Exactly what is hell?

Question

All right, as a Pagan, I do not believe in any form of hell, but some religions seem to think that I will be going there. (I will have a handbasket too). Is there an actual description or is it just what they think it may be?

arily666- I did not mean to be racist on here......you are kinda creepy.........hmmmmm.....growl.

Answer 1

Hell is a scare tactic that is used by Christians you get you practice their religion!

Answer 2

From: 2Q&Learn
To: Anubis' Daughter
Subject: You asked: "Exactly What is Hell?" My answer won't post, so here it is...

In Olde English, hell simply referred to the practice of storing potatoes underground / in a dark cellar. It was similar to a person being buried underground, or in a tomb, & had nothing to do with either heat, death, or, torture. The word was inserted in some Bibles for the Hebrew word 'Sheol', & the Greek word 'Hades' --both of which simply mean 'the common grave of mankind'-- to give 'life' to the unscriptural myth of eternal torment, which claims it is spoken of in Rev 20.

Hellfire / eternal torment is truly a myth, never taught in the Bible itself, or, by its true followers... The idea of an afterlife itself is a myth. The only life after death that there can be is if & when the person is resurrected to life again, as death is the complete cessation of life--not a transfer to some other life form.

The soul is the body (Gen 2:7b), & the spirit (Ps 146:4) is God's energy 'on loan' to the living individual. (see also Gen 3:19)

The "Lake of Fire" (Rev 20:10,14,15) is actually the eternal cessation of life --without any hope of resurrection-- and, it is the so-called 'destination' for all who knowingly sin against God's holy spirit, as well as adamic death (due to being born in sin). Second Death = Entire Cessation of:
life; thoughts; feelings; needs; existence...
For Ever. (Ecc 9:10)

So... hell is either a MYTH, or,
simply a place to store potatoes...

Answer 3

It can be the grave or the garbage dump outside the gates of Jerusalem. Hebrew Sheol. A place to bury dead things.
Greek Hades. The abode of the dead. No fire. Greek Gehenna. The Valley of Hinnom, the aforementioned dump.
A little research will bear the above out.

You will be in the handbasket as one goes to hell in a handbasket.

The next thing you will encounter is the "immortal worm" I kid you not.

AEN

Answer 4

The way I came to understand it was more of a mental assault. That is, your little fears and things that bother you will manifest constantly and keep you in a chaotic state of fear and isolation. This would be a very individual experience, related to each "resident's" own concepts of pain, horror and evil.

I also used to joke with friends about a minotaur gang rape, the possibility of being killed by a living constellation and never ending hunger. The real question is whether Hell is a religious construct or a psychological one.

Answer 5

Mtt 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
Mark 9:48
In hell worms that eat the body never die, and the fire is never put out
Rev 21:8But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death
EDIT: heres a few more:
Matt.8.12 while the sons of the kingdom will be thrown into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”
Matt.13.42 and throw them into the fiery furnace. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
Matt.13.50 and throw them into the fiery furnace. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
Matt.22.13 Then the king said to the attendants, ‘Bind him hand and foot and cast him into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’

Answer 6

Try reading Dante's Inferno, you can download it online just search... that could be one description...
Funny to say but even the eternal suffering beats the idea of destruction of soul/ possible punishment... now I'm using a braincell too much....
Anyways, think about original notion of the Egyptian afterlife and weighing..... scary enough as a x-ian hell, hm?

one link to Dante's Inferno: http://www.sparknotes.com/poetry/inferno/

Answer 7

To answer your question, I would like to direct you to the wikipedia article on it. It covers just about every answer you're going to get here from Christians, and also has links to descriptions of other faith's beliefs.

My personal view is at least eternal separation from God and possibly more.

Answer 8

Jews tend to view Hell as "separation from God". No more, no less. The vast majority of Christian imagery of Hell comes straight from Dante's Inferno. There is very little description of Hell in the Bible.

Answer 9

Separation from God. You know how you go chasing after happiness but always end up left wanting? Well in hell, you wont have any illusion to chase, you will just constantly be left wanting with nothing to chase. The worm never dies. And then when Jesus returns to judge everyone, you'll be thrown into the lake of fire with the devil and his angels where the fire is literal yet doesn't give light. Of course you have every day you're alive to change your heart with Jesus.

Answer 10

Hell is a made up place to help support the view of a God. To instill fear, and unfortunately fear drives motivation. So this works for religion. It's brilliant marketing.

"An apology for the devil: it must be remembered that we have heard one side of the case. God has written all the books." --Samuel Butler