Hell is a farce right?

Question

I think so. The bible talks about a lake of fire in revelation but no one else preached about hell, not Paul or Jesus himself.

What is translated as hell in some cases is an actual place, a garbage dump if you will.

Re 19:20
And the beast was seized, and with him the false prophet who performed the signs in his presence, by which he deceived those who had received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped his image; these two were thrown alive into the lake of fire which burns with brimstone.

Re 20:10
And the devil who deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are also; and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.

Re 20:14
Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire.

Re 20:15
And if anyone's name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.

Looks like in Re 20:15 its not forever.

Actually, the word forever is really aion. Means, an age, not really forever. I guess it could seem like forever...

i think it is a tool used to control people and to have power.

http://www.saviour-of-all.org/aion.html

http://www.what-the-hell-is-hell.com/

Machaira - Hell in your verses are Ghenna in Greek. Jesus was using comparisons.

Gehenna - This was originally the valley of Hinnom, south of Jerusalem, where the filth and dead animals of the city were cast out and burned...

Hades is the abode of the dead not Ghenna or Hell as you think of it.

Sheol is the grave which was used in the old testament. The ancient Jews did not believe in a 'Hell'...

Keep trying.

Just because I refute a doctrine doesn't mean that makes the bible false. It simply means people might have a wrong idea.

Matthew 25:46

eternal may not be eternal:

Aionios

http://bible-truths.com/aeonion.htm

Brimstone and fire are items used to describe a cleansing or purification. Not torture. Perhaps the lake of fire is a place to pay for your sins and be cleansed? Does it mean eternal torment?

On another note - put your King James Bibles away. It is an outdated translations filled with doctrinal translations and some errors.

Hell is quite the hot topic huh?

I think from Jesus' perspective his use of age means as far as he can tell. Jesus doesn't know the future outside of what God tells him.

From Jesus' point of view he sees life and nothing beyond because nothing else is on the horizon. Same for punishment.

We don't know how long either one will last, if it stays the same, or will change.

Radical ideas...

Answer 1

In my study of the bible I agree with you. The words Sheol and Hades in several cases have been translated to mean mankinds grave or a dump, not a place of fiery torment. When Jesus was tortured, he prayed to be released to Sheol, and I'm quite certain he didn't want to burn forever! He wanted his torment to stop.

Answer 2

The reality of Hell being a place of eternal torture is made clear by Jesus when He gives the parable of the Lazarus and the rich man (Luke 16:19-31). Verse 23 (NIV) says "In hell, where he was in torment..."

In addition, when Jesus expelled the demons in Matthew 8:28-34, they responded saying, "Have you come here to torture us before the appointed time?" Of course, the demons were speaking of the day of judgment or the "last day." This day has yet to come.

The truth of the matter is that the whole idea of hell originated from Jesus. At no time in human history did anyone ever speak of such a place where people were eternally tortured. Jesus came to warn people of such a place due to the day of judgment. Throughout the gospels, Jesus warns of the day of judgment. In Matthew 18:18b (NIV), He says, "It is better for you to enter life maimed or crippled than to have two hands or two feet and be thrown into eternal fire." In Matthew 25:41, He says, "Then he will say to those on his left, 'Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels."

The "lake of fire" is simply metaphorical imagery used to illustrate the depth of torture experienced in hell. In Rev 10:20, as quoted above, it says it well "they will be tormented day and night forever and ever."

Jesus spoke of Hell to warn people of it's impending doom, just as any loving person would do if they knew someone was headed down a deadly road.

Answer 3

Jesus did speak about Hell.
The degree of punishment will be commensurate with one's sin against the light which one has received.
One good passage that indicated degrees of punishment is Luke 12:47-48: "That servant who know his master's will and does not get ready or does not do what his master wants will be BEATEN WITH MANY BLOWS. But the one who does not know and does things deserving punishment will be BEATEN WITH FEW BLOWS. From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked". Other verses on this issue include MAT 10:15; 16:27; Rev. 20:12,13; 22:12.
Jesus affirmed that the wicked "will go away to ETERNAL punishment, but the righteous to ETERNAL life" (Mat 25:46)

Answer 4

Hell is one of those subjects that makes people uncomfortable. We hear stories of hell being a place of fire, demons, and endless torment. Throughout history many authors have written about it, Dante's Inferno for example. Western culture is very familiar with the concept. Even Hollywood has made it the subject of many movies. Whatever the context, whatever the belief, hell is definitely taught in the Bible. But even the doctrine of hell is not without its controversy. Some say it is only the grave with no consciousness. Others say it is a place of correction and punishment that is not eternal. Others say it is an endless agonizing punishment in fire. Whichever it is, hell is the total absence of the favor of God.

Unquenchable Fire
Matt. 3:12 "And His winnowing fork is in His hand, and He will thoroughly clear His threshing floor; and He will gather His wheat into the barn, but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire."

Fiery Hell
Matt. 5:22, "whoever shall say, 'You fool,' shall be guilty enough to go into the fiery hell." See also, Matt. 5:29,30.

Fiery Hell
Matt. 18:8-9, "And if your hand or your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off and throw it from you; it is better for you to enter life crippled or lame, than having two hands or two feet, to be cast into the eternal fire. 9"And if your eye causes you to stumble, pluck it out, and throw it from you. It is better for you to enter life with one eye, than having two eyes, to be cast into the fiery hell."

Eternal Fire
Matt. 25:41, "Then He will also say to those on His left, 'Depart from Me, accursed ones, into the eternal fire which has been prepared for the devil and his angels.

Eternal Punishment
Matt. 25:46, "And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life."
The word 'eternal' in both places is "aionios" which means 1)without beginning and end, that which always has been and always will be; 2)without beginning; 3)without end, never to cease, everlasting. The word 'punishment' is the word kolasis and it means "to punish, with the implication of resulting severe suffering - 'to punish, punishment.'"(5)

Eternal Fire
Jude 7, "Just as Sodom and Gomorrah and the cities around them, since they in the same way as these indulged in gross immorality and went after strange flesh, are exhibited as an example, in undergoing the punishment of eternal fire."

Lake of Fire
Rev. 20:15, "And if anyone's name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire."

Answer 5

How can you take something that is described in the very Scripture YOU referenced as " a lake of FIRE and BRIMSTONE", and compare it to a garbage dump? This is no landfill that is being talked about in these Scriptures. It is a literal place of fire, brimstone, a place of "...weeping and gnashing of teeth", a place of perpetual pain and sorrow that serves as an eternal separation from God for unbelief and unrepentant souls. The Scriptures you referenced call it what it is, the SECOND DEATH! Remember, "He who is born but once shall die twice. He who is born twice shall die but once." Hell is death for the dead (and living) in sin, not some "garbage dump". One alliteration I'll grant you about the "garbage dump" comparison is that those who end up in Hell are a sort of spiritual refuse and waste, cast there as a "separation" from holiness as one throws out their trash to separate themselves from the germs and bacteria that would make a home unsanitary. The Scripture says, "For what communion (relationship) hath light (goodness) with darkness (evil)? What concord (contract) hath Christ with Belial (false gods)?" That Scripture implies a separation between God and evil based on the things we know about His nature.

Answer 6

Chapter 20 verse 10 says forever and ever.

Have you read Rev. 21?
Have you read Matthew 22:13 or Matthew 8:12?

I guess that you believe that Heaven will not be forever, either.

Answer 7

"the wagers of sin is death" not everlasting punishment. Those who reject Jesus will be burnt up. Not tortured in a flaming hell for all eternity. That's false theology. Read your bible and stop listening to popular belief.

Answer 8

*ding-ding* You are correct!!!! Hell is absolutely a tool used to scare people into not leaving the Christian religion.

Now, you just need to realize that pretty much most of the bible is false as well. Who really believes in cramming all those animals on a boat, parting the Red Sea, talking snakes, talking donkeys, a virgin giving birth, etc?

(By the way, another "secret" that Christians do not want you to know is that the word "virgin" at that time did not mean "virgin". It simply meant "young woman".)

Answer 9

My dear, you are incorrect. Jesus does teach about Hades / Hell. It's not a doctrine of Paul's, Peter, John or Matthew...it is straight from Jesus.

There will be eternal torment; where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth.

You can pick and choose what you want to believe from the Holy Bible but it is either all correct or all wrong. I believe it is 100% correct.

God does not "send" anyone to hell, He only grants ones request. You have a choice. That's what free will is all about. You either accept Jesus and His teachings about His Father or you reject Him. The choice is yours.

Hell was originally made for Satan and his fallen angels. However, because sin enter the world through Eve and Adam (he was right there beside her) hades / hell has grown to accept the many souls that have chosen that path.

What path will you choose? Remember, your decision is for eternity...

Answer 10

Jesus preached more on hell than any other topic. Hell is real it is in the centre of the earths crust. I suggest you go and but a book called 23 minutes in Hell by a guy who experinced the place called Bill wiese. Google it in the internet and you will be able to watch in on the net. It is his testomoney. Jesus took him there as his spirit was taken out of his body so he can experience that place of terror, so he can be a witness to the world. And let me tell you it has saved many from that place by giveing thier lives over to Jesus. You will be frightend, as it scared me. When you die your body stays in the ground, but your inner man(spirit) does not die, and it either goes to Hell or Heaven.