by StopTheTears 75 Replies latest jw friends
Please don't get me wrong. I'm not saying that being disillusioned and bitter is how you have your life now - Eden
But you said..
it's hard not to feel scared that someday I might become as bitter and disilusioned as you are
Actually bitterness as never been part of my experience at any time - its a waste of energy.
correct me if I'm wrong, you all went through that phase at some point
Nope.
Not interseted in being in heaven with a tyrant that threatens people with torture if they don't beleive in him. I rather be dead than live an eternity with such a sadistic asshole.
cofty, well, I made a wrong statement assumption in your case.
Eden
I'm not in the UK, but I'm not that far either. One of these days if i happen to go to London for some trade show in Earl's Court, I'll get in touch. I dislike most beers, but I'm partial to a black stout ;)
Sounds like a plan......
And ummmm ... partial to Manchester United too ...
I could always change my mind ! ;-)
“Este”:
“Eternal torment does not exist it is symbolic of wickedness being put to death forever and ever.”
“People will come to know GOD and know that He is a loving GOD.”
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“Salvation requires conformity to The Laws of GOD. A chance to repent will be given to all people. Lets see who will not repent after Jesus Christ arrives.... ”
“Many if not all people will repent. GOD is Almighty and to feel His strength is unfathomable.......”
“Along with repentance comes discipline so people do not go unpunished.”
“Even under mens law people are punished, so much more will they be under GOD's law.”
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From the above, it appears in the first two quotes that you don’t believe in a literal hell of eternal torment; however, in all the rest of the quotes, it might seem that you believe there will, in fact, be some sort of “hellish,” or at least very frightening, situation at that future time.
I’m not completely sure exactly in what form you propose this ‘punishment’ as a way of ‘feeling His unfathomable strength’ would be, but I can’t help thinking back to those rather disturbing drawings in the old Paradise book (you know, the big dark-orange-colored one back around the 70s) showing the terror in the eyes of people of all ages as the buildings rock, fire falls from the sky, and deep crevices in the ground open up depicting the situation around Armageddon.
Now, I know you also said that “repentance will be the subject matter beginning in the thousand year reign of Christ.” I always thought of that “judgment day” as being more placid and tranquil with everyone alive at that time, including those resurrected, being given an opportunity to learn God’s ways of peace and order. But those last four quotes above seem to insinuate some show of forceful coercion and ‘punishment.’
I was just wondering if you could elaborate a little more on the exact nature of this future situation in which people would be “moved” to repent, and just how fearful this experience might be.
Take care.
“StopTheTears”:
“The most important decision you'll ever make (and everyone must make the same decision) is whether or not to believe the Gospel (Good News) of the Lord Jesus Christ. It's the only way to escape the torments and fires of Hell for all eternity.”
When you really think about that concept of “hell,” it is really quite profoundly illogical in a theological, legalistic, and just plain common sense manner.
Just think about it: if you had a child who caused you grief and even decided eventually to leave your home and not speak to you, could you even fathom burning that child to death alive if you could?
Now, recall that fairly recent news item of those five young ladies having burned to death alive because they were trapped in the back of a stretch limousine in California. Really, what could be more unfortunate and horrific that that? I can’t imagine what they went through, nor, I’m sure, could anyone else. If you have ever put your hand just above a red-hot stove element, or touched the metal frame of a wood-burning stove for even a small fraction of a second, you know that you really couldn’t imagine what it would be like to actually burn and roast for any length of time – certainly not forever!
All of us are really God’s children – a God of whom 1 John 4:8 says that he is love. So, can you see the profound inconsistency in this dogma of hell?
When you think about it, you can see that this mythological doctrine, which was concocted by ancient pagan world powers, has been used all along as a tool to secure power over the ignorant masses, capitalizing on the primal human fear of the unknown, especially the ultimate unknown, death. And evidently this tool has worked like a charm.
What I would like you to do now, please, is to think – I mean, really think – just for a few seconds about the legitimacy and implications of this distasteful and God-dishonoring doctrine of eternal torture of the worst kind, lasting without end. And the next time you look into a child’s eyes, just try as you might to fathom how you could ever want to do such a thing. Go ahead. Just for the next few seconds, just think about it. Thank you.
