Why do Christians believe in a place of torment called Hell?
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I'm often asked why I believe in a Hell when there exists no scientific
empirical evidence proving beyond a hint of sensible doubt there's an
afterlife at all, let alone a fiery afterlife.
Well; I freely admit that my belief in an afterlife is unreasonable, illogical,
and unscientific. But my intuition ignores all that and goes right on expecting
one anyway; like they say: A man convinced against his will, is of the same
opinion still.
_
I'm often asked why I believe in a Hell when there exists no scientific
empirical evidence proving beyond a hint of sensible doubt there's an
afterlife at all, let alone a fiery afterlife.
Well; I freely admit that my belief in an afterlife is unreasonable, illogical,
and unscientific. But my intuition ignores all that and goes right on expecting
one anyway; like they say: A man convinced against his will, is of the same
opinion still.
_
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E
I look at it this way.
God is love, God is holy. but God is also just.
His justice demands punishment for breaking his law. He gives the law. because he is Holy. And his justice MUST carry out the justice for anyone who breaks the law.
God has not just left us alone however. He shows himself to us. He has written into us the knowledge that we have broken his laws. And that we are guilty. But he also did not make us robots. He allows us to continue in our sin and to continue to reject him.
But he is also a God of love. He came to earth and suffered the penalty we all deserve. so that we may be redeemed from that curse that his justice demands because of our sin.
He also will not force us to take that gift of salvation. We must receive that gift willingly.
in doing so. we have the ability to reject that gift. However, in doing so. we send ourselves to that eternal penalty.
It is not God who forces us their. it is us who CHOSE to go their based on our rejection of him. He paid the debt for us. We told him know
so in essence. we send ourselves to hell. if that is where we end up. We can't blame God. He offered us a way of redemption. We rejected him.
God is love, God is holy. but God is also just.
His justice demands punishment for breaking his law. He gives the law. because he is Holy. And his justice MUST carry out the justice for anyone who breaks the law.
God has not just left us alone however. He shows himself to us. He has written into us the knowledge that we have broken his laws. And that we are guilty. But he also did not make us robots. He allows us to continue in our sin and to continue to reject him.
But he is also a God of love. He came to earth and suffered the penalty we all deserve. so that we may be redeemed from that curse that his justice demands because of our sin.
He also will not force us to take that gift of salvation. We must receive that gift willingly.
in doing so. we have the ability to reject that gift. However, in doing so. we send ourselves to that eternal penalty.
It is not God who forces us their. it is us who CHOSE to go their based on our rejection of him. He paid the debt for us. We told him know
so in essence. we send ourselves to hell. if that is where we end up. We can't blame God. He offered us a way of redemption. We rejected him.
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Hello, Sakla 
Welcome to Christian Chat! My understanding is much as yours, and I have met a few here who also agree, though the majority are stuck on beliefs that originated in Catholicism and Greek philosophy, even when some of those understand that the word "hell" is itself improperly translated from the original languages from a number of words with different meanings. Eternal torment was not a pillar of church doctrine for the first five centuries after Christ, after which it entered largely via Augustine of Hippo, whose influence is considered second only to Paul's, being viewed as one of the most important Church Fathers of the Latin Church. He developed his own approach to philosophy and theology, incorporating a variety of methods and perspectives. Some will even go so far as to claim that the soul of man is immortal, which flies in the face of what Scripture explicitly states.
Welcome to Christian Chat! My understanding is much as yours, and I have met a few here who also agree, though the majority are stuck on beliefs that originated in Catholicism and Greek philosophy, even when some of those understand that the word "hell" is itself improperly translated from the original languages from a number of words with different meanings. Eternal torment was not a pillar of church doctrine for the first five centuries after Christ, after which it entered largely via Augustine of Hippo, whose influence is considered second only to Paul's, being viewed as one of the most important Church Fathers of the Latin Church. He developed his own approach to philosophy and theology, incorporating a variety of methods and perspectives. Some will even go so far as to claim that the soul of man is immortal, which flies in the face of what Scripture explicitly states. -
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Muslims believe in the Koran's afterlife, just as Christians believe in the
Bible's afterlife, and Hindus believe in the Bhagavad Gita and/or the Vedas'
afterlife.
None of those holy books, including the Bible, qualify as empirical scientific
evidence.
What empirical scientific evidence do you have that proves-- iron clad, air
tight, and without a hint of sensible doubt --that the Bible is a divine being's
word?
You believe the Bible is a divine being's word because the Bible says it's a
divine being's word; which is really no different than a Muslim believing their
holy book is a divine being's word and/or a Hindu believing their holy book is
a divine being's word because none of you can prove your belief is valid
except by quoting passages from your holy books.
Sakla's request-- that somebody prove the existence of a fiery afterlife
without quoting the Bible --is a reasonable request. It's unfortunate that
so many people on this thread are doing exactly what he asks them not to.
_
Muslims believe in the Koran's afterlife, just as Christians believe in the
Bible's afterlife, and Hindus believe in the Bhagavad Gita and/or the Vedas'
afterlife.
None of those holy books, including the Bible, qualify as empirical scientific
evidence.
What empirical scientific evidence do you have that proves-- iron clad, air
tight, and without a hint of sensible doubt --that the Bible is a divine being's
word?
You believe the Bible is a divine being's word because the Bible says it's a
divine being's word; which is really no different than a Muslim believing their
holy book is a divine being's word and/or a Hindu believing their holy book is
a divine being's word because none of you can prove your belief is valid
except by quoting passages from your holy books.
Sakla's request-- that somebody prove the existence of a fiery afterlife
without quoting the Bible --is a reasonable request. It's unfortunate that
so many people on this thread are doing exactly what he asks them not to.
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OMG! Thank you sooo much! I was getting really frustrated because no one would actually step outside the box and answer the darn question. It's like you read my mind. Even if you didn't answer the question, at least you were seeing the problem I was seeing, but didn't want to say anything that might make someone angry.
Hello, Sakla Welcome to Christian Chat! My understanding is much as yours, and I have met a few here who also agree, though the majority are stuck on beliefs that originated in Catholicism and Greek philosophy, even when some of those understand that the word "hell" is itself improperly translated from the original languages from a number of words with different meanings. Eternal torment was not a pillar of church doctrine for the first five centuries after Christ, after which it entered largely via Augustine of Hippo, whose influence is considered second only to Paul's, being viewed as one of the most important Church Fathers of the Latin Church. He developed his own approach to philosophy and theology, incorporating a variety of methods and perspectives. Some will even go so far as to claim that the soul of man is immortal, which flies in the face of what Scripture explicitly states.
Welcome to Christian Chat! My understanding is much as yours, and I have met a few here who also agree, though the majority are stuck on beliefs that originated in Catholicism and Greek philosophy, even when some of those understand that the word "hell" is itself improperly translated from the original languages from a number of words with different meanings. Eternal torment was not a pillar of church doctrine for the first five centuries after Christ, after which it entered largely via Augustine of Hippo, whose influence is considered second only to Paul's, being viewed as one of the most important Church Fathers of the Latin Church. He developed his own approach to philosophy and theology, incorporating a variety of methods and perspectives. Some will even go so far as to claim that the soul of man is immortal, which flies in the face of what Scripture explicitly states.
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Denying the Divinity of Christ was at one time the number one theological no-no here...
Scripture plainly states that Jesus is God. See the first chapter of John's gospel
Here:
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning. 3 Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. 4 In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.
6 There was a man sent from God whose name was John. 7 He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all might believe. 8 He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light.
9 The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world. 10 He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. 11 He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. 12 Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God— 13 children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.
14 The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory,
the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.
Scripture plainly states that Jesus is God. See the first chapter of John's gospel
Here:
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning. 3 Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. 4 In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.
6 There was a man sent from God whose name was John. 7 He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all might believe. 8 He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light.
9 The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world. 10 He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. 11 He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. 12 Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God— 13 children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.
14 The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory,
the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.
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There are different views of hell among Christians. Some believe it is a place of literal torment while others do not subscribe to a literal fire hell. I have heard the view of hell as a jail. I have heard the view of punishment of hell varies based on the life people who rejected Christ lived.
For me, I do not know exactly what hell is like. The perspective of varying degrees of punishment in hell makes more logical sense to me rather than a literal fire.
For me, I do not know exactly what hell is like. The perspective of varying degrees of punishment in hell makes more logical sense to me rather than a literal fire.
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