So should I look for Hell elsewhere? When we want to prove something - we go straight to the Scriptures. What I have shown you is that here, Jesus specifically talks about eternal life and eternal torment - whether you want to believe the watered down "Earth is hell enough" then that is up to you - but it completely distorts the reality of how bad sin really is. When you understand how bad it really is and what the cost really is, you understand how bad you are, how much you need grace, how severe Jesus' sacrifice was, and you understand the grace that's been given to you (provided of course that you believe on Jesus and all that He is). The Old Testament does not talk about Hell, nor does it talk about humans in paradise. Heaven was not open to the world yet, which is why the Jews slept (a popular theory is Abraham's bosom) because animal sacrifice only covered unintentional sin and they were still accountable for their transgressions - they were not sanctified and could not enter heaven. But when Jesus came, and He did what He did, heaven was open - and hell was no longer just for Satan and his demons but those who have rejected Christ as well. An all loving God sends those to Hell who chose to go to Hell. Also - the Bible is the Divine Word of God and Jesus says it will never pass away and the Lord says He will preserve it. The Bible makes the claim that Hell exists - and that is enough.
Hell Exists
by Poppy520 63 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
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never a jw
Of course hell exists! Ask my neighbor who has to live with the worst bitch known to mankind.
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EverApostate
Great Point. Next time I should ask a JW, the meaning of kolasin and its context in Matthew.
The Bible for sure talks about Hell but the WT tries hard to cover it up.
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Vanderhoven7
The Pharisees were the hellfire torment preachers of the day. Now where did they get their belief in eternal torment after death?
Hint: try pagan sources cuz you won't find it in the Old Testament
PS perhaps if God had warned Adam of those "real" consequences of sin...he might have been a little more careful...no?
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cofty
Poppy - a deity who would burn a creature eternally is the most evil concept ever imagined by sadists.
I am actually convinced that there is a sexual dimension to the dogma.
Such a god is beneath the contempt of all decent people. If Jesus did preach such a perverted doctrine then it adds to the case that he was an evil man.
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cofty
An all loving God sends those to Hell who chose to go to Hell.
That is exactly comparable to an abusive husband who beats his wife mercilessly and then says "look at what you made me do to you."
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OrphanCrow
The concept of "hell" did not come from Judaism.
The belief in hell was adopted from the Zoroastrian belief system. (They also had a little bit to do with the concept of 'satan'/devil)
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Vanderhoven7
It is interesting that the only time eternal torment aka eternal conscious punishment is mentioned in scripture is in the book of Revelation in a highly symbolic passage involving a 7 headed beast and a lake of fire into which death is hurled. By the way it is very difficult to Pick up death and throw it into anything concrete. The lake of fire is defined for us. It is the second death not a literal firey pit.
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punkofnice
An all loving God sends those to Hell who chose to go to Hell.
Brilliant. I chose NOT to go to hell. Problem solved.
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Vanderhoven7
Also interesting is the fact that no one will spend eternity in hell. Hell is emptied of people before it is picked up and hurled into the lake of destruction.