willieH: Hi UC...
1. If hell is eternal, why don't Jehovahs Witnesses, Seventh Day Adventists, and other Restorationist Churches not believe in Eternal Torment. Those churches seem to study the bible pretty well,(Maybe overstudy the bible), but never the less will declare that the bible does not teach Eternal Torment. I believe that they teach Annihilation, but its one step closer to Universalism.
Don't know about JW's, but 7th Day Adventists are definitely ANNHILATION believers... (I was with the SDA church for around 5yrs)... and as far as studying the Bible... they do so, pretty much under the "guidance" of the writings of Ellen G. White...
I had some pretty extensive talks about UR/Salvation of ALL MEN, with the preacher (whom I still respect) of the church I attended... but he really thought it was a mistaken teaching (big surprise, eh?)... and disagreed, even when I showed him many texts which he was unable to explain.
It does not matter how much you study (although it is a worthy pursuit, and I encourage everyone to diligently study daily!)... In the end, ...it is GOD (not the study) which decides the REVELATION of His
WORD...
2. If hell is eternal, why was the belief made popular only by Roman Powers? Funny that the supposed original Church of Jesus Christ happens to be headquartered at the same headquarters of the most powerful power of the Western World. However Christian thought combines with Roman powers, and rewrites history to make this claim that their new organization can never make any theological errors, due to the belief that Jesus gave Peter authority over the Church, and went to Rome and established the Papacy and every Church leader of Rome was a direct sucessor of St. Peter. However according to the Bible and a discovery of St. Peters Tomb at Jerusalem, he was never in Rome. But sure convenient how Rome took over all the Churches, decided what was truth and what was Heresy, and assimilated the people into thinking that the Church was always right, and the perfect time to insert the Dogma on Hell, which could never change.
Well... Hell doesn't even exist, let alone be "eternal"... for if it (existed, and) were ETERNAL... then it has ALWAYS BEEN... and those in it ETERNALLY have ALWAYS been IN IT... Pretty doggone ridiculous!
(ETERNAL means WITHOUT BEGINNING as well as WITHOUT END).
3. If hell is eternal, then why do the Churches go with the times on the teachings of hell. In the Middle Ages, torturing and burning those who disagreed with those on top was completely acceptable. So, it would not be socially acceptable for God to do the same to the wicked. In todays day and age, torture is not socially acceptable. Plus, if anyone were to show acts of violence towards someone because of their religion or sexual orientation, it would be judged as a hate crime. Boy, we could not associate God with someone who would perform hate crimes, so it would be better to say that God does not send anyone to hell, we go to hell for willingly separate ourselves from God, which results in Torture.
(1) GOD sent NOT His Son to condemn the WORLD --
John 3:17 -- HE nor His SON CHANGE --
Mal 3:6 -- Heb 13:8 -- which means... that if GOD sent
NOT His Son to CONDEMN, then NON-CONDEMNATION is HIS position as well!
(2) We cannot "separate ourselves" from God --
Psalm 139:8 -- GOD is OMNIPRESENT, which means EVERYWHERE, at ONCE, He is at the BEGINNING and at the END --
Isaiah 46:10 -- Rev 1:8 -- also,
JESUS said:
"I will NEVER leave thee nor forsake thee" --
Heb 13:6 --
The word
NEVER means:
not at ANY TIME... which further means that He is WITH us, even though we are yet to believe that He is...
4. If hell is eternal, why has this doctrine caused people to ignore simple bible teaching of "Judge not lest ye be judged". Or they put a nice little twist on that scripture and state that its okay to judge if they are without sin, but they are "saved", so they are sinless and can judge. "Your going to hell, your not saved".
Men in their arrogance, utilize the PRIDE of LIFE sin, often. And such is nothing more than that arrogant SIN, being manifest IN THEM.
5. If hell is eternal, why have most of the biblically contradictive and nonsense doctrines mostly been based on the doctrine of Hell. Lets see, Infant Limbo, Once Saved always, Predestination, Arminianism, Mortal and Venial Sin that can only be forgiven by a priest, along with the philosophy that an offense against an infinite being merits infinite punishment?
Venial sin?
Where is the BIBLICAL statement that an "offense against an infinite being
merits infinite punishment"? This is again, RELIGIOUS "hoo-haa" that has NO FOUNDATION in the
WORD of God... irregardless of the "philosopher" which seeks to falsely employ it.
Its all RELIGIOUS BALONEY, UC... Any preacher, can preach anything...
Just because a (sinful, in need of forgiveness) "priest" or "preacher" -- gives "forgiveness", does not mean that it has been given by GOD...
GOD is well able to give His forgiveness and needs NO MAN to assist Him, in order to do so.
6. If hell is eternal, why do people who fully endorse the Hell Dogma produce the worst fruit. They call anyone names who does not agree with their doctrine, but if someone says anything contrary to their beliefs, they are being persecuted. It is some psychological problem when one knows that theres a good chance that their doctrine is not exactly correct, and feel the need to attack anyone with a different opinion.
Again, Hell doesn't even exist... except in the minds and demented hearts of those who cherish it, worship it, and then pour it's
BAD NEWS upon the "unbelieving" WORLD that GOD so
LOVES... in the stead of
GOOD NEWS which is the
GOSPEL.
What GLORY, LOVE, JOY, MERCY, or
any other POSITIVE element is found within it?
What PURPOSE does it have? How does it coincide with such as this:
Matt 5:44 --
but I SAY unto you... LOVE your enemies, BLESS them that curse you, do GOOD to them that hate you, and PRAY for them which despitefully use you, and PERSECUTE YOU...Matt 5:48 --
be ye THEREFORE [as in Matt 5:44] PERFECT even ...AS... your Father in Heaven is PERFECT...Only a BLIND man
will not SEE that being "PERFECT" ...AS... is the Father, is to LOVE, BLESS, do GOOD, and PRAY for ones enemies, simply because THAT is what HE DOES!!!!
7. If hell is eternal, why is it that the biggest advocates of Eternal Torment care more about stupid rules, such as wearing skirts, birth control, fasting at certain times of the year, how much one tithes, or a woman not being a housewife, but could care less about a simple commandment like love your neighbor. They are extremely nasty with anyone who does not agree with them, and act extremely arrogant.
You will KNOW the true followers of
CHRIST... for they will
DO, as
DID, ...HE... Is there ONE notation of
CHRIST persecuting? Judging? Condemning?
GOD is
IMPARTIAL to men --
Acts 10:34 (& 9 other verses) -- and when
CHRIST had the OBVIOUS opporunity, ...He did NOT CONDEMN here:
John 8:3-11 -- If He did not CONDEMN this woman, how can He remain
IMPARTIAL, by CONDEMNING anyone?
8. If hell is eternal, why do people try to avoid hell by treating Rosaries, the Devotion of Divine Mercy, crucifixes, prayer beads, and manmade "Born again" prayers as some type of magical Charm? Last I checked, thats idolatry.
Well... none of those things brings one a millimeter closer to the Kingdom of GOD... neither do they CONDEMN them to a NON-EXISTENT torture chamber...
9. If hell is eternal, why does Hell produce the most anxiety when the bible strictly tells us not to be afraid.
MEN hold power over other men, by means of FEAR... If you are the BOSS, your employees must watch their "p's & q's" around you, lest they get a place in the soup line, eh? Or a wife must fear the muscles of her husband, because he could "knock her out"...
Wherever MEN try to appear as GOD's over another instilling FEAR of one sort or another, ...is EVIL manifest WITHIN THEM.
10. If hell is eternal, why is it that none of the hell beliefs make any sense? Funny thing is Anxiety based disorders can cause people to have difficulty reasoning, and fear things not really there. Could the people who have been writing about the hell doctrines have been afraid?
UC... it is because it [hell] is the NIGHTMARE, instead of the DREAM [heaven]... It is the OPPOSITE of GOOD NEWS... corrupted, insecure, without substance... filled with SORROW instead of JOY... filled with IRRATIONALITY instead of REASON... filled with HATE instead of LOVE... and that is only the BEGINNING of its foolishness...
