<p>True. Look up the story of Rahab - it's in the book of Joshua, I believe.</p>
<p>The problem I have with hell is that nobody honestly deserves to go there. Not rapists, not child molesters, not Hitler or Stalin or bin Laden. There is no conceivable crime that merits infinite punishment. Committing an earthly offense, no matter how severe, results in a finite amount of damage and should be repaid within the same realm of limits and boundaries. The concept of infinite punishment does not exist in this realm.</p>
<p>this is just my view
it all depends on your view of heaven. for me the fluffy white clouds and fire and brimstone is just a metaphor. We chose heaven or hell on Earth and that just continues after death. Heaven is the oprotunity to be with God, for a Christian that is the ultimate reward, to be the presence of the divine. If one belives that the divine exists, Hell is enternal seperation from goodness and therefore, the ultimate punishment. Like looking over a fence and seeing a party but not being able to ever go. The Bible says the Kingdom of Heaven is here among us, meaning we have the oprotunity to recieve the rewards of being with God (comfort, reconcilation, community ect..). Now if you never belived in God in the first place, then Hell is no different from life. (not to say that you can't be happy, or good, or honest without God) just that Hell for a Chirstian is seperation from God and you don't belive in God, hence you are seperate from him.
I think the probably comes from an overly commercialized version of Heaven. Its not a place you "go." Its the connection a spritual person has with God forever. So Christians aren't barring good people from the afterlife, becuase there is no reward in connecting with somthing yu don't believe exists.
I hope this makes sense. i'm no theologian, but I think what people precieve of Christianity is often muddled with singing, harp playing angels that are not really what the religion is about.
I would be happy to clearify.</p>
<p>So, what you're saying is that I, a non-believer, am experiencing Hell. Right now. As I type this.</p>
<p>If so, then hell isn't as bad as its cracked up to be ;)</p>
<p>Yep. :) Now I know a lot of literal fundamentalists reject my view, but if you ask most liberal Protestant demoninations, they would agree. The Bible is written in metaphors to help explain complex issues. Intrepretaions are bound to be different. People argue the erancy of the Bible. The Bible it self has no flaws and no contridictions, just our intrepretations and translations make it appear as such.</p>
<p>awesome. then I don't actually have a gripe with christianity.</p>
<p>"the language is a dialect called metaphor."</p>
<p>This thread is now in the process of dying. Until it is escorted to heaven because it was always a devout Christian, I will post quotes.</p>
<p>Civil war? What does that mean? Is there any foreign war? Isn't every war fought between men, between brothers? </p>
<p>-Victor Hugo</p>
<p>im gald that it helped! misconceptions cause so many problems. it is a challenge so often to believe in somthing that everyone seems to think stands for everything it isn't.
i am not out to convert people in any way. evangelicals scare the crap out of me. religion is so personal, you shouldn't let someone else convince you into faith, but it does feel good to clear the air of opinions that arn't theological sound.
any other questions. i would be happy to see if I could answer them.</p>
<p>An ant on the move does more than a dozing ox. </p>
<p>-Lao Tzu</p>
<p>Not that this is related, but the other day in geography, we were talking about birth and death rates and average life expectancy, when one girl raised her hand and asked if people in the old days only lived to be 50- some-odd years old, then how come people in the bible lived to be hundreds of years old? I didn't say anything. The teacher said something along the lines of "We only know what we know" blahblah "but you never know". </p>
<p>Sorry for my ramblings. I just thought it was interesting. In case you were wondering, I'm a Christian, but I believe the bible is allegorical (hence my interestedness at this situation).</p>
<p>
[quote]
Not that this is related, but the other day in geography, we were talking about birth and death rates and average life expectancy, when one girl raised her hand and asked if people in the old days only lived to be 50- some-odd years old, then how come people in the bible lived to be hundreds of years old? I didn't say anything. The teacher said something along the lines of "We only know what we know" blahblah "but you never know".
[/quote]
Well duh, there was less UV light pre-flood.</p>
<p>I didn't know what to think, honestly. I didn't have the heart or guts to call out the teacher or insult other people's faiths, albeit unintentionally.</p>
<p>People in the Bible lived to be hundreds of years old because God wanted them to.</p>
<p>Read that. I only read the King James Version of the Bible ... but some of the scriptures practically say the same thing.</p>
<p>People in the Bible live to be hundreds of years old?</p>
<p>Jesus.</p>