enternal hell bothers me

[wdeadwyler]

Hey all. New to this part of two plus two, but I have a concept that has been bothering me for a long time. First of all, I am a blonde haired, blue eyed American, raised hindu (Hare Krishna) for those of you who know a little about hinduism. Granted, my views on religion are going to be different than the norm because of this, but I think they are still with merit.

I have one main contention with Christianity, and that is etneral hell. One of the main points of Christianity is that God is benenifient. I believe this too. However, if God is beneficient, why does he ban us to hell eternally?

Human beings are mortal in nature. Our soul may be immortal, but our existence on this Earth is surely only temporary. Therefore, why would God send us to eternal hell for mistakes we make in our mortal lives. It simply does not make sense to me. If this is the case, than God cannot be beneficient. Do any Christians have anything to say about this? I think the idea of eternal hell is extremely nonsensical and goes against everything Christianity should stand for (Love, caring, forgiveness, righteouness, etc)

[J. Stew]

Most Christians don't have the same interpretation of God as you do. Some Christians think of God as a parent, always watching their actions and discriminating against their good and bad actions/thoughts. These themes get echoed in society, Santa Clause is an example, 'he knows if you've been bad or good'. These dualistic themes reinforce the notion of bad and good which naturally aid in creating the web of delusions that some Christians refer to as 'self'. This obviously has an affect on what they view as God because they don't see God inside of them. They think of God as 'out there' looking down on them instead of inside and all around them. This is only some Christians, but I think these differing views of God is what creates a difference in understanding. An eternal view of 'right and wrong' or dualistic thinking would be eternal heaven and eternal hell so it's natural for a dualistic society to interpret God's 'parenting' as such.

[r3vbr]

Christianity is a religion based on fear, as is Islamism a religion based on hatred.

[sexdrugsmoney]

[ QUOTE ]
Christianity is a religion based on fear, as is Islamism a religion based on hatred.

[/ QUOTE ]

No, Islam is a religion based on a Semitic inferiority complex. (IMHO)

[wdeadwyler]

Both of you who were bashing other religions are extremely ignorant. Neither religion is one thing or another, it is the sum of those individuals who believe in it. Some Christians do HORRIBLE things, including killing Jews. Stop being so short sighted and thinking your religion is the best. It isnt.

Now, as for my post, any takers on eternal hell being in direct conflict with a beneficient God. This is a legitmate logical and philosophical contradiction that I would like to see resolved.

I address this question to religious people by using their words: If god loves me, as you say he does, then why would he condemn me to eternal hell for making an error in my mortal life?
And their answer is always the same: God put Jesus on earth to suffer and die for our sins so that we could have faith and get into heaven.
And then I always argue that I see no proof of Jesus being the son of god or anything more than a carpenter.
And their response is that the Bible states that ...
And this is where I get frustrated and tell them that it has only been humans who wrote and told me to read the bible. No angels or nephilim or holy being told me to follow the bible. So how can I be sent to eternal hell, by a god who loves me, for not believing other humans?
"But the bible ..." ad nauseam [img]/images/graemlins/confused.gif[/img]

[RJT]

When most of us think of Hell, we have pictures or fire and a man-like creature, the Devil with horns and the like.

If you look at Heaven and Hell only conceptually I think might be easier to look at it this way:

Heaven is being with God. Hell is not being with God.

Some think of Hell as simply the absence of God in the after life; not such much as torture and eternal fires.

Not sure if that helps you or not.

[chezlaw]

[ QUOTE ]
Both of you who were bashing other religions are extremely ignorant. Neither religion is one thing or another, it is the sum of those individuals who believe in it. Some Christians do HORRIBLE things, including killing Jews. Stop being so short sighted and thinking your religion is the best. It isnt.

Now, as for my post, any takers on eternal hell being in direct conflict with a beneficient God. This is a legitmate logical and philosophical contradiction that I would like to see resolved.

[/ QUOTE ]

I've never heard any non-faith based way of justifying an infinite punishment for a finite crime. I think it can't be done.

chez

[J. Stew]

[ QUOTE ]
I address this question to religious people by using their words: If god loves me, as you say he does, then why would he condemn me to eternal hell for making an error in my mortal life?
And their answer is always the same: God put Jesus on earth to suffer and die for our sins so that we could have faith and get into heaven.
And then I always argue that I see no proof of Jesus being the son of god or anything more than a carpenter.
And their response is that the Bible states that ...
And this is where I get frustrated and tell them that it has only been humans who wrote and told me to read the bible. No angels or nephilim or holy being told me to follow the bible. So how can I be sent to eternal hell, by a god who loves me, for not believing other humans?
"But the bible ..." ad nauseam [img]/images/graemlins/confused.gif[/img]

[/ QUOTE ]

Jesus was just a man, but he lived in a way that was directly from his source which was his awareness or aliveness. People saw the God in him because he lived directly from his natural mind. That is why there is that saying, 'the church of heaven is inside you and all around you' The interpretation of God or, what Jesus acted from is interpreted in many ways but it seems obvious he was acting from the God nature that is inherent in everyone.

[David Sklansky]

"Heaven is being with God. Hell is not being with God."

That makes a lot more sense, and if Christians would unite in this interpretation as being a reasonable one, they would be taken a lot more seriously.

So I ask you what percent of studious Christians accept this as a reasonable interpretation? (I say "studious" because ironically the less studious ones, religion wise, I'm guessing, are more apt to accept this interpretation.)