Now, the topic is quite a controversial one, but it would be needful for us to see why it is viewed so.
Not many people would subscribe to the fact that the hell described in majority of the christian circles is false.
I don't intend to battle this out with anybody.
My intention is to present why it is viewed thus and leave everybody to decide for themselves if
they would want to continue with their previous beliefs about hell, or get a regenerated view on this whole
"hell" issue.

This presentation was done by somebody else on his website and I'm providing the link below.
Please note:

The write up is pretty long; so if you do not have the patience to read and go through all the points presented,
it would be better you didn't bother reading. This hell issue is a serious issue and needs to be dealt with as precisely
as possible.

Also, it should be noted that my agreement with the points put forward by the article are mine personally and
should not be concluded to be the general belief among the congregation where I fellowship(cos I know there is one such
fellow who reaches such erroneous conclusions here    ) .

Furthermore, it would be of good use if you could have a hewbrew/greek bible to check on points while studying/reading the article.
Strong's concordance will help very well if you have it.
Those with the e-sword bible software are in good hands for this.

The link is below. Enjoy(or maybe fume  as the case maybe) :

Hell is a Christian hoax

where do u stand? do u believe hell is a hoax? if so, what are ur reasons? what are ur deductions from ur article?

noetic16:

where do u stand? do u believe hell is a hoax? if so, what are your reasons? what are your deductions from your article?

I believe if you go through the article, you'll get my stand.

But if you want a summarised version, well:

Hell is not as it is commonly believed to be i.e. a fiery burning place where people burn forever/for eternity.
The main conclusion that can be gotten is that God is going to save the whole of humanity.
The idea that only a few will be saved while some will suffer forever is wrong and not put forward by scripture if properly viewed
and interpreted.

Also, the common notion of hell which almost the whole of christianity subscribes to is a pagan belief which has firmly rooted itself
in christian beliefs.

That's the much I can say for now. Make ur own conclusions from the article.

Hell is just a christian tool for possible recruitment of new catches(very ineffective in this regard) as well as a very effective tool for the psychological manipulations of the brethren already in the fold to discourage any of them from leaving. It is the archaic and childish bogeyman-is-going-to-get-you fearmongering trick. Of course it is a hoax!

ttalks:

I believe if you go through the article, you'll get my stand.

But if you want a summarised version, well:

Hell is not as it is commonly believed to be i.e. a fiery burning place where people burn forever/for eternity.
[size=13pt]The main conclusion that can be gotten is that God is going to save the whole of humanity.
The idea that only a few will be saved while some will suffer forever is wrong[/size] and not put forward by scripture if properly viewed
and interpreted.

Also, the common notion of hell which almost the whole of christianity subscribes to is a pagan belief which has firmly rooted itself
in christian beliefs.

That's the much I can say for now. Make your own conclusions from the article.

This, as far as i'm concerned is the CRUX of the matter. I really am saddened hearing christians subscribe to such new ageism. The end indeed is near.

davidylan:

This, as far as i'm concerned is the CRUX of the matter. I really am saddened hearing christians subscribe to such new ageism. The end indeed is near.

what makes this new ageism david?
The scriptures have not started saying something new; they've been saying the truth ever since.

This is how it all begins or ends. This is truly the perilous times predicted. They are all over NL parading as Christians.

God is going to save the whole of humanity ke? This one na straight doctrine of devil, hin no even qualify as another gospel.

Image123:

God is going to save the whole of humanity ke? This one na straight doctrine of devil, hin no even qualify as another gospel.

Why don't you guys go through the article and punch holes in it where you see fit?!

It would only make sense if you could critique the contents of the article without just making broad and general statements with nothing
to back them up.

This is an article you need to read on what the Bible says about hell.

There are three words translated “Hell” in Scripture:
Gehenna (Greek): The place of punishment (Matthew 5:22,29; 10:28; and James 3:6)
Hades (Greek): The abode of the dead (Matthew 11:23; 16:18; Luke 16:23; Acts 2:27)
Sheol (Hebrew): The grave (Psalm 9:17; 16:10)

There are those who accept that Hell is a place of punishment, but believe that the punishment is to be annihilated—to cease conscious existence.  They can’t conceive that the punishment of the wicked will be conscious and eternal.  If they are correct, then a man like Adolph Hitler, who was responsible for the deaths of millions, is being “punished” merely with eternal sleep.  His fate is simply to return to the non-existent state he was in before he was born, where he doesn’t even know that he is being punished.

However, Scripture paints a different story.  The rich man who found himself in Hell (Luke 16:19-31) was conscious.  He was able to feel pain, to thirst, and to experience remorse.  He wasn’t asleep in the grave; he was in a place of "torment." If Hell is a place of knowing nothing or a reference to the grave into which we go at death, Jesus’ statements about Hell make no sense.  He said that if your hand, foot, or eye causes you to sin, it would be better to remove it than to "go into Hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched: where their worm dies not, and the fire is not quenched” (Mark 9:43-48).

The Bible refers to the fate of the unsaved with such fearful words as the following:

[list]
[li]"Shame and everlasting contempt” (Daniel 12:2) [/li]
[/list]
[list]
[li]"Everlasting punishment” (Matthew 25:46) [/li]
[/list]
[list]
[li]Weeping and gnashing of teeth” (Matthew 24:51) [/li]
[/list]
[list]
[li]"Fire unquenchable” (Luke 3:17) [/li]
[/list]
[list]
[li]"Indignation and wrath, tribulation and anguish” (Romans 2:8,9) [/li]
[/list]
[list]
[li]"Everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord” (2 Thessalonians 1:9)[/li]
[/list]
[list]
[li]"Eternal fire, the blackness of darkness for ever” (Jude 1:7,13) [/li]
[/list]
Revelation 14:10,11 tells us the final, eternal destiny of the sinner: “He shall be tormented with fire and brimstone, the smoke of their torment ascended up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day or night."

http://www.wayofthemaster.com/

OLAADEGBU:

This is an article you need to read on what the Bible says about hell.

There are three words translated “Hell” in Scripture:
Gehenna (Greek): The place of punishment (Matthew 5:22,29; 10:28; and James 3:6)
Hades (Greek): The abode of the dead (Matthew 11:23; 16:18; Luke 16:23; Acts 2:27)
Sheol (Hebrew): The grave (Psalm 9:17; 16:10)

There are those who accept that Hell is a place of punishment, but believe that the punishment is to be annihilated—to cease conscious existence.  They can’t conceive that the punishment of the wicked will be conscious and eternal.  If they are correct, then a man like Adolph Hitler, who was responsible for the deaths of millions, is being “punished” merely with eternal sleep.  His fate is simply to return to the non-existent state he was in before he was born, where he doesn’t even know that he is being punished.

However, Scripture paints a different story.  The rich man who found himself in Hell (Luke 16:19-31) was conscious.  He was able to feel pain, to thirst, and to experience remorse.  He wasn’t asleep in the grave; he was in a place of "torment." If Hell is a place of knowing nothing or a reference to the grave into which we go at death, Jesus’ statements about Hell make no sense.  He said that if your hand, foot, or eye causes you to sin, it would be better to remove it than to "go into Hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched: where their worm dies not, and the fire is not quenched” (Mark 9:43-48).

The Bible refers to the fate of the unsaved with such fearful words as the following:

[list]
[li]"Shame and everlasting contempt” (Daniel 12:2) [/li]
[/list]
[list]
[li]"Everlasting punishment” (Matthew 25:46) [/li]
[/list]
[list]
[li]Weeping and gnashing of teeth” (Matthew 24:51) [/li]
[/list]
[list]
[li]"Fire unquenchable” (Luke 3:17) [/li]
[/list]
[list]
[li]"Indignation and wrath, tribulation and anguish” (Romans 2:8,9) [/li]
[/list]
[list]
[li]"Everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord” (2 Thessalonians 1:9)[/li]
[/list]
[list]
[li]"Eternal fire, the blackness of darkness for ever” (Jude 1:7,13) [/li]
[/list]
Revelation 14:10,11 tells us the final, eternal destiny of the sinner: “He shall be tormented with fire and brimstone, the smoke of their torment ascended up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day or night."

http://www.wayofthemaster.com/

Olaadegbu, the article I refered to deals with all these stuff you've posted here.

A lot of the things in the bible are symbolic and not meant to be taken/interpreted literally.
And besides, some of the interpretations we have of certain key verses which we quote to support the hell theory
are wrong.

as regards the rich man and Lazarus stuff, it wasn't real; it was a parable which Christ told to paint a picture
or highlight a point.
Nobody is in this so called hell; not even the rich man.

Now this verse below is just one of the many that shows God will save everyone; yes, even Adolph Hitler:

1Timothy 4:10
(10) With a view to this we toil and strive, [yes and] suffer reproach, because we have [fixed our] hope on the living God, Who is the Savior (Preserver, Maintainer, Deliverer) of all men, especially of those who believe (trust in, rely on, and adhere to Him).

Ttalks
Hell is symbolic of what? Heaven? Who told you that the words of Jesus are not real or that nobody is in hell?some article perhaps. Well, I have seen a more sure Word.
Is it new to you that Jesus was sent to save the world? What are you quoting, no be you go first quote Bible ke.

Image123:

Ttalks
Hell is symbolic of what? Heaven? Who told you that the words of Jesus are not real or that nobody is in hell?some article perhaps. Well, I have seen a more sure Word.
Is it new to you that Jesus was sent to save the world? What are you quoting, no be you go first quote Bible ke.

Can you show me a verse that says someone or anybody is in hell apart from the rich man in the parable?

It's not new that Jesus was sent to save the world.The only problem is that Christians world over do not believe he is capable of
doing this; they feel he can only save a few while a major lot will be damned for eternity.

Since it's like nobody wants to deal with this issue by referencing the article I posted, I'll put a bit of it here.
This in response to a portion of Olaadegbu's post above:

IS THERE A LITERAL PLACE OF PUNISHMENT CALLED "HELL?"
IS THE PUNISHMENT OF THIS HELL EVERLASTING-ETERNAL?

Many Christians have a very strong opinion of things that they know virtually nothing about. Hundreds of times I have been told that "hell" is a literal place of literal fire which is everlasting or eternal. They have no proof of any such thing. Time and again I am told: "The Bible is LITERAL, Ray. You have to take it literally." Oh really, and do they even believe their own words?

Let's see if you believe the Bible teaches a literal hell of literal fire that lasts literally for eternity.

If there are Scriptures that clearly show that "hell fire" is not literal nor eternal, then how can there also be contradicting Scriptures which would suggest that "hell fire" is literal and is eternal? Hell fire cannot be both literal and eternal at one place in the Scriptures, but then it is also figurative and temporary at another place in the Scriptures. It is either one or the other, it cannot be both.

Let's look at a few examples from no less an authority on this subject than Jesus Christ Himself (Note: All quotations of Jesus in this paper will appear in red type).

"You have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shall not commit adultery: But I say unto you, That whosoever looks on a woman to lust after her has committed adultery with her already in his heart.

And if your right eye offend you, pluck it out, and cast it from you: for it is profitable for you that one of your members should perish, and not that your whole body should be cast into hell.

And if your right hand offend thee, cut it off, and cast it from you: for it is profitable for you that one of your members should perish, and not that your whole body should be cast into hell" (Matt. 5:27-30).

Mark's account adds these words:

", into hell fire, where their worm dies not, and the fire is not quenched. For EVERY ONE shall be salted with fire, " (Mark 9:48-49).

And this includes you and me, (Matt. 3:11 & I Pet. 4:12).

From just this one teaching of Jesus we can know absolutely whether "hell fire" is literal and whether it is everlasting or eternal.

Let's pay close attention to just one statement from Jesus that should help everyone to see that this is figurative language that teaches us a great spiritual truth. Jesus did not say what most Christians think He said.

Jesus did not say: "And if your eye offends you, repent of your lust or God will cast you into an hell of immortal worms and everlasting fire which will never stop burning."

But that is what most Christians think Jesus meant even if He didn't actually say it. Nonsense.

"And if your eye offend you, "

This word "offend" means: "to entice you to sin" (Strong's Greek Dictionary).

Now then, is it even "literally" possible for a physical organ of the body to be the cause of a moral or spiritual sin? No, it is not possible. Lusting after a woman does not have its origin in the eyes but rather in the heart.

", whosoever looks [with the eyes] on a woman to lust [in his heart, not in his eyes] after her has committed adultery with her already in his heart."

The lust of the eyes is itself a "figure of speech." We "look" with our eyes, but we "lust" with our heart. And the "heart" in Scripture virtually never means the organ of the body which pumps blood. The "heart" in Scripture is the inner most man, the seat of emotions and passions, conscience, and moral character. No physical organ of the body has even one of these spiritual attributes. More proof:

"For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders" (Mark 7:21).

Did you notice that "looking on a woman to lust after her" IS adultery, and it comes not from the eyes, but from the heart. So then, is this teaching in Matt. 5:27-30, literal, or figurative? It is figurative. More proof,

Here's what Jesus said to do if one finds himself looking at a woman to lust after her:

", if your right eye offend you [entices you to sin] pluck it out , if your right hand offend you cut it off, "

What? "Pluck it out , cut it off?"

And lying two-faced hypocritical theologians tell us that the Bible must be taken "literally?" That both hell and hell fire are "literal?" That we are to pluck out our eyes and cut off our hands and feet, literally? Are they crazy?

If this teaching on hell by Jesus Christ is to be taken literally, how come you don't see millions and millions of Christians around the world having NO EYES, AND NO FEET, AND NO HANDS? Is there even one Christian in a billion that takes these Scriptures literally when it comes to putting their money where their mouth is? No, their failure to "literally" follow Jesus' command belies their assertion that virtually all of the Bible and the teachings of Jesus are "literal."

But what about the "worms that don't die," and the "fire never quenched?" Simple: Jesus never used the words "hell fire."

Two things we should never find in a Bible: [1] The old Anglo Saxon word "hell," and [2] any word denoting "endless time," as in "for ever AND ever," "everlasting," or "eternal." There is no such equivalent in any Hebrew or Greek manuscripts of the Holy Scriptures.

Furthermore, if "for ever" means an eternity, what pray tell does "for ever AND EVER" mean? Multiple eternities? How many eternities are there?

The first place that "hell fire" appears in the Greek New Testament is in Matt. 5:22. Virtually all Bibles with a center reference will refer you to the marginal note on "hell" where it says, "Greek: Gehenna." And Gehenna is Greek for the Hebrew word "Hinnom" or "Valley of Hinnom," which is found outside the city walls of Jerusalem on the south side.

You can, if you wish, take a stroll through hell in Jerusalem - it is now part of a city park. In the time of Christ's ministry this valley was the Jerusalem city garbage dump, and for centuries, as long as garbage was thrown into it, the fires kept burning and the worms which ate the garbage didn't die out - they kept reproducing, year after year after year.

The only way , the ONLY WAY, that any Christian can claim that hell, hell fire, immortal worms, never-ending fire, eternal torture, etc., can be literal is if we take everything literally that Jesus said regarding hell (Gehenna fire). You cannot separate what Jesus says MUST be done to avoid having, ", your whole body cast into hell [Gehenna], from what Christians say hell is. In other words, you cannot avoid a LITERAL HELL by performing a FIGURATIVE action.

Jesus did not say: "If your right literal eye literally offends you, FIGURATIVELY pluck your literal eye out, " But that's the kind of insane theological poppycock that is peddled from the pulpits.

How is it possible to "figuratively" pluck out one's eyes, and cut off one's hands and feet to avoid a "literal" eternal hell fire, and then insist that the words of Jesus and most of the Bible must be taken literally?

Why do you stand for such utter and unscriptural nonsense? Why would you want to continue defending such illogical ignorant enemies of God's Word? You would never stand for such a travesty, such a miscarriage, such a violation of sound scholarship in any other area of your life, save when it comes to religion.

ttalks:

Olaadegbu, the article I refered to deals with all these stuff you've posted here.

A lot of the things in the bible are symbolic and not meant to be taken/interpreted literally.
And besides, some of the interpretations we have of certain key verses which we quote to support the hell theory
are wrong.

as regards the rich man and Lazarus stuff, it wasn't real; it was a parable which Christ told to paint a picture
or highlight a point.
Nobody is in this so called hell; not even the rich man.

Now this verse below is just one of the many that shows God will save everyone; yes, even Adolph Hitler:

1Timothy 4:10
(10) With a view to this we toil and strive, [yes and] suffer reproach, because we have [fixed our] hope on the living God, Who is the Savior (Preserver, Maintainer, Deliverer) of all men, especially of those who believe (trust in, rely on, and adhere to Him).

This is what image referred to as doctrines of devils from the pit of hell.  This is the result of those who don't take the Words of God at face value.  Adam fell for it in the Garden of Eden and men today are tripping over it into the pit of hell. 

The Bible contains history, poetry, parables, prophecies, genealogies and figures of speech but the devil will want you to believe that the book Genesis is a myth and that the book Revelation is a mystery that we cannot understand thereby robbing you of salient messages from God.

Jesus spoke to the public in parables but eventually spoke to His disciples plainly.  If you notice in all His parables you will not find names of people or places.  The fact that Jesus mentioned names of real people such as Moses, Abraham and Lazarus should show you that He was talking of a real event.  You will be blessed if you read the Word of God in a straightforward manner until it becomes clear that it is speaking figuratively or in shadows and types, that way you will not be deceived.

1Ti 2:3-4
(3)  This is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior,
(4)  who wants all people to be saved and to come to a full knowledge of the truth.

The above shows what God wants; he wants to save everybody.
But almost the whole of Christianity feel this is not possible.
They say this is merely what God wishes or desires but does not necessarily mean it will be so.
Do they have any scriptural backing that suggests that what God wishes/wants/desires might not come to be?
Of course not!
But do we have scriptural proof that God's wish/desire/want will come to be?
Yes we do!!

Isa 46:9-11
(9)  Remember the former things of old: for I am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none like me,
(10)  Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure:
(11)  Calling a ravenous bird from the east, the man that executeth my counsel from a far country: yea, I have spoken it, I will also bring it to pass; I have purposed it, I will also do it.

Job 23:13
(13)  But he is in one mind, and who can turn him? and what his soul desireth, even that he doeth.


Isa 14:24
(24)  The LORD of hosts hath sworn, saying, Surely as I have thought, so shall it come to pass; and as I have purposed, so shall it stand:


Isa 55:11
(11)  So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.

God wants to save the whole world.The bible tells us that anything he wants/wishes/desires will come to be.
So it is therefore true that the whole world will be saved because God wants it so.

It is true that God wants to save the whole world infact He does not want the death of a sinner but that they all repent. He sent His only begotten Son that whosoever believes in Him would not perish but would have eternal life.

The guy that manufactured soap/detergent has it in mind that people would be clean but is everybody clean? It is only if you use the soap/detergent will you be clean. The same goes for salvation, it is only those who apply the precious blood of Jesus by faith would be saved from their sin. God has played His part the ball is now in our court. Repent and believe the gospel.

OLAADEGBU:

This is what image referred to as doctrines of devils from the pit of hell.  This is the result of those who don't take the Words of God at face value.  Adam fell for it in the Garden of Eden and men today are tripping over it into the pit of hell. 

The Bible contains history, poetry, parables, prophecies, genealogies and figures of speech but the devil will want you to believe that the book Genesis is a myth and that the book Revelation is a mystery that we cannot understand thereby robbing you of salient messages from God.

Jesus spoke to the public in parables but eventually spoke to His disciples plainly.  If you notice in all His parables you will not find names of people or places.  The fact that Jesus mentioned names of real people such as Moses, Abraham and Lazarus should show you that He was talking of a real event.  You will be blessed if you read the Word of God in a straightforward manner until it becomes clear that it is speaking figuratively or in shadows and types, that way you will not be deceived.

Olaadegbu,

Do a lot more study and you will find out that the story of lazarus and the rich man was a parable among a number which he rendered at a sitting.
The names he mentioned(Moses,Abraham) do not change the fact that it was a parable.

Jesus spoke in parables all the time to the public and he was speaking to the public when he rendered that parable.

Apart from that, the bible makes it clear that heaven or the supposed hell do not become an issue until after the judgement day(which is yet to be).
Therefore every person that is dead is just that; dead.
Yes, they are all dead and in a state of non existence until the day of judgement where all that are dead will be resurrected to face judgement.

So, ur "hell" has nobody in it or going through it right now.

OLAADEGBU:

It is true that God wants to save the whole world infact He does not want the death of a sinner but that they all repent.  He sent His only begotten Son that whosoever believes in Him would not perish but would have eternal life.

The guy that manufactured soap/detergent has it in mind that people would be clean but is everybody clean?  It is only if you use the soap/detergent will you be clean.  The same goes for salvation, it is only those who apply the precious blood of Jesus by faith would be saved from their sin.  God has played His part the ball is now in our court.  Repent and believe the gospel.

There is a very big difference between God and the guy that manufactured soap.
God has the power to make his desire/wish to come to pass irrespective of what man feels or does or chooses; the soap guy has no power to make people be clean, he can only hope.

The verses I gave above showing that God's wish/will/desire will definitely come to be definitely do not portray any subjection to anything
not to talk of man's puny will or choices.

God cannot create some where for humans to burn everlastingly as christendom says.

what then is the benefit of the atonement on the cross?

davidylan:

what then is the benefit of the atonement on the cross?

Very simple answer. To save man from his sin.
Christ did not come to die to prevent us from going to hell.
He simply came to take away sin/save us from our sins.

If you really spent time going through the article i refered you all to, this question would
not have surfaced.

The common belief is that salvation takes place only in this age(the church age); that anybody that dies a sinner would not get another chance
at salvation.
Well, studying the bible deeply reveals that only a few will be saved in this age by believing in Christ while the rest will be saved after this age.
The general belief which we all have that it is only those who believe in Christ that will be saved is true as regards this age and time
but the remaining will experience their own salvation sometime after the resurrection.

People believe that this time(this age) is the only time/or period of salvation. this is probably based on:

2Co 6:2
(2)  (For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.)

This verse renders day of salvation as "the day of salvation" kind of like making one exclusive period/age in time where salvation was to be possible.
But this verse was quoted from:

Isaiah 49:8
(8 )  Thus saith the LORD, In an acceptable time have I heard thee, and i[b]n a day of salvation[/b] have I helped thee: and I will preserve thee, and give thee for a covenant of the people, to establish the earth, to cause to inherit the desolate heritages;

So as we can see that it actually was a day of salvation(meaning one among two,three or more) and not "the day".

Just go through the article.it answers most of the questions that might come up.

@ttalks,

The article is faulty. It takes too many things for granted and excuses very important issues under the guise of what the author assumes falls under 'symbolic' language. That is an escape hatch that is not even half-clever, especially because Ray Smith is known to be too busy condemning others rather than delving into the Word for whetever he wants to say on any subject.

Okay, let's assume for his (and your) sake that hell is a hoax. The implication is that the whole world would be saved - which was what you wanted to lead us to believe. Good for you, but is that indeed what Scripture teaches? If you feel so, then please think carefully on these:

1. what happens to the devil and his angels?

2. what is the ultimate end of all the ungodly, unregenerate and unrepentant?

3. what then is the need for anyone at all to repent, since everyone would ultimately be saved after persisting in sin?

I would not like to assuage the thread, so let's take these few questions initially - more as we progress.

ttalks:

Please go through the article again comparing the author's "interpretations" to what scripture says. Olaadegbu points out one brilliant issue - the rich man who found himself in hell! Whist you could argue that hell is a place of "death" and possible not everlasting (for man), you cannot say "man will be purged of his errors" then transferred to Heaven EXCEPT you are reading the Quran where you burn till angels can't recognise you then are transferred to the land of virgins and ogogoro to start sinning again. In fact, your case is worse since they believe you have to accept Allah to get the foregoing whist in your case, everyone is acceptable (Atheist, Christian, Muslim, whatever).

This one time, you agreed too fast.

Hmmm! O ga o! See christians(with the exception of ttalk) clamouring for humanity to burn in hell. Absolutely bizarre, and getting more and more bizarre by the day! According to them, any teaching that say otherwise is a teaching straight from the pit of hell!!. What irony. The religion of peace and love clamouring for eternal torture by fire of mankind. This world is all mixed up inside. Christianity has become a religion of hellfire. I am firegasted.

Jenwitemi:

Absolutely bizarre, and getting more and more bizarre by the day! According to them, any teaching that say otherwise is a teaching straight from the pit of hell!!.

And according to you, what does not agree with your own teaching amounts to what?

^^^ The point of Jenwitemi is What?

There should be no punishment? The Bible is wrong saying the rich man was in torment? What?

Draw out truth and tell us there is death (final and complete) in hell-fire but don't tell us that the Apostle Paul and a satanist will end up having the same fate because Christ came to save the world. Reason ridicules your assertion, bro

nuclearboy:

ttalks:

Please go through the article again comparing the author's "interpretations" to what scripture says. Olaadegbu points out one brilliant issue - the rich man who found himself in hell! [/b]Whist you could argue that hell is a place of "death" and possible not everlasting (for man), you cannot say "man will be purged of his errors" then transferred to Heaven EXCEPT you are reading the Quran where you burn till angels can't recognise you then are transferred to the land of virgins and ogogoro to start sinning again. In fact, your case is worse since they believe you have to accept Allah to get the foregoing whist in your case, everyone is acceptable (Atheist, Christian, Muslim, whatever).

This one time, you agreed too fast.

The rich man going to hell quote is nothing but a metaphor something of a deep spiritual truth, nuclearboy. It was not meant to be literarily understood. A richman will not find heaven(peace of mind, happiness and tranquility) because of his clinging to all his material wealth that he has acquired because of his fear of not losing it all, [b]in his mind! That is what the parable is telling us. A rich man who is forever worried about loosing his wealth and who spends all his life trying to acquire more, is already leaving in a selfcreated hell(anxiety, worries, hunger for more, fear of lsing, etc). That is the message the parable was meant to convey.

Jenwitemi:

The rich man going to hell quote is nothing but a metaphor something of a deep spiritual truth, nuclearboy. It was not meant to be literarily understood. A richman will not find heaven(peace of mind, happiness and tranquility) because of his clinging to all his material wealth that he has acquired because of his fear of not losing it all, in his mind! That is what the parable is telling us. A rich man who is forever worried about loosing his wealth and who spends all his life trying to acquire more, is already leaving in a selfcreated hell(anxiety, worries, hunger for more, fear of lsing, etc). That is the message the parable was meant to convey.

So, the death of the rich and poor were in their minds, and only to be taken symbolically?

@Jenwitemi:

Sorry but I disagree with you. Death is a state where you know not much (if anything). Would you then state that after you die, (even if metaphorically), your wahala is what has happened to your earthly possessions? For if you say "IN HIS MIND", that supposes his mind is still conscoiuos of the wealth he left behind and what happens/happened to it.

Remember the context was in respect to a "passed away" individual

viaro:

And according to you, what does not agree with your own teaching amounts to what?

A different teaching? At the worst, a false teaching. But according to you guys, any teaching that have in it's core the saving of the entire humanity, is from the pit of hell? I just can't fathom that. A group of humanity clamouring for the eternal burning of their fellow humans. . . absolutely sick! sick to the core! You folks are totally messed up, and the tragedy of it all is that you all don't even know it.

You're not making sense here Bro and God knows there is NO insult in that. None of us wrote the Bible - we're just discussing what it says. Seems you would prefer we all gang up against God and tell Him to go jump cos we want to support ourselves; that so?

What the Word says is sinners go to Hell, whether we like it or not; whether we're messed up or not; whether we plan to burn or not!