Hell

[nailit]

FAO Theland and others of his ilk.
Born again Christians believe that unless we believe like they do that we are going to burn in some kind of hell for eternity. Can you please justify such an odious concept/doctrine? (this goes for muslims as well)
I genuinely struggle with this idea. I have a couple of evangelical friends who are the nicest people you could meet but I have to question their sanity when they wish this on unbelievers like myself.

[Hazi-Hammenuhoth]

Naomi...I would like to know what is "sad" about my post which is positive in tone and certainly not condescending or facetious. I am different to the resy of humanity and I am not qualified to judge others, but God is. In response to your "How dare you" etc, I could equally say how are you qualified to lull people into a sense of false security by dismissing the notion that one day we will be held accountable for our motives and actions here? How dare we ignore God and hope that there is no reckoning or accountability after death? If you saw your neighbour on his headphones walking off the kerb onto a busy road (ignorantly or intentionally) would you not want to warn him and protect him? As for fear, fault and guilt I need look no further than in the mirror to find these things. But the answer to all this is total peace as knowing the forgiveness of sins and the prospect of an eternity with Christ.

[Hazi-Hammenuhoth]

Sorry, that should read "I am NO different from the rest of humanity"!

[naomi24]

Hazi-Hammenuhoth, //I would like to know what is "sad" about my post//

You would? Okay, I’ll tell you. With no evidence whatsoever to support what you’re saying you are messing with other people’s minds, just as the people who convinced you to believe as you do have messed with your mind. You have no right to do that – and neither did they.

[naomi24]

ps. //"I am NO different from the rest of humanity"!//

No, you’re not – and neither are your teachers. They – and you – know no more about life than anyone else. Something you should remember before spouting such damaging nonsense in the future.

[Hazi-Hammenuhoth]

Hello Naomi. I am, like you, not wishing to mess with anyone's mind. I am, like you, free to express my beliefs. I am, like you, free to disrespect others and even call other's beliefs nonsense if I so wish. I am, unlike you, unwilling to risk an eternity in hell because I choose to reject Gods offer of salvation, ignore those who would only wish me good rather than harm, and cloak this with some requirement for further "evidence", hoping against hope there is no truth in hell or suchlike, with no evidence to back THAT up. Isnt it interesting that people who claim to be indifferent to Christianity are often seemingly desperate, indignant, fearful and angry when the question of what happens after death is discussed? Anyway, have a lovely afternoon Naomi, you are quite entitled to believe whatever you wish so long as it makes you happy in whatever short time we have left.

[naomi24]

Hazi-Hammenuhoth, //I am, like you, not wishing to mess with anyone's mind.//

Why do it then?

//Isnt it interesting that people who claim to be indifferent to Christianity are often seemingly desperate, indignant, fearful and angry when the question of what happens after death is discussed?//

The desperate and fearful are those who, like you, are not indifferent to Christianity. If your religion carried no penalty for disobedience your ‘faith’ would be entirely redundant and so would your God. When faced with those who claim to know the workings of an almighty God’s mind it’s no surprise that those who don’t spend their lives selfishly dwelling upon their own mortality are indignant and angry. Religion screws minds – and they know it.

[vulcan42]

"I am, unlike you, unwilling to risk an eternity in hell because I choose to reject Gods offer of salvation. "
That doesn't sound like faith to me, more like an insurance policy in case anything goes wrong.

[naomi24]

"Desperate and fearful", Vulcan. ;o)

[mibn2cweus]

I endeavor to do my best because I've learned from experience that good is its own reward, not out of fear of getting what some tell me is what I deserve simply for having been born a human. I don't seek the favour of anyone who tells me some unearned debt has been paid with the blood of an innocent man nor forgiveness from the very same one who demands such a monstrous sacrifice. I will never seek to fashion my morality after the most immoral creature ever conceived by what might well be the most devious depraved mind that ever existed.

[keyplus90]

It is the price you pay for having free will and making wrong use of it.

[naomi24]

Keyplus, the funny thing is people like Theland and Hazi-Hammenuhoth think you’re going to hell because you’re doing it wrong, you think they’re going to hell because they’re doing it wrong, and Goodlife thinks you’re all doomed because you’re all doing it wrong. It stands to reason that you can’t all be right but not one of you has the wherewithal to question, rationally, what other men, who in reality know no more about life than any of you, have taught you. Grown men immersed in evil superstition, living life dwelling on death, and quaking in their boots for no good reason. To quote Goodlife, ‘you’re a sad lot’ – him included.

[nailit]

/It is the price you pay for having free will and making wrong use of it. //
Been threatened with unimaginable pain (and for all eternity) because you ''choose'' the wrong belief system is not freewill. THAT is a ultimatum! If I threaten to shoot you in the head unless you give me your wallet, and you refuse, is it then your fault for excercising your freewill if I shoot you?

[keyplus90]

Naomi - I am not worried if others you name believe that I would go to hell as long as I look into what they believe and why they believe so. Perhaps they should do the same. I can prove from within their books that they are not true believers even according to their own books. And that is another reason I believe that God has given you free will. You may believe whatever and as you wish. However you should know why?

Nailit - What if there is another person with no gun and he tells you that you have something in your wallet that may harm you. And if you let him have a look then he might be able to help you. But choice is yours as you have free will. And you decide not to let him have a look. Then would you blame him if something was there and you get hurt later on?

[vulcan42]

Keyplus90,
" I can prove from within their books that they are not true believers even according to their own books."
Please do so.

[keyplus90]

////Please do so////

Are you one of them? according to my knowledge no. So why should I waste my time on you? Give me one good reason.

[vulcan42]

I want you to do what you say you can do. If you don't it will be another example of " I have proof but/ you're too stupid to understand/ why should I waste my time, etc". Oh wait, you've already used that one,there'll be no proof then.

[keyplus90]

Vulcan - you better stick to "there is no God and why should we believe all this hocus pocus". I am quite willing to wait and see once we are dead. Why don't you do the same thing?

When any of the people who believe in Bible will ask me then you would read that too.

[maggiebee]

Why is The Bible the best selling book in the world?

[naomi24]

Keyplus, very enigmatic ..... but I suspect you're at it with the snakes or some such again. You take great pleasure in having had something you can criticise pointed out to you, but never forget that your book leaves much to be desired and has in fact, on these very pages, been ripped systematically apart. Careful Keyplus.

[naomi24]

maggiebee, because Christianity is the largest religion in the world.