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Don't get me wrong, I'm all for punishment and ridding society of those who do evil upon others, but......I'm also a very forgiving and understanding person. I realize people make mistakes and need second chances. We all do, we all have and we all will make mistakes in our lives.
The one aspect about Christianity is the fire and hell. I mean eternity, last I checked is a pretty long time. If God created us in his own image, then why would someone who lived an un-Godly life have to suffer in burning hell for eternity? Or what about the nice sincere Indian lady, whom because she did not "ask Jesus into her heart" will also have to burn in hell forever???????? This aspect of Christian belief seems waaaaaaaayyyyyyyyy to harsh for me to accept?
The bible tells us God is a forgiving God, he IS love and understanding. I know we can repent and have a choice to be saved, BUT, some people still are not going to do this and defi God. I agree perhaps they should face punishment, BUT BURN IN HELL FOREVER? Come on. Even my hard azz self, if I were the creator would eventually look down there into hell and feel sorry and want to give these people (souls) another chance.
Do you people really believe that forever in hell, means that? What about the relatives? My mother for instance would really have a hard time picturing me, her son burning in hell forever and she is about as Christian as they come by.
Would this not be a punishment for her too, torment knowing her son is burning alive forever? I honestly believe many lost souls will be given one last chance, but perhaps I'm wrong?
most often it seems it's because they commited the unforgivable sin of thinking for themselves
That's it keep telling yourself that Christians can't think for themselves.
To Travelmate38, my question is: where does the Bible say that people will go to hell?
If you look in the original Greek and Hebrew manuscripts, you'll find that there is no word that carries the modern connotations of hell that we understand. There are four words routinely and traditionally translated as "hell": sheol, hades, gehenna and tartarus. "Sheol" is the Hebrew term for the grave or the common destination of all both righteous and wicked. There is no usage of this term as a place of conscious torture. "Hades" is the Greek equivalent of Hades. It simply means the abode of the dead or grave. Early Christians also used this word to translate the Hebrew sheol. Gehenna is the Greek form of the Hebrew Ge-Hinom meaning the "valley of Hinom." This valley was a literal garbage dump in the days of Jesus where fires burned constantly and incinerated everything thrown there. The connotations of Gehenna are that of purification. Jesus uses this term to refer to the fires of Gehenna destroying the wicked (destroying the refuse was precisely what the Valley of Hinom did). The fires of "hell" are also used in Jude, where he says the punishment of eternal fire is exemplified in Sodom and Gomorrah....but Sodom and Gomorrah don't exist, they've been destroyed! Thus, punishment of eternal fire = destruction. The final word, "tartarus" does denote a place of conscious punishment; a place of gloom. However, it is used in the Bible only once. It is used only in 1 Peter, where the apostle tells us that Satan and his demons are being held in gloomy dungeons in tartarus until the day of judgment. So see, the context fits the words being used, and never does the Bible tell us that people will be going to "hell" whatever that means. I suggest you look up the theory of Annihilationism--not all Christians believe in a literal hell.
Not only is God a loving God, he is a righteous God. He will not do anything that is not right. We mortals are not capable of comprehending everlasting punishment so God words it in a way that should cause everyone to repent and obey Him so they will not be cast out from His presence and all He is creating for the saved. It is written, the wicked will be cast into outer darkness. That is logical since God created light, and they will not see 'the light' and be saved.
Who can say He may change his mind eventually and give them another chance....He did Nineveh. I certainly would not want to take that chance. I am not fond of complete darkness!
I am a Christian and I believe the Bible teaches hell is eternal. But God does not send anyone there, people send themselves there when they reject Him. It's a choice.
your post reflects very much our national sentiment. adversity & opposition to entire concept of punishment. without it, there is no justice. FYI god doesn't have to pack anybody off to hell, most i see make their own, (see it on CD frequently).
Not only is God a loving God, he is a righteous God. He will not do anything that is not right. We mortals are not capable of comprehending everlasting punishment so God words it in a way that should cause everyone to repent and obey Him so they will not be cast out from His presence and all He is creating for the saved. It is written, the wicked will be cast into outer darkness. That is logical since God created light, and they will not see 'the light' and be saved.
If the bible is to be believed then we gained the ability to know the difference between good and evil. This allows me to make a judgement and after reading the OT, ive concluded that god is evil. Punishing the wicked is one thing but in the bible, the punishment from god is almost always disproportionate to the nature of the crime.
You can add an infinite string of good adjectives to god but it wont change the reality of her acts of malevolence. It seems to me that these acts are mainly ignored in order to focus on jesus act of sacrifice. Jesus may have died for our sins in a show of the love of god but that doesn't negate certain events in the past
Quote:
Originally Posted by Marianinark
Who can say He may change his mind eventually and give them another chance....He did Nineveh.
Only if god is not omniscient
Quote:
Originally Posted by Marianinark
I certainly would not want to take that chance. I am not fond of complete darkness!
Would'nt god like Y'know, be aware that im just acting all christian just to be safe?
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