What made me question the teaching of hell

[Werner]

There were three things that just put a freeze on my faith in Catholicism and "regular christian theology." The Athanasian Creed taught in RCIA, this book: HE FOUR LAST THINGS ---- DEATH, JUDGMENT, HELL and HEAVEN by FATHER MARTIN VON COCHEM, O.S.F.C. and a quote from Catholic Encyclopedia. I knew about the hell teaching in the back of my mind, but as I pondered it closely and the more I read about it the more I was revolted by such a thing. I realized that I could not love such a cruel God. I reached a crossroad in my faith - either I would lose my faith completely and despair or something was wrong with this teaching. Remember, hell is a required belief for Catholics and most protestants. By being confirmed, I would be accepting ALL of the churches teachings. This I could not do. I am in no way anti catholic or protestant - far from it. I have been a practicing catholic for a year now. It is the theology of hell that is totally incompatible with love, and justice! Eternal torment is not justice!!!

Here is the creed:

http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/02033b.htm

Here is a quote from the book:

We know that there really is fire in Hell, from the words Christ spoke to the wicked : " Depart from Me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, which was prepared for the devil and his Angels " (Matt. xxv. 41). This shows that there is real fire in Hell, and that in it the damned must burn eternally. What the intensity of that pain will be it is beyond the power of man to depict. For of all the varied kinds of physical suffering to which man can be subjected, there is none so great, so cruel, so agonizing, as that which is caused by fire. The rack, the wheel, amputation of a man s limbs, are all terrible torture, but they are not to be compared to the pain of burning. If one does but touch a red-hot iron, what exquisite pain it occasions! In a moment the skin is off, the raw flesh protrudes, blood and matter exude from the wound, and the pain goes to the very marrow of our bones. One cannot refrain from crying out and screaming as if one had lost one's senses. Now if momentary contact with the red-hot iron causes such acute pain, what would it be if one had to hold a red-hot iron for any length of time !

Now just imagine that thou wert sentenced to be burned alive for thy sins, and for the whole of a live long day thou didst stand amid the flames, unable to die. How piteously thou wouldst weep and wail, how loudly thou wouldst shriek and roar in thy agony, so that the heart-rending cries wrung from thee by the torture thou endurest would not only cause the bystanders to shudder, but fill them with sincere compassion. That man must indeed be stony-hearted who could bear to look unmoved on such a spectacle.

Ere long thou wouldst be burned to such an extent as to be no longer recognizable, reduced to the semblance of a glowing cinder. Now consider, O Christian, if the action of earthly fire causes such intolerable agony, what will be the torture of Hell- fire, the heat of which is incomparably more intense and more searching than that of any fire where with we are familiar. And if thou dost ask why Hell-fire should so far exceed earthly fire in the intensity of its heat, there are several reasons which account for this fact.

And last but not least, here it is practically admitted that the doctrine of hell is needed ( maybe invented ) to preserve social order!

This is from a CATHOLIC ENCYCLOPEDIA

http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/07207a.htm

If we abstract from the eternity of its punishment, the existence of hell can be demonstrated even by the light of mere reason. In His sanctity and justice as well as in His wisdom, God must avenge the violation of the moral order in such wise as to preserve, at least in general, some proportion between the gravity of sin and the severity of punishment. But it is evident from experience that God does not always do this on earth; therefore He will inflict punishment after death. Moreover, if all men were fully convinced that the sinner need fear no kind of punishment after death, moral and social order would be seriously menaced. This, however, Divine wisdom cannot permit. Again, if there were no retribution beyond that which takes place before our eyes here on earth, we should have to consider God extremely indifferent to good and evil, and we could in no way account for His justice and holiness.

Is it not ironic that the very thing that was supposed to keep me "in line" drove me away from orthodox theology!!!???

[sparrow]

Is it not ironic that the very thing that was supposed to keep me "in line" drove me away from orthodox theology!!!???

God works in the most wonderfully mysterious ways.
Sounds like what happend with me!
The belief of "hell" is what drove me away from "orthodox religion" into His loving arms!  :happy3: When people look at what it is that they really believe about God (hell, ET etc.) they either break down and God will build them up, or they break down and build up a wall against their heart. Those who let God do the building are the ones who find the truth of His character. HE IS LOVE.

peace.  :icon_flower:
So glad you are here Werner!

[sven]

is the theology of hell that is totally incompatible with love, and justice! Eternal torment is not justice!!!

that is very much true  :thumbsup:

[ibelongtoyoujesus]

they either break down and God will build them up, or they break down and build up a wall against their heart. Those who let God do the building are the ones who find the truth of His character. HE IS LOVE.

Wow...Beautifully said...

[junkbunny]

Is it not ironic that the very thing that was supposed to keep me "in line" drove me away from orthodox theology!!!???

I love this.  Jesus, in coming to earth, SHOWED us EXACTLY how God works opposite to how humans work.  He was a king that was born in a stable among animals.  He rode on a donkey and associated with prostitutes and tax collectors.  He was persecuted because of how He worked.

So it does not surprise me that God would use the very things designed to keep you in line with orthodox theology to show you it is wrong.  He works completely differently from how our minds work!

Bless you!

[Universalist Catholic]

This is pretty much the same thing that had happened to me.  I was, and still am part of a Catholic group.  Plus, my experience with most Catholics had been liberal universalists.  However, I had found a pretty ugly side of Catholicism, involving some stuff I had read on Catholic Answers, seen on EWTN and some other Catholic Websites.