Perhaps you have all heard of God's and Satan's big cosmic wager, in which God gave humans free will, wagering that he would win the popuarity contest; while Satan laughed and wagered that he would easily win such a contest.
When it became apparent to God that he was losing the popularity contest to Satan, God decreed that all who choose Satan will burn and rot forever in a place called Hell.
Satan just laughed and said "That doesn't change the fact I'm winning!"
Question: How great will be the population of Hell when all is said and done? (Rounded off to the nearest billion.)
Bonus question: Is this eternal torment of billions of souls, is it the greatest consequence of God's divine decision to create a world with a race of creatures in his image?
Special bonus question: Why did God even think he would win such a contest?
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2007-07-15 07:15:05 · 25 answers · asked by 2.71828182845904 5 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Why not avoid Hell yourself and believe the Gospel?
Why not then begin to tell others, starting with your loved ones, how they can avoid the punishment of Hell?
I think the greatest pain of Hell will be knowing first of all that it is exactly what you deserve, and secondly, that you didn't have to end up there.
http://www.near-death.com/storm.html
2007-07-15 07:23:44 · answer #1 · answered by wefmeister 7 · 2⤊ 4⤋
God didn't give humans free will in an attempt to win a popularity contest, but because without free will, man would be no more than a automaton incapable of love (the same reason why He gave free will to angels, including those who, like satan, are fallen). So your whole question is based on a false premise.
Your second false premise is that God arbitrarily chose to punish those who refused to believe in Him. Rather, hell is the logical consequence of unbelief. People go there out of free will by deciding they would rather follow "their way" rather than "God's way", only to find out how much poorer their choice has left them.
Final false premise that I'm going to address here: that satan's allegedly winning such a popularity contest, even if it actually existed, really means anything. The only real battle that had any meaning was fought at the cross, with satan suffering a decisive defeat.
2007-07-15 14:44:59 · answer #2 · answered by Deof Movestofca 7 · 1⤊ 1⤋
You think that god and satan are battling each other, and that satan is more powerful than god. Wouldn't that then make satan God? Judging by your idea here, you agree that both are part of the universal plan, but what gives you the idea that God is losing and that satan is winning? If God is good and satan is evil, does that mean you think there are more evil people in the world then good people? Or throughout history? I think that the evil people are more noticeable throughout history, because those are the only ones that we study in depths, becuase they are more interesting, but how does that mean the majority of men are evil? If you side with evil because it is more interesting, then how is it evil?
2007-07-15 14:21:27 · answer #3 · answered by Julian 6 · 2⤊ 2⤋
Well I suspect you know the answer, but I'll spell it out anyway.
In the first century AD, someone or some people adapted the Judaic religion to a hybrid of monotheism with pagan elements. This won out over paganism because while pagans were used to shopping around and worshipping many gods, once you adopt a montheistic religion, you were not allowed to make use of any other gods. So the recruitment worked one way. Over time it was bound to win.
Originally the various gods, including the god of Abraham, only promised earthly blessings and rewards. If you were favored, you gained wealth and wives, your livestock and crops flourished, and so on. If you got on his bad side, disease, famine, and death were your due.
We don't know who first came up with the New and Improved Monotheism, now with Afterlife®, but the marketing advantage was tremendous. Not only could a huge and boundless reward be promised, but you never had to come up with evidence for it. You also didn't have to explain away the obvious inconsistencies like the pious man who always had the worst luck.
The addition of place of torment was the obvious next step. It helped keep current members attending, and provided an additional fear element to recruiting.
2007-07-15 14:32:52 · answer #4 · answered by Diminati 5 · 3⤊ 3⤋
The whole purpose of giving humans free will was to demonstrate to Satan that everybody loves God over Satan.
Well they don't, too bad.
Next time around God can tweak his free will program. As for Hell and its billions upon billions, he can put that in a far-off galaxy and forget about it.
Perhaps also he can work on his popularity quotient. Losing wagers to Satan is not good.
2007-07-15 14:23:17 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 5⤋
God will win. Consider Him winner now. He conquered the death already. He was here, He has showed us that He keeps His promises.
All the people in hell did not choose to be with God. I do not know number, but I think it will be big.
God's wish has always been that we choose Him.
He will win, and that is how it is.
2007-07-15 14:29:37 · answer #6 · answered by Ulrika 5 · 2⤊ 2⤋
There is no such place as a burning hell. That is a babylonian teaching. God created people to honor Him and to manifest His glory in them,not to burn. God reconciles all things unto Himself. There will be a restitution of all things,Acts3:20-21. John17:2 As thou hast given Him power over all flesh,that He should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given Him. How many has God given Christ? You will find the answer in John3:35. The Father loveth the Son and hath given all things into His hands. All will be reconciled to God,in due time. That is what brings God glory,not burning people.
2007-07-15 14:27:10 · answer #7 · answered by dispesational7 3 · 0⤊ 4⤋
Your theology is a bit flawed. Hell was created for Satan and the angels that took Satan's side when they tried to overthrow heaven. Satan knows that God loves each and everyone of us unconditionally. He also knows that God won't force people to follow him. Satan is trying to take as many people to hell with him as possible to get even with God for punishing him.
That's it in a nutshell. Literally volumes have been written on this subject.
2007-07-15 14:21:57 · answer #8 · answered by djm749 6 · 5⤊ 3⤋
Your questions are valid, but I propose that the premise is false.
God never decreed that anyone would be tortured forever in a burning pit...
That is strictly a human invention.
Nor is it a "popularity contest". If it were, Satan would win, hands down.
No, it is about something totally different.
It is about life and death.
Oh, no...not this flimsy physical existence we have now...no, God is offering us the gift of ETERNAL LIFE...as opposed to SECOND DEATH, which is FINAL.
Maybe if more people understood Who Jesus truly is, and what He is truly accomplishing, there wouldn't be so much resistance to Him.
Unfortunately, more folks prefer to get their information about God from preachers than from God....
Passing strange...
2007-07-15 14:30:09 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 5⤋
I think Hell is just an alternate place, like the biker bar instead of the sports bar. Think about it, God couldn't win against Satan and had to banish him. Sounds like God might not have a lot of power over Satan.
The bad hell might just be spin.
2007-07-15 14:19:20 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 4⤋
Answer: More billions than anyone can guess.
Bonus Answer: Yes
Special Bonus Answer: Cause he was a megalomaniac.
2007-07-15 14:52:36 · answer #11 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋