Arella Mae wrote:If there is no hell then there would be no reason for Christ to have been crucified to save the world from its sins.
The unrepentant sinners die and will remain dead. Those who accept Jesus' sacrifice and repent for their own mistakes will (supposedly) continue living.
Arella Mae wrote:Yes, the redeemed. But what of the unredeemed? If there were no hell then I don't think there would be any reason to accept Christ, do you? I mean if we are just going to be dead, who would care?
According to the Bible the redeemed would live forever--with their family and loved ones. Unless you are self-centered and care for nobody but yourself, that reward would provide plenty of reasons--your mother would be a reason, your father would be a reason, your children would be reasons, your husband would be a reason, etc. If you are not redeemed but your family members are then they will sad that you are not there, but who would care, right? It seems that you did not fully think out the scenario and merely gave a knee-jerk reaction.
Arella Mae wrote:...it sounded like you wouldn't tell anyone about there being a hell. If you love someone you give them the complete truth.
What reason would he have to tell them there is a hell? All of the references to hell in the Bible are either symbolic, corruptions by intertwining Greek mythology into Christian concepts, or they are bad translations. Out of the numerous quotes I have examined not a single one that was purely Christian shown that there was an afterlife for so-called unrepentant sinners. If you love someone you give them the
complete truth. Tell them how Hades does not belong in Christianity. Tell them that "hell" is a mistranslation of Gehenna, the Valley of Hinnom, and of Tartarus and Sheol. Tell them that those who believe in a hell are confused and do not know it is unwise to wish someone eternal damnation. You will do all of these things if you truly love someone.
Robert G. Ingersoll said something that Atheists and Christians alike should agree with: "I want it so that when a poor woman rocks the cradle and sings a lullaby to the dimpled darling, she will not be compelled to believe that ninety-nine chances in a hundred she is raising kindling wood for hell."
Arella Mae wrote:Understood. I don't think anyone knows exactly what hell is but according to these verses from Luke 16, I know it's not somewhere I want to go.
[22] And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried;
[23] And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.
[24] And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.
[25] But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented.
[26] And beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence.
[27] Then he said, I pray thee therefore, father, that thou wouldest send him to my father's house:
[28] For I have five brethren; that he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment.
Did you completely ignore
my response to you about the
same story? That wasn't very polite.
EpiNirvana wrote:Wow! The only place in he entire bible! And a parable too! And once again we go trough this was a bad translation. Well how do you explain no hell in the old testament.
Yes. It was a bad translation because Hades should not be translated as Hell. Hades is Greek mythology and is not a part of Christianity. The story was also a parable and did not follow any real event.
