If Heaven/Hell is real...

[PublicStranger]

Then God must by definition be a sociopath right? I mean how could you burn and torture people for all eternity and not feel any remorse or guilt at what you are doing?

I know for a fact any human being with any hint of emotional awareness could not bare having somebody tortured for eternity. Does this mean we exceed God in certain emotions?

If this is the case this leaves the dilemma; how can god create us with stronger emotions than he or even with emotions that he lacks?

Oh and as you can see, FIRST POST!

 

[Talmai]

Then God must by definition be a sociopath right?

That would be according to [some] human standards.

I mean how could you burn and torture people for all eternity and not feel any remorse or guilt at what you are doing?

People in Hellfire must be very innocent, eh?

I know for a fact any human being with any hint of emotional awareness could not bare having somebody tortured for eternity. Does this mean we exceed God in certain emotions?

Can you bear being awarded with Paradise for perpetuity?

Human emotions cannot truly be compared to God's emotions. God is limitless and incomprehensible but a human being is limited, finite, and usually fickle.

If this is the case this leaves the dilemma; how can god create us with stronger emotions than he or even with emotions that he lacks?

Human emotions are not greater in quality or quantity than God's emotions, rather, human emotions are very limited and confined to what is as a speck of dust in a vast universe, and God, unlike the universe, cannot be circled or defined.

 

[PublicStranger]

That would be according to [some] human standards.



People in Hellfire must be very innocent, eh?



Can you bear being awarded with Paradise for perpetuity?

Human emotions cannot truly be compared to God's emotions. God is limitless and incomprehensible but a human being is limited, finite, and usually fickle.



Human emotions are not greater in quality or quantity than God's emotions, rather, human emotions are very limited and confined to what is as a speck of dust in a vast universe, and God, unlike the universe, cannot be circled or defined.

1) Depends on what you term as innocent? Can you really say that somebody who doesn't take Jesus Christ as his lord and saviour or somebody who doesn't pray 5 times a day to Allah deserves eternal torture? Do you believe they are guilty enough to deserve eternal torture?

2) Then why have such a big difference in the outcome of your afterlife. Is human life and decision making really that black and white. As in you either go to heaven or go to hell. Why no middle ground?

3) I'd say if I felt more remorse and guilt than God does for torturing someone for eternity (which seems evident considering he doesn't mind it and even threatens us with it) then by definition my 'remorse' emotion alone is greater then Gods.

On the flipside if God doesn't feel remorse for burning somebody for all eternity for simply not believing in him then that emotion is limited. Which then begs the same question, how did he create us with a larger scope of emotions then him.

 

[Neo Deist]

The concept of Hell as a place of eternal torment/torture/burning is a fabrication by the Church. Back in the day, a form of execution (public or otherwise) was being burned at the stake. The onlookers heard the screams, saw the flesh being melted away from the bones, smelled the cooked meat and burnt hair. It was a horrifying way to die, and the thought of an eternal existence in said state was used to keep the people in check, and to keep the Church in power.

The Bible never says that people will be sent to Hell for en eternity. It does say that people will be sent to the Lake of Fire and destroyed (Book of Revelation). The problem is that the 1611 KJV lumped the terms Sheol, Hades, Gehenna and LoF into a singular meaning: Hell. That interpretation is erroneous. What made matters worse are the fictional works of Dante's Inferno and Paradise Lost. Anyone that says people will burn in hell for an eternity, is using a traditional (albeit incorrect) concept of Hell that is not biblical.

Lastly, the Bible never says people go to Heaven, either. Revelation 21 very clearly states that the righteous will go to paradise on New Earth, not Heaven.

 

[buddhist]

Then God must by definition be a sociopath right? I mean how could you burn and torture people for all eternity and not feel any remorse or guilt at what you are doing?

I know for a fact any human being with any hint of emotional awareness could not bare having somebody tortured for eternity. Does this mean we exceed God in certain emotions?

If this is the case this leaves the dilemma; how can god create us with stronger emotions than he or even with emotions that he lacks?

Oh and as you can see, FIRST POST!

You'd probably want to focus this question in the Abrahamic forums, as it seems your ideas about God/heaven/hell seem to align along their lines.

In the context of early Buddhism, the gods do not determine our destinies, and the heavens and purgatories/hells are not eternal but are proportionate to one's kamma.

 

[Talmai]

1) Depends on what you term as innocent? Can you really say that somebody who doesn't take Jesus Christ as his lord and saviour or somebody who doesn't pray 5 times a day to Allah deserves eternal torture? Do you believe they are guilty enough to deserve eternal torture?

For me this is not utterly about doctrine or religious devotion. Human thoughts, words, and deeds declare one's status.

2) Then why have such a big difference in the outcome of your afterlife. Is human life and decision making really that black and white. As in you either go to heaven or go to hell. Why no middle ground?

In this world the human being prepares for his destination. If one's disposition is righteousness then naturally one will be happy to be among the righteous when all become immortal. If one's disposition is wickedness then naturally one will be fine with being among the wicked. There is no middle ground because there is nothing between righteous and wicked or innocent and guilty. We cannot stand before a judge and plead "Somewhere in the middle."

3) I'd say if I felt more remorse and guilt than God does for torturing someone for eternity (which seems evident considering he doesn't mind it and even threatens us with it) then by definition my 'remorse' emotion alone is greater then Gods.

Again, that is according to your human standard. We human beings are tiny and confined to what is like a tiny drop in an incredibly vast ocean. God, on the other hand, is uncircumscribed, divine, infinite, and perfect. We cannot find fault with Him because we, such tiny creatures, are fickle and prone to mistakes.

 

[PublicStranger]

You'd probably want to focus this question in the Abrahamic forums, as it seems your ideas about God/heaven/hell seem to align along their lines.

In the context of early Buddhism, the gods do not determine our destinies, and the heavens and purgatories/hells are not eternal but are proportionate to one's kamma.

Yeah in hindsight I should of really posted in the Abrahamic forum. A Buddhists idea of the afterlife seems to make more sense if I'm honest but even still leaves many questions open.

 

[Desert Snake]

Then God must by definition be a sociopath right? I mean how could you burn and torture people for all eternity and not feel any remorse or guilt at what you are doing?

I know for a fact any human being with any hint of emotional awareness could not bare having somebody tortured for eternity. Does this mean we exceed God in certain emotions?

If this is the case this leaves the dilemma; how can god create us with stronger emotions than he or even with emotions that he lacks?

Oh and as you can see, FIRST POST!

does it? Are you willing to face Hell because of your religious adherence decisions?

 

[buddhist]

Yeah in hindsight I should of really posted in the Abrahamic forum. A Buddhists idea of the afterlife seems to make more sense if I'm honest but even still leaves many questions open.

What questions would that be?

 

[George-ananda]

Then God must by definition be a sociopath right? I mean how could you burn and torture people for all eternity and not feel any remorse or guilt at what you are doing?

I know for a fact any human being with any hint of emotional awareness could not bare having somebody tortured for eternity. Does this mean we exceed God in certain emotions?

If this is the case this leaves the dilemma; how can god create us with stronger emotions than he or even with emotions that he lacks?

Oh and as you can see, FIRST POST!

I think the superior understanding is a temporary/changing and relative heaven/hell. (another more eastern thinker here)

 

[Thief]

Then God must by definition be a sociopath right? I mean how could you burn and torture people for all eternity and not feel any remorse or guilt at what you are doing?

I know for a fact any human being with any hint of emotional awareness could not bare having somebody tortured for eternity. Does this mean we exceed God in certain emotions?

If this is the case this leaves the dilemma; how can god create us with stronger emotions than he or even with emotions that he lacks?

Oh and as you can see, FIRST POST!

I don't think of God as human

 

[Komatose]

If God created us with every little detail in mind, and if every word in the bible is pure literal truth. Then he set the majority of us up for failure. Giving us the ability to misinterpret something so soul threatening important. Not to mention the ton of other natural human things we live with that constantly contradict his expectations of us.

Most of us humans aren't born into a reality that caters to living a strict by-the-book, heaven-worthy life. A lot are born and die without even any knowledge of it.

Let me digress before my real opinions pop up. Basically if you follow the teachings then you need not to question this God in any way. He/she/it is your creator thusly you haven't the right, nor the comprehensive ability to question anything. Because the only way to truly understand a God, is to see reality with a God's perspective. An ability I'm sure he would never have given any of his creations.

This is only my opinion from a more familiar view.

 

[rusra02]

Then God must by definition be a sociopath right? I mean how could you burn and torture people for all eternity and not feel any remorse or guilt at what you are doing?

I know for a fact any human being with any hint of emotional awareness could not bare having somebody tortured for eternity. Does this mean we exceed God in certain emotions?

If this is the case this leaves the dilemma; how can god create us with stronger emotions than he or even with emotions that he lacks?

Oh and as you can see, FIRST POST!

Good point. Since I believe we are created in God's image, our moral repugnance at torturing someone reflects our Creator's far superior sense of justice. The doctrine of hellfire is a revolting slander against God, IMO.

 

[Deathbydefault]

Then God must by definition be a sociopath right? I mean how could you burn and torture people for all eternity and not feel any remorse or guilt at what you are doing?

I know for a fact any human being with any hint of emotional awareness could not bare having somebody tortured for eternity. Does this mean we exceed God in certain emotions?

If this is the case this leaves the dilemma; how can god create us with stronger emotions than he or even with emotions that he lacks?

Oh and as you can see, FIRST POST!

You seem to refer to a specific version of heaven and hell, whether it belongs to any one religion or not.

Ever read wuxia novels? Some times they introduce the idea of there being nine heavens and nine hells within the cycle of reincarnation.
If you were the best possible person you would be rewarded in the afterlife and sent to the ninth heaven, possibly even as an immortal.
If you were the most vile type of person to live, you would be tortured for a long time in the ninth hell, and be reborn as a flea or something.

Too bad that idea makes too much sense to modern day mainstream religion.

 

[jonathan180iq]

That would be according to [some] human standards.

He's certainly cruel, and filled with bloodlust, according to the Bible. You don't have to label him with our weak and feeble human titles if you don't want to - but they're still true statements.

People in Hellfire must be very innocent, eh?

Do you think thought crimes warrant eternal torture?

Can you bear being awarded with Paradise for perpetuity?

Human emotions cannot truly be compared to God's emotions. God is limitless and incomprehensible but a human being is limited, finite, and usually fickle.

All the more reason to maybe ease off of ideas like "being cast into the lake of fire", don't you think?
If we were created as limited, finite, and usually fickle, as you say, what justification is there for the endless torture of our souls?

Human emotions are not greater in quality or quantity than God's emotions, rather, human emotions are very limited and confined to what is as a speck of dust in a vast universe, and God, unlike the universe, cannot be circled or defined.

Ok - So if we can have things like empathy and compassion, shouldn't God's version of those feelings be bigger, grander, and more pure? Shouldn't the Almighty have a bit more restraint, when compared to our limited and confined idea of compassion, for example? If there are members of our species that can practice forgiveness towards the murderers of their children, why can't the one who created them?

 

[McBell]

Then God must by definition be a sociopath right?

You left far to big a gap between "heaven/hell exist" and "god must be a sociopath".

I mean how could you burn and torture people for all eternity and not feel any remorse or guilt at what you are doing?

What makes you think god does not feel remorse?

I know for a fact

Bold empty claim.

any human being with any hint of emotional awareness could not bare having somebody tortured for eternity.

Flat out wrong.
I can sit by and watch a few select persons tortured for all eternity.

Does this mean we exceed God in certain emotions?

Or that we are merely weaker than god when it comes to allowing passion to rule reason.

If this is the case this leaves the dilemma; how can god create us with stronger emotions than he or even with emotions that he lacks?

Huh?
this assumes that the created cannot be better at something than the creator.
To show this if faulty reasoning let my present calculators, computers, micrometers, etc.

Oh and as you can see, FIRST POST!

*scratches head*
And?
I mean it isn't like everyone else has a first post....

 

[McBell]

The concept of Hell as a place of eternal torment/torture/burning is a fabrication by the Church. Back in the day, a form of execution (public or otherwise) was being burned at the stake. The onlookers heard the screams, saw the flesh being melted away from the bones, smelled the cooked meat and burnt hair. It was a horrifying way to die, and the thought of an eternal existence in said state was used to keep the people in check, and to keep the Church in power.

The Bible never says that people will be sent to Hell for en eternity. It does say that people will be sent to the Lake of Fire and destroyed (Book of Revelation). The problem is that the 1611 KJV lumped the terms Sheol, Hades, Gehenna and LoF into a singular meaning: Hell. That interpretation is erroneous. What made matters worse are the fictional works of Dante's Inferno and Paradise Lost. Anyone that says people will burn in hell for an eternity, is using a traditional (albeit incorrect) concept of Hell that is not biblical.

Lastly, the Bible never says people go to Heaven, either. Revelation 21 very clearly states that the righteous will go to paradise on New Earth, not Heaven.

Regardless, there are still loads of people who believe in the heaven/hell as described in the OP.

 

[McBell]

We cannot find fault with Him ...

Speak for yourself.

 

[McBell]

does it? Are you willing to face Hell because of your religious adherence decisions?

Imaginary punishments in imaginary places by imaginary friends do not scare me.

 

[Neo Deist]

Regardless, there are still loads of people who believe in the heaven/hell as described in the OP.

That is because many people teach traditional instead of biblical, especially if they are some rural preacher who has no formal theology training.