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Religion

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Cattledog

(5,897 posts)
Fri Jan 10, 2020, 01:40 PM Jan 2020

Why Do People Believe in Hell? [View all]

Evangelicals love the idea of hell.

No truly accomplished New Testament scholar, for instance, believes that later Christianity’s opulent mythology of God’s eternal torture chamber is clearly present in the scriptural texts. It’s entirely absent from St. Paul’s writings; the only eschatological fire he ever mentions brings salvation to those whom it tries (1 Corinthians 3:15). Neither is it found in the other New Testament epistles, or in any extant documents (like the Didache) from the earliest post-apostolic period. There are a few terrible, surreal, allegorical images of judgment in the Book of Revelation, but nothing that, properly read, yields a clear doctrine of eternal torment. Even the frightening language used by Jesus in the Gospels, when read in the original Greek, fails to deliver the infernal dogmas we casually assume to be there.

On the other hand, many New Testament passages seem — and not metaphorically — to promise the eventual salvation of everyone. For example: “Therefore, as one trespass led to condemnation for all men, so one act of righteousness leads to justification and life for all men.” (Romans 5:18) Or: “For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive.” (1 Corinthians 15:22) Or: “He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world.” (1 John 2:2) (Or: John 13:32; Romans 11:32; 1 Timothy 2:3-6; 4:10; Titus 2:11; and others.)


https://www.nytimes.com/2020/01/10/opinion/sunday/christianity-religion-hell-bible.html
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Why Do People Believe in Hell? [View all] Cattledog Jan 2020 OP
In my view, hell is a metaphor for a separation from the Creator. guillaumeb Jan 2020 #1
That's the lame ass "it's not that bad" hell. Voltaire2 Jan 2020 #5
No, it the assertion that hell, and sin, guillaumeb Jan 2020 #6
I swear you've claimed that your gods are everywhere. Voltaire2 Jan 2020 #8
It is a separation, an apartness. guillaumeb Jan 2020 #12
So your gods are not everywhere. Voltaire2 Jan 2020 #17
Your statement bears no relation to what I wrote. guillaumeb Jan 2020 #20
So gods are not part of consciousness? Voltaire2 Jan 2020 #23
As I said, in my view hell is a state of being. guillaumeb Jan 2020 #24
And you are also claiming that your gods are everywhere? Voltaire2 Jan 2020 #25
The Creator is inseparable from the creation. guillaumeb Jan 2020 #26
But these hell inhabitants are separate from your gods. Voltaire2 Jan 2020 #29
They are spiritually "apart" from the Creator. guillaumeb Jan 2020 #37
I'd rather laugh with the sinners edhopper Jan 2020 #9
Oh yeah that's how you avoid the "god sends people to hell" problem... trotsky Jan 2020 #14
I'm okay with the separation Cartoonist Jan 2020 #15
Consider sin as another word for behaving unjustly toward others. eom guillaumeb Jan 2020 #16
I've only done that a few times Cartoonist Jan 2020 #18
A fantastic image. guillaumeb Jan 2020 #21
Lol😂 dewsgirl Jan 2020 #27
That is the Reform Jewish interpretation Cary Jan 2020 #31
I had no idea. guillaumeb Jan 2020 #38
It just meant as information Cary Jan 2020 #39
Regarding the Bible as mainly metaphor, guillaumeb Jan 2020 #40
if they literally followed the Bible they'd be nasty, vindictive slugs. Cary Jan 2020 #41
And I feel that there are no true literalists. eom guillaumeb Jan 2020 #45
How about where God denied Moses entrance into the promised land Cary Jan 2020 #42
Because they are nuts? we can do it Jan 2020 #2
I was going to say "because I need a fitting place to picture Croney Jan 2020 #3
😂 we can do it Jan 2020 #4
With what we know about Republicans and their supporters, I hope it exists. CaptYossarian Jan 2020 #7
Why do people believe in divinity at all. LakeArenal Jan 2020 #10
Convenient way for the early church to control people TlalocW Jan 2020 #11
The promise of reward or punishment for the controlled behavior Major Nikon Jan 2020 #13
+1 Duppers Jan 2020 #19
Our 'individual Hells' (economic, mental, relationship, environment, etc etc. ARE REAL. JustFiveMoreMinutes Jan 2020 #22
Usually I sigh over people's inability to comprehend metaphor & other literary devices in the Bible. catrose Jan 2020 #28
With metaphor all things are possible Major Nikon Jan 2020 #43
Love it! Metaphorically, of course catrose Jan 2020 #44
It offends evangelicals when people "get away" with things the evangelicals call sins. Thomas Hurt Jan 2020 #30
Authoritarians Cary Jan 2020 #33
I was in an Uber a couple of days ago and a hard core Christian Cary Jan 2020 #32
I think a lot of people love to see others in pain. Srkdqltr Jan 2020 #34
If god is truly infinitely loving and merciful, then even Hitler went to heaven. Binkie The Clown Jan 2020 #35
I do not believe in consciousness after death unblock Jan 2020 #36
Indoctrination, conditioning, repeated lies, brainwashing... NeoGreen Jan 2020 #46
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