What Is Hell? Is It a Place of Eternal Torment?

Then what? Is it suffering forever or total non existence forever?

What, exactly, are you referring to?

Well, it's more of a question. What do you believe hell to be? A place of eternal suffering, or do you believe it to be total destruction, that is, complete non-existence, the complete absence of life?

According to most Christian denominations it's a place of eternal suffering ranging from outright torture to the permanent separation from God. A minority believe it to be death.

Personally, I don't believe in any of that.

Thanks for thoughts infraBlue. Actually, even though this is taught by many denominations earth wide, the basis for this teaching cannot be found in the Scriptures but in fact finds it's roots in many of the beliefs and practices of other ancient cultures such as those that existed in Babylon. No where in the Bible can they establish that such a place exists. But in fact the opposite becomes clear, that when a person dies they are conscious of nothing at all.

Please examine these texts:
Psalm 146:4 - All conscious thought stops.
Ecclesiastes 9:5, 10 - Dead are conscious of nothing
John 11:11-14 - Jesus reveals death to be a state of complete inactivity or sleep.
1 Corinthians 11:6; 1 Thessalonians 11:14, 15 Those who have died have fallen asleep

There are other passages that are interpreted to indicate otherwise.

That's my point, no interpretation is needed. The texts are self explanatory. The problem comes in when people are not willing to accept the texts for what they actually say. Like the ones I listed earlier. As clear as crystal.

Yes.
'Newish' 'New'ish' = Somewhere inbetween Newest and semirecent.

Answer to "What is Hell?'

(poetic - The wrong side of heaven)

'Hell' is 'SUBJECTIVE! EVERYONE PERCEIVES DIFFERENTLY!

ONLY YOU can answer your question.

Here's one off-the-hip (Newest)

Tarnished by the garnished eye
From whence its vision springs
Winter unto one man
Is anothers' glimpse of Spring

Here's a great quote - 'A patriot to none is a patriot to All'.

Hey Mark, so true when it comes to perception. But how nice it is to have a source that can help us perceive things clearly and accurately. If one is willing to view the Bible as the standard and let it determine what the teaching is, and if we're willing to except what it teaches on it's own merit, then things become clear. We may not agree with what it says but at least we are able to perceive clearly what is being taught. A single standard for all mankind to either accept or reject.

You assert that no interpretation is needed, yet you've interpreted the texts in your previous post. Psalm 146:4 reads, "his spirit goeth forth, he returneth to his earth, in that day have his thoughts perished," "his breath goeth forth, he returneth to his earth; in that very day his purposes perish," and "when their spirit departs, they return to the ground; on that very day their plans come to nothing," among others. You're probably going by, "his spirit goes out, he returns to the ground; on that very day his thoughts perish." but you've interpreted these to mean, "all conscious thought stops."

Ecclesiastes 9:5 reads, among various translations, as either, "For the living know that they die, and the dead know not anything, and there is no more to them a reward, for their remembrance hath been forgotten," and "For the living know that they will die, but the dead know nothing; they have no further reward, and even their name is forgotten," or "for the living know they will die; but the dead do not know anything, nor have they any longer a reward, for their memory is forgotten," and "For the living know that they shall die, but the dead do not know any thing; neither do they have any more reward, for their memory is placed into oblivion." The latest New World Translation (NWT) reads, "For the living know that they will die, but the dead know nothing at all, nor do they have any more reward, because all memory of them is forgotten." Ecclesiastes 9:10 reads "All that thy hand findeth to do, with thy power do, for there is no work, and device, and knowledge, and wisdom in Sheol whither thou art going," "Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might, for in the realm of the dead, where you are going, there is neither working nor planning nor knowledge nor wisdom." The Watch Tower translation has it as, "Whatever your hand finds to do, do with all your might, for there is no work nor planning nor knowledge nor wisdom in the Grave, where you are going." You've gone and interpreted these to mean, "dead are conscious of nothing."

One reading of John 11:11 goes, "these things he said, and after this he saith to them, 'Lazarus our friend hath fallen asleep, but I go on that I may awake him." The NWT has it as, "After he said these things, he added: 'Lazʹarus our friend has fallen asleep, but I am traveling there to awaken him.'" For you that means, "Jesus reveals death to be a state of complete inactivity or sleep."

Hi InfraBlue, sorry I didn't get back to you sooner. But if you take the texts at face value, accept them for what they say then the answer is obvious. I'm interested though, what would you say Jesus meant at John 11:11-14? Remember now, taking the Scriptures for what they say on their own, what do you understand?

You assert that the answer is obvious, but in light of divergent translations of many passages, e.g. Ecclesiastes 9:5, "the answer" is ambiguous.



He was speaking metaphorically, likening death to sleep. His disciples thought he was speaking literally.

Unfortunately, the Bible (Biblos) (Library) is corrupted.
And anything built upon weak (corrupt, incomplete, misinspired) foundations - IS, in and of itself, detrimental to the entire progressive ... structure, it supports.

Jesus is bollux.

Immanuel - Is a beauty beyond belief.

Just caught this post.
John 11.11 ...
If you know the '11.11' meaning - You'll understand.