Hitler in Hell

[bbbbbbb]

I have mixed feelings about it.

Hitler was corrupt, no doubt about that, but aren't we all? He had a hatred for certain people, but the same root of it lies in every one of us in different ways. I see a difference in what Hitler did than other people, but I don't see a difference in what Hitler was inside than other people. He has a stronger bias toward certain areas we would consider vile, but what about our own leaning toward a sin of some sort that is equally vile in God's eyes?

We are all just as corrupt as he was, the difference was the divine restraint in our lives and his capacity to express what wasn't restrained. Had we been given up to the truest colors of the human nature, at every instance and in every degree, we would make Hitler look like a choir boy at that and ISIS like a children's game.

In light of all that I said, I do think he deserves eternal damnation like the rest of us, but he needed Christ like the rest of us. Yes, when I think about his actions I am quick to deny that he is a human with human emotions, but when I think about my past I think that I was in the same place. I was really different then, and I had no regard for the welfare of my family, let alone my friends and neighbor. I wish that he would have turned to Christ before he died, and that he would have been like Paul - a chief of sinners saved by the grace and mercy of God. This goes for any other person in history.

Well said. Thank you!

 

[Gregory Thompson]

I'll use Hitler since he is, for the most part, universally reviled.

And for this discussion, there will be an assumption that hell is where the unrepentant sinner ends up. This will NOT be as discussion on hell itself.

So for the sake of this discussion, are you happy that Hilter (or any reviled person in history) ended up in hell? If so, why? If not, why?

I find this a good question to live in for sanctification.

The Christlike answer is "forgive them they know not what they do"

The self righteous answer is "Damn straight! Got what they deserved!"

 

[mark kennedy]

I'll use Hitler since he is, for the most part, universally reviled.

And for this discussion, there will be an assumption that hell is where the unrepentant sinner ends up. This will NOT be as discussion on hell itself.

So for the sake of this discussion, are you happy that Hilter (or any reviled person in history) ended up in hell? If so, why? If not, why?

When Satan is consigned to the fires of hell, God does not celebrate, he grieves. When anyone goes on to perdition we should take no pleasure in that because God certainly doesn't. For years my two favorite examples of people I was sure were going to hell were Charles Manson and Adolf Hitler, I now regret that attitude since I've come to realize I cannot possibly know that for sure. It's especially wrong considering I deserve hell as much as anyone apart from the grace of God, I just think it's shameful to celebrate the downfall of the wicked.

If there is any possible way I think God will find a way to redeem them on the last day. To be honest I don't like their chances but anyone who celebrates their eternal demise is just revealing something about themselves.

An interesting question Hammster, one we should all take seriously.

Grace and peace,
Mark

 

[Gregory Thompson]

Psalm 37
10 For yet a little while, and the wicked shall not be: yea, thou shalt diligently consider his place, and it shall not be.
11 But the meek shall inherit the earth; and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace.
12 The wicked plotteth against the just, and gnasheth upon him with his teeth.
13 The Lord shall laugh at him: for he seeth that his day is coming.
14 The wicked have drawn out the sword, and have bent their bow, to cast down the poor and needy, and to slay such as be of upright conversation.

Psalm 57
5 Thou therefore, O LORD God of hosts, the God of Israel, awake to visit all the heathen: be not merciful to any wicked transgressors. Selah.
6 They return at evening: they make a noise like a dog, and go round about the city.
7 Behold, they belch out with their mouth: swords are in their lips: for who, say they, doth hear?
8 ¶ But thou, O LORD, shalt laugh at them; thou shalt have all the heathen in derision.

Proverbs 1
24 Because I have called, and ye refused; I have stretched out my hand, and no man regarded;
25 But ye have set at nought all my counsel, and would none of my reproof:
26 I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when your fear cometh;
27 When your fear cometh as desolation, and your destruction cometh as a whirlwind; when distress and anguish cometh upon you.

So, is this accurate?

 

[Bob Crowley]

I don't think about Hitler much, although I'm pretty certain he's in Hell and so are a lot of other people. I don't see why I should feel sorry for the fact, since he started a war which killed milliions, was instrumental in the Holocaust, advocated torture for his enemies, etc. Why shouldn't he be in Hell?

Now I'll stick my neck out here. I've made this claim a number of times that on the night of the 11th January 1979, my own father died, and that he appeared in my bedroom in the unit I was renting at the time. He started with an apology for the cruel way he'd treated me all my life (showing no sign of remorse at any time), we argued and conversed, and at the end he gave this bloodcurdling scream and then just disappeared. It was obvious something was coming for him, and he was terrified to the core. He was a World War II vet and didn't scare all that easily. But the final scream was something else.

I still remember much of the conversation today, 40 years later. And I don't remember dreams. Four days later one of my uncles turned up to tell me, in the more normal human fashion, that he had died. I still remember standing there, counting back four nights, and when the penny dropped, thinking "Then what the hell was that the other night!"

Anyway to cut a long story short, I believe my own father is in hell, for the reason I've just given above plus I know for a fact he would not have confessed any of his mortal sins to a priest, or repented.

So to make it more personal, rather than appeal to the fate of an evil historical person, who for most of us was just that ie. purely historical, I think we'd be more honest if we stuck to people who actually have influenced us one way or another. I think the great majority of readers on this forum would have been untouched by Hitler's actions, except perhaps for what might have been done to their parents, grandparents or other relatives.

Am I glad my father is in Hell? Not particularly, but if he wasn't prepared to make one effort to get rid of his cruel, stupid, bad tempered, vindictive behaviour, then there's also no way I'd want him back again! If anything, after suffering the torments of hell, and quite possibly being imprisoned with people just like himself, all ripping and tearing each other to pieces with their bad tempered cruelty and vindictiveness, I think he'd be worse than ever.

So I wouldn't want him back again, unless he'd changed. And even then I'd be wary, wondering if the change was permanent, or just a decoy.

Rather than asking if we're glad or otherwise that someone may or may not be in hell, I think we should be asking ourselves if we'd want them back again, quite possibly in the same or worse state than they were when they died.

So ... would we want Adolf Hitler back again? Yes or no?

Personally I think we're a lot better off without him. Finally HE made the decision to act as he did - no one forced him to.

In closing, I'm get a bit cynical when I hear people say they wish all the evil-doers would repent and therefore not go to hell. Really? I'd have to wonder then how much they themselves have suffered at the hands of others. And I think in most cases the answer would be "not much".

 

[Hammster]

I don't think about Hitler much, although I'm pretty certain he's in Hell and so are a lot of other people. I don't see why I should feel sorry for the fact, since he started a war which killed milliions, was instrumental in the Holocaust, advocated torture for his enemies, etc. Why shouldn't he be in Hell?

Now I'll stick my neck out here. I've made this claim a number of times that on the night of the 11th January 1979, my own father died, and that he appeared in my bedroom in the unit I was renting at the time. He started with an apology for the cruel way he'd treated me all my life (showing no sign of remorse at any time), we argued and conversed, and at the end he gave this bloodcurdling scream and then just disappeared. It was obvious something was coming for him, and he was terrified to the core. He was a World War II vet and didn't scare all that easily. But the final scream was something else.

I still remember much of the conversation today, 40 years later. And I don't remember dreams. Four days later one of my uncles turned up to tell me, in the more normal human fashion, that he had died. I still remember standing there, counting back four nights, and when the penny dropped, thinking "Then what the hell was that the other night!"

Anyway to cut a long story short, I believe my own father is in hell, for the reason I've just given above plus I know for a fact he would not have confessed any of his mortal sins to a priest, or repented.

So to make it more personal, rather than appeal to the fate of an evil historical person, who for most of us was just that ie. purely historical, I think we'd be more honest if we stuck to people who actually have influenced us one way or another. I think the great majority of readers on this forum would have been untouched by Hitler's actions, except perhaps for what might have been done to their parents, grandparents or other relatives.

Am I glad my father is in Hell? Not particularly, but if he wasn't prepared to make one effort to get rid of his cruel, stupid, bad tempered, vindictive behaviour, then there's also no way I'd want him back again! If anything, after suffering the torments of hell, and quite possibly being imprisoned with people just like himself, all ripping and tearing each other to pieces with their bad tempered cruelty and vindictiveness, I think he'd be worse than ever.

So I wouldn't want him back again, unless he'd changed. And even then I'd be wary, wondering if the change was permanent, or just a decoy.

Rather than asking if we're glad or otherwise that someone may or may not be in hell, I think we should be asking ourselves if we'd want them back again, quite possibly in the same or worse state than they were when they died.

So ... would we want Adolf Hitler back again? Yes or no?

Personally I think we're a lot better off without him. Finally HE made the decision to act as he did - no one forced him to.

In closing, I'm get a bit cynical when I hear people say they wish all the evil-doers would repent and therefore not go to hell. Really? I'd have to wonder then how much they themselves have suffered at the hands of others. And I think in most cases the answer would be "not much".

You do think you are more deserving of heaven than Hitler?