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Does anyone believe in hell anymore?
Topic Started: Aug 16 2009, 04:59 AM (2,838 Views)
Brewster
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Well said, Ban.
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ngc1514
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Banandangees
Aug 17 2009, 09:05 AM
I'd rather that there be no hell. But for some, there has been "fire and brimstone" here on earth, so why would it be a stretch for us to consider that there very well could be a hell of that type when all is done? But then there is the "love" of a creator, how could a God of love send one of his creation to a hell .... or is it that God doesn't send us to such a place, but rather that we send ourselves by the independent free will that he allowed us? Do we really have avenues of choice that determines our fate? For a Christian (I understand from reading the words of Jesus) that he died for man's sins that we may be saved from a hell and that all we have to do is believe in him as savior. But, must we also follow him and if so, how far and to what extent? Or, must we have "faith" or show faith? The NT says that we can't "earn" our way to heaven by deeds alone; but, that our deeds reflect how much faith we really have. Faith in the absense of scientific proof. If you have facts, evidence and proof..... you don't need faith. But, the NT says "it is by faith that we are justified." If what the Bible says turns out to be true and in the meantime we are waiting for "evidence" (which would negate faith) we may find out just how "hot" hell is. Problem is, we're probably never going to find the evidence we need that would remove all doubt. That's one "hell" of a big conundrum.
Faith: Believing that out of all the religions man has created over the last few thousand years, you managed to pick the right one. (Assuming there is a "right one.")

And, truth be told, most religious people don't seem to actually pick their religion, but assume the "faith of their fathers" or the one most prevalent in their social milieu.
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Banandangees
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Of the religions that believe that there is a hell, a heaven or a God, it is a belief that no one can prove or disprove or show evidence that any of it is truth or untruth, so the condundrum continues. Like many things in life, the path you take is a chance you take, perhaps with consequences, perhaps not.
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ngc1514
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It seems that what you're saying is that it all boils down to Pascal's Wager. It only remains a conundrum because people continue to play the game; a game that, to me, appears to be driven by one thing only - the fear of death.

How odd we people are.
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Banandangees
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ngc1514
Aug 17 2009, 10:22 PM
....... It only remains a conundrum because people continue to play the game; a game that, to me, appears to be driven by one thing only - the fear of death.

How odd we people are.
...if it is a game based on untruths then the end of a life means nothing to that life. If hell exists based on uncertain truths, then some rule or guidline of something probably does matter. Faith! Perhaps you have faith in your belief (since we can't prove or disprove) that there is no heaven, ho hell, ho God to reckon with but you can't base that judgement on evidence. You may feel no conundrum concerning the matter, but you can't say, for sure, that there will be no spiritual consequence for you (or anyone) concerning what you believe.
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ngc1514
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As I said... Pascal's Wager.
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Brewster
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Eric, I think there are more and better reasons to believe than just Pascal's Wager...

My Grandmother derived great satisfaction in the last years of her life from the secure knowledge that she was going to Heaven at the end while her horrible neighbour lady was undoubtedly going the other way...

You may not believe it, but she did without question, and I honestly think it helped her live an extra year or two with a smile on her face. (She outlived her neighbour by 6 months.)

The sheer comfort of anticipation is a strong reason for belief, stronger than fear, I think.
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ngc1514
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I hear what y'all are saying, but have to wonder how it all corresponds to the original post.

It would appear that the belief in hell is becoming passe in Christianity.

If that's so, are the people who don't believe in hell still Christians or are we watching the formation of a new religion?

Is this the same sort of morphing of religious belief that took us from burning witches and heretics to where we are today?

Is it a good thing or a bad thing and how do you decide?
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Brewster
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I suspect that you're right, Eric, Christianity is morphing into something quite different...

It's not the first time...

I don't think that early (New Testament) Christians would recognize the Church that emerged from the Council of Nicea, and I am certain that Christians of either age would not even understand the theses that Luther nailed to the wall in 1517, nor the reasons that compelled Luther to do so...
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ngc1514
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Gotta give the Catholics (Roman variety) credit for being right about one thing: letting everyone read the Bible ended up letting everyone interpret it however he wished. There are supposedly more than 30,000 Protestant sects out there with more being added every year.
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