesus taught to love others, the interpretation of what God says... is to fear!

There are people who do things out of respect and understanding and those that cannot understand, that comply only because of fear of consequences that are simplistic and address their own personal freedoms only.

Some human beings are ruled by fear and some are ruled by a natural mindfullness based on inherent empathy and intelligence.

Granted, a lot has to do with how you are raised, how we are disciplined as children, what yur parents and experiences were like and so on! Most people can be guided towards mindful intelligent empathy driven behavior with reason and understanding. This is a tough area! I am a parent and I know that this is a huge challeng especially if you are under difficult circumstances! We have to try as hard as we can though! It takes time and he expression that it takes a comunity to raise a child speakes to the influencxe everyone has on children and youth!

Twenty percent of human beings are not capable of conscience. It is a chemical condition. I would imagine that such people would respond better to a concept of heaven and hell that individuals that are more responsive and empathetic by nature. This is not a put down! I am seeing this in a practicle way. I think that such belief systems are designed to keep the most difficult cases in line. The problem is that some of those people end up guiding others and effect policies within their faiths and create interpretations of their sources, not understanding that many people are blessed with charactoristics they cannot comprehend. It is very problematic.

This is an excellent line of questioning! Thank you again Icarus.

Peace and awareness!

Answer 6

I think it shows a belief in an absolute, objective measure of right and wrong, and that right and wrong have consequences, either positive, or negative. Assuming that 'eternal punishment' has an opposite, such as 'eternal reward'.

I also think it demonstrates this person takes 'morality' seriously.

It doesn't speak to character. In the past, killers have acknowledged their guilt, and accepted their punishment. So a killer, with questionable character, can believe in 'eternal punishment'.

Answer 7

It says they have some sense of character and morality, for one thing.

The other thing it says is that they believe that your actions here on Earth have a consequence somewhere other than Earth. You will pay for your transgressions against others here in this life in your next one.

A person like this believes in karma, and at least in a basic sense is probably a decent human being.

Believing that everything goes and all is permissable is the truest definition of sociopathy and has no place in a decent society.

Answer 8

Well it says to me that they lack the cognitive capacity for basic reason. This is because that something "eternal" has no beginning and no end — therefore, it is impossible for anyone to "begin" to suffer eternally.

I do believe that every action has an equal and opposite reaction both physically and spiritually. But words like "eternal" are to be used sparingly if at all.

Answer 9

It shows that reality is really what counts and not what one chooses to believe.
I can choose to not believe many things, but when they happen to me it doesn't matter what I professed to believe, does it?
As a Jew living in Nazi Germany I could have chosen not to believe in Adolph Hitler and tried to ignore him and in the end I would have had to deal with him.
People that choose to not believe God show that they think that they are smarter than God and that they judge God for his actions instead of the other way around.
Smart people live for Jesus.

Answer 10

It means they believe they are better than most people, since this eternal punishment obviously won't apply to THEM. One should never glory in the though of the suffering of one's fellow man. This bespeaks of lack of compassion and empathy, which are the foundations of what I consider to be moral.

Or else means they cannot trust their creator, because if a creator would do that to someone, they could do it to anyone, including them. How can you trust a creator who rejects its own creation? Therefore they are already in hell, because they are disconnected from, and in fear of, their deity, who of all beings ought to love, accept, and understand them.

Really I feel sorry for them.