Jehovah Witnesses and others is hell a real place or not?

Question

some say it is real, others say not a real place

Answer 1

"Hell" is sometimes used to translate the Hebrew "Sheol" and the Greek "Hades" into English. All three words properly refer to the common grave of mankind, that is, the condition of being dead.

Learn more:
http://watchtower.org/e/20020715/article_01.htm

Answer 2

Hell (English), Sheol (Hebrew), Hades (Greek) is the grave of mankind.

Is it a burning place of eternal torment? No

What the bible says about the dead:

Ecc. 9: 5 & Ecc. 6:10 "The living are conscious that they will die, but as for the dead, they are conscious of nothing at all"

Ps 146:4 "he goes back to the ground, in that day his thoughts do perish"

Romans 6: 23 "wages of sin is death"

Does the soul live on after death?

Ezek 18: 4 "The soul that is sinning - it itself will die"

Job prayed to go to hell. Job was a righteous man, why would he pray to go to hell if it was a place of firey torment?
(Job 14:13)

Jesus was in hell for three days before being resurrected. Why would Jesus a man without sin have gone to hell, if it is a place for the wicked?
(Acts 2:25-27)

Does anyone ever get out of hell?

Rev. 20: 13 & 14 "The sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This means the second death, the lake of fire."

So the dead will be delivered from hell. Notice also that hell is not the same as the lake of fire, but will be cast in to the lake of fire, or the second death, or completely destroyed. So since death will be destroyed, there will be no need for hell or the common grave of mankind.

What hope is for the dead?

John 5: 28 & 29 "the hour is coming when all those in the memorial tombs will hear his voice and come out"

Answer 3

The real question is, what is life? Living here on earth (in this physical realm) or the life of our soul (in this physical and later spiritual realms of God)?

If you decide it is the former, then what difference does it make, we die and then it's all over. If you believe life to be the spirit and souls' progress, then hell would have no meaning as a physical place, but instead a spiritual place.

Hell is not a physical place, but rather a spiritual place, and as all souls go back to the Creator, then hell must be a spiritual place "far" from God, while heaven be a spiritual place "close" to God.

Answer 4

It is as real as death from being Adams offspring.

Just as Adamic death it is not a permanent outcome nor is hell a permanent outcome.

Please notice what Rev 20: says about hell.

Rev 20:14And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.

Death because of being Adam's offspring is done away with, just as hell is done away with.

Those judged to be unrighteous will also be thrown in the lake of fire, or the second death.

Since the dead know nothing, feel nothing, death, hell and the unrighteous will be gone, total destruction. (Eccl 9:5, 10)

Answer 5

some say we are living in hell right now, but I believe there is a Heaven and there is a hell and it is nothing compared to what they think hell is here on earth, I think it is a lot worse than this place could ever be.

Answer 6

The scriptures mention the condition of man after the soul leaves the body in hell or Hades more than it discusses it in the presence of God.......Whether your beliefs teach it as just separation from God or eternal torment...You can not get away from the fact that the Bible claims it as true......
TRuely now you JW'S are you really going to throw out all the scriptures on Hell here are just a few....
Matt5:22...Matt18:9...Ps.55:15....Luke 12:5...many MANY more

Answer 7

Hell is very real.

I've had an experience of Hell. Most would not say anything about that but be ashamed. I come out of my shame to tell you this, that Hell is very real.

Hell is complete self implosion. What I mean by this is that one's soul is constantly, eternally turning into oneself. There is no bearing in life, there is no life, there is no beginning or ending. There is only you, you, you, you.... It is eternal because there is no God or anyone else to place a limit on you. All things were generated by you for you eternally. You are totally alone, eternally perishing into yourself.

This description I give you is my own, from my own experience. It is also in keeping with my faith now (not when this happened to me). The Catholic faith describes Hell as life without God eternally.

Yours in Christ Jesus, Grace

Answer 8

Its real and the sad thing is that people will end up there.

Answer 9

Yes, it is real although they conflict in whether it is earth now (which I do not agree with) or a fiery pit.

Answer 10

Hell is real. Its just not somewhere Jehovah God sends you to be tortured forever.
Hell is the common Grave also known as Sheol (The place or state of the dead)
It does not make sense of a loving god to send his creation to hell for eternaty so they can suffer. whould you do that to someone you love dearly?
It is plain that it has here no reference to a place of endless torment after death in the bible.
So what happens when someone dies? Ecclesiastes 9:5 "the living are conscious that they will die; but as for the dead, theya re conscious of nothing at all, Neither do they anymore have wages, because the remembrance of them has been forgotte"
Pslams 146:4 " His spirit goes out, he goes back to his ground In that day his thoughts do perish."
So if they are conscious of nothing how can they be tormented, and that their thoughs perish, then how can they be tormented in hell for eternity?

so what hope is there for those who die?
Acts 24:15 "and I have hope toward God, which hope these [men] themselves also entertain, that there is going to be a resurrection of both the righteous and the unrighteous"