God didn’t create the hell for sinners, they did it themselves

[SedesDomi]

The Russian Orthodox Church’s representative to the European International Institutions Bishop Hilarion of Vienna and Austria, on *Interfax-Religion’*s request, commented on the recent suggestion of Danish Lutheran theologians to consider the hell and the devil a metaphor and to accept only existence of the paradise:

"A tragedy of Protestantism has originally been the following. Seeking to get rid of medieval stratification of Catholicism, Protestants didn’t properly study the heritage of the Eastern fathers. And today when arguing with the Middle Age hell and devil, liberal Protestants don’t trouble themselves with reviewing the Holy Fathers and their conception of afterlife retaliation.

Meanwhile, the Eastern Christian tradition has never considered the hell as created by God to punish sinners. God didn’t create the hell, free will of people has created it. It exists not because God wants it, but because people keep it existing. They first create the hell on Earth and then carry it on to the afterworld."

 

[Trishie]

Agreed. The choice for heaven and hell is in fact made by individuals. Jesus’ comments on heaven and hell, is Matthew 25, verses 32-4.
Hell is what remains when someone ultimately rejects all love. All love, beauty, goodness comes from God and the absence of these for humans and angels is hell.

 

[ralphinal]

I disagree. God created hell to be the abode for those angels who said that they would not serve. It is true that he did not create it to be the lasting place of punishment for humans.

 

[dzheremi]

I agree with the OP, and for what it is worth, when I was Protestant this question as to the existence of Hell was always phrased in terms that absolutely excluded the identity of the “maker” one way or another. I still remember very vividly one Bible study when this issue came up and the Pastor who was leading it said something like: “To say there is no hell is to say that there is no punishment for those who transgress the laws of God without repentance.”

I still like that. Sure, it might feel “nice” to say “oh, there can’t really be a hell! God loves everyone, so there is no way there could be such a place!” or whatever the Lutherans were saying, but that ignores our own culpability. Surely there is a hell and we create our own place in it by our sin unrepented.

 

[Deconi]

The ‘angels’ fell first, before Adam fell.

This suggests a place for the ‘fallen’ was already ‘decided’ and existed BEFORE Adam fell.

We would not have had a name for it had not Scriptures and Christ ‘named it.’

Like the fallen angels who chose ‘freedom now’ instead of eternity, choosing away from God has consequences.

Free will can be a %@$^#D

 

[LilyM]

The ‘angels’ fell first, before Adam fell.

This suggests a place for the ‘fallen’ was already ‘decided’ and existed BEFORE Adam fell.

We would not have had a name for it had not Scriptures and Christ ‘named it.’

Like the fallen angels who chose ‘freedom now’ instead of eternity, choosing away from God has consequences.

Free will can be a %@$^#D

Indeed it can. Note scripture doesn’t say Hell was ‘decided’, it says ‘created’. Again, I’d suggest that it was created BY those angels who decided not to serve God - they too were created, and rebelled, in the beginning, remember (before time itself, as per Genesis).

 

[Deconi]

Indeed it can. Note scripture doesn’t say Hell was ‘decided’, it says ‘created’. Again, I’d suggest that it was created BY those angels ***who decided ***not to serve God - they too were created, and rebelled, in the beginning, remember (before time itself, as per Genesis).

 

[Eucharisted]

Poor souls, lost to the eternal flames - poor Lord, agonizing over each soul in hell: pray and sacrifice for the conversion of sinners!

O my Jesus! Forgive us our sins, save us from the fires of hell, lead all souls into heaven, especially those in most need of Thy Mercy. Amen.

Jesus, I offer You all my crosses and sacrifices for love of You, for the conversion of sinners, and in reparation for the sins committed against the Immaculate Heart of Mary. Amen.