Does Hell seem over the top ?

I must admit that I am a Christian but I'm really questioning what I believe right now or at least these days. I struggle with the idea of hell. Eternal punisment?? I know that there must be justice for crimes commited but what payment. I know the Christian argument that Christ came to pay for sins. I just struggle with like others have said in this thread that crimes/sins commited on this earth do they equate into eternal punisment? Try to comprehend that?? That is forever!!! I do believe in the concept of punisment for a crime commited but eternal punisment?? Manny

you cannot be a "fundamentally good" person. it's impossible. we are all good for nothing sinners. and what can a good for nothing sinner do for an all-powerful God? nothing! he's all powerful! however, he came down and died for our sins, so that me might not perish but have eternal life. perish. die?

i think the concepts of heaven and hell are rather bound with myth and opinion. noone really knows. from memory, the bible says hell is a place of great suffering and eternal gnashing of teeth. it is a firey pit, built but God for Satan and his angels. however, they are not there, as they are yet to be thrown down yet. but i think it is just for the angels. we humans, if we are not saved meerly die. nothing mroe, nothing less. i think. although i am not bny any means sure. it mgiht also be a place when you can just see God, but can't reach him, or meerly a place without God, heaven being a place that, well, is God.

and as to how to not get there? well, as i said earlier, we cannot do anything for God. however, he said that whatever we do unto the least of man, we do unto him. he has become the poor, the homeless, the outcasts of the world. the only description of judgement day is given in matthew, "i was hungry, did you feed me? i was naked, did you clothe me?". in short, the second commandment is a nice place to go about getting into heaven, "love your neighbour". but that isn't enough! you may have helped him, but you are still a sinful person! and God cannot tolerate sin. the burden of sin must be taken from you before you can be in his presence. in the OT, it was passed onto a sacrafice, a lamb or a calf of whatever. that was you asking for forgiveness. but now, Jesus died for our sins. he was the lamb, the greatest sacrafice ever made! he is the only one worth to come before God, and yet he died so that we could! but how do we receive this Goft of Life? is he going to give it to those who hate him? who despise him? no! he is going to give it to those who love him, and to those who ask. bascially, you must come before God and ask for it. is that so hard? people argue day and night about this and that, that you can't god to heaven unless you do communion, are baptised etc, but all you really need to do are three things. love your neighbour. love God. and ask for forgiveness. isn't that beautiful? and yet so simple.

Originally posted by menace71
I must admit that I am a Christian but I'm really questioning what I believe right now or at least these days. I struggle with the idea of hell. Eternal punisment?? I know that there must be justice for crimes commited but what payment. I know the Christian argument that Christ came to pay for sins. I just struggle with like others have said in this thread ...[text shortened]... do believe in the concept of punisment for a crime commited but eternal punisment?? Manny

Areou questioning GOD'S judgement? Do you think that GOD should forgive Lucifer/Satan and his army, for their Sins? Or do you think that they should serve only part of their punishment and get Paroled? Do you think that all the warnings that GOD, has given in HIS WORD, that HE did not mean what HE said. Do you think that all men that have rejected the saving Grace of JESUS CHRIST, after they have been judged for their rejection, should recieve a suspended sentence? Are you saying that there should be repentance after judgement. How long to you think Evil should be punished? Should Satan be given another chance, to repeat His actions. Should GOD be in a battle with evil over and over again and again.

Originally posted by blindfaith101
Areou questioning GOD'S judgement? Do you think that GOD should forgive Lucifer/Satan and his army, for their Sins? Or do you think that they should serve only part of their punishment and get Paroled? Do you think that all the warnings that GOD, has given in HIS WORD, that HE did not mean what HE said. Do you think that all men that have rejected the ...[text shortened]... hance, to repeat His actions. Should GOD be in a battle with evil over and over again and again.

Given your God is all-powerful and all-knowing and the first cause of Satan and sin, I'd say that, according to your doctrine, your god is playing a big, cruel game.

Whatever. I don't know why I even bother responding to you.

Originally posted by Peachy
The three major Religions, Judaism, Christianity and Islam talk about Heaven and Hell. If you believe that these three were written by mankind, then fair enough.

Personally, I believe that this life is just a Test;
Pass the test = heaven
Fail the test = hell

Christianity does not have a pass fail test to get to Heaven or go to
Hell. The others may, but with Christianity it is all have sinned so all
are going to Hell, and a few will be saved because they answer God's
call that is being offered to everyone. There is a difference between
passing a test which is earning the right to enter, and being given
a free gift of salvation.
Kelly

Originally posted by genius
you cannot be a "fundamentally good" person. it's impossible. we are all good for nothing sinners. and what can a good for nothing sinner do for an all-powerful God? nothing! he's all powerful! however, he came down and died for our sins, so that me might not perish but have eternal life. perish. die?

i think the concepts of heaven and hell are ...[text shortened]... ove your neighbour. love God. and ask for forgiveness. isn't that beautiful? and yet so simple.

How about to those that use their "God-given" brain rather than accepting a socialized belief without critical thought? Are you a predeterminist? Did God play "eenee-meenee-minee-mo"?

Just like it is irresponsible to label non-believers as masochists, it is also intellectually lazy to assume that we hate your god. I don't hate it. I don't hate Zeus or Odin or Quetzacotl. I do become upset though when believers try to run the world based upon their personal mythology.

I don't know why God would want to have Arby Hill or BF101 or even Darfius around him forever. Sounds awefully annoying to me.

Originally posted by Coletti
Good intentions will get you where? ...

I heard about a road paved with good intentions, didn't seem like
a nice road to me.
Kelly

Originally posted by TheSkipper
Are you suggesting that God, the creator of Heaven and Earth (and Satan, I would assume) does not have the power to defeat Satan? Does not have the power to liberate hell of its pitiful inhabitants and show them mercy and a better place? If God cannot do this perhaps I should be worshiping Satan...no?

TheSkipper

Satan is defeated, he is doomed to spend eternity in a place designed
for him and those that belong to him. There is no contest between
God and Satan, there is no doubt as to who is stronger, who will have
the last word. I believe Satan is stronger than I am or any other
person, but with God there is not contest, not even if you line up all
that follow Satan and have them all join up in power do they stand
a chance against God.
The issue is, who is on the Lord's side, we choose not Satan.
Kelly

Originally posted by telerion
How about to those that use their "God-given" brain rather than accepting a socialized belief without critical thought? Are you a predeterminist? Did God play "eenee-meenee-minee-mo"?

Just like it is irresponsible to label non-b ...[text shortened]... even Darfius around him forever. Sounds awefully annoying to me.

but it's not a personal mythology, it's a truth. so, should the world not be run based upon truth?

and so you don't hate him? however, do you love him? accept him as your saviour? that's what counts...

and i have thought, loing and hard. and, IMO, it's the only trully feasibile thing i've come accross. i mean - when science's current model is more flawed than some random old book, you've gotta start thinking...

Originally posted by vhouckham
Hell is what u wanted to be

Says you?
Kelly

but it's not a personal mythology, it's a truth. so, should the world not be run based upon truth?

The world should be run based upon truth. The problem is you are not the first and only person to claim that their personal belief is "truth."

and so you don't hate him? however, do you love him? accept him as your saviour? that's what counts...

I have given it much thought as well. In fact I served Jesus for most of my life. As far as I can tell, he's not real. It is quite reasonable to view the beliefs of Xtianity as a mythology. So no, I don't hate him or love him or accept him. I think he's a character in a belief system. The system is interesting to study since it reveals the thinking of many people on the earth, but it has very little truth content.

and i have thought, loing and hard. and, IMO, it's the only trully feasibile thing i've come accross. i mean - when science's current model is more flawed than some random old book, you've gotta start thinking...

Well, fair enough. I don't know which scientific model you are referring to, but it is certainly not more flawed than some random old book.
Are you claiming that I can pick an antiquated book at random, and this scientific model you allude to will be more flawed?

Perhaps you really meant to say the Bible? Have you ever read the entire thing cover to cover? If you honestly think that it is less flawed then science, then any discussion right now is useless.

well-by that i meant the science based on the bible (creationism) is less flawed than evolution. newtons law still stand...

Originally posted by genius
well-by that i meant the science based on the bible (creationism) is less flawed than evolution. newtons law still stand...

<sigh>

Not that again.

Originally posted by telerion
Given your God is all-powerful and all-knowing and the first cause of Satan and sin, I'd say that, according to your doctrine, your god is playing a big, cruel game.

Whatever. I don't know why I even bother responding to you.

Why is it cruel to create beings, and give them free choice, whether they should worship him or not. Why do you continue to blame GOD, and not Satan. Would it be that you have no fear of GOD, but fear Satan.

Originally posted by blindfaith101
Why is it cruel to create beings, and give them free choice, whether they should worship him or not. Why do you continue to blame GOD, and not Satan. Would it be that you have no fear of GOD, but fear Satan.

How can you blame something you don't believe in?