Have you been there or know of someone who has?

If you are of the belief that there is an afterlife, then one could assume based on your logic that there is no sensory perception at all. Hence one can not experience the pleasures of paradise as well as the torment of hell.

Or is it possible that we just do not like to think that we can be eternally punished for rejecting God? And at the same time we can experience eternal pleasure for accepting that same God?

Originally posted by Akragon

But i tell you... Fear not my friends... There is no pain beyond this life...

Originally posted by Akragon

The physical world is only a stepping stone...

Originally posted by micmerci
reply to post by Akragon

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"HELL does not exist" is a very definitive statement. Can you provide a source of proof for this conclusion? The doctrine of heaven comes from the same source as the doctrine of hell as far as I remember

Originally posted by BrokenCircles
reply to post by Akragon

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Originally posted by Akragon

But i tell you... Fear not my friends... There is no pain beyond this life...

My personal opinion is that there is absolutely nothing whatsoever beyond this life. Birth. Life. Death. The End. All that remains of you is other peoples memories of you.


But for the sake of discussion, let's pretend for a moment that there is something more....

Emotional pain hurts much more than physical pain. It is a different type of pain, that runs much deeper.

If there actually is a Hell, maybe it is only visions. Repetitious visions of pain being inflicted upon those whom you love more than yourself. That would definitely be tormenting.

Originally posted by Akragon

The physical world is only a stepping stone...

Too bad that it is the only one.

Originally posted by micmerci
reply to post by Akragon

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Gehenna was just one of the words that scripture used to reference hell (Greek). There is also Hades, Sheol< and Lake of Fire. What is being described in all these references if Hell does not exist?

Emotional pain hurts much more than physical pain. It is a different type of pain, that runs much deeper.

Originally posted by Akragon

Originally posted by micmerci
reply to post by Akragon

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"HELL does not exist" is a very definitive statement. Can you provide a source of proof for this conclusion? The doctrine of heaven comes from the same source as the doctrine of hell as far as I remember

Hell is a loose translation of the word Gehenna.... which was a physical place outside the walls of Jerusalam... A litteral garbage dump where bodies of people who could not afford a proper burial were thrown... They used sulfer (brimstone) to destroy the material in the area which burned continuiously day and night... which is where they got the idea of "Hell" being a place of eternal torture and firey torment.

“There was a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen and lived in luxury every day. At his gate was laid a beggar named Lazarus, covered with sores and longing to eat what fell from the rich man’s table. Even the dogs came and licked his sores.

“The time came when the beggar died and the angels carried him to Abraham’s side. The rich man also died and was buried. In Hades, where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham far away, with Lazarus by his side. So he called to him, ‘Father Abraham, have pity on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in agony in this fire.’

“But Abraham replied, ‘Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, while Lazarus received bad things, but now he is comforted here and you are in agony. And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been set in place, so that those who want to go from here to you cannot, nor can anyone cross over from there to us.’

“He answered, ‘Then I beg you, father, send Lazarus to my family, for I have five brothers. Let him warn them, so that they will not also come to this place of torment.’

“Abraham replied, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets; let them listen to them.’

“‘No, father Abraham,’ he said, ‘but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.’

“He said to him, ‘If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.’” (Luke 16:19-31 NIV)