What is the purpose of hell in Christian or Muslim theology?
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Anonymous
Isn't God capable of putting an end to the soul? And many people do not even believe that an afterlife exists, so how can they choose to go there? I don't intend this to come across as disrespectful. |
Anonymous
Thank you for this answer. My question is: why doesn't God choose to show Himself so that everyone will know for certain that He exists and that we have the possibility of reconciliation with Him? And why doesn't God simply annihilate everyone who dies without reconciling with Him rather than sending them to an afterlife or allow people the opportunity to reconcile with Him once they perceive His existence after death? |
Anonymous
Good point re hell -- even if man created hell, God, being God, could get rid of it, if he wanted to, which apparently, he doesn't. But re God "showing" himself -that would negate the need for faith, which seems to be a big deal for God -- , i.e., believing in him despite that fact that he does not show himself and in fact sometimes really seems quite convincingly not to be around - e.g., when really bad things happen to people who believe in him. But another way to look at it, is: "Who the hell are YOU to dictate how God should be!" He's God, after all -- he can do what he wants. |
Anonymous
But what if I don't feel separated from God? Sometimes I'm a saint, sometimes a sinner. |
Anonymous
(Same PP again) Ah, but He did show Himself by actually coming to earth in the person of Jesus Christ! God lived, breathed and walked the earth in the body of Christ. (It's mindblowing to sit and contemplate that, I'll certainly grant you!) And He continues to reveal Himself, through the power of the Holy Spirit that is very much alive on earth, just as evil is as well. Jesus came to earth, lived a perfect life and died to reconcile us all to God. Christians believe that during the 3 days Jesus was dead, he "descended into Hell," and then rose from the grave, conquering death, evil and all sin that separates us from God. To your second question: Christians believe that we, as humans, are created in the image of God. God wants nothing more than a personal relationship with every single person on this planet. But - and this is the kicker - we have to want that relationship too. He never forces any of us to have or receive it, because if He did, we would be nothing more than robots. We are created to be in communion with God, but we have free choice in the matter. Why doesn't God allow reconcilation after death...? I don't know. Maybe He does? |
Anonymous
| Just my opinion as an interfaith minister. The concept of “hell” was created to control the masses. It’s fear based nonsense that has nothing to do with a loving Creator. If you research the original languages in sacred scripture, you’ll learn that “hell” has been misinterpreted intentionally for thousands of years. |
Anonymous
Your identification as an “interfaith” minister tells us all we need to know. |
Anonymous
Tells YOU, perhaps, but YOU can't speak for all of US. |
Anonymous
| To scare people into doing the right thing. |
Anonymous
To which I say, So what? If true, this implies that for 1000's of years, church leaders have been misleading people and the only way to find out is to "research the original languages..." Meanwhile, huge numbers of people live in fear of eternal suffering based on what they learned from church leaders who are not trying to save their souls, but instead, are trying to "control the masses." |
Anonymous
It does indeed tell us Christians all we need to know. You may be an Interfaith Minister (worldly compromiser) but you ignore, deny, or flap your hands at what the bible plainly teaches about hell. But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. --Galatians 1:8 To me, you are accursed and there is to be no Interfaith anything with you other than to say you are completely wrong. As Jesus said, there is one and only way to heaven: Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. --John 14:6 What Jesus said directly contradicts the other faiths who are part of the earthly kingdoms under Satan, not the heavenly kingdom under Jesus. Hell is the 2nd Death: you are destroyed there, which is justice. Hitler is there, among many other wicked people who would have been as evil as Hitler given the means, determination, or opportunity. |
Anonymous
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https://www.neatorama.com/2007/03/23/heaven-and-hell-according-to-various-religions/
Other religions besides Islam and Christianity believe in Heaven and Hell, or a version. It’s not just Islam and Christianity that do so. Even ancient Mesopotamians believed in heaven and hell, as well as Egyptians. |
Anonymous
OP. I know. I just asked about Christian and Muslim theology because they're two of the most commonly practiced religions today. |
Anonymous
Even in Catholicism, it is taught that the devil could repent and be forgiven. It’s my understanding that Satan prefers to rule in hell rather than serve in heaven. Which is why pride is such a dangerous sin. |
Anonymous
My religion teaches that the fallen angel Lucifer was continually in God’s presence and had knowledge of the glory of God. Therefore, he had no excuse for rebelling against God and turning away from Him. Lucifer rebelling against God despite what he knew was the utmost evil. The Bible gives us no reason to believe that Lucifer would repent even if God gave him the chance (1 Peter 5:8). Lucifer seems completely devoted to opposing God and attacking God’s people. The Bible says that the severity of God’s judgment varies according to how much knowledge a person possesses (Luke 12:48). Lucifer, with the great knowledge of God, is greatly deserving of God’s wrath. |