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Originally posted by Hydroman
Then there's the issue with Matthew 18:19 "Again, I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything you ask for, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven." ...which isn't true. Not only is it not true, but this god doesn't have the decency to tell you that he's not going to do it. Instead, you keep praying, and praying, and praying only to find out later that it just isn't going to happen. Wouldn't it be much easier if he clearly said "no" ?
There are no stipulations in that verse. Yet, when more two or more agree about something and ask for it, it isn't done. I've seen this countless times. It is enough to make one lose faith, like I have. It shows me that there is no one listening to those prayers.
Like I said, there's NO stipulations in that verse. It doesn't say, "If it is my father's will, then he will do it." No, on the contrary, it says, "My father WILL do it."
Originally posted by Deetermined
When need be, God's will will take precedence over our own, unfortunately we don't know the details of the circumstances under which that determination is made.
Originally posted by Hydroman
If E.T. beings arrive, are you going to be one of the ones who stands up and says "Those are demons!" ? What if they are not demons?
What if these Jinn/Demons are in fact E.T.s and ancient people did not understand this idea and labeled them as spirit beings because they didn't understand the technology?
What do you think would happen if we were to learn how to travel to distant galaxies, and found an inhabited planet with beings there who were in the iron age? We land there and show them our technology. Don't you think they'd believe we were gods?
Originally posted by jmdewey60
I was going to comment on the post above that now seems to have been removed but it was saying some horrific stuff about being tortured in hell. I went to this place in the center of the earth which I have to take as being hell and it was not like that. No one was being tortured or anything.
1:20-33 Solomon, having showed how dangerous it is to hearken to the temptations of Satan, here declares how dangerous it is not to hearken to the calls of God. Christ himself is Wisdom, is Wisdoms. Three sorts of persons are here called by Him: 1. Simple ones. Sinners are fond of their simple notions of good and evil, their simple prejudices against the ways of God, and flatter themselves in their wickedness. 2. Scorners. Proud, jovial people, that make a jest of every thing. Scoffers at religion, that run down every thing sacred and serious. 3. Fools. Those are the worst of fools that hate to be taught, and have a rooted dislike to serious godliness. The precept is plain; Turn you at my reproof. We do not make a right use of reproofs, if we do not turn from evil to that which is good. The promises are very encouraging. Men cannot turn by any power of their own; but God answers, Behold, I will pour out my Spirit unto you. Special grace is needful to sincere conversion. But that grace shall never be denied to any who seek it. The love of Christ, and the promises mingled with his reproofs, surely should have the attention of every one. It may well be asked, how long men mean to proceed in such a perilous path, when the uncertainty of life and the consequences of dying without Christ are considered? Now sinners live at ease, and set sorrow at defiance; but their calamity will come. Now God is ready to hear their prayers; but then they shall cry in vain. Are we yet despisers of wisdom? Let us hearken diligently, and obey the Lord Jesus, that we may enjoy peace of conscience and confidence in God; be free from evil, in life, in death, and for ever.
Originally posted by Hydroman
Like I said, there's NO stipulations in that verse. It doesn't say, "If it is my father's will, then he will do it." No, on the contrary, it says, "My father WILL do it."
Originally posted by Deetermined
When need be, God's will will take precedence over our own, unfortunately we don't know the details of the circumstances under which that determination is made.
I suppose that is possible and I had not considered that there may be more than one Hell. I doubt that there is, and from what I have seen in literature is that it seems rather consistently described as a single place but with different areas. I did not find it that way myself, being different from one area to another, and more like just one big world, the sameness being the overriding theme to the whole place.
Originally posted by NOTurTypical
Originally posted by jmdewey60
I was going to comment on the post above that now seems to have been removed but it was saying some horrific stuff about being tortured in hell. I went to this place in the center of the earth which I have to take as being hell and it was not like that. No one was being tortured or anything.
The Bible tells us there are different levels/degrees of torment in Hell. One example is when Christ is condemning cities that rejected Him and He told a city.. "it will be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrah...". The idea that different people could experience different levels of torment is consistent with scripture.
Originally posted by jmdewey60
I suppose that is possible and I had not considered that there may be more than one Hell. I doubt that there is, and from what I have seen in literature is that it seems rather consistently described as a single place but with different areas. I did not find it that way myself, being different from one area to another, and more like just one big world, the sameness being the overriding theme to the whole place.
Originally posted by NOTurTypical
Originally posted by jmdewey60
I was going to comment on the post above that now seems to have been removed but it was saying some horrific stuff about being tortured in hell. I went to this place in the center of the earth which I have to take as being hell and it was not like that. No one was being tortured or anything.
The Bible tells us there are different levels/degrees of torment in Hell. One example is when Christ is condemning cities that rejected Him and He told a city.. "it will be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrah...". The idea that different people could experience different levels of torment is consistent with scripture.
No judgment (from my experience) unless being there is judgment in itself.
Not multiple hells, but multiple compartments/dimensionalities of the same hell, for different degrees of judgment.
Originally posted by jmdewey60
reply to post by NOTurTypical
No judgment (from my experience) unless being there is judgment in itself.
Not multiple hells, but multiple compartments/dimensionalities of the same hell, for different degrees of judgment.
Maybe what you are thinking is that there are multiple places where each place has a nature to it that corresponds with the kind of life you deserve in hell, as determined from your former life in the ordinary world.
This is incorrect. If you would have told me 5 years ago that in the future I would be an atheist, I would have laughed in your face. I NEVER thought I would be an unbeliever. I was one of those who thought they had a personal relationship with Jesus. I "spoke" to him all the time. I loved him. I realize now that I was brainwashed/self deluded like everyone else in any other religious belief system.
Originally posted by Deetermined
No, but there are plenty of verses in the Bible that also mentions that you must possess "no doubt" in your faith in order for miracles to be performed. Unfortunately, turning completely away from the faith shows that you obviously had your doubts about it in the first place.
www.biblegateway.com...
This is incorrect.
I would say that there is a metaphorical intent to what you are referring to, which is a term from the Book of Revelation, and it is symbolic of what happens at the conclusion of a war of conquest. The result of a conquest is that there is a new king, in the place of whoever the king was who was conquered. The former king would have been disposed by the ultimately superior force on account of breaking treaties, or leading insurrection against that greater power. The captured misbehaving king would be displayed and brought before the governing body of the successful political entity to be pronounced worthy of execution for his crimes, then others who had joined in with that condemned person would also be summarily dispatched as was already formulated prior to the sentence of the defeated king, and would join that person in his fate as officially determined by edict of the supreme council.
But, obviously we haven't been through the Great Whitte Throne judgment yet, so no one has had a formal judgment yet.
Originally posted by Hydroman
Hey, if Jesus wants us to believe in hell, he should take all of us there and let us all see it, not just a few people. Next, are we supposed to follow him because we're afraid of hell?edit on 15-12-2011 by Hydroman because: (no reason given)
I then saw Col. Muammar Gaddafi, who was recently killed by the rebels in Libya. He said “he is there because he didn’t believe in Jesus”.
Originally posted by flexy123
Question: Who goes to hell?
Question: Who goes to hell?