What's the point in hell?

Post by **Revan** » Wed Apr 21, 2004 2:28 pm

I've wondered about this a few times... because I've wondered (Not that I believe in it, I'm just trying to point out there's one less reason to believe in "God") why did "God" create hell? What's the point? Ok... I get it, eternal torture for the wicked and all that... but after a few months or weeks of torture... the human mind would break. You'd go insane... therefore wouldn't really able to be hurt any more... Not in any ways that matters...

So, come on... it's not a very realistic concept is it? *sigh* just had to bring it up. Now leave me alone

Post by **Worm of Despite** » Wed Apr 21, 2004 2:32 pm

Nope, not realistic at all. It's a reason why I don't believe in God, especially the Christian one. He's so loving, so merciful, and yet if you don't bow down to his doctrine, you burn for eternity. Sounds like a Hitler. At least back in the old days they weren't hypocritical; they didn't tout God as so merciful. Just look at some of the sermons by Jonathan Edwards, like “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God”.

But then again, I've heard that hell isn't what we think it is today, and that the Bible's concept of it is totally different. But that's just the History Channel talking, not me.

Post by **Revan** » Wed Apr 21, 2004 2:35 pm

Lord Foul wrote:Nope, not realistic at all. It's a reason why I don't believe in God, especially the Christian one. He's so loving, so merciful, and yet if you don't bow down to his doctrine, you burn for eternity. Sounds like a Hitler.

Sounds like Hitler!

Lord Foul wrote:But then again, I've heard that hell isn't what we think it is today, and that the Bible's concept of it is totally different. But that's just the History Channel talking, not me.

Thanks Foul... I honestly thought that I would get slandered and insulted from this post till it got deleted.

Post by **Edinburghemma** » Wed Apr 21, 2004 3:31 pm

Hell is just there to scare people and make them repent for things they may or may not have done. It is a clever marketing ploy.

Post by **danlo** » Wed Apr 21, 2004 5:32 pm

Hell is a state of mind and a convenient way to get the masses' asses to church.

Post by **Romeo** » Wed Apr 21, 2004 5:37 pm

Good cannot exist without evil. If it could, how could you distinguish it from itself? Like light and dark - if there was only light, how would you know that it was light? Perhaps this is a law to which even God must conform. He (or, as Steve says, She) cannot create the capacity for good in people without also having the capacity for evil. Is that what separates us from the beasts? We have souls that contain the capacity for good and evil, and they have no souls - only instinct?

So perhaps God could not have created Heaven without at the same time creating Hell.

(disclaimer: all this is just for the sake of discussion, and does not necessarilly reflect on the views or beliefs of the author - who is usually rather hesitant to discuss politics or religion without several pints in him)

Post by **matrixman** » Wed Apr 21, 2004 7:06 pm

Post by **Worm of Despite** » Wed Apr 21, 2004 9:57 pm

I wonder, though, does it say if the Biblical God created Hell after Heaven or did he make them at the same time? I'm of the belief that things like good can exist without the existence of evil. I know I can be happy without having to be depressed, heh.

Post by **dANdeLION** » Thu Apr 22, 2004 11:42 am

God created hell way after He created heaven. If you read the opening verse of the Bible, you will see it says "In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth." Now, maybe the 'heavens' referred to is just the universe, or the place we call Heaven; but one thing for sure is that hell wasn't mentioned in this verse, so it wasn't created yet. At this time Lucifer was God's right-hand man. When God decided to create (or remodel) the earth, and make man, Lucifer did not like the idea, and along with 1/3 of the angels, rose up in revolt against God. God cast them all out of heaven. This is when God created hell, and hell is where he put Lucifer and the fallen angels.

Whether or not you believe any of this is your choice. I do, and that's my choice. When I made this choice I realized it would be an unpopular choice with many, but still I made it, because that's the kind of guy I am. I did not seek human approval when I decided to believe.

While all that you guys said about the point of hell do make sense according to human wisdom, I don't agree; in fact, I believe it is a very useless endeavor to equate God's motives or thoughts with our own. Of course,this is the faith in me talking and I can offer you no logical reasons for my belief other than to go and read a Bible, which speaks of such things more eloquently than I ever can. As for hell having a point, all I cansay is that if you ever find yourself there, you'll get the point.

Post by **Revan** » Thu Apr 22, 2004 11:55 am

We'll probably all get there... I mean there's probably not one of us who hasn't broken one commandment somewhere along the line... I mean the way the world works makes it impossible to obey all the commandments.

Post by **dANdeLION** » Thu Apr 22, 2004 11:59 am

Hey Revan, I got a secret I'm going to share with you. The Bible actually has a NEW testament in it, too!

Post by **Revan** » Thu Apr 22, 2004 12:11 pm

Post by **Edinburghemma** » Thu Apr 22, 2004 4:01 pm

We all have philosophical contradictions (or most of us do rather). Good and bad are culture-specific surely?
One persons ethnic cleansing is another persons genocide. Even our generalised beliefs (in a civilised world) of what constitutes an evil act, can differ. We cannot all say for instance that capital punishment is wrong, or even that forced sex within marriage is rape. All things are contentious are they not?

Post by **dANdeLION** » Thu Apr 22, 2004 5:16 pm

HAH! Try forcing my wife to have sex! And yes, she can be quite contentious.

Post by **Edinburghemma** » Thu Apr 22, 2004 7:40 pm

And she's very beautiful dAN, yet and I say this with some sadness, clearly mad!

Post by **dANdeLION** » Fri Apr 23, 2004 6:46 pm

Eddy, you have NO idea.....

Post by **Edinburghemma** » Fri Apr 30, 2004 5:11 pm

Does this warrant Morrissey lyric quotes lovely dAN?

Post by **Cate** » Thu Jun 03, 2004 3:30 am

Darth Revan, I will send you a link in private message, as I dont want to get in trouble here, but it is very interesting from a friend of mine, and very eyeopening, concerning the truth about hell. It is merely a mistranslation, among many others.
Yes, on purpose too. I felt better instantly after finding out the truth about it, and once that load of fear was lifted, I began to get aquainted with God, not the one religions created, but the real deal. Not in any church, not from any person's philosophy or rules and regulations. Just listening with myheart.
That's where He is.
If you're a seeker of Truth, I'm sure you've found a lot of it in the Chronicles, even between the lines.
Stephen provokes worlds of thought and questions.

Post by **dANdeLION** » Thu Jun 03, 2004 4:45 pm

Cate, that's a great post. I don't think Rev is ready for the truth as we see it yet, though....

Post by **Cate** » Thu Jun 03, 2004 5:48 pm

Thanks, DandeLion. But you never can tell. I myself have learned not to judge others for what they feel, because we are all locked up into the same world of crap that manipulates our feelings, and if we can give aid or comfort in even the smallest way to another, I believe that it comes back around somehow.
Not pushing any religious thing, just an observation.

Kevin's Watch

Kevin's Watch

What's the point in hell?

What's the point in hell?