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In the near future, I will be traveling with my uncle, who considers himself a Christian, but does not believe in non-believers burning for all eternity, to TN to visit my aunts, who are evangelical Christians who preach the Hell doctrine like they have all their lives. The idea that ~anyone~ including my aunts and every other Christian out there who believes in the idea of eternal hellfire really, I mean, really bothers me.
My question is thus - why is this such a "sticky" part of the Christian doctrine? Who in their right mind would believe in an sadistic, twisted Supreme Being who would torture non-believers to all eternity in a place of unimaginable horrors? What about the passage in the Bible which states that the wicked will be burned in the lake of fire in the so-called "second death"? Doesn't that preclude the idea of eternal torment? Should I mention this to my aunts? Or should I just "go along" with it like I have in the past when they invariably bring it up?
Christians and non-Christians alike, feel free to weigh in on this most dreadful of topics.
FYI - I consider myself spiritual, although I have practiced Christianity in the past. By most people's standards, I do come off as pretty agnostic, as I'm very much a "gotta see it to believe it" kind of guy.
If it's true, wouldn't you want to know if there is a way of escape?
The second death is mentioned on multiple occasions in the Bible.
Sum: Those who attempt to ascribe something a devil would be hard to invent, and tell the world this is our Heavenly Father's purpose, are the rascals who truly take His glorious Name in vain!
Sum: Those who attempt to ascribe something a devil would be hard to invent, and tell the world this is our Heavenly Father's purpose, are the rascals who truly take His glorious Name in vain!
I'll answer. It's because they are so out of touch with God and reality that they find it impossible to enjoy life. So the only way they can cope is to imagine all of the spiritually whole people who do enjoy life, as suffering in torment in payment for that joy. It's only "fair".
Sum: Those who attempt to ascribe something a devil would be hard to invent, and tell the world this is our Heavenly Father's purpose, are the rascals who truly take His glorious Name in vain!
In the near future, I will be traveling with my uncle, who considers himself a Christian, but does not believe in non-believers burning for all eternity, to TN to visit my aunts, who are evangelical Christians who preach the Hell doctrine like they have all their lives. The idea that ~anyone~ including my aunts and every other Christian out there who believes in the idea of eternal hellfire really, I mean, really bothers me.
My question is thus - why is this such a "sticky" part of the Christian doctrine? Who in their right mind would believe in an sadistic, twisted Supreme Being who would torture non-believers to all eternity in a place of unimaginable horrors? What about the passage in the Bible which states that the wicked will be burned in the lake of fire in the so-called "second death"? Doesn't that preclude the idea of eternal torment? Should I mention this to my aunts? Or should I just "go along" with it like I have in the past when they invariably bring it up?
Christians and non-Christians alike, feel free to weigh in on this most dreadful of topics.
FYI - I consider myself spiritual, although I have practiced Christianity in the past. By most people's standards, I do come off as pretty agnostic, as I'm very much a "gotta see it to believe it" kind of guy.
Your Uncle sounds like a reasonable man, sit-close to him.
The words endless torment (adialeipton timorion), eternal imprisonment (aidios eirgmos) and eternal punishment (aidios kalasin) do not appear anywhere in the Greek New Testament, at least not in conjunction. Neither, will you find the term aidios timorion or eternal torment. Therefore, whoever says that there is an eternal (aidios) time set for punishment (kalasin) beyond this life is sadly mistaken. It's a limited duration of aionion (αἰώνιον - a period of time as in an age) kalasin (Κόλασιν - chastisement or correction) which is in view; but the day and hour that it begins and ends is unpredictable. If it were eternal, then the word aidios would have been used. But not even Jesus used the word for eternal in conjunction with any kind of punishment or life for that matter. Aionian life is what you will have after the resurrection - until you have put on the incorruptible or that of immortality. And that is - if you believe in the thousand year reign. Which I don't! Personally, I believe nothing truly ever dies, it merely transforms.
His eternal (aidios) power and divine nature are the only things which are eternal and the New Testament has ONLY one word which can truthfully be translated as ETERNAL. This is the Greek word AIDIOS which is used only twice: For since the creation of the world GODS invisible qualities - His eternal (aidios) power and divine nature have been clearly seen.
You have a choice. You can believe in God’s Word or men’s lies. God asks for faith and to place trust in Him. Hell is real and a permanent reality for many.
You have a choice. You can believe in God’s Word or men’s lies. God asks for faith and to place trust in Him. Hell is real and a permanent reality for many.
I just put a couple of bags of potatoes in the cellar (i.e., basement), do you believe they will be french fries in a few centuries or merely petrified?
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