Thoughts on Hell-part 1

As I was growing up, my parents took me to a church that never talked about Hell. I have heard it mentioned in different places in American culture with its description of people burning in flames for zillions of years, but it didn't seem to have any real substance to it. That started to change a little as I was told to "go to hell" by many people on many occasions. it caused me to stop and consider if Hell, with all its torments, really existed. I figured that my definition of hell would be, having to spend eternity dealing with the spirit of those who told me to "go to hell", along with other discontented souls.

In 1992 I moved to Arizona and started attending church again after several years of being away from it. There was no church of the denomination I was raised in where I lived so I thought I would go to the closest one (I didn't know there was any major difference between them at that time) to my apartment. It happened to be a Southern Baptist Church. Much to my surprise, they are quite passionate about their understanding of Hell and that people are going to their hell if they don't "accept Jesus Christ as their personal Lord and Savior". They seemed quite burdened by this because they couldn't explain the notion of how people burning for zillions of years was an accurate execution of justice coming from a god of so called "love". Whenever pushed into a corner, such people usually respond with, "Well, the Bible says it and I believe it, so that settles it."

But does the Bible really say it? As a person who has studied the Bible over the years, I have noticed that a person can persuade others that the Bible says practically anything. Especially if the listener has had little or no exposure to Scripture themselves. This is what caused the dark ages. It became a crime for a non-church official (priest, monk, etc.) to own a Bible. This was done to control the masses; and it opened the door for a mass of superstitious beliefs to be proclaimed which would oppress the consciences of the people. One of these beliefs was in purgatory. Purgatory is supposedly a place where people go when they die to have their "sins" burned out of them so they can be fit for "heaven". If one pays enough money or says enough prayers, they can get their loved ones out of purgatory quicker. Fortunately, the printing press has since been invented and anyone who has a desire to know the truth can easily see that purgatory is not mentioned in Scripture at all.

So what gives man the idea that these places of torment, torture, and punishment exist in the first place when the Bible says:

For, behold, the day cometh, that shall burn as an over; and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly, shall be as stubble: and the day that cometh shall burn them up, saith the LORD of hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch. But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings; and ye shall go forth, and grow up as calves of the stall. And ye shall tread down the wicked; for they shall be ashes under the soles of your feet in the day that I shall do this, saith the LORD of host. Mal. 4:1-3.

Thou hast defiled thy sanctuaries by the multitude of thine iniquities, by the iniquity of thy traffic; therefore will I bring forth a fire from the midst of thee, it shall devour thee, and I will bring thee to ashes upon the earth in the sight of all them that behold thee. All they that know thee among the people shall be astonished at thee: thou shalt be a terror, and never shalt thou be any more. Eze. 28:18-19.

Truly the day is coming, and is even now unfolding, when my Father will be permanently resolved of His enemies as they are entirely burnt UP. but it doesn't say that they will be put in a place where they will have to deal with their rebellious decisions for zillions of years.

Don't get me wrong; I know that hell is real, for my Father has delivered me out of it. And it does involve burning, but it is not the burning that involves literal flames like the ones that brought down the World Trade Center (if one believes that the fires were alone responsible for that). It is written:

For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature: And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompense of their error which was meet. And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient; being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deciet, malignity; whisperers, backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, without understanding, covenant-breakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful: Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them. Rom. 1:26-32.

When one is in Hell, they are burning in the torment that they can not contain themselves, but continually express the sentiments listed above. This makes it almost impossible to have a genuine relationship with any other person. Some may hallucinate their mind with substances and pretend it's not real, or that it will change someday. They may pray for forgiveness, or to get better, but to no avail. These fires burn forever until the soul is entirely burned up, or delivered by my Father. Many people who claim to be Christians are burning in Hell right now, and it is evident with their war on terrorism and their zeal to "rid the world of evil". They seem to overlook the fact that Jesus said, "But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you." Mat. 5:44.

So where did Hell originate anyway? Did God predestine people to come into this world to have to deal with this for no apparent reason? I will share these things in another post as I am led of my Father.

[Edited on 2-4-2004 by Timothy]

[Edited on 2-4-2004 by Timothy]

It is a known fact that when you condition a person to behave a certain way or believe a certain thing, it is much more effective, and difficult to reverse, if the person being conditioned is under stress or in a traumatic situation.

Likewise, when the church wanted to manipulate it's followers to live and practice their specific doctrine, it told them about a place of unspeakable horrors that lasted an eternity, then it told them how they could avoid that terrifying place. The stress invoked by hearing of such a horrific afterlife, allowed the complete indoctrination of the church's followers, and has instilled such a strong fear of torture and condemnation that it is almost impossible to break through that conditioning.

This is where the "don't question the Bible" and "because, the Bible says so" mentality comes from. It doesn't allow for logical and objective study of what the Bible says. The concept of an infinite, omnipotent, almighty God who knows all things, past, present and future, who would create creatures, knowing that the majority of them will spend eternity in pain and torment, is absurd. A God like that would have to be a sadist.

If God is the infinite source of all that exists, , then It must also be WITHIN EVERYTHING. This means everything that exists, including Hell, makes up a significant part of God. If God were to condemn anything or anyone to Hell, to suffer for eternity, It would sentence Itself to the same fate as well.

I am more inclined to believe that "Satan" represents our human nature/body, and "Hell" represents the separation experienced by those who knowingly shut out their spiritual connection to the "Infinite Spirit".
In contrast, "Heaven" is the utter peace our spirit receives when it's freed from the clutches of "Satan" (the body), and reconciled with the "One" or God.

I had a similar thread a while back, if you want to see some of the other views on this.
www.belowtopsecret.com...

Jezebel,

If God is the infinite source of all that exists, , then It must also be WITHIN EVERYTHING. This means everything that exists, including Hell, makes up a significant part of God. If God were to condemn anything or anyone to Hell, to suffer for eternity, It would sentence Itself to the same fate as well.

I am more inclined to believe that "Satan" represents our human nature/body, and "Hell" represents the separation experienced by those who knowingly shut out their spiritual connection to the "Infinite Spirit".
In contrast, "Heaven" is the utter peace our spirit receives when it's freed from the clutches of "Satan" (the body), and reconciled with the "One" or God.

I basically agree with you although I may state it differently. One of the reasons I'm posting these things is to share with whoever will listen, that what you and I are saying is what Scripture says too. I have tried to share this, along with other things with the professing Christian world, but they keep censoring me, or kick me off their forums. So, here I am, for now.