Why would God need a hell?

[Mickiel]

Why would God need a place like this traditional eternal hell? Why would he co-exist with such a place in eternity? Does God need a garbage dump for humans? How and when did the grave become the traditional explination of hell?

 

[Lon]

God doesn't. Men do. A man who rejects God needs a place to go to be away from the God he hates. I don't know the full answer, we know it exists, Jesus spoke about it, and did not shy from its existence.

 

[Mickiel]

God doesn't. Men do. A man who rejects God needs a place to go to be away from the God he hates. I don't know the full answer, we know it exists, Jesus spoke about it, and did not shy from its existence.

It does not make sense to me, if a human rejects God and lives that way for 70 years, what kind of legal or fair justice would then punish that human for an eternity; the punishment does not fit the crime, and it does not match the reputation of God.

 

[jamie]

It does not make sense to me, if a human rejects God and lives that way for 70 years, what kind of legal or fair justice would then punish that human for an eternity; the punishment does not fit the crime, and it does not match the reputation of God.

The word "hell" refers to the grave. Death and the grave will be destroyed in a lake of fire.

God is only calling a few into a relationship with Jesus Christ at this time.

 

[Mickiel]

The word "hell" refers to the grave. Death and the grave will be destroyed in a lake of fire.

God is only calling a few into a relationship with Jesus Christ at this time.

I agree hell is the grave. The Old Testament mentions hell 31 times, each of those times it means " Sheol", the Hebrew for grave, and nobody in the OT is ever threatened with eternal hell punishing as a result from sin, no one. Hell is mentioned 23 times in the NT, 12 times its Geena, a physical valley outside of Jerusalem in Hinnom. 10 times its Hades, still the grave. 1 time its Tartaros , in 2 Pet. 2:4, and that is a place for demons, not humans.

This teaching on eternal hell suffering has gotten out of hand and it spreaded like wild fire. It does not even match anything that God would do. But it got pinned on God.

 

[jamie]

Good post. :thumb:

 

[Mickiel]

Good post. :thumb:

Well yes, I am increasingly wondering why a God would even need a place like this hell is being interpreted to be in scripture. Why? Did Jesus get punished on the cross, just that humans could get punished for an eternity?

Why would a God section off some weird kind of place in reality, just to herd humans there who he does not like? I have read that God loves everyone, is not that enough reason to cancel out this popular urge of religion to cause human suffering to be given a permanent place in reality?

 

[bsmitts]

It does not make sense to me, if a human rejects God and lives that way for 70 years, what kind of legal or fair justice would then punish that human for an eternity; the punishment does not fit the crime, and it does not match the reputation of God.

Once you exist in God's creation, you are there! And you will exist forever in one place or the other. You can't even escape God in hell!

 

[Mickiel]

Once you exist in God's creation, you are there! And you will exist forever in one place or the other. You can't even escape God in hell!

It seems like this world cannot escape from the Christian influence on just what hell really is; its the grave; period! But Christianity has turned it into an eternal place of punishing; a stunning transformation that has stuck itself into the human consciousness and belief system. And I think has ruined the reputation of God himself in the minds of many who wonder just how God is.

To punish a human alive for all of eternity, is insane! And this insanity has found a permanent place in religion.

 

[Lon]

It does not make sense to me, if a human rejects God and lives that way for 70 years, what kind of legal or fair justice would then punish that human for an eternity; the punishment does not fit the crime, and it does not match the reputation of God.

He had 70 years to decide he hates God. The better question is: Why would he want to live with a God he has rejected all his life? He clearly doesn't. Where can he go? The only place left.

 

[daqq]

Why would God need a place like this traditional eternal hell? Why would he co-exist with such a place in eternity? Does God need a garbage dump for humans? How and when did the grave become the traditional explination of hell?

Well yes, I am increasingly wondering why a God would even need a place like this hell is being interpreted to be in scripture. Why? Did Jesus get punished on the cross, just that humans could get punished for an eternity?

Why would a God section off some weird kind of place in reality, just to herd humans there who he does not like? I have read that God loves everyone, is not that enough reason to cancel out this popular urge of religion to cause human suffering to be given a permanent place in reality?

Listen to the Testimony of Yeshua in the Gospel accounts and what he says concerning all these things: "hellfire", or "everlasting fire", or "fire into the age", however one wants to put it, such is prepared for "tares", (demons and their doctrines) "thorns" that choke out the Word, (demons and their doctrines) "goats" on the left hand side, (demons and their doctrines) and any other similar allegories and analogies including the devil and his angels, (Matthew 25:41). Testimony is SPIRIT. Whenever a person speaks words, whether for the good, or whether for the evil, they CANNOT be taken back or retrieved, (again, testimony is SPIRIT). It is symbolism and allegory. The "old man", spirit of the world, prince of the power of the air, spirit of antichrist, or whatever symbolic analogy or allegory applies; those go into destruction, (not human beings).

 

[Mickiel]

He had 70 years to decide he hates God. The better question is: Why would he want to live with a God he has rejected all his life? He clearly doesn't. Where can he go? The only place left.

Yes, that place they have left, its my view that Christianity created it, not God. The human that rejects God, needs God far more than believers do; they need his Mercy, Love, Forgiveness and renewal, they don't need the Christian hell. Christianity may not want to have anything to do with people who reject God and do not believe, but God and Christ are not Christians; they are salvation to everyone religion rejects.

They don't need a hell.

 

[quip]

He had 70 years to decide he hates God. The better question is: Why would he want to live with a God he has rejected all his life? He clearly doesn't. Where can he go? The only place left.

How does rejecting God equate to hate?

I likewise reject Allah, Zeus...et al. as such I don't consider them enough to hate.

Explain.

 

[musterion]

It does not make sense to me, if a human rejects God and lives that way for 70 years, what kind of legal or fair justice would then punish that human for an eternity; the punishment does not fit the crime, and it does not match the reputation of God.

Perhaps you grossly underestimate the gravity of sin and do not see it from God's perspective.

What does "other" mean in your description, by the way?

 

[Lon]

How does rejecting God equate to hate?

I likewise reject Allah, Zeus...et al. as such I don't consider them enough to hate.

Explain.

It doesn't have to equate to emotion, hate = rejection so you've already expressed a desire against being with Him. Similarly, love isn't just a feeling, it to is an action, oft carried upon emotion.

 

[Bright Raven]

He doesn't need hell. A place of holding apart from him would be good enough.

 

[musterion]

How does rejecting God equate to hate?

I likewise reject Allah, Zeus...et al. as such I don't consider them enough to hate.

Explain.

2 Thess 2:10

If, from God's perspective, one refuses to love the Truth - as you do - what else would it be called?

 

[Lon]

What does "other" mean in your description, by the way?

Probably the heart of the discussion and question right there, Musterion. He doesn't appear to embrace Christ or Christianity.

Yes, that place they have left, its my view that Christianity created it, not God. The human that rejects God, needs God far more than believers do; they need his Mercy, Love, Forgiveness and renewal, they don't need the Christian hell. Christianity may not want to have anything to do with people who reject God and do not believe, but God and Christ are not Christians; they are salvation to everyone religion rejects.

They don't need a hell.

You probably do not realize Jesus talked quite a bit about hell. Now you said 'Christians' so I assume you are no follower of Christ or Christianity by such. Such makes this quite a bit different in conversation. I'll ask again: If someone doesn't want God, where else can they go? Answer: Nowhere, else.

 

[quip]

It doesn't have to equate to emotion, hate = rejection so you've already expressed a desire against being with Him. Similarly, love isn't just a feeling, it to is an action, oft carried upon emotion.

I reject His very existence; his (non-extant) ontological status ...as such, there is no desire to "be against" what ceases to exist.

 

[way 2 go]

How does rejecting God equate to hate?

I likewise reject Allah, Zeus...et al. as such I don't consider them enough to hate.

Explain.

allah is not real nor is zeus

Jesus called it hate

Joh_7:7 The world cannot hate you, but it hates me because I testify about it that its works are evil.