Can I escape Hell?

[ready]

St. John Paul taught: “Rather than a place, hell indicates the state of those who freely and definitively separate themselves from God, the source of all life and joy. This is how the Catechism of the Catholic Church summarizes the truths of faith on this subject: 'To die in mortal sin without repenting and accepting God’s merciful love means remaining separated from him for ever by our own free choice. This state of definitive self-exclusion from communion with God and the blessed is called ‘hell’.”

The Church has traditionally taught that hell is both a place and a state of being. It is not merely a state of being, but it is also a place of fire and torments – just like the Holy Scriptures says. Let us never contradict Tradition and the Holy Scriptures, no matter what new strange teaching we come across. God bless you.

 

[njlisa]

Well thanks for clearing up that error on my part. It was not my intent in inject error into the discussion.

In RCIA, 25 years or so ago I was taught the same idea – state – not place and state.

The Papal Document was from EWTN’s Web site. So I thought I was on solid ground citing the newly canonized Pope John Paul II.

So, thanks again for that clarification.

 

[mikekle]

The Church has traditionally taught that hell is both a place and a state of being. It is not merely a state of being, but it is also a place of fire and torments – just like the Holy Scriptures says. Let us never contradict Tradition and the Holy Scriptures, no matter what new strange teaching we come across. God bless you.

Its funny, whenever I ask about other biblical topics, many times, I get the answer that the particular verse or issue is not literal but symbolic or a metaphor, how can we be so sure the bibles descriptions of hell are not this as well…IMO, if anything in the bible COULD be symbolic it is hell!!!

BTW, who would be inflicting the torments in hell? The bible tells us it is Satan/ demons place of punishment first and foremost, so they would be in no position to be inflicting anything…plus, satan and his demons arent even in hell yet, they are still trapped on earth until the second coming…kind of strange imo, God throws them out of heaven, to earth, tells them hell will be their place of punishment, but they wont be going there for 1000s if not more years? Why would God even create hell yet, if Satan/demons arent going to be there for many centuries? If he did create it then, why not send Satan there right away?