Why Hell? - Page 4

lauraclay · 04-24-2007, 02:38 PM

Symbolism for what?

aflockadevos · 04-25-2007, 02:06 AM

Symbolism like used in any kind of story or narrative as a way of trying to convince others (i.e., non-believers or agnostics) that the only way is the Christian way. By telling this story of a bad place they probabaly hope to win souls. Just my 2 cents I'm not an expert....

Chapstiquelova · 05-01-2007, 06:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Vencedor

Im agnostic and i was discussing hell with my gf (who is christian). Somehow we became incredibly confused by it, i'll try to explain our issue. According to the Bible the following is true.

we go to hell for eternity
we suffer in hell for eternity
this suffering is a punishment

now i brought in my understanding of what a punishment is

we are punished for doing something wrong
we are punished so that we will learn from our mistake
we learn from our mistake so we know not to make it again

now these two work together for a while. perhaps the people in hell will eventually learn they were wrong about God (i think they'd realise quite quickly) and then they will have learnt from their punishment. but normally after this the right course of action would be to stop punishing them, and they're in hell for eternity so it doesn't stop. They arn't even given a chance to make the same mistake so whats the point in even teaching them not to? My question is this, what is the real point of the eternal suffering in hell? If it is punishment, then please explain y my definition has got me so confused. If not, then there must be some other explanation for it.

(I've asked around 10 people, atheists, agnostics and christians this question and none of them have given me an answer)

Its not about learning from our mistakes when ur in hell.
That is what Life here is for.
God has made himself known in Everymans heart.
Works dont get u to heaven.
U could have been The sweetest person ever to walk the earth and that would not get u into heaven.
U have to accept Jesus as ur savior and believe on what he did.
This is option A: God and Heaven.
Option B: Reject God, and not accept Christ, so u suffer eternal Death.
It Called death but it is not literally death.
Its an eternal, Place u go to if u dont love Jesus(God)

Og · 05-01-2007, 07:15 PM

Quote:

Its not about learning from our mistakes when ur in hell.
That is what Life here is for.
God has made himself known in Everymans heart.
Works dont get u to heaven.
U could have been The sweetest person ever to walk the earth and that would not get u into heaven.
U have to accept Jesus as ur savior and believe on what he did.
This is option A: God and Heaven.
Option B: Reject God, and not accept Christ, so u suffer eternal Death.
It Called death but it is not literally death.
Its an eternal, Place u go to if u dont love Jesus(God)

No its not. It is a metaphor.

Chapstiquelova · 05-01-2007, 07:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Og

No its not. It is a metaphor.

R u talking bout Hell?

Armel P · 05-01-2007, 07:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Vencedor

Im agnostic and i was discussing hell with my gf (who is christian). Somehow we became incredibly confused by it, i'll try to explain our issue. According to the Bible the following is true.

we go to hell for eternity
we suffer in hell for eternity
this suffering is a punishment

now i brought in my understanding of what a punishment is

we are punished for doing something wrong
we are punished so that we will learn from our mistake
we learn from our mistake so we know not to make it again

now these two work together for a while. perhaps the people in hell will eventually learn they were wrong about God (i think they'd realise quite quickly) and then they will have learnt from their punishment. but normally after this the right course of action would be to stop punishing them, and they're in hell for eternity so it doesn't stop. They arn't even given a chance to make the same mistake so whats the point in even teaching them not to? My question is this, what is the real point of the eternal suffering in hell? If it is punishment, then please explain y my definition has got me so confused. If not, then there must be some other explanation for it.

(I've asked around 10 people, atheists, agnostics and christians this question and none of them have given me an answer)

Someone may have already pointed this out but no harm done if I do it again.

The problem with the way you're thinking about it is that you are relying on a dictionary definition of punishment to draw a conclusion about a purpose that is independent of language. This results in the conflict that God - if the word was actually used in the O.T. - misunderstood the definition. The definition is not important. It's an issue of cause and effect. Instead of punishment one can call it lawdgfhagwf and it wouldn't change anything. I don't know if I'm expressing myself clearly but that's the best I can do.

Og · 05-01-2007, 07:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chapstiquelova

R u talking bout Hell?

Yes, I R Talk bout he11

jaej · 05-01-2007, 09:30 PM

hahahahahahah. thank you. lol

vimoh · 05-03-2007, 01:15 PM

Coming to think of it, doesn't the idea of punishment seem weird? I see many religions trying to threaten people into being good.

Doesn't that appear weird to anyone?

vimoh · 05-03-2007, 01:18 PM

Quote:

(I've asked around 10 people, atheists, agnostics and christians this question and none of them have given me an answer).

Chaptisquelova, I am sure everyone gave you an answer. Only, nothing satisfied you.

Faithful and faithless alike love answering things, regardless of how little we know.