Most normal, healthy parents will love their children through thick and thin. Even when the child makes a very stupid mistake, and refuses to admit they are wrong, parents do not stop loving them. Even when the child says and does reprehensible things, or turns their back and walks away from the parent, the parent will still love that child. Nature practically hard-wires parents to never abandon their children, because only through the child can the parent's genes be carried on towards future generations.
Of course there are exceptions - mentally divergent parents, psychopaths, alcoholics - but we are focusing on NORMAL, HEALTHY PARENTS.
So what would your child have to do to make you reject them, and subject them to an eternity of painful torture and misery (remember, not just a brief punishment, but an ETERNITY OF TORTURE AND MISERY.)
I'm especially interested in hearing responses from loving Christian parents.
2007-08-28 12:02:25 · 40 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Interesting how some people can't answer this question. I'm not asking what GOD would do, I'm asking what YOU would do. Could you torture your child for all eternity, yes or no?
2007-08-28 12:13:38 · update #1
imasis2 - so your saying that a god is allowed to torture me because I refuse to acknowledge he created me? He's my creator, and my torturer, but not my parent? Nice!
2007-08-28 12:16:36 · update #2
The question isn't about what god would do people, it's about what you would do. You just can't handle it, huh?
2007-08-28 12:17:37 · update #3
Not Christian, but no way, absolutely not. And I would rend the heavens and take down any deity that so threatened my children.
2007-08-28 12:07:12 · answer #1 · answered by KC 7 · 5⤊ 5⤋
I am not a parent nor Christian. But if I was a parent I couldn't see myself torturing and creating misery for my children. However, that would be the obvious answer wouldn't it?
I sense a deeper question here. I do not know you but I sense a deep pain. One that has to do with your own parents? I don't want to assume anything but there is a much much deeper side to your question. Ignore the hecklers and bozos they are but children taunting some others just so that they can feel bigger. They never grew up or are still learning. (true children)
Don't let the hatred consume you. You can fall into the 'dark side'. I almost did. (My story some other time).
Thank you for another great question.
2007-08-28 12:31:13 · answer #2 · answered by Just me 2 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
There is nothing any of my three children (all grown now) could do that would cause me to turn away from them (and two of them have tried their best). As I read the premise of your question, I thought it to be an exceptional analogy of the child of a parent vs a child of God. My three children were born unto me as an in-alterable fact. They will forever be know as my children. Years ago when I accepted Christ as my Savior, I was born into the Kingdom of God and therefore am forever more a child of God. The Bible says, "That which has been placed in My hand shall not be removed..." That makes my relationship with God the same as my relationship with my own children. However, one must first become a child of God. Just being physically born is not sufficient, one must have a spiritual birth as well.
2007-09-05 11:52:20 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
No I would not torture my child for eternity. In fact I would not torture my child at all and neither will God. The wages of sin is death, plain and simple. The belief in eternal torment has it's basis in the belief in an immortal soul which the bible does not teach or even hint as a possibility and the twisting of a couple of verses in the bible. Unfortunately this lie and indictment on the character of God has been repeated for so long and by so many that it is not even questioned anymore as to whether it is true or not.
2007-08-28 12:24:03 · answer #4 · answered by Mr. E 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
There is absolutely nothing that my child could do that would make me want to subject them to painful torture and misery. I love my child dearly. So much in fact, that if it were necessary I would voluntarily lay down my life in order to save his. I don't think that is unusual. I think that almost all parents would do the same thing.
2007-09-05 11:59:21 · answer #5 · answered by randy_plrm 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
No i could not torture my child for eternity. But there comes a time when I am legally not responsible for my childs actions anymore and his/her decisions are placed on them.
Just like children grow up and have the choice to be productive members of society and thrive, or turn to a life of drugs and crime god also gives us a choice. Serve him and be saved or reject him and go to hell. It's not that its' pleasurable for god to torture people, but when you do things wrong there is a punishment. Just like here on earth. Your loving mother could not save you if you chose to stab yourself to death and God cannot save those who choose to reject him ( a spiritual death)
2007-09-05 07:08:19 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I am a Christian with five grown kids aged up to 37. I love them all. I love them enough to stay away and not mind their business. I let them run their own home and family. It's a promise I made them.
But when one is constantly coming around looking for a handout or something to take and sell. Who begs money for school clothes to spend on crack and the kids get nothing. It's time to say good bye. I love you but I don't want to have to watch you stealing from everyone and begging like a street bum. Stop tearing your Mother up and stay away. I meant it.
I pray he finds God and finely becomes man enough to try to help his kids but he will have to do it on his own. I have no more to give or take.
It has less to do with forgiveness. I forgive every dollar and every time he broke our hearts. Just had enough and don't feel wrong about it.
The children have to be held accountable or they can end up like this.
2007-09-05 03:38:54 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
At my angriest (probably 29) I just couldn't keep a grudge. I don't care. People are people and sometimes they annoy me but to say I'll let that anger (and by implication eternal punishment is eternal anger) eat at me forever, or even a lifetime is just not something I'd like to be remembered for or even to try once. Not like I haven't gotten righteously p'ed, just that the anger does hurt me as much as the person it's directed at.
2007-08-28 17:18:00 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Intereresting question. I am a loving Christian parent. My children have all three turned out to be kind and loving and they are Christians however, at one time one of my children became involved in a practice that was harmful to him and to others. I tried talking, money, love, yelling, giving in, punishment, crying and everything that you can think of. This child would not listen to me or others who love him. The time came when he got caught. He had to pay for his wrong actions. We were heartbroken but, understood.
This is the same with God. When you were conceived, you began to die because of the sin nature that Adam and Eve chose and that we choose also by our disobedience and rebellion against what God tells us is for our good.
This death can be eternal. God Himself, came to the earth as the man Jesus to die in our place for our sins because sin can not be allowed into heaven. Jesus never sinned so therefore He was qualified to be our sacrifice for our sins.
When you come to Jesus and tell Him that you want to be forgiven and live forever, then He can intervene in your life but, not until then. He doesn't interfere with those who do not want Him to. Acceptance of Jesus as your Lord and you Savior and repentance for your sins is all that is necessary to bypass eternal death which ofcourse is complete separation from God and all of His blessings and is therefore punishment. God wants you to live. Your choice now. God has done everything that He can to SHOW you His love for you..
Now my question to you: Do you want your children to die or do you love them enough to want them to live forever?
2007-09-05 10:15:13 · answer #9 · answered by 4HIM- Christians love 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I am a loving Christian parent of four beautful daughters and grandmother of one more beautiful girl.
First, no, I would not torture my child, and neither will God. That's not what happens in hell. God does not torture us, He DOES allow us to go on to the eternity THAT WE CHOOSE. If one of my children makes the choice to be a drug addict, am I the one inflicting the consequences of her drug addiction on her? No. I'm at home, weeping my eyeballs out, trying to get her to make a better choice. While we are alive, God is trying to get us to come around, too.
Second, hell does not separate anyone from God's LOVE ("For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord." Romans 8)
2007-08-28 12:17:13 · answer #10 · answered by lady_phoenix39 6 · 3⤊ 1⤋
It's really a stupid question and every Christian parent
should say they would never torture a child for any reason
whatsoever. Other nonChristian parents should say the
same. We just don't do that in a civilized society.
2007-08-28 12:14:45 · answer #11 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 1⤋