If you were God, would you have invented hell?

Question

If yes, for what sort of crime do you think burning for eternity in horrible pain would be a correct punisment?

I would never have invented such a thing. Even if a person would murder my lovely girlfriend, I still think any sort of punishment should have educational purposes. And the purpose of education is to make a person a better person. Hell won't do that.

But, in your opinion, what kind of crime deserves a punishment like burning forever and ever in horrible pain?

Answer 1

Wow. A lot of sad answers. They just have a knee-jerk response to defend this concept, no matter how horrible it is.

As a thought experiement I once asked Christians about the World Trade Center. About how the people in there were burning alive and many chose to jump. I asked them how horrible it would be if they just had to burn with no end in sight - how awful would Bin Laden be then? They agreed Bin Laden was horrible as it was, but to add even MORE punishment to those deaths would be beyond inhumane. Then, when I called it "hell" - it suddenly became "moral and just" - and their Bin Laden God was perfectly reasonable.

Some days - it seems hopeless with these people. But if I could come around, they could!

Answer 2

For one thing no human is and can ever be God,so what we would or wouldn't do is irrelevant. However,heaven is real and so is hell. That I choose to not to believe or agree that George Bush is the president of US doesn't change the fact that he is the president. God is a loving father and also a judge.If a person commits a crime and is sent to jail it doesn't mean the cops are mean. He had the choice to either to do right or wrong but he chose to do wrong knowing fully well that every action has a consequence.You don't seem to me like some one is morally upright so stop being a hippocrite.If a convict raped,tortued and killed your girlfriend will you give him a hug and a pat on the back?I don't think so!

Answer 3

I do not know why God has these two options but as for me, the choice is very easy. What kind of a person would choose hell unless one believes it does not really exist.

God gave us our intellect. He gave us our free will. However, He never gave us a choice outside of His plan. So if you do not want to go to heaven, you really chose hell even if you do not want to go to hell either.

God is God no matter what we think of Him. Our opinions about Him does not change His character.

We Christians are not better than others, we are just better off than we used to be. His punishment has educational purposes, indeed. If hell does not give one a perspective, then one can also deny it. I believe that hell is going to be done, over with,...but heaven is forever. He saved us from His wrath through sacrificial death of Jesus on the cross, the price has been paid...even if one does not accept the offer.

Answer 4

You must try to remember a few things when you read the Bible. The Bible was written to explain things to people who were very unsophisticated, ignorant and simple. Things were quite primitive back then. Most people had no concept of anything outside of their immediate surroundings.

I believe that the stories are very simplified versions of truth. For instance, roasting alive forever may not be exactly what happens but there may be a form of eternal punishment that is pretty bad. There appears to be a kind of judgment concerning what we chose to do with the gift of life we received. I don't think we need to crawl on our knees or pray five times a day. But I think we should be doing something constructive. We should be learning. We should be contributing.

Do I believe there is a final judgment? Yes. Do I think reward means flying around with wings and playing a harp? No. Do I think flying around and playing a harp is a metaphor for sheer joy? Yes, I do.

Do I think punishment is burning in Hell? No. Do I think burning in hell is a metaphor for despair and misery? Yes, I do.

It could be something as simple as receiving all knowledge and answers to all questions and seeing God is the reward. It could be to be excluded is the punishment.

Could be.

Answer 5

Hell isn't an invention, it develop into created as an section for human beings (first of all the fallen angel devil, Lucifer, the devil, undesirable Boy, regardless of you'll opt to call him) to be faraway from God. Wikipedia tells me that "Hell, in accordance to many religious beliefs, is an section or a state of soreness and suffering." In Catholicism, there is yet another position suggested as Purgatory. that is an section inbetween Heaven and Hell(and no Earth isn't between Heaven and Hell) Purgatory is the position you ought to artwork off your charges(evil doings) and then you'll bypass to Heaven. Hell is eternal seperation from God. There are guidelines besides the indisputable fact that. you may want to ask your self "if toddlers died a 2d when they were born, might want to they bypass to hell?" the answer is; no. There are issues that communicate about particular bargains like that, yet i do not precisely comprehend the position and what they are.

Answer 6

A friend used to say: Don't try to be more merciful than God.

But yes, I also wonder about the idea of people suffering in an eternal burning flame. Then again, when I see the way people directly reject God's love and mercy, mock him, try to provoke him, well...

And then there are the people who torture animals. Maybe for them there should be a hell!

I think we won't know everything before we die. '12Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.' (1Corinthians 13)

Answer 7

The scripture tells us that "Hell" was origanally created for Satan and the third of the angels that were part of Satans attempt to overthrow God. Hell was never meant for man. But we are also told that because of sin Hell has enlarged itself for those who atempt the same thing on earth and that is to have contempt for the Glory and majesty of God. You have only to accept Gods gift (God's Son) to escape this torment. The door is easily opened you must be willing to walk in.

Answer 8

I read that too in Revelations and it mystifies me.
I am trying to do research into those verses because it doesn't make sense that God would torment people forever.
its not logical.
did you also notice that Revelation 14:10 it states:The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb:
think about it, in the presence of Jesus and the angels???
it doesn't make sense that people will be tormented day and night in the presence of God.
I think some of those words were miss-translated.
God Bless

Answer 9

Nope. And neither did the Christian God. The Bible passages that are interpreted as hell are vague. The only one that is really convincing was written by a crazy old man in a cave.

There isn't even a hell in Christianity.

Answer 10

In the bible there are verses that say hell is living outside of God's love, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. I do not believe that an all-loving God would condone endless torture for those who don't follow Him - as humans even we wouldn't want that for others! Demons go to the lake of fire? Not sure on that... But God is love.. Trust in Him..