I just got this in email...'hell is eternal' can anyone help me out with it?

[WhiteWings]

I know how that feels, just when you think UR can be true or even annihilation, something will crop up which will put doubts in my mind

Of course that isn't ideal.
But the importamt thing is that those sites get less and less impact on you.
There aren't an awful amount of verses that they use to slander Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
So when you seen 5-10 sites toughly refuted they are basicly all refuted.
The sites may use other wording and other torture pictures but the core (verses) are all the same.
So is the impact getting less? And/or the effect wears off quicker?
I hope to see at least one yes...

[gregoryfl]

If anyone here has ever seen Karate Kid, how Mr. Miyagi taught Daniel reminds me so much of how God works in us. Most of the time we don't even realize that he is not ignoring us, but is working his will out in us the whole time.

Ron

[Cardinal]

 :cloud9: A truer statement would be hard to find.  :thumbsup: Blessings....

[Gab]

It'd take an awful long time to speak about the entire thing, but I would like to center in on one single claim, which is regurgitated ad nauseam seemingly without one single person ever looking it up:

Jesus spoke a great deal about hell.

Here's the facts (all numbers from the NIV, which Gary has picked on as even sneaking in an extra "hell" that most Bibles don't have):

- Jesus speaks of three different places all commonly translated to "hell" 12 times in total.

- Jesus speaks of the love we ought to hold 73 times.

- Jesus speaks of heaven 112 times.

The last two numbers may not be precisely accurate as I was just counting by hand, but they're probably accurate to plus or minus 2 times.

The bottom line is that we must ask this question: if Jesus is really warning people against eternal hellfire where they will burn forever if they screw up during their Earthly life, then why did waste so much time talking about love and heaven when the real pressing issue is that 90-95% of humanity will burn forever?

Those who quote you and endless deluge of Bible verses are playing the same part that the Pharisees played in the days of Jesus.  Jesus didn't get into a verse-quoting battle with them for a simple reason: those are pointless and lower you down to their legalistic state of mind that keeps their heart hardened against love.  If you receive an interpretation of the Bible that makes a voice in the back of your head scream "NO!", you should probably listen to it.  If the news you receive is news that makes you afraid and which you could only receive grudgingly and disappointedly at best, then it is not the Good News.

As I said before, if you begin to worry about whether or not you're saved, then you've fallen into their trap, because then you begin to think as selfishly as they do.  Do nothing for your own salvation; do everything for love and the glory of God.

[WhiteWings]

If anyone here has ever seen Karate Kid, how Mr. Miyagi taught Daniel reminds me so much of how God works in us.

But still the waxing gets boring  :winkgrin:

[jesushandsarekindhands]

Thanks everyone, very interesting posts.