Is Hell ethical?

SonicBOOM · May 22, 2006

:: Starlight :: said:
Personally, I don't believe that hell as a place of eternal punishment for all non-Christians would be ethical at all... Despite what many Christians say, no one deserves eternal punishment.

There are theries of Hell being only for a time so people learn their lesson and in the end everyone gets to enter heaven, they get this theory from the key words "eternal" and everlasting"

heaven is refered to "eternal life" and Hell is refered to as "everlasting punishment" in the bible, the word "eternal" means "forever, while the word "everlasting" means for a very very long time.

I don't know how much i agree or disagree with this but I think in the end God is the keeper of what will happen and not us and i trust him when he says he knows what he's doing.

Sokratikos · May 22, 2006

Then comes in the socratic questioner and asks:

Why should we trust? Not as a statement of defiance but as an honest-to-goodness question.

It's not a side-dish question. It's crucially important. I know what you mean, but I wouldn't bet an eternity on decisions made on unsound foundations. There's simply too much at stake.

These are the questions I always consider: You say invest my whole life (regard I have only one) on intangibles. I go: Based on what? You show me a book (Bible, Book of Mormon, the Quran, the Gita, take your pick).

I go: And why should I trust this "Gita" (or Quran, etc.), you go: Because it was inspired by the Lord Krishna. I go: How do you know? You go: It's in the Gita (circular argument).

Same situation, some other book: I go: Based on what? You show me a book (the Quran). I go: And why should I trust this Quran (or Torah, etc.), you go: Because it was inspired by God through the Seal of the Prophets, Mohammed. I go: How do you know? You go: It's in the Quran itself (circular argument).

And so on.

Soul Searcher · May 22, 2006

quatona said:
I´m not really concerned with the question whether hell is ethical, but rather whether this entire set-up makes any sense.
Someone omnipotent who creates conscious beings in full knowledge that they will not match his standards and expectations to a degree that he will not simply have to abolish them, but keep them alive and consciously suffering in a realm outside his presence and reach, seems to act completely unreasonably.
Let alone that, by human standards, the diagnose would be a severe personality disorder. This guy would need professional help rather than being ethically judged.

Good point

Soul Searcher · May 22, 2006

:: Starlight :: said:
Personally, I don't believe that hell as a place of eternal punishment for all non-Christians would be ethical at all... Despite what many Christians say, no one deserves eternal punishment.

Same here.. the whole concept of eternal punishment especially in the traditional hell fire is way out there.

Becky153 · May 23, 2006

Soul Searcher said:
Same here.. the whole concept of eternal punishment especially in the traditional hell fire is way out there.

How is it way out there? Not everyone will inherit the kingdom of heaven. Where would they all go? Well, it says that they go to hell (pardon the expression but it's true).

faster_jackrabbit · May 23, 2006

Becky153 said:
How is it way out there? Not everyone will inherit the kingdom of heaven. Where would they all go? Well, it says that they go to hell (pardon the expression but it's true).

Why do they have to go anywhere? Why can't we just die and stay dead? No afterlife. Oblivion. That would be separation from god, wouldn't it? I don't want to go to heaven, even if I believed in it. It sounds pretty miserable to me. And anything would be boring after trillions of years.

Becky153 · May 23, 2006

faster_jackrabbit said:
Why do they have to go anywhere? Why can't we just die and stay dead? No afterlife. Oblivion. That would be separation from god, wouldn't it? I don't want to go to heaven, even if I believed in it. It sounds pretty miserable to me. And anything would be boring after trillions of years.

Heaven is supposed to be the most magnificent thing ever! I can't wait! I mean, it's better than everlasting torture. We can't just 'stay dead'. That'd be...weird. Pretty much every religion (not evolutionists and such tho) believes in an afterlife.

Soul Searcher · May 23, 2006

Becky153 said:
How is it way out there? Not everyone will inherit the kingdom of heaven. Where would they all go? Well, it says that they go to hell (pardon the expression but it's true).

The bible also says that the kingdom of God/Heaven is within. That it is at hand. Also of importance is that the word kingdom does not mean a literal kingdom but rather subject to rule. In other words not everyone will subject themselves to the rule of the Lord and obey the commandments.

The scripture does not say that those who do not inherit the kingdom shall spend eternity in hell.

Also of interest is where it says that without there are some pretty nasty and vile things. Most people see this literally as being out side of a literal kingdom wanting in but think about it what happens when we do not obey the commandments? We become those vile and nasty things. We are outside the kingdom not after we die, it happens right here right now, within our very self.

If we break the commandments and as such we lie cheat steal murder commit adultry then we are out side the kingdom now we would be adulters, liars, cheaters, thiefs and murders. If however we repent [e.g. change our ways, stop breaking the commandments and start keepign them] then we have entered into the rulership or kingdom of God.

faster_jackrabbit · May 23, 2006

Becky153 said:
Heaven is supposed to be the most magnificent thing ever!

I highlighted the important phrase.

I can't wait! I mean, it's better than everlasting torture. We can't just 'stay dead'. That'd be...weird.

Uh, really? Being dead feels weird? Did it feel weird before you were born?

Pretty much every religion (not evolutionists and such tho)

er, evolution is not a religion

believes in an afterlife.

Another highlight. Yes, this appears to be a flaw in the human psyche. People are terrified of death as the end of everything, so they have the need to invent an "afterlife" in order to "cheat death".

daddypop82 · May 23, 2006

Masked_Chris said:
I just skimmed this here, I think the general quistion you are asking is "is it right for God to sent someone to hell for not being a Christain?"

and my reply is that I can't answer for God, but I think alot of people's ideas of hell is unethical as they often take what they look like and send the rest of humanity to Hell. Jesus gave us a gift and he askes us to just tkae it, we don't have to be anything or do anything to get it, heck we don't even need to be a "christain" to get it, we just have to know Jesus Christ and let him guide us out of the pits of Hell.

as for Hell being ethical in general I think it is very ethical. Hell was made to punish the evils of the world, lets take suicide bombers for instance k? How do you proporly punish someone who was gonna choose to die anyways?? You make him live in a place of extreme misery and agony, AKA: Hell

What about people who don't want to accept Jesus Christ? Why should they go to Hell?

Becky153 · May 24, 2006

faster_jackrabbit said:
Another highlight. Yes, this appears to be a flaw in the human psyche. People are terrified of death as the end of everything, so they have the need to invent an "afterlife" in order to "cheat death".

Terrified of death as the end of everything? Invent an afterlife? It seems to me as if you're terrified that you're wrong and therefore do not want there to be any afterlife.

faster_jackrabbit · May 24, 2006

Becky153 said:
Terrified of death as the end of everything? Invent an afterlife? It seems to me as if you're terrified that you're wrong and therefore do not want there to be any afterlife.

I would prefer there not be one, yes. Neither heaven nor hell sound particularly desirable to me. Simply dying and staying dead sounds like the best approach.

Give me evidence that either heaven or hell exist, and that there is no way to avoid the afterlife, and I will have no choice other than to go with the jesus gag.

I'll be waiting for said evidence. BTW, a holy book is not evidence of anything, especially in the presence of so many other holy books that you say are wrong.

nechristian · May 26, 2006

daddypop82 said:
Assuming this, I believe it is completely and utterly unethical to send someone to Hell for holding non-Christian religious beliefs.

The problem comes when you try to interpret the word of God with a human mind. You are attempting to impose liberal morality onto the divine. It is OK (and very politically correct) to say that Muslims and Buddhists will get into heaven. But I got bad news for you:

"Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice. And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation." (John 5:28-29). In other words, after you die, you shall be brought back to account for your life. Did you read what the scripture said there? Those who have done evil shall be sent to hell for all eternity.

Now, you might be thinking to yourself "well, you know, I'm not such a bad guy. I'm no worse than anyone else". That would be your biggest mistake, sir. The problem is "there is no one righteous, no not one...for all have fallen short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:10;3:23) This means that you, me and everyone else are tainted in the sight of the lord. On the day of judgment :"...there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; and hid, that shall not be known." There's no place to hide, you will stand in front of your creator and all your sins will be revealed.

Do you want to hear these words:

"Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels" (Matthew 25:41)

or do you want to be part of this:

"Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him." (1 Corinthians 2:9)

There ain't multiple paths to heaven. The bottom line is this, sir: you and everyobody else in the world are going to hell, and there's only one way to get out of it. False religions will not save you.

meebs · May 26, 2006

nechristian said:
The problem comes when you try to interpret the word of God with a human mind.

Trouble is, your doing the same!

nechristian · May 26, 2006

jellybean said:
Trouble is, your doing the same!

No need to interpret, the Word is there.

Valo · May 26, 2006

Even if its not entirely reliable?

nechristian · May 26, 2006

Valo said:
Even if its not entirely reliable?

It's the inerrant Word of God, and that's the end of it

meebs · May 26, 2006

nechristian said:
No need to interpret, the Word is there.

no the bible is there. books, written by man. simple.

faster_jackrabbit · May 26, 2006

nechristian said:
It's the inerrant Word of God, and that's the end of it

Got any evidence that it is the word of god or that it is inerrant? I mean, other than that it simply claims to be?

red77 · May 26, 2006

nechristian said:
The problem comes when you try to interpret the word of God with a human mind. You are attempting to impose liberal morality onto the divine. It is OK (and very politically correct) to say that Muslims and Buddhists will get into heaven. But I got bad news for you:

"Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice. And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation." (John 5:28-29). In other words, after you die, you shall be brought back to account for your life. Did you read what the scripture said there? Those who have done evil shall be sent to hell for all eternity.

Now, you might be thinking to yourself "well, you know, I'm not such a bad guy. I'm no worse than anyone else". That would be your biggest mistake, sir. The problem is "there is no one righteous, no not one...for all have fallen short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:10;3:23) This means that you, me and everyone else are tainted in the sight of the lord. On the day of judgment :"...there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; and hid, that shall not be known." There's no place to hide, you will stand in front of your creator and all your sins will be revealed.

Do you want to hear these words:

"Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels" (Matthew 25:41)

or do you want to be part of this:

"Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him." (1 Corinthians 2:9)

There ain't multiple paths to heaven. The bottom line is this, sir: you and everyobody else in the world are going to hell, and there's only one way to get out of it. False religions will not save you.

Do ya know I'm a believer........but i still despair of this 'turn or burn' rubbish.................it doesnt say that people go to hell for an eternity anywhere in the bible from what i've gathered, so where do u get that from....? Your 'other words' or mere supposition..........mostof u lot cant even agree on what hell actually is but y'all have the 'truth' of it.............
God is love Neo.......quit putting him in a dogmatic box...........

Is Hell ethical?

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