I initially started writing a reply to another thread and then felt this issue deserves discussion all on its own. I have done so more in search of knowledge regarding collective thought on this rather than everyone's personal opinion (Church or other doctrine vs individual opinion) though I also appreciate the thoughts of fellow ATSers or input from ATSers with more experience on teachings than I have had.

I fail to see the point of Hell. If God is all powerful and created us all, then why not simply do away with all evil or Hell deserving souls? If there is a rabid dog, you destroy it, not torture it. Why torture for eternity? Revenge? If God is all powerful, can he not keep bad souls from escaping Hell? And if he can, why not just let them alone there on their own? Is Hell just the denial of God's love or is it horrors added to existence? Does the point of Hell mean there is a possibility of redemption even from Hell? Otherwise.... what is the need for Hell at all? Fear induced behavioral modification on this plane of life?

Were I all powerful I could "de-create" what I created. Eliminate the bad seeds. Were I less powerful I might be able to imprison them on a permanent basis. Were I less powerful than that, I could imprison them but not be sure they could never escape. Why torture forever? I have been told lately about NDE (near death experiences) regarding life in Heaven as well as Hell.... I just don't see the point of Hell unless God feels the need for revenge and cannot remove bad souls from an existence he created. Did he set rules for himself he cannot break? I'M CONFUSED!!!! ( and don't want to go to Hell, of course!) I would think God would be logical and pragmatic in the long term.

So... this isn't a set of questions about whether or not God exists, there are enough of those threads in here already, instead its more for believers or learned persons and What's The Deal With Hell???????? Not Proof of Heaven or Hell, but WHY A HELL?

If strange men in big ships came to your sedentary peaceful village and told you about a god who watches everything you do and judges you and that if you are good you get paradise, but if you are bad then you go to eternal suffering, and you, as a lowly mundane tribal person with shiny beads and lots of fertile land were not innocent enough to be desperately afraid of eternal suffering then you too would submit to the powerful men with fire sticks and thunder that rains down from their floating islands..

Control.

Obey the moral codes I say come from god, and you are good. Continue in your heathen unchristian ways, and you go to hell.. We might even make the transition rather painful with fire and oil.

I can't seem to understand your confussion. But all humans are born innocent, this world is nothing but a trial for the next world to come. To say that some people are only born to be evil and thrown in hell is like saying that they have no free will, which every human does. Your free to do evil and at the same time you're free to do good. Everything will be judged in according to your intentions. God knows what's in your heart and he knows your intention.

What makes a human evil is the Qarin they are given, which is a form of evil that's put into their heart, every human has this. It's suppose to make you do good so that you may have a challenge to beat it and suffocating it. You can only keep this Qarin from making you do evil with good deeds that please Allah (God). And then there is Iblis:

In Islam, the Devil is known as ʾIblīs (Arabic: إبليس‎, plural: ابالسة ʾAbālisa) or Shayṭān (Arabic: شيطان‎, plural: شياطين Shayāṭīn). According to the Quran, God created Iblis out of "smokeless fire or from the pure flame of fire" (along with all of the other jinn) and created man out of clay. The primary characteristic of the Devil, besides hubris, is that he has no power other than the power to cast evil suggestions into the heart of men, women, and jinn, although the Quran does mention appointing jinn to assist those who are far from God in a general context. "We made the Shayatin (devils) ʾAwliyāʾ (protectors and helpers) for those who believe not." (سورة الأعراف al-ʾAʿraf, Chapter #7, Verse #27)

I'm telling you, if you really want to know the truth of life, go search for it. You can't expect to drink something without lifting something, can you? It's the same thing for truth, you have to seek it, you have to have the intention in your heart. Go read about religion and whatever there is.

There is a purpose for Hell and there is also a purpose for Paradise, this world is nothing but a trial. But you have to know that the Hereafter is Eternal. It is so because Allah (God) wills, even if we can't comprehend it.

The big hint of an answer is to be found in God's Law as given to Moses. Note that death is the ultimate penalty for transgression, with no threat of further punishment. In particular, note the Law of the Jubilee, which specifies that at certain set times, all debts are paid, and that even if we have had to sell ourselves into bondage for our debt, when the Jubilee is sounded, we go out free to our lands and inheritance. If we equate sin with debt, the implications are obvious: the consequences of sin are temporal, meaning no eternal punishment, no eternal torture, no eternal destruction. Ultimately, and that may take a long time, everyone goes free to their inheritance. In the end, we get off easy, but yet we must answer for our sins. It is still better to live a good life.

Whether or not hell is an actual place, I don't know. But if it's only a state of mind, the purpose for its existence remains the same. It is the code of conduct dictator. I prefer to see it as a state of mind. If you do something that you'll regret, that regret is hell. The feeling of regret is in place as part of our existence so that we can learn what actions we have taken that have caused this feeling and then correct our habits of behavior so that we don't feel it in the future.

No one wants to feel regret, and no one wants to go to hell. That is why they are so effective in their purpose. Hell islike the sum of all things wwe don't want to feel. It is the ultimate motivator for keeping us in line. Heaven is the reward and is also the ultimate motivator. Failure to acknowledge our situation, whatever it is, is ignorance. And ignorance will get you stuck making the same mistakes over and over again. Hell nor heaven will serve you very well if you don't acknowledge the lessons they teach.

How can a just God both love and hate you at the same time? It's an oxymoron. If people can forgive the most egregious of crimes against others........feel safe, God is better than that. Give up the notion of hell. It's fear and control mechanism. Just try to do your best.

What interests me is what people think Hell is:if they believe in it. Some people literally believe in a Hell that is far under the ground and in the centre of the Earth. So what do you think Hell is? If it exists what would it look like? I was in a documentary that it was thought to be avery large place with millions of Demons, buildings cities to some. There was also supposed to be different levels.

If most levels of Hell have buildings, does it really sound that bad? People who over eat so Dante said go to a Hell of constant rain and mud. However if there are buildings this does not sound that bad. Would the develpment as far along as ours? This would mean there could be an internet. Maybe the best was to see if there was a Hell would be to look for very deep cables that should not be there, or very remots wireless internet. lol

Originally posted by jaxnmarko
I initially started writing a reply to another thread and then felt this issue deserves discussion all on its own. I have done so more in search of knowledge regarding collective thought on this rather than everyone's personal opinion (Church or other doctrine vs individual opinion) though I also appreciate the thoughts of fellow ATSers or input from ATSers with more experience on teachings than I have had.

I fail to see the point of Hell. If God is all powerful and created us all, then why not simply do away with all evil or Hell deserving souls? If there is a rabid dog, you destroy it, not torture it. Why torture for eternity? Revenge? If God is all powerful, can he not keep bad souls from escaping Hell? And if he can, why not just let them alone there on their own? Is Hell just the denial of God's love or is it horrors added to existence? Does the point of Hell mean there is a possibility of redemption even from Hell? Otherwise.... what is the need for Hell at all? Fear induced behavioral modification on this plane of life?

Were I all powerful I could "de-create" what I created. Eliminate the bad seeds. Were I less powerful I might be able to imprison them on a permanent basis. Were I less powerful than that, I could imprison them but not be sure they could never escape. Why torture forever? I have been told lately about NDE (near death experiences) regarding life in Heaven as well as Hell.... I just don't see the point of Hell unless God feels the need for revenge and cannot remove bad souls from an existence he created. Did he set rules for himself he cannot break? I'M CONFUSED!!!! ( and don't want to go to Hell, of course!) I would think God would be logical and pragmatic in the long term.

So... this isn't a set of questions about whether or not God exists, there are enough of those threads in here already, instead its more for believers or learned persons and What's The Deal With Hell???????? Not Proof of Heaven or Hell, but WHY A HELL?

edit on 26-2-2013 by jaxnmarko because: grammar

Questions inadvertantly contain the answer...but, the real question is...Why would anyone create a scapegoat and locum?...surely, the psychology of diversionary delusion couldn't be that old?...or could it?...Neat little package, tied with a 'blame' bow, holding it all together...The lengths taken to abrogate responsibility are endless...and in humans case, self fulfilling...

A99

Originally posted by jaxnmarko

Were I all powerful I could "de-create" what I created. Eliminate the bad seeds. Were I less powerful I might be able to imprison them on a permanent basis. Were I less powerful than that, I could imprison them but not be sure they could never escape. Why torture forever? I have been told lately about NDE (near death experiences) regarding life in Heaven as well as Hell.... I just don't see the point of Hell unless God feels the need for revenge and cannot remove bad souls from an existence he created. Did he set rules for himself he cannot break? I'M CONFUSED!!!! ( and don't want to go to Hell, of course!) I would think God would be logical and pragmatic in the long term.

So... this isn't a set of questions about whether or not God exists, there are enough of those threads in here already, instead its more for believers or learned persons and What's The Deal With Hell???????? Not Proof of Heaven or Hell, but WHY A HELL?[

Were YOU all powerful you would de-create your creation. I would have imagined you had thought this through before opening Pandora's box. God is an Autistic Being and only learns through your actions (ITS creation); so is not about to destroy its own TOYBOX in the process of forsaking learning (jealously protective). There are two Creators involved here, the one that went AWOL (not voluntarily) and the Other that is picking up the pieces. The only Hell is the one you have decided for yourself; on this Earth acted out real body real time or the other one that you have designed specifically for your joyous dead homecoming BACK to the netherworld (believe me you do this all by yourself); its comical.

In the bible: although there are now various versions: it was said "My God is a vengeful God". This pretty much sums up the reason for Hell. God has a Hell because he wants to, He wants to punish those that do not do as he/she/it wants. This is the main hub of the argument and the bible. God by nature is all powerful and so could have created things in a way which was better: after all God is by nature of being God all powerful. However some people do not believe in God at all.

But if you do then you will need to accept: if a catholic,christian: that God is vengeful.