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ahs
Guest
He doesn’t. He loves us SOOOOO much, that He allows us to choose, and some choose Hell. Even for those who choose Hell by their actions, He gives countless opportunities and graces to encourage them to choose Heaven…he even established a Church here on earth to teach us Truth and show us the way there. Sadly, there are many who just do not want that. 
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ahs
Guest
Another question you could ask is this:
How can we humans, who were created by a loving and just God, reject the laws and the love that or God gave us, ignore the warnings He gives, ignore the fact that our choices have consequences, and then have the gumption to ask why He allows natural consequences to our behaviors?
In Christ,
ahs
How can we humans, who were created by a loving and just God, reject the laws and the love that or God gave us, ignore the warnings He gives, ignore the fact that our choices have consequences, and then have the gumption to ask why He allows natural consequences to our behaviors?
In Christ,
ahs
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jimrob
Guest
Heaven is a state of being at one with God. Hell is a state of rejection of God. During our lifetime, we have a choice. Upon death, the choice is made.
We have images of hell from Jesus’s parables, from mediaeval art and from Dante’s poety. These are intended to show that hell is the ultimate in nasty experiences. Some people might actually enjoy being burnt and tormented by demons for ever - but hell is worse than that.
The Catholic Church teaches us that hell exists. Note the lower case h, it’s a state of being, not a place. The Church doesn’t actually teach that any human has gone there.
We have images of hell from Jesus’s parables, from mediaeval art and from Dante’s poety. These are intended to show that hell is the ultimate in nasty experiences. Some people might actually enjoy being burnt and tormented by demons for ever - but hell is worse than that.
The Catholic Church teaches us that hell exists. Note the lower case h, it’s a state of being, not a place. The Church doesn’t actually teach that any human has gone there.
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followingtheway
Guest
He doesn’t send anyone to Hell, they choose to go there by their actions in life.
God bless
David
God bless
David
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Pfaffenhoffen
Guest
supose that it is not God that sends him and suppose that, opened the doors, He does not want to get out?
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MonjaFutura
Guest
Ok. Hell is actually a choice. You might be thinking “wait-who would choose hell?” but it makes sense. Hell is eternal separation from God. You go to hell because you have destroyed God’s life in you through mortal sin. Mortal sin is the only thing that can separate you from God. That’s why you go to confession or (if you’re Protestant) ask God for forgiveness, because that is the only way to restore God’s life in you. God indeed is all good, but if we separate ourselves from Him in this life, we cannot spend eternal life with Him.
People say that you choose to go to hell by your actions in life, which is true. But it is useful to know that the reason for this is separation from God. For me, the afterlife makes the most sense if you look at it in levels.
In heaven, you aren’t separated from God because the times you have separated yourself from God are accounted for in some way (suffering on earth or in purgatory).
In purgatory, you are separated from God for a while because you separated yourself from God in little ways in this life (venial sins).
In hell, you are separated from God for all eternity because during your life you separated yourself from Him in a great way. This may have been only one time, but you didn’t go to confession or ask God for forgiveness for it.
Now, do not worry if you have committed a mortal sin! This doesn’t mean that you should brush mortal sins off as nothing. You should by all means be sorry for it. But, if you ask God for forgiveness with a contrite heart and go to confession, you are forgiven. You will not go to hell if this sin was already forgiven unless you commit it again and don’t confess it. God understands that we are humans and that we sin, He is extremely merciful!
If His mercy ended somewhere, He wouldn’t be God! However, while He is merciful, we have free will. If we have chosen to separate ourselves from God, He cannot stop us. But if we are willing to change and have recognized our need for His Mercy, He will not condemn us to hell.
Hope that clears things up! I know, it’s really long!
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domandcarols
Guest
Agreeing with all the previous posters. 
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divinefaith
Guest
I can understand the consequence of being separated from God. But the punishment of burning and never beeing free from the fire?
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thistle
Guest
We know God gave us freewill. We know that Hell is eternal. We know nobody can commit a mortal sin by accident. If we commit a mortal sin (which means deliberately rejecting God’s love) and die unrepentent then we condemn ourselves to Hell. God did not force us to sin and he doesn’t send us to Hell.I can understand the consequence of being separated from God. But the punishment of burning and never beeing free from the fire?
As for the Fire of Hell see below:
Modern Catholic Dictionary:
FIRE OF HELL. The physical reality, outside the person, by which those in Hell are punished besides their loss of the vision of God. It is called fire in the Scriptures to emphasize the excruciating pain it causes, and to identify it as some external agent tormenting the lost. But it is not ordinary fire, since it does not consume what it burns, and, although material, it can affect the purely spiritual substance of the soul.
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divinefaith
Guest
How can we say that God Himself wouldn’t send us to hell if He chooses the punishment of those who die in mortal sin. I’m not saying that in a rebellious way but I myself am questioning this teaching.
Besides, I always thought Hell was fire in accordance to the apparations of Fatima and St. Faustina.
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thistle
Guest
Private revelations (Fatima and Faustina) are not Church teachings.
Also it not a Church teaching that God sends people to Hell. People freely choose to go to Hell by committing mortal sins and dying unrepentant.
CCC 1033 We cannot be united with God unless we freely choose to love him. But we cannot love God if we sin gravely against him, against our neighbor or against ourselves: “He who does not love remains in death. Anyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him.” Our Lord warns us that we shall be separated from him if we fail to meet the serious needs of the poor and the little ones who are his brethren. 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.”**
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ahs
Guest
One thing to keep in mind about Hell, somehting I never thought much about until a few months ago after listending to at talk about it: We were created for Heaven, for an eternity with God. Jesus says to the “lambs” to enter into Heaven “prepared for you”. Heaven is for US.
When Jesus speaks to the “goats” He says, “into fires prepared for the devil…” Hell was not made for us, nor are we made for Hell. Hell is the result of rejection of God, putting oneself above God, etc…
God didn’t choose a punishment; He allows a natural consequence. Remember, He gives free will. WE get to choose, without Him choosing for us. He prepared Heaven for us and provides and shows us the way to get there. Hell is the result of the outright rejection of God, and if we choose that, He will not force us to accept Him…it is our choice.
Someone please correct me if I am getting any of this wrong…I farily new to studying the nature of Hell: When we die, our life does not end, it continues. Our life on earth is temporary and ever-changing, but our souls are eternal. When we die from this temporary life, we go into the eternal and the state of our souls is eternal. If one dies in a state of rejection of God, how can you think that that soul would want to be with God for all eternity? It would be torture to force a soul to spend an eternity with a God that the souls rejects. That soul, then, goes where it chooses, which is Hell…an existence without God.
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ahs
Guest
…and so the next question might be: How does one reject God? The answer is found in Scriptures and in the Teachings of His Church, such as what thistle has provided:
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divinefaith
Guest
AHS, I really think God chooses the punishment, the same way a judge along with the laws and precedents determine the sentence of a criminal.
The only justification I’ve held in accordance to that is our sins are so grave that they deserve the worst punishment ever. I personally hate that thought but I guess if God only knows the true definition of justice then only he knows what our sins deserve.
The only justification I’ve held in accordance to that is our sins are so grave that they deserve the worst punishment ever. I personally hate that thought but I guess if God only knows the true definition of justice then only he knows what our sins deserve.
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thistle
Guest
Everyone in Hell gets the worst punishment and it is defined and taught by the Church.
CCC 1035 The teaching of the Church affirms the existence of Hell and its eternity. Immediately after death the souls of those who die in a state of mortal sin descend into Hell, where they suffer the punishments of Hell, “eternal fire.” The chief punishment of Hell is eternal separation from God, in whom alone man can possess the life and happiness for which he was created and for which he longs.
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divinefaith
Guest
Therefore it supports my point that God sends us to Hell. It’s a chosen punishment from God based on His justice.
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thistle
Guest
It does not support your claim.
Read the Church teaching again and tell me what you think “self-exclusion” means!!
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divinefaith
Guest
My point is, based on punishment the soul gets aside from being distant from God. From what I always knew, there is fire but the Catechism mentions loss of God as being the main suffering. Judgement Day we get our bodies back and apparently its believed they will suffer in hell too.
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divinefaith
Guest
so if the body suffers in hell then I guess God caused this to happen. Seems more like a punishment.
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