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Troop, it was common for 40 some years for me to hear not so much "he/she is rotting in hell". but more to the tune of "He/she may be sorry now he/she wasn't baptized before he/she died, they were warned the consequence is hellfire"."Hmp, he/she knows the truth now, but wouldn't listen to us"(US?) "I just hope and pray that his baptism over there in the baptist church will be enough.", "I doubt that I will meet him/her in heaven"..They ALL don't have this selfrighteous, holier than thou attitude, but many do in this area and even in the areas outside here where I live..
And I often say about the child rapist, abusers and murders that I hope they rot in hell, simply because that seems to be the worst punishment I can IMAGINE..Besides turning them loose in the yard of the worst prison in this country..
I find it interesting though. There seems to be a doctrine of hell within the Christian religion, right? If we poked and prodded this out on the Christian forum I would imagine that many of even the most laid back Christians would say that there is indeed a hell - a place where we eternally rot, burn, whatever.
What I find interesting is that this place is almost never reserved for family members or dearly departed individuals. Everyone thinks that both they and their family will all reunite in heaven but what if the rest of your family is all burning in hell? How can you be so sure? What if you're wrong?
It is with that light that I don't think many people look at their beliefs or their God in that fashion. Everyone thinks that God is sending all the other sinners to hell but is making special room for their family members.
As I'm writing this I am rather young. I am rather rebellious and if there is a hell, I almost surely have season tickets for every event by this point. But what happens if I get older and wiser and gentler and I eventually become a kindly old Grandpa whose grandkids love him because he makes funny fart jokes and he teaches them fun ways to look at science as well as spoils them rotten? Let's say I never do become a Christian, I hold onto my Atheism, but my grandkids are believers and they love me to death just as many of us all love our grandparents. Do you really think that my grandkids will believe that the dirty old man who teaches them fart jokes and science lessons is going to be rotting in eternal fire and misery forever? Yet, based on what I say on this forum, people are very quick to surmise that my ultimate ending is going to be with a pitchfork up my rearend.
So, I suppose what I really am getting at is this: Do people really want to worship a God that is sending their grandparents and family members to hell? After all, hell isn't filled with those without families - it's gotta be filled with brothers, sisters, daughters, son, mothers, fathers, aunts, uncles, grandma's and grandpa's right?
Therefore, it seems to me that people all to easily want to see the good side of things rather than the duality that this God character has. People almost seem to WANT there to be a hell so that people who believe differently from them can suffer for eternity.
I find it interesting, and perhaps it's just Sunday morning and everyone is at church, that there have been almost 100 views of this thread and not a single person has said they feel they have a friend or relative burning and rotting away in hell. But, lest we remind ourselves, that is exactly what they will be doing right? Why sugar coat it? They'll be rotting, burning, searing, and agonizing for the rest of eternity. How pleasant!
And for those humans who have gone away, they are mentally residing in hell if they still haven't learnt to seek the kingdom within, full of all what is good.
And for those humans who have gone away, they are mentally residing in hell if they still haven't learnt to seek the kingdom within, full of all what is good.
Love and Light!
Actually Travelling Fella, I'm going to agree with you 100% on this one.
I find it interesting though. There seems to be a doctrine of hell within the Christian religion, right?
True, but that mythical hell is only used to install fear to control the masses.
Unfortunately fear always ends up in war (which actually is hell). So it kinda is a self-fulfilling prophecy which becomes true, because the Christians (and other followers of a religion) do not question this meme.
I find it interesting though. There seems to be a doctrine of hell within the Christian religion, right? If we poked and prodded this out on the Christian forum I would imagine that many of even the most laid back Christians would say that there is indeed a hell - a place where we eternally rot, burn, whatever
Since coming to these forums about a year and a half ago, my belief that there is no hell has become reinforced many times, simply by reading the threads about it..I already did not believe in a fiery eternal hell, but am now sure and don't even think about it even being a possibility..In fact , even though I love the christians here and am tolerable and respectful on their many different doctrines within christianity, I am now more comfortable just calling myself a believer..Christianity has become just another manmade religion, based on Christ (which is true) but from there man has added all his own rules to it that add confusion and conflict since about the third century..
About the duality of God..Many christians and possibly other religions will tell you that duality means for every good thing, there is a bad thing (more like a lesson in opposites to me) Many say that as sure as there is a heaven there is a hell or as sure as there is a God there is a devil..My opinion is that the real interpretation is that we have choices in this life that we can be good or bad..And we reap the consequences of our reactions in this life..
Since coming to these forums about a year and a half ago, my belief that there is no hell has become reinforced many times, simply by reading the threads about it..I already did not believe in a fiery eternal hell, but am now sure and don't even think about it even being a possibility..In fact , even though I love the christians here and am tolerable and respectful on their many different doctrines within christianity, I am now more comfortable just calling myself a believer..Christianity has become just another manmade religion, based on Christ (which is true) but from there man has added all his own rules to it that add confusion and conflict since about the third century..
About the duality of God..Many christians and possibly other religions will tell you that duality means for every good thing, there is a bad thing (more like a lesson in opposites to me) Many say that as sure as there is a heaven there is a hell or as sure as there is a God there is a devil..My opinion is that the real interpretation is that we have choices in this life that we can be good or bad..And we reap the consequences of our reactions in this life..
I think I'm on rep point lockdown right now but just to let you know there's one in reserve for whenever I get the chance. Great post blue!
Location: The world, where will fate take me this time?
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I believe that few people had the capacity of understanding Jesus' perceptions, or they chose to twist them for their own selfish ends.
When Christ spoke of Heaven and Hell, he spoke of mental states rather than metaphysical places of eternal bliss or suffering.
It should be pretty obvious for people who have read the bible, otherwise why love, forgiveness, kindness, purity, honesty, are given so much importance in both Christ words and actions.
the same in any other religion, and most people whether they believe in a deity or not, whether they believe in after life or not, strive to do good, even "evil" people like serial murderers have some good in them.
The point is that it doesn't really matter what you believe, diversity is beautiful, we shouldn't feel bad for being unique or having a different perception of what is truth, we should just make a conscious and steady effort to do what is good, when we do this true peace of mind, happy feelings, self contenment and love make their home in our consciousness, this is heaven, and this is what we all seek.
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So it kinda is a self-fulfilling prophecy which becomes true, because the Christians (and other followers of a religion) do not question this meme.
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