If Hell never existed---everyone ends up in Heaven---would it change your behavior in any way? Does the threat of Hell keep you from being a baddie?
Be honest now.
Be honest now.
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If Hell never existed. . . . .
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lawtonfogle
My solace my terror, my terror my solace.
If Hell never existed---everyone ends up in Heaven---would it change your behavior in any way? Does the threat of Hell keep you from being a baddie?
Be honest now.
Actually, no it hasn't. On the other hand, the existence of Hell has made desire to challenge God on that point. (Is yelled at about how pointless that would be.) (But I like banging my head into a brick wall.)
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Well, interestingly, the threat of Hell is nonexistent from within the church. What I have learned over the years that I did not know early on was that God states that we cannot please Him unless we believe two things -- that he exists, and that he is a rewarder of those who diligently seek and serve Him.
In other words, I have come to believe there are very real rewards in the New Jerusalem, the New Heavens, and the New Earth for those who do His work and will here and now.
People will often accuse others of being selfish if they only do things for reward, but there does not appear to be scriptural support for such accusation. The Bible says,
I think I lived a lot of years blind to that fact, and probably lost a lot of opportunities to enrich my soul because of it.
God rewards good service.
Perfect love casts out fear.
In other words, I have come to believe there are very real rewards in the New Jerusalem, the New Heavens, and the New Earth for those who do His work and will here and now.
People will often accuse others of being selfish if they only do things for reward, but there does not appear to be scriptural support for such accusation. The Bible says,
So selflessness is a good thing, but note there is a reward attached. People who tell you they do not do anything with a sense of getting anything out of it, I am guessing, are probably not being totally honest with you. Scripture itself seems to state bluntly that if you do not believe God will reward your faithful service, you will not be able to bring yourself to please Him.
I think I lived a lot of years blind to that fact, and probably lost a lot of opportunities to enrich my soul because of it.
God rewards good service.
Perfect love casts out fear.
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There are people who do good things and avoid bad things that belong to faiths without a Hell concept, so I doubt the concept of Hell plays much into it.
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He means that Christians are free from going to Hell by virtue of being a Christian so they are not threatened by it.
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Ok, here is how I read the question: If you learned that when you died, you went to heaven no matter what, would you do something different from what you're doing now? Stop me if I've read this wrong, but yeah, I'd off myself immediately. As I understand it, heaven is rad, so there's no sense in waiting.
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tanzanos
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Just like Ancient Greek mythology; where everyone (good or bad) who died ended up in Hades: The world of the dead! Well almost everyone; with the exception of those that paid the ferryman in advanceIf Hell never existed---everyone ends up in Heaven---would it change your behavior in any way? Does the threat of Hell keep you from being a baddie?
Be honest now.
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Verv
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If Hell never existed---everyone ends up in Heaven---would it change your behavior in any way? Does the threat of Hell keep you from being a baddie?
Be honest now.
St. Augustine tackled this question in the 5th century BC, I think it was, and it boils down to...
People who love God only to escape punishment will not go to Heaven. People must love God unconditionally and love Him as a Father, etc.
Do you see what he is saying?
Even if now I loved God and was only good to avoid hell I would be in big trouble.
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ebia
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There cannot be a Kingdom of God without submitting to God's reign. Evil, suffering, death all that is wrong with creation currently needs to be deatl with for the New Creation to be full reality. So either:If Hell never existed---everyone ends up in Heaven---would it change your behavior in any way? Does the threat of Hell keep you from being a baddie?
Be honest now.
a. everyone will choose to submit. that's fine by me, but doesn't look likely
b. there is an alternative to submitting
c. God will force those who choose not to submit
d. the current messed up state of the world will continue indefinitely without ever being put right
I can't see how c is an improvement on b. d is definitely not.
I don't follow Jesus because I'm afraid of some medieval concept of hell. I follow Jesus because I can see there is a lot wrong with the world, I know he is acting to put that right, and I hear his invitation to get involved in that putting-to-rights.
The alternative to judgement is the s..t we are already in.
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Bampot
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Ha, the local Baptist church I grew up in would be screwed. They preached the threat of hell every Sunday morning. No matter what the topic of the week, it always ended in us being hellbent sinners. I know a good few there who would throw out there morals in a heartbeat at the possibility of no divine punishment in the afterlife.
Personally, I don't believe in hell.
Personally, I don't believe in hell.
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As I understand christian theology, God basically put a bunch of toddlers in a room full of matches, and then sends them to hell when they burn the house down. He could just, I don't know, not do that.
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Wiccan_Child
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It always struck me that the cards were stacked against us in Eden.
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PassionFruit
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Me too, no matter how much I was told that mankind has free will.
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RobinRedbreast
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If Hell never existed---everyone ends up in Heaven---would it change your behavior in any way? Does the threat of Hell keep you from being a baddie?
Be honest now.
I don't really believe in Hell, not like Christians do anyway.
... you don't see me out there committing murders and crimes. *shrugs*
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white dove
(she's a) maniac
If Hell never existed---everyone ends up in Heaven---would it change your behavior in any way? Does the threat of Hell keep you from being a baddie?
Be honest now.
The concept of hell does not discourage me from being a "baddie." If that is the only thing keeping me from acting in a destructive, hateful way I'm in serious trouble -- and so is everyone else.
Being a Christian, morality is internalized and it is not out of fear that I attempt to do what is right.
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Thread reopened.
But, as a reminder, this is the Ethics & Morality forum, not the General apologetics forum.
So please make sure your posts address the O.P. question and do not rabbit trail into the realm of apologetics.
Thanks for your cooperation.
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Thread reopened.
But, as a reminder, this is the Ethics & Morality forum, not the General apologetics forum.
So please make sure your posts address the O.P. question and do not rabbit trail into the realm of apologetics.
Thanks for your cooperation.
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