So what about hell?

[YoursTrue]

I no longer believe in Heaven or he’ll or that mythology. But when I did, I had come to the conclusion that “hell” or “being cast into the fire” meant ceasing to exist.

You were on the right track there somewhat.

 

[YoursTrue]

Oh, I hate how "hell" has become...

In my religion Hel (Helheimr) is the land of the dead. This is also where the word "Hell" comes from. In my personal belief, Hel is where all the dead reside, even those who died in battle, and Valhalla is Odin's hall in Hel. There is no punishment - certainly not eternal - in Hel, and not even punishment in Nastrond (yes, I am aware of what is written in the Prose Edda). Rather, our punishments come in whatever shames we leave behind, for so long as that memory persists.

interesting, although I do not believe Odin was or is a real living god/person/whatever. But the idea that as long as memory persists is an interesting one, since the Bible does say that the memory of the dead will be forgotten. And since I look forward to a life of eternal happiness (Revelation 21) where there is no more death or sorrow, I do believe that all those good experiences will wipe out all the bad memories. Forever.

 

[Kenny]

I understand and hopefully you understand why I don't trust what you post to be anymore factual than the numerous other interpretations I've heard.

Which is perfectly alright! I have nothing against someone having a different worldview.

 

[The Kilted Heathen]

interesting, although I do not believe Odin was or is a real living god/person/whatever. But the idea that as long as memory persists is an interesting one, since the Bible does say that the memory of the dead will be forgotten. And since I look forward to a life of eternal happiness (Revelation 21) where there is no more death or sorrow, I do believe that all those good experiences will wipe out all the bad memories. Forever.

I'm not so much concerned with what the bible says, but it's not the memories belonging to the dead that persist, but the memory of the living. Consider how Hitler is still reviled 80 years later, yet other monsters of history like Julius Caesar are regarded with blasé. How many countless heroes and villains have passed from living memory and history? Not even good memories persist forever. Eternity is a very long time, what seems "forever" to the limitations of human imagination. Eventually, all things - even the good - fade and pass. The dead are no different, and it is my belief that when we pass from living memory we return as someone new.

 

[wandering peacefully]

Recent discussions make me wonder what various persons believe about hell (or hellfire). Do you think a loving person would literally torture anyone forever as some would believe about hell (or hellfire)? (also for @Trailblazer )

I wonder how many living humans have been tortured throughout their entire lives believing hell is a real destination or eternal predicament?

 

[John53]

Which is perfectly alright! I have nothing against someone having a different worldview.

Neither do I unless they try and claim their world view is 100% correct and everyone else is wrong.

 

[Kenny]

Neither do I unless they try and claim their world view is 100% correct and everyone else is wrong.

One thing for sure, between "there is no God" and "there is a God" - someone is 100% wrong and the other is 100% correct

 

[John53]

One thing for sure, between "there is no God" and "there is a God" - someone is 100% wrong and the other is 100% correct

Both could be wrong

 

[YoursTrue]

I'm not so much concerned with what the bible says, but it's not the memories belonging to the dead that persist, but the memory of the living. Consider how Hitler is still reviled 80 years later, yet other monsters of history like Julius Caesar are regarded with blasé. How many countless heroes and villains have passed from living memory and history? Not even good memories persist forever. Eternity is a very long time, what seems "forever" to the limitations of human imagination. Eventually, all things - even the good - fade and pass. The dead are no different, and it is my belief that when we pass from living memory we return as someone new.

The memories of those who are living do persist. I do not believe that there is no forever -- for those that God, in His mercy, allows to live and enjoy life forever. When any of those brought back from the dead in the Bible speaks of, they came back as the same person, not a different person.

 

[YoursTrue]

Both could be wrong

What makes you say that? How can both opinions be wrong?

 

[YoursTrue]

I wonder how many living humans have been tortured throughout their entire lives believing hell is a real destination or eternal predicament?

Not sure what you mean, but our lives are fairly short now, and God knows what each one of us endure. As Jesus said, our heavenly Father knows every hair on our heads and even when a sparrow falls. So I am convinced and assured that God knows me.

 

[YoursTrue]

Yes.

The people who inflict suffering on others often don't view themselves as bad actors. They believe they're doing the right thing. Or they are amoral actors, or actors whose standards are relatively alien to the human priorities and values.

That said, those kinds of ideas (hells) are not part of my religion.

I wonder if the guy that killed the college students in Idaho thought he was doing the right thing. But that doesn't matter, because he probably knew he was not doing the right thing but his emotions ruled over him.

 

[The Kilted Heathen]

The memories of those who are living do persist.

I think you may be misunderstanding me, so a question to demonstrate this: Who was the first childhood love of Gilgamesh?

And again, I'm not concerned with what the bible says. I understand and recognize that is your belief, but it has no bearing on mine, nor my faith.

 

[John53]

What makes you say that? How can both opinions be wrong?

I say there is no God, my mate tells me there is a God and his name is Baiame. Which one of us in your opinion is 100% correct?

 

[URAVIP2ME]

I wonder how many living humans have been tortured throughout their entire lives believing hell is a real destination or eternal predicament?

I think we can trace man's religious beliefs back to ancient Babylon, thus today we see man's similar or overlapping wrong religious ideas spread throughout the known world.
There came a time too when un-faithful Jews began mixing with non-Jews and the un-faithful ones adopted the world view of destination hell as in a burning hell fire after death.
Then, after the first century ended we find 1st-century Christianity becoming corrupted from within according to Luke at Acts of the Apostles 20:29-30; 2 Timothy 4:3-4; 1 Timothy 4:1
Corrupted by false clergy teachings about biblical hell being a place of fire instead of a peaceful place of sleep.
Even the word cemetery means ' sleeping place ' Not torture place.
So, I would suppose with all the wrong teachings about the dead being conscious alive would make the how many people who have lived and the 'who are now living' with such a horrific un-biblical teaching to be a large number.

 

[YoursTrue]

I say there is no God, my mate tells me there is a God and his name is Baiame. Which one of us in your opinion is 100% correct?

lol neither.

 

[John53]

lol neither.

Thank you

 

[Kelly of the Phoenix]

Recent discussions make me wonder what various persons believe about hell (or hellfire). Do you think a loving person would literally torture anyone forever as some would believe about hell (or hellfire)? (also for @Trailblazer )

As someone who lives with depression and anxiety, hell is a state of mind. I believe in an afterlife, but it is just a general existence.

 

[YoursTrue]

As someone who lives with depression and anxiety, hell is a state of mind. I believe in an afterlife, but it is just a general existence.

Living with a constant state of depression and anxiety is not the greatest. I'm not the happiest person in the world but I do look forward to the future and I try to apply what I know about God to my heart, mind, and person. Problems we face or having been exposed to bad emotional conditions do not make us happy.

 

[Quintessence]

I wonder if the guy that killed the college students in Idaho thought he was doing the right thing. But that doesn't matter, because he probably knew he was not doing the right thing but his emotions ruled over him.

Fun fact - lack of emotion (specifically, the ability to emotionally identify with others; being callous or absent of empathy) is actually one of the major defining characteristics of the psychopath. Whether or not this individual suffered from ASPD I couldn't say, but before jumping on the rationalist emotion blame train this is worth remembering. I knew a psychopath once. They were very much not emotional and very much cold and calculating instead. It was... well, it's a thing some humans can do. I'm less interested in judging than now knowing how to spot those kinds of people and stay the flip away from them.