For those of us here (especially those who believe in a God/Higher Power/A Source) who do not believe in a physical Hell, do you ever think if this is because you genuinely don't, or because you don't want to, because the thought of going to such a place for a long time or eternity is too frightening and too much to bear?
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Hell
- Thread starter Taahir
- Start date
When concerning God anything is possible though, so what about a Hell for the soul that would be very similar to/the same as physical pain?
Pegg
Jehovah our God is One
i dont believe in it because the bible doesnt say there is such a place.
The bible word, that we translate to hell, is sheol....it means the grave.
So hell is nothing more then the grave. Its not an active place....I dont know if you've ever spent time in a graveyard, but its a very quiet and peaceful place.
Breathe
Hostis humani generis
For me it's mainly the concept of how long one is there.
The idea of a physical hell though just doesn't make sense to me for the same reason as Sumit mentioned; the idea of a Hell for the soul where the pain would be the same or similar to physical pain, if for eternity, just makes me unable to reconcile the concept of God being merciful, loving, or even worthy of worship.
Hell as a temporary place like a purgatory whereupon one is purified, though, I can understand a lot more.
Sumit
Sanatana Dharma
God do not needs to make hell and god simply don't, god is not a tyrant. Hell is not any any physical place but a state of soul which is painful [again not physical] if attained may last from few to thousands of years.
So do you think you are conscious in this grave forever, made to contemplate and regret that you did not follow the truth, or are you just dead.
I have the same train of thought sometimes. But then again, maybe it really upsets and angers God that much if you do not believe in what God wants you to believe in. Even if we can't comprehend that or don't think it's fair.
Breathe
Hostis humani generis
That's a possibility, but I don't think God is a human, and I don't think He would deal with rejection in the same way in such a human and, dare I say it, petty way.
I think giving him human wants and desires is anthromorphising Him too much. I feel a lot of people do end up worshipping their own ego, with a god who hates everything they do, and loves everything they do.
I hold this passage from the Bible to be relevant, IMO:
For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
neither are your ways my ways,
declares the Lord.
As the heavens are higher than the earth,
so are my ways higher than your ways
and my thoughts than your thoughts.
neither are your ways my ways,
declares the Lord.
As the heavens are higher than the earth,
so are my ways higher than your ways
and my thoughts than your thoughts.
-- Isaiah 55:8-9 (NIV Translation)
Considering we are a tiny part of a tiny planet in a tiny galaxy in a massive universe, possibly one of many, I don't think God would care so much about whether or not we choose to worship him or not, much less to punish people in hell for eternity.
illykitty
RF's pet cat
I don't believe in it because it doesn't seem right. It doesn't fit with the idea of the deity being loving, kind and merciful... More than humans! I would never torture anyone, so why would the deity do so?
If something like Hell exists, imo, it's not literal. It might be a state of being or purification... Certainly not eternal.
If something like Hell exists, imo, it's not literal. It might be a state of being or purification... Certainly not eternal.
I definitely see where both of you are coming from. But I guess it also depends on our purpose of creation, right?
If God is a personal deity type, and we were created to worship God, and we don't do that, sometimes even mocking the idea of such a God, then it doesn't seem so unlikely to me.
If God is a personal deity type, and we were created to worship God, and we don't do that, sometimes even mocking the idea of such a God, then it doesn't seem so unlikely to me.
Breathe
Hostis humani generis
Wouldn't you just destroy the person's after death, though? No matter how much they mocked God, what benefit would He gain other than a sadistic glee from torturing people who didn't believe in His existence?
That I cannot answer.
Breathe
Hostis humani generis
Yeah, that's one reason I can't understand why a divinity would do it. I don't think God is sadistic either. The concept of Hell just raises so many questions for me that can't really be answered satisfactorily.
Sha'irullah
رسول الآلهة
Hell does not exist in any shape or form if a god is all knowing and all powerful. Such a being is immediately defunct from natural existence and individualistic care of its creations.
I do not believe in hell or a state of mind because both are awful. God could in know way judge mankind if he is not man yet alone beyond physical existence. In reality god would simply not care
I do not believe in hell or a state of mind because both are awful. God could in know way judge mankind if he is not man yet alone beyond physical existence. In reality god would simply not care
Well, considering that "Hell", or rather, "Hella" or "Hel", is not a place of torment, but just a place of rest with good food and company, and the lovely Goddess of the same name (well, She's lovely if you don't fear death; She's terrifying if you do) presiding over the place, I see no reason for it to be avoided.
I mean, I've no intention of dying in battle, so I'm definitely not going to Odin's Hall or Freya's Field.
If God is All Knowing and All Powerful, wouldn't God be able to judge mankind? Or do absolutely anything for that matter?
Just out of curiosity why do you think God would not care. Just trying to get a better grasp of your beliefs.
Bartholomæus
Member
There is no physical hell. Also there is no spritual hell where souls are being tormented.
According to the bible the body and the soul is the one and same thing as explained in
Genesis 2:7. Ezekiel 18:4 explains that any soul who sins will die. What happens when you die? Ecclesiastes 9:5 says the death have no conscious at all. They are just gone and without
thougths and feelings.
According to the bible the body and the soul is the one and same thing as explained in
Genesis 2:7. Ezekiel 18:4 explains that any soul who sins will die. What happens when you die? Ecclesiastes 9:5 says the death have no conscious at all. They are just gone and without
thougths and feelings.
Kalidas
Well-Known Member
This to me makes God seem...petty. "I created EVERYTHING, because I got tired of not hearing my name being praised!"
I used to be a Christian and occasionally the idea of Hell sneaks up on me and scares me a little, but then I just remember that no loving God would ever create such a place. Or even an inactive God who cares not for us would create it either. So hell just doesn't make any kind of logical sense.
I don't think it's entirely out of the question that God could be loving, in the case that you obey God, whether that's worshipping or following some sort of rules laid out, but could also be very angry and punishing if we do not follow.
Maybe we think we have more of a purpose than we do. God could have just created us simply for a test and is seeing if we're going to follow or not.
illykitty
RF's pet cat
Or maybe the deity created us to learn, by living then reunite with it? Maybe if someone is really bad, they get cleansed or reborn to learn what they failed to learn the first time around?
There's much more than just hell as an option and I'm sure there's loads I haven't thought of... Many more loving and just than throwing someone in scorching fire for eternity.