March 27, 2007
-
Hell
The Pope mentioned in a parish in Rome that hell is a place where people really do burn in fire. He said that those who don’t repent risk “eternal damnation -the inferno.”
He said that hell “really exists and is eternal, even if nobody talks about it much any more.” Here is the link: Link
Do you believe that hell “really exists and is eternal?”
Comments (218)
yes
Hell exists, don’t know if it is technically fire, but it sure is eternal. I personally try and heed the call to “repent” my misdeeds, because when the time comes, I don’t find out that I was wrong in my hubris that maybe hell doesn’t “exist”.
Yes, if you die without being accepting Jesus you go to Hades. When Jesus returns Hades will be thrown into the lake of fire and brimstone – hell.
Yep. It’s in Scripture.
Definitely!
Oh most definitely! Yes!
Yes, I do believe that hell is a literal place of punishment for those who reject Jesus Christ and His gift of salvation. I think the current stat is 3 in 10 adults believe in a literal hell…an actual location.
Yes.
I love my German Shepherd!!
Also, you’re not excused from hell if you pray a prayer one time. That’s one of the fallacies people are led into believing. Check this guy out for more info: http://mp3.sa-media.com/media/52906154239/52906154239.mp3
Hell no.
Yes.
To me it seems silly that someone could believe there is a heaven but no hell.. It would make more sense to believe in neither.
But I personally, believe in both.
A more interesting question might be, “Does purgatory really exist?”
Hehe…
ooooooooooooooooooooh yes.
yes.
meh, i dont know. i believe in jesus & am a christian but i dont know about hell. scripture is scripture, words. faith & belief i think is more important. and so i think the concept of hell (and heaven) is in the eye (or heart) of the beholder.
Why do you ask questions like that, Dan? Why not just ask who’s religious?
All Christians believe that hell does exist.
mhm
A more interesting question might be, “Does purgatory really exist?”
Hehe…
Posted 3/27/2007 4:06 PM by XristosAnesti
And yes, it does.
No, but Xanga does.
Yeah, and it scares the crap out of me.
I prefer to think of hell as an event not a place. Scripture talks about the wicked being consumed. To me being consumed does not entail burning forever. There will be burning but not everlasting torture.
I believe Hell is 3 essential things.
1) a place
2) Hell is never knowing who you are.
I don’t believe in hell.
It’s probably bad that when I read the quote about burning in fire for eternity my first thought was “How does one burn in fire for eternity? …you’d burn to a crisp first…” But then I was like, “Oh yeah, God=Magic” and then I got lost in a train of thought about why is God’s religion against magic if he’s magic? It’s somewhat hypocritical.
Then again, it’s probably bad that I’ve been referring to Easter as “Zombie Day” for the past several months.
But do I believe it exists? I’m not sure… I’m not sure about reincarnation, either.
Yes.
yes. hell exists.
^casey_at_bat: hell will be eternal. just like the bush moses saw that burned and was not consumed – hell will be.
and, even if there is not constant, everlasting fire, there will be everlasting torture, because those in hell will be eternally and completely separated from God. major, major torture.
hmm, don’t make me bust out my Augustine….short answer-yes hell exists.
No. Nothing happens when you die.
Except for your corpse rotting in the ground.
Funny thing someone pointed out to me a little bit ago: did you know that Judaism, which Christianity is an extension of, did not include an afterlife?
Job never dreamed of Heaven while he was wishing for death, David never lamented Absaloms horrible fate when mourning his rebellious sons death and no preparations were mentioned in the extensive books of the law.
Same God, same general principles and teachings, even more rigorous laws and rituals to abide by and no eternal glory for those who succeed and no damnation for those who fail. Does that make the Jews more dedicated than the Christians for holding to their convictions without bait being held over their noses?
I don’t believe in the figurative way of burning in hell. I think of hell of a place where you’re constantly consumed with your lust for the thing or dream you want the most but you have no way of getting to it. and also being completely apart from God
Absolutely!!!!!!!!!
NO, I do not.
but apparently EVERYONE else on Xanga thinks so (‘xcept that one guy). /shrug
I hope I get spammed for that by people trying to save my soul. I also hope at least some of them will use mean language and call me names.
A more interesting question might be, “Does purgatory really exist?”
Hehe…
Posted 3/27/2007 4:06 PM by XristosAnesti
And yes, it does.
Just out of curiousity, does Christ ever mention Purgatory or is that just something I learn in catechism?
oh and Augustine was full of crap.
“I’m sorry if anyone here is Catholic. I’m not sorry if you are offended, I’m actually sorry – just the fact that you’re Catholic. Gotta be one of the most ludicrous fucking beliefs ever. Like these vampire priests sink their twin fangs of guilt and sin into you as a child and suck your joy of life out of you the rest of your fucking existence.”
-Bill Hicks
“I believe Hell is 3 essential things.
1) a place
2) Hell is never knowing who you are.
Posted 3/27/2007 4:11 PM by blackcelestial”
Is the third not being able to pass kindergarten cuz you cant count?
And,really, heaven exists. It’s earth, and we have no gods or hells.
No Gods, No Masters
no.
Yes, but I’m not too sure about the fire. It would be worse if Hell was really cold.
Yes. But it’s not flames and pitchforks. It’s simply a place of darkness and not being in the lord’s presence. It still sucks
I spend 20 hours a week in HELL.
I believe it…..as if we don’t have enough to worry about!
Yes, but I don’t think it’s literally flames, I think that is just a metaphor for the horror of it.
Cheers,
m
Yes, I do.
of course!
Nope.
I’m not sure if hell exists. I’m leaning towards no.
yes, most definately.
Yes, it is a place of eternal torture. In the Bible we learn that all things that are good come from God and without Jesus Christ’s blood paying the debt for our sins (the wages of sin is death) then we would go to hell where there is total separation between us and God. And if there is a total separation between us and God, then that also means that there is a total separation between us and all things that are good.
i dont know for sure, but eternity is a really long time
it sure does
I did believe in hell. I am questioning now that the pope says it exists.
My policy is to always doubt anything the pope says.
No
I believe hell exists but I am not so sure about the fire thing. However, I think eternal seperation from God (which is the way it has always been described to me) is enough to keep me away from it.
Nope. Religion is over rated and seems to me to try and frighten goodness into people.
No. Nothing happens when you die.
Except for your corpse rotting in the ground.
Posted 3/27/2007 4:15 PM by reality_asylum
That’s one of the most depressing things I’ve ever heard…
according to God in Conversations with God, there is no hell nor is there a devil.
Yes, it exists. Here’s how to avoid it.
http://www.xanga.com/JoClayFan/579242298/item.html
All of you “yes, hell exists” people need to realize that you do not KNOW that hell exists. you have not been there. you simply believe that it does exist.
Yes.
yup
nope not at all…. you die, you die. thats it. itf there’s an after life…..welll fate wouldn’tt be so kind to seperate good from bad.
If there is a hell, me and the Pope will be roomies there…believe that!
yes…nuff said…Smile
All of you “yes, hell exists” people need to realize that you do not KNOW that hell exists. you have not been there. you simply believe that it does exist.
Posted 3/27/2007 4:46 PM by aLi__cat
It’s a leap of faith to say anything to anyone nowadays, isn’t it. There’s somthing wonderful about being able to believe something. All humans believe in something,
No, but that’s just my belief.
No. Nothing happens when you die.
Except for your corpse rotting in the ground.
Posted 3/27/2007 4:15 PM by reality_asylum That’s one of the most depressing things I’ve ever heard…
Depressing, but I can’t help but believe it.
Just as much as Heaven.
I don’t believe in either, but if they existed they would be equally eternal.
No. Nothing happens when you die. Except for your corpse rotting in the ground. Posted 3/27/2007 4:15 PM by reality_asylum That’s one of the most depressing things I’ve ever heard… Posted 3/27/2007 4:42 PM by cinnamon_lady
How is that depressing?
the pope says it, i believe it
yes.
Erm… the Pope, as far as I can tell, said nothing about people burning in fire. But I agree that it does actually exist.
yes
hell is knowing that it was within your power to be with God, and due to choices you knowingly made, you are unable to be with Him, but instead are left alone, with your thoughts, for eternity.
i think dante got the imagery right in the inferno. the fire and brimstone? it’s a metaphor.
yep.
i don’t believe in hell, but i believe in heaven…eh.
yes
yessss…
Psht! No!
*cough*bullshit*cough*
Excuse me I seem to have something stuck in my throat. I think it’s called reason.
If there is a hell, its merely a place where you are not with God, and I could not believe in existing there in eternity, as God’s grace is not limited, and surely a soul in any place longing for God, can find God.
An eternal hell seems to indicate God has limited power on redemption and forgiveness. An all powerful God may extend grace and compassion to beyond what a human mind can grasp.
Just out of curiousity, does Christ ever mention Purgatory or is that just something I learn in catechism?
Posted 3/27/2007 4:24 PM by B_Marclar
Hmm. Well, Christ never mentions rape, but we know it’s wrong. If you’re talking about if Scripture never mentions Purgatory, I can show you that it does, if you would like.
“I’m sorry if anyone here is Catholic. I’m not sorry if you are offended, I’m actually sorry – just the fact that you’re Catholic. Gotta be one of the most ludicrous fucking beliefs ever. Like these vampire priests sink their twin fangs of guilt and sin into you as a child and suck your joy of life out of you the rest of your fucking existence.”
-Bill Hicks
Posted 3/27/2007 4:25 PM by jimmyjazz86
Hehe..I wonder what he thinks Catholicism is? Most people who do hate Catholicism hate not Catholicism but misrepresentations of it. Plus, I’m Catholic, and I’m happy.
Nope.
That’s why there’s 45 spf. duh.
i suppose if heaven exists so does hell. isn’t there always a black and white?
I don’t believe in anything.
And Dan, could you read my latest post and give me your opinion?
Thank you. (:
And actually, I’d like to change my answer regarding hell. I do believe Hell exists, because I’m living in it. Cranston, Rhode Island is a shitty place to be.
Yes. It’s called Monday.
just because the pope said doesn’t mean it’s true. go ask trent reznor he’ll tell you the opposite… it doesn’t mean he’s right either.
Nah, I don’t believe in it. & I’m a christian and don’t believe there is a hell in all honesty.
Yes and yes…
we live in a world of absolutes. if people want to go to Heaven when they die, doesn’t that mean there’s somewhere they DON’T want to go? also, even if you think that you may/may not end up in an eternal place.. is there anyone that doesn’t wish to speak wish that someone they loved dearly is in happy place? the remarks about Jews not believing in heaven throughout history is an error — they believed that all good jews would go to abraham’s bosom. as gross as that sounds in our world today, in ancient times it was their “Heaven”. also, king David in the old testament DOES mention that the child Bathsheba bore him was absent from this world, yet was in a place that David himself would go. 2Sa 12:23 “..But now he is dead, wherefore should I fast? can I bring him back again? I shall go to him, but he shall not return to me.” for there to be a moral absolute of “Good”, there HAS to be an absolute of “Evil”. if there are no absolutes, there is chaos. in a perfect world, we wouldn’t have to worry about such things..but, this isn’t a perfect world. people want to argue that there is no hell because it’s easier for them to function that way, they don’t have to deal with an eternal reality — but the fact is that a person DOES make an eternal decision, even if it’s one of default. by refusing to accept Truth (Jesus Christ) and accept His gift of eternal life, they make the eternal decision to go to hell..and suffer eternal death. if there is an eternal life, why can’t there be an eternal death? we won’t be a body/spirit/soul/mind in the same way that we are now in eternity.. and the soul can never die. so, yea. there is an eternal place of suffering called “hell”. there has to be.
i suppose if heaven exists so does hell. isn’t there always a black and white?
Posted 3/27/2007 5:34 PM by prettynoises
Mm, I don’t believe in that whole thing where things are just black and white.
Hell Exists.
Yes.
Although I don’t believe it has as much fire as people talk about. I mean, sure there is a Lake of Fire but other than that it’s probably just really hot. And people will be tormented.
Eternal? Yes as well, because Hell is just as eternal as Heaven.
Yes I do.
I make no claims about what hell is. I only know what I have read in the bible. The bible says very litttle about hell
Yes. It is not a place or event to rid the world of evil, but to allow those who have choosen to be apart from Christ to truly be apart. Is it literal flames? I don’t know. It’s absolute unending misery, I know that. It’s eternal, as Jesus compared it to the never-ending flames in a trash heap.
yes…
What’s sad is only like 3% of people believe in the REAL hell. Everyone else is either deceived into thinking there’s NO hell, or that hell is real; it’s just not as bad as everybody thinks it is. IF it’s not as bad as you think, what’s wrong with going there? Hell is real and very few people on this forum will be delivered from it.
Which hell? There are only about 4 or 5 different ones. If you have no idea what I’m talking about, then you’re not even qualified to have an opinion on the subject.
-Isaac
Yes, I believe that it exists, and I believe that it’s for enternity. And yes, I believe that people who do not ask God for forgivness of their sins, and continue to live for him will go there.
I don’t think Hell is a place with fire burning (you think God would be so unoriginal?). I think Hell is more about twisting your feelings and your mind in a way so terrifying it isn’t describable. I also don’t believe Satan is a guy with horns and a trident.
Yes.
RYC: I hate to break it to you Dan, but that’s me. Read about it in my latest post.
Yes.
Yes.. I don’t think that it is literal fire, though.
Yes. If you didn’t lead a good life, then you probably won’t lead a good…um…afterlife.
Now that many serious things have been said, I would like to point out that Hell is also a place in Michigan. I can honestly say that I have been to Hell and back.
yes, i do
the remarks about Jews not believing in heaven throughout history is an error — they believed that all good jews would go to abraham’s bosom. as gross as that sounds in our world today, in ancient times it was their “Heaven”. also, king David in the old testament DOES mention that the child Bathsheba bore him was absent from this world, yet was in a place that David himself would go. 2Sa 12:23 “..But now he is dead, wherefore should I fast? can I bring him back again? I shall go to him, but he shall not return to me.”
Posted 3/27/2007 5:42 PM by AnyDaAngel
First of all, score one for you! You did your research well.
Second, couldn’t that remark simply refer to death itself? David will join his son in death, but his son will never join him in life. Still no mention of Abraham’s heaving bossoms.
Yes. For one thing, if the Bible says there’s a Hell, then by darn there’s a Hell. But it also makes logical sense. If God is the source of life, then eternal union with Him is eternal life, and likewise, eternal seperation from Him is eternal death. Fire seems a logical way to manifest this on a physical level.
Whether there is or isn’t is not really relevant. You should act morally to prevent turning this life into its own form of Hell. I think that’s much more productive than emphasising the eternal form of Hell.
No I do not. I beleive that this book was written a looong time ago that once maybe had religious meaning behind it. Then man came along and made many changes to have the stories fit into what they think would be a fair, and safe enviorment and make what they thought was the best way of life. To make people want to follow the rules (Ten commandments) they had to fear something. And of course humans can’t take the blame for evil manifesting in the world. Lets blame it on this serpent slithering on the ground. i think over years and years of hell being accepted as an afterplace for evil doers, people find it most pratical and convincing cuz thats what society has embedded into their heads.
Yep, the bible says so.
To quote an infamous line from [Mel Brooks'] “Blazing Saddles”: “It’s true! It’s true!” Kudos to the Pope for telling it like it is. Albeit, Catholics also believe in Purgatory. I know a nun who once told me of another Sister, who made arrangements for her entire convent to pray for her [swift passage to heaven] for 150 days after her passing. How sad.
I believe hell is a metaphor. People sort of invented it because we all need something to restrain us from doing bad things, from falling into mayhem. We need some threat of horrors beyong what we could have seen in our worst nightmares, to scare us into being good sometimes. When the occassion calls for it, hell is a metaphor.
But hell is also something experienced. We live through personal hells daily, for instance, arguing with a friend when you know it’s your fault in the first place and that you hurt their feelings. That’s a personal hell of guilt and regret.
And I don’t think hell is fire. I think it’s more mental than physical.
I think so. Hell is supposed to be hot like fire. I would confess.
Nope
“The Pope mentioned in a parish in Rome that hell is a place where people really do burn in fire. ”
Though I believe this myself, I have to point out that your article says:
“He had wanted to reinforce the new Catholic catechism, which holds that hell is a “state of eternal separation from God”, to be understood “symbolically rather than physically”.
Of course it’s an irrelevant issue, btu still.
i hate when people say their own lives are hell. like they’re some sort of chained up slave who is forced to do everything and living on the brink of destruction.
anyway you should never ever sodomize whether hell exists or not because things like that are just sinful and you should know better.
Hell, whatever makes people feel guilty about doing stupid shit works for me.
As far as there being a place where everything is on fire and people are screaming and shit? Nah. My opinion is that it was probably invented by an inventive politician or leader who wanted an incentive of eternal pain on his side. I mean, who’s gonna disobey you if you tell them that God doesn’t like disobedience, and he’ll send you down to some old dude with a pointy tail to burn?
It’s a cool concept though.
The pope needs to chill. I’d invite him to hang at my place and relax, but I don’t think he’d enjoy that much, myself being a hell-bound unbeliever.
If God doesn’t exist, why am I so awesome?
yes. but hell doesnt necessarily mean only burning. it’s the most horrible torture – one you can’t even imagine.
Me = Jewish. If there is a hell, I ain’t going.
I wish I could.. If I 100% believed in heaven, I’d believe in hell :’(. How I wish to see a ghost in order to prove to myself that there is an afterlife.. *agnostic cry*
Hell is a real place.
No. Most biblical references to hell are misstranslations and refer primarily to the grave or place of death when traced back to their original meaning. The idea of eternal punishment was actually more of a pagan concept. To believe such a doctrine would create a concept of God as a merciless tormentor and killer. I cannot accept that.
Yes, and we all deserve to go. But we don’t have to.
absolutely. i think it’s great that he spoke out on that with his position. people don’t talk about it anymore.
Yes, I think it exists, and yes I think it’s eternal, but I don’t think it’s “an inferno.”
yep…and I am really glad I am NOT going there!!!!
“oh and Augustine was full of crap.”
What a logical, compelling, well-put-together argument. I’m totally convicned now
Forgive the sarcasm, but you need to say more than “full of crap” if you’re going to discount someone who is considered by Christians and non-Christians alike to be one of the greatest thinkers of history.
Yes.
And there’s actually a video about it on my site right now!
I think the book “23 Minutes In Hell” describes it pretty well
It does not matter if it is actually burning in a fire literally or it is torment of the soul which resembles burning in hellfire. It will be very unpleasant and it will last for eternity. Eternity is a very long time by the way.
external? no
Pffft. No.
I don’t believe in Hell in the first place.
Yes – I believe it is eternal darkness and separation from God and those we love. I don’t necessarily believe in the burning and fire and all of that imagery, but I do believe rejecting God/Jesus is a choice some make to be eternally separated from all that is good and right. God doesn’t put you there….you choose it for yourself.
Yes.
No.
Hell is here on Earth.
I don’t believe it’s fire, but I believe it exists.
I believe Hell exists, but I also believe that it can be destroyed.
I liked the response someone made of Hell No.
As for Tallon05. . .I’m a Christian, and I don’t believe in Hell. . .
Certainly in do; the hell defined as a state in the linked article. And so do Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists etc., and so follow their various saviours. Certainly it can be experienced whilst alive, as people regularly discover for themselves.
Doctor Faustus: “How come you demons are walking the earth, when you are supposed to be damned and in hell?
Mephistopheles: “Why this is hell, nor are we out of it. Do you think that we who have seen God’s face are not in hell when deprived of that sight?”
From (more or less) ”Doctor Faustus,” by Christopher Marlowe.
Pope Paul VI : HELL
“….To describe this reality, Holy Scripture utilizes a symbolic language describing itself progressively.
The images that Holy Scripture presents to us about hell should be interpreted correctly. They indicate a complete frustration and the emptiness of life without God. Hell designates, more than one place, the situation of those who freely and definitely separate themselves from God, the source of life and joy. In this way the Catechism of the Catholic Church summarizes this topic of the Faith: ‘. . . . this state of definite auto-exclusion of the communion with God and with the beloved which is designated by the word hell.”
Let us sum up the pope’s thinking by underlining the three most contestable pronouncements:
1. The fire of hell would only be an image, a symbolic language.
2. Hell will not be a chastisement inflicted from the outside, but the ultimate consequence of sin.
3. We will not know, unless by a special divine revelation, if there is someone in hell.
There’s can’t be a reward for the righteous if there isn’t punishment for the wicked.
Yes.
Hell exists because human free will exists. We can reject God and reject Heaven, or else we wouldn’t be free, so we have the same option Satan had and took, due to his pride and refusal to serve God. The very absence of God, the supreme good of whom St. Agustine said, “Our hearts are restless until they rest in thee,” is Hell.
Hell is real. It is separation from God. We can’t imagine it, but if you take the time to think that out, it is scary beyond words! Jesus said it clear enough, “I am the way, the truth, and the life, no man comes to the Father, but by me.” Hell is not where you want to be.
No.
i believe neither in heaven or hell…unless all animals [this includes humans] go there. what seperates us from the rest of the kingdom? we just have much higher IQs, is all. also, i highly doubt anybody is purely good or purely evil, so it’d be hard to divide people when they died into heaven-goers and hell-goers [it's early in the morning; please excuse my lack of vocabulary] if heaven and hell did exist.
anyways, i’m atheist, so i guess it’s kinda obvious what my answer would be.
Hell exists. Purgatory does not.
YESS, with 2 S’s. Why? cause i can.. ha ha
- Daniel (doublebd)
Yes, and one would think it might be a motivation for one’s conscience if contemplated upon with the knowledge of one’s sins. – JN.14:27 Rom.5:8
Hell is weird. I don’t know about it all. It’s just really strange to me that the Jews from way back did not believe in any sort of Hell or Satan. A lot of people probably don’t know that, but do your research and you’ll find it to be true.
-David
No.
yes
Man, no one knows anything about religion. Blind followers outnumber the religious scholars by a massive majority.
-David
Yes… it’s called United States… you didn’t know about it, huh?
I don’t believe that Jesus would allow Hell to exist. And if it does, I do not believe it is a fire. I mean, Satan could probably come up with something way worse than a stupid fire.
YOU GUYS ARE ALL BRAIN WASHED !!!!!!!!
If there truly is a God and he truly did create the world in 7 days, he must have created fire. If you are seperated from God after death, because of sin, why would you get to enjoy one of his most beautiful creations, fire.
BOTH heaven and hell are right here, right now, on Earth.
God is love, God is life. He is a loving God!
In purgatory or outer darkness i should say, you don’t get to experience love or life. Living right here on Earth people don’t get to experience love or life. For example, people in prison. They’re in hell.
it’s in the Bible
no. i don’t believe hell exists at all.
Hell exists until I die.
Then nothing exists anymore.
Jeez, you people, this aint rocket science!
I’m probably going there for saying well, the Pope should know..
Well, the Universe is expanding. Perhaps to make room for the sinners. How many souls can fit in just our sun? I believe in God and Miracles. Therefore, I must believe in Hell, right?
wow, I’m surprised by how many yeses there were. I agree with the yes answer.
Yes.
Hell is a finite. When the end of it is near, there will be a whole lot of sinning going on, and it isn’t going to be in church.
Yes Hell exists. But it is not seperation from God. God is omnipresent meaning he is everywhere. In order to be everywhere God has to be in Hell.
I don’t think a being of infinite love (God) would be capable of sending people to hell, much less making a hell in the first place.
If God really is a loving father to us all, why would he torture us forever, no matter what we did? Why not just destroy us? It would be the merciful thing to do. Isn’t God supposed to be merciful?
No matter what your kid did, would you set him on fire? Even for a few seconds and then put him out?
No? Why would God then, who is smarter and kinder than all of us?
If you said yes, then you are a fucking psycho and belong in an institution.
so, no. I don’t believe in a hell. I believe Hell is a state of mind. And I have been there and it isn’t fun.
In a sense, yes.
yes, with the caveat that hell is not eternal from the beginning — it will last forever, but it was created.
OH yeah… Do what I know what its really like? Yup…I work there…LOL
There is such a thing as hell, we call it life.
Is hell literal, or symbolic of something else? “And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.” (Rev 20:15). In light of this verse, I don’t see how hell can be understood as anything other than literal.
Is hell eternal? I don’t see anything in the Bible that even hints at it being temporary.
I know that hell is not a pleasant topic to think about. Sinners want to imagine that it doesn’t exist. So they try to dismiss it or reinterpret it or at least diminish it. But that’s all just wishful thinking.
As for hell not being mentioned in the Old Testament, consider these two points. One, for anyone who considers the entire Bible to be authoritative, then it doesn’t matter if something is mentioned in the OT but not the New Testament, or vice versa. Two, there are many things that are never mentioned in the OT. God reveals things to humankind in stages. Noah knew nothing about the Law or the Promised Land or anything like that. Abraham was not told about the Mosaic Law. Moses was not told about the fall of Satan from angelic prominence (Ezekiel showed us that). So it isn’t suprising that the NT would contain things not mentioned in the OT.
THE POPE SAID THIS?!? wow…i know its true but it surprises me that the pope would say such a thing
I believe that hell exists, but that there’s not a whole lot we can know about it.
I do not believe in purgatory. It is not biblical.
Yes, it says so in scripture.
everlasting fire — Matthew18:8, 25:41
everlasting punishment — Matthew 25:46
everlasting chains — Jude 1:6
eternal damnation — Mark 3:29
eternal judgment — Hebrews 6:2
eternal fire — Jude 1:7
unquenchable fire — Matthew 3:12
the fire that never shall be quenched— Mark 9:43, 44, 45, 46, 48
fire unquenchable — Luke 3:17
mist of darkness is reserved forever— 2 Peter 2:17
the blackness of darkness forever— Jude 1:13
There are really 4 options here:
1. You believe that hell exists, and live a life that causes you to go to heaven. YAY!
2. You belivieve that hell exists, and don’t really care. YOU’RE SCREWED!
3. You don’t believe that hell exists, and find out when you die that it does. YOU’RE SCREWED!
4. You don’t believe that hell exists and you’re right.
I think I’ll choose option 1.
i don’t believe that its just fire … i think its more of eternal suffering .. you’re stripped of happiness and left to grieve, hurt, suffer, etc. in all eternity …
I would classify myself as Agnostic…So, I don’t know if there is Hell or not, but I lean more towards the no.
yeah, pretty much. Hell is a pretty sick, depressing place, worse than anything we can imagine. i don’t believe in purgatory, mainly because (to me) it seems to defeat the purpose of Christ’s death and ressurection.
I think we should focus on positive things– okay let’s play the glad game!– well maybe not that positive, but I don’t personally know anyone who deserves hell, even if they are not the nicest people. Don’t dwell on hell, just try to be the best you can be. Life is hard enough without burdening people with some horrible imagery such as that. No Ice cream sundies for a month, that works for me.
I don’t think it’s fire, in our literal sense of the word. But I do think it exists.
To some people:
So, you think a God of infinate love would not bring justice to those who have been raped, tortured, whose lives have been destroyed, etc? How loving is it not to give people justice? Also, God promotes love – if He was not just, then there would be no reason for us not to hurt people because we would know that if we don’t do it, God won’t either, so who will?
If God doesn’t bring justice, we take it into our own hands. However, our God IS just, and therefore promotes love here on earth. He IS love.
He IS also just.
Yes Hell is a Real Place~
Yes, I think hell is maybe even in the core of the earth or something like that. Perhaps the earth’s core erupts and those who hate God are left in it to exsist. It would be hot, miserable, boiling and unbearable.
Yes. It is much like sitting through a child’s dance recital but hotter. On the good side, there is less humidity.
Yep.
i don’t take it figuratively or literally.
Nothing to question about it — HELL IS A LITERAL PLACE OF ETERNAL DAMNATION! God does not send people there. You send yourself there by not accepting His free gift of salvation ~ Jesus.
not sure
I first read your question as: Do you believe that hell “really exists and is EXTERNAL?” If there is a hell, it’s all in peoples’ minds.
Yes, but my views on what exactly hell is, are probably significantly different than the Pope.
Are you asking “Who’s religious?”
In that case, yes, I do.
as an adjective and a state of mind sure
It exists, but it is not eternal.
I found it odd to read that someone believes they are a Christian and believes in Jesus, but does not believe that there is a hell. Even more odd is to say that Scripture is just words.
Scripture is so much more than words. Without it, how would you know who Jesus is, what He said, what you need to do to follow Him, and so on? Scripture is not just words, but a guideline and tool to building your faith and so much more. To say that it is anything less demeans it’s whole purpose.
Also, Scripture describes hell as a lake of fire (Revelation 20:14,15). That sounds more like a place than an event to me. The event that casey_at_bat describes (consumed by fire) happens to Babylon (whatever that can be interpreted as) and therefore is not an event that happens in hell.
Yep. Check out what Ravi Zacharias says about God, His love and perspective on eternal separation (hell) HERE.
It is only a couple of minutes but I think you will find it interesting…
Well, after reading this, I thought “Woo! I’m gonna burn in hell!” Just being the sacreligious person I am… (I guess… Not really… I don’t know.) But no, I don’t believe in it. Just like I don’t believe in heaven. I believe that once you’re dead, you’re dead. And that’s it.
oh sure but from what ive heard were all going to heaven in the end, just after a hella long time in hell.
so not the eternal part…
It’s not real..
i’m not christian nor catholic, so i’d have to say no. well not eternally, but internally. i still do good deeds [sometimes!] so that if perhaps there is an afterlife, i wouldn’t suffer.
Ha, I don’t believe in an after life at all. All our souls are, are our energy, as far as we know energy cannot be created or destroyed. There for when we die our energy is displaced and reintroduced into our world. Here is a quick break down, we die *tear*, we get burried *roses*, worms eat our body and turn it into soil *gross*, plants use the nutrients and energy in the soil *life*, animals eat the plants *hungry*, we eat the animals and use that energy to create another life *the circle*. So in a way we have been reincarnated. It makes sense no?
“Hell is a pretty sick, depressing place, worse than anything we can imagine”
sounds like a lot of places here on earth.
No. Nothing happens when you die. Except for your corpse rotting in the ground. Posted 3/27/2007 4:15 PM by reality_asylum That’s one of the most depressing things I’ve ever heard… Posted 3/27/2007 4:42 PM by cinnamon_lady
How is that depressing?
Circle of life, bacteria consume you and add nitrogen to the soil, remember that talk that Mufasa gave Simba?
JEEZ
I think so, but I think the fire is figurative.
Then again, maybe it’ll be like it’s always pictured in The Far Side. (“Even the coffee’s cold…They thought of everything.”)
Yes and even if its not fire all it has to be is a bit worse than the terrible things that go on here on earth and I would say that would be hell…
Hell will exist in the future, but it is NOT eternal. Those who have not been forgiven of their sins will face the aionian penalty, but once served, will come into the Kingdom of God. http://www.tentmaker.org/
I don’t know.
[ariana]
I would like to believe that, but really i have to say i don’t. Truthfully i don’t know what to believe anymore.
I would like to believe that, but really i have to say i don’t. Truthfully i don’t know what to believe anymore.