Hell

[Leanna]

Can we talk about hell? What is hell? Thanks!

 

[.Sabre.]

Well, it's a very complex concept. I do not believe in eternal torture, I believe that people are separated from God until they repent.

The hell described by Dante and the Greeks (Sheol) just seems so unfair.

 

[Leanna]

Well, it's a very complex concept. I do not believe in eternal torture, I believe that people are separated from God until they repent.

The hell described by Dante and the Greeks (Sheol) just seems so unfair.

Sheol is the waiting place, not the place of everlasting torture.

I see you have a Christian icon now! All new!

 

[.Sabre.]

Sheol is the waiting place, not the place of everlasting torture.

I see you have a Christian icon now! All new!

yep! I changed my icon and am all the better for it! woohoo!!!!1!!2!

Well, back on topic. I believe in the waiting place, not the torture. I do not think the hell that many Christians believe in is a fair punishment.

 

[spinningtutu]

I believe "hell" is the world around us, where so many people suffer on a daily basis. Hell is the extent to which all of us live lives somewhat (or entirely) estranged from God. Hell is not something God has made, ordained or done to anyone. Hell is what we do to each other, it is something we've brought on ourselves.

 

[Rebekka]

For me, hell is the absence of or separation from God.



My life closed twice before its close;
It yet remains to see
If Immortality unveil
A third event to me,
So huge, so hopeless to conceive,
As these that twice befell.
Parting is all we know of heaven,
And all we need of hell.
— Emily Dickinson

 

[Abbadon]

I tend to view God as the only truely existant thing. The rest of us are stuck in a sort of limbo. The more we exist, the more we're like God, the happier and better we are. Evil is simply perverting the good stuff God created. With evil, a person lessens themself.

I don't view heaven and hell as seperate places, but difference states of mind within the same non-place. When a person dies, "hell" is the realization of one's own iniquity, seeing the distance from the One thing that is actually capable of caring for something so fallen, and the guilt of knowing how much one has failed. Heaven is the joy of being forgiven.

I believe in limited annihiliationism, some people just die.

I believe in the concept of the noble pagan. Limbo's supposed to be where they're dumped, but that place was supposed to be cleared out (retroactive salvation), but since God is timeless, wouldn't that mean it stays cleared out (reactive salvation)?

 

[Rochir]

Can we talk about hell? What is hell? Thanks!

I don't believe in hell

 

[Tinker Grey]

I don't believe in hell, either.

If I reach the point of a universalist, I would consider the concept of a waiting place or a distance from God.

 

[seashale76]

I'm swiping this from here http://www.christianforums.com/t2642693-wiki-orthodox-church.html as it says it better than I could:

The Orthodox teaching is that Heaven and Hell are the same "place" , standing in front of God. The Judgment is individual perception, determined by one's relationship to God. This perception will determine whether or not one experiences it as paradise (Heaven) or agony (Hell) eternally .

 

[beautifulJesus]

It's simple in my mind. The fiery place of torture rules by a man in a red suit with horns, a tail, and a pitchfork does not exist. Neither does a place for "bad" people or non-believers to go to after death. I think that "hell" is here on Earth. Not in the sense that God's goal is for everyone to suffer. But honestly, people put others through so much crap for whatever reason. We suffer enough here to have another place for us to suffer after death. But hey, maybe I'm wrong. Who knows.

 

[Loki]

For me, hell is the absence of or separation from God.

I'll go with this option. Though I wonder if it's not of this lifetime.

If it's for eternity, how can there ever be unity if there's one unrepentant soul?

 

[Aquamarine81]

Can we talk about hell? What is hell? Thanks!

I doubt hell exists at all. There are many good people out there who happen to be non-Christian, and I don't think a loving God would send them to a place of eternal torment.
I do believe in some sort of afterlife though. What that afterlife is, I'm not really sure.

 

[stumpjumper]

Dunno

 

[Joykins]

Hell is the consequences of your own sin and bad decisions and not seeking help from God.

In this life or after.

 

[Leanna]

Can you explain why you believe this? I would appreciate it!

 

[EbonNelumbo]

Here's my scope of this: (Coming from a Pentecostal Christian...)

Hell is eternal damnation. Hell is forever. Forever not in the way of "cleaning up this mess will take me forever," but in the "oh noez! I lost my wedding ring into the garbage disposal while I was grinding up that rice" forever.

I believe what scripture says about hell, in that it is eternal torment. I believe it is not fire, but instead an unquenchable darkness with the pain of such, but not actual fire...I believe worst nightmares may very well be lived out, again and again, and there are NO second chances. I believe that even the 'good people' who simply go along and are nice as pie but refuse to accept Christ will be there.

I believe there will be no greater feeling of loss, than when you see the light and can only see God's face with a tear as he turns away and you fall, but his tear cannot even go with you because as you plummet the black heat evaporates every drop of perspiration and saliva and tears. To be separated from everyone you ever loved, Christian or not, and God...and forever stay there...that is hell.


Why do I believe such horrible things? Wouldn't it be better, especially as someone with such 'liberal' viewpoints as myself to believe in second chances and a smack on the hand? Sure. But I cannot. I cannot risk my life, my eternal life, and those I so dearly love, with hope...I don't think I'd strive so hard to repent if I didn't think, or KNOW, there was punishment for not serving.

It's better to be scared into such, than sit idly by while those you love are dropping away...

That's what I believe and why. It's not a requirement, but it's what I firmly believe.

 

[Joykins]

Can you explain why you believe this? I would appreciate it!

Sin separates us from God. It is "death" it is "hell" it is living with all the consequences of your wrong actions--whether it is guilt in this life or pain in the next or both.

Forgiveness is absolutely necessary, and as part of the process we have to repent and also internally understand that the forgiveness is available and all is wiped clean. If nothing else--and I think there is a lot else actually--the atonement shows us how immense God's love is for us, that he would do that, sacrifice Himself, to save us from our own guilt and allow us to be reuinted with Him.

 

[RedTulipMom]

i think heaven and hell are states of mind and not actual physical places. hell starts here on earth and continues into the afterlife. Its separation from God. Anything that is love is God. Not following God and separating yourself from God creates hell. I don't think hell is eternal. i think eventually we all make it to heaven. (keeping in mind..its a state of mind..not a place).

 

[LoveAlways]

I do believe in Hell. Most of what Christians know of the nature of Hell actually comes from Dante's Inferno. I don't believe it's fire and physical torture. I think it's bleak and the torture is more in terms of not being in Heaven. I don't think a soul stays there permanently.

Most importantly: I do not, and never will, believe that the way to get there is not being Christian. To say my entire family will go to Hell just because they're not Christian is wildly offensive to me, even if many Christians demand it of their faith.