The short answer: No.
The living God does not "send" people to Hell. He only honors their request to go. The living God does not send "people" to Hell, only "sinners" go and then only by request. He honors our decisions.
So a better question might be...
Why would someone choose Hell over Heaven?
Jesus teaches us that there will be pain, eternal torment, weeping and gnashing of teeth. Why would some choose this for an eternity?
Serious answers only. If you do not believe in Heaven or Hell, then please move on to the next question. Thanks!
2007-06-20 04:39:09 · 17 answers · asked by Salvation is a gift, Eph 2:8-9 6 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
God has the final say in everything...including whom He chooses to forgive. He will honor our choices when it comes to where we want to spend eternity.
I will list addresses for Scripture, since I don't want this to be eight feet long. This is not "in your face." It is so you can see where it is written.
Depending on which translation you have access too, Hades is mentioned 3+ times, check Rev. 6:8 and 20:13-14. NCV and many more times in the KJV & NKJV.
For those that don't believe Jesus taught on Hell there are 15 references (red letters) in the NT. Matt. 5:22, 5:29, 7:13, 10:28, 18:9 & 23:15, Mark 9:43, 9:45 & 9:47-48, Luke 12:5, 2 Thes 2:3, James 3:6, 2 Peter 2:4.
Also, check out the passage surrounding: Luke 23.
2007-06-20 07:18:23 · update #1
Luke 16:23
2007-06-20 07:19:32 · update #2
Amen Sister! No, God does not send people to Hell, people send themselves to Hell because they reject God. God gave people free will to either choose him or reject him. If he did not give us free will then we would all be like robots, he could make and program us to do exactly what he wanted us to do. God wants us to follow him because we want to, he will not force us to do anything, it is our decision. Our decisions that we make here on earth will determine where we will spend eternity. I don't know why someone would choose Hell over Heaven. Some people don't believe in Hell and then again, some people don't believe there is a Heaven. Poor souls. I think the reason some people choose Hell over Heaven is because they think if you are a Christian and choose to follow God you can't have any fun. How wrong they are. "The Joy of the Lord is my strenght."
2007-06-20 04:49:25 · answer #1 · answered by peacock 2 · 2⤊ 1⤋
I'd rather not have other people speculating on what may or my not go on in my head, thanks. The usual Christian "answer" to this is that people like me (atheists) are somehow "in love with our sin") and/or "secretly believe" in their god and are "just angry" with it.
Part of the problem with this question is that there is the presumption that there is in fact a heaven or hell. Another part is the implication that all choices are somehow black and white, with "heaven" or "hell" clearly marked on all possible choices.
Thirdly, the Bible specifically states that it is your god who makes the descision over who goes to hell and who doesn't, and that furthermore it does not matter what moral or ethical quality the judged person has: As long as they worship the biblical god, they get a free pass for whatever bad things they might have done in their lives, while those who don't worship it get cast into hall/oblivion/whatever regardless of how much good they may have done in their lives.
To cap it off, every single denomination and subsect of Christianity has different ideas on what other possible qualifiers might gain their god's favor...and are frequently contradictory.
Anyone who imagines this extremely egocentrical and grossly unfair "judgement" as "just" needs their head examined. One would expect better from a supposedly "all wise, all merciful, all knowing" entity.
2007-06-20 04:51:56 · answer #2 · answered by Scott M 7 · 0⤊ 2⤋
God doesn't send anyone to Hell, it is their own decision. God is a graceful God and
would not do that. He doesn't want to force people into Heaven that is why he told us to witness to others about heaven and Hell. It's just that every one doesn't believe that there is a Hell and they don't believe all the bad things about it. They think it's somewhere you can go to party with your friends. But Hell is a real place. God created for the devil and his demons, not for us. It is our
decision on where we want to go. I definely disagree with celtic_rose 213
2007-06-20 10:00:04 · answer #3 · answered by madi_warren 2 · 1⤊ 1⤋
I don't think people that believe as you do are choosing hell. How many times do you hear Christians announce that they want to burn for eternity? Your question is in reference to all of those who do not share your beliefs, yet you don't want us to answer....
If you restrict the question in that way, all you will hear is ideas that agree only with what you believe. Not much of a point in asking the question then.
2007-06-20 04:47:29 · answer #4 · answered by KS 7 · 1⤊ 1⤋
I believe this is partially correct.
It's very reasonable for a restaurant owner to deny access to people who aren't dressed properly or who behave inappropriately. To reside with God requires that you respect the rules associated with His abode, otherwise you may be required to go elsewhere.
I believe most of what is written about Hell actually refers to the world of spirits (where everyone goes between death and resurrection). There is also a sense that Hell is what people bring upon themselves when they refuse to obey the principles of happiness.
2007-06-20 05:03:12 · answer #5 · answered by Bryan Kingsford 5 · 0⤊ 2⤋
The Bible doesn't talk about people going to a fiery hell. Hades & Sheol (hell) in their original languages, Greek & Hebrew, mean "grave." Therefore, when we go to "hell" it is our final resting place, the common grave.
Therefore, we are not sent, nor do we choose, nor do we go for any other reason, to a "hell" that false religion has created for their followers to believe.
Also, Ecclesiastes 9:5,10 clearely states that the dead know nothing, so if they are not conscious of anything that blows the "theory" of man's spirit living on after death in any way.
And regarding going to heaven, the scriptures are aslo very clear about only a chosen few going there ... 144,000. Read Revelation in the Bible.
2007-06-20 04:46:51 · answer #6 · answered by mrs sexy pants 6 · 1⤊ 4⤋
God does not want to send anybody to hell!
1John
9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
Beautiful verse and applies to anybody on the planet.
2007-06-20 05:36:03 · answer #7 · answered by PENMAN 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
If God does not send "people" to hell, but does send "sinners" - then what does that make sinners? Cats? Dogs?
And since when is Hades a Christian term?
I would choose to go to hell, only because I like a challenge both in life as in death. The way they taught me heaven is like, sounds to me like I won't find any challenges there. And I'm a masochist at heart.
2007-06-20 04:44:54 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 4⤋
If you truly knew the words of Jesus then you would know that Jesus never discussed this. Remember the one about how many times would one be forgiven? If I could only find one good man.
2007-06-20 04:45:20 · answer #9 · answered by Dr Paul D 5 · 0⤊ 2⤋
The reason is simply that they choose not to believe. They say, " There is simply no proof to prove your argument". It is factually impossible to prove or disprove the existence of God. It is the leap of faith each and everyone of us has to take on our own
2007-06-20 04:42:57 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋