Is Hell Punishment or a Natural Occurence?
By shewolf52002
@shewolf52002 (1214)
United States
April 2, 2009 10:30pm CST
There is quite a hot little discussion going on here about hell as a punishment for sin. Many people have voiced their opinion on the matter and the one thing that keeps being brought up is that God would not "punish" people that way. What if hell is simply the natural destination for those who do not know God? Hang on before you hit that comment button!!
Think about it if your child reaches for the open flame of a fire are you punishing that child when they are burnt and hurt? Is the hospital burn unit a place of punishment for your child or a natural consequence to his or her actions? You tried to warn them not to play with fire but they did so anyway and now feel the pain. Should your child look at you and say you are punishing me with this pain or trip to the hospital? Maybe God is saying look I have given you the choice to follow me or the other guy and when it is over you will live with the one you followed?
Sometimes we need to consider our perspective on things? Just a question, no cussing or name calling please!
3 responses
@irishidid (8687)
• United States
3 Apr 09
Hell or "sheol" is the grave. There is no actual fire and brimstone, demons poking the tormented souls with pitchforks or any of that Dante stuff. You simply cease to be, period.
I did find this and thought it was an interesting take on the subject:
http://www.jewishencyclopedia.com/view.jsp?letter=S&artid=614
@shewolf52002 (1214)
• United States
3 Apr 09
That is an excellent description of the word sheol and most of it is related to the Old Testament, which stands to reason as the website was for Jewish definitions. However what about the New Testament and the passage that talks about the rich man in hell? It speaks of the flames licking his body and a soul in torment, in fact he asks that his family be warned about the place and is told they have prophets and teachers and if they will not listen to them they will not listen though someone returns to them from it. (Luke 16:19-31 I think)
And even if you interpret that parable to mean something else, there are still the prophecys that deal with the last days and the lake of fire ect.... I am not a Bible scholar by any means, but if a person is to believe the Bible doesnt that mean the whole thing, literally?
@riempie9 (1021)
• South Africa
16 Apr 13
How can anyone of us know that answer? And what is hell? Is it a fire? Or is it a symbol? There is a lot more than just the words - and for every faith there is a different belief. Just try to do good, is my motto. God does not expect much from us; devotion, belief, faith, acts of kindness, and so on.
@gitfiddleplayer (10362)
• United States
3 Apr 09
Hell is a punishment, it a consequence for your actions that do not follow God's plan.
