If you knew you were going to hell

[mullenpm]

I don’t think Ted in Charlott really thinks he is going to hell when he dies; I believe he is just trying to start a debate.

But Ted, just in case, I will add you to my prayer list. :hug3:

 

[HappyPerson]

While Heaven may be the ultimate goal of a life devoted to Jesus, that doesn’t change the fact that obedience to God’s commandments, when done out of love, leads to the greatest life we can possibly have during THIS lifetime, too.

While sin may be pleasurable for a season, that season ends during THIS lifetime.

So, I would think one would want to enjoy this life to the fullest. The best way to do that is through loving obedience to God.

See John 10:10 (in part) “…I came that they may have life and have it to the full.”

As for hearing a voice that you are going to hell, God would not say something that denies His mercy and grace, and contradicts the teachings of His Church that are part of the Deposit of Faith.

So, no matter what you have done, God is still willing to forgive you if you make a sincere confession, and repent.

 

[GemmaRose]

While Heaven may be the ultimate goal of a life devoted to Jesus, that doesn’t change the fact that obedience to God’s commandments, when done out of love, leads to the greatest life we can possibly have during THIS lifetime, too.

While sin may be pleasurable for a season, that season ends during THIS lifetime.

So, I would think one would want to enjoy this life to the fullest. The best way to do that is through loving obedience to God.

See John 10:10 (in part) “…I came that they may have life and have it to the full.”

As for hearing a voice that you are going to hell, God would not say something that denies His mercy and grace, and contradicts the teachings of His Church that are part of the Deposit of Faith.

So, no matter what you have done, God is still willing to forgive you if you make a sincere confession, and repent.

 

[Harmony1988]

It is not possible to be “absolutely sure, guaranteed, and resigned to the fact that you are going to hell” because repentance and forgiveness are always open to every person.

Your question is nonsensical and unanswerable.

Not really, he put “if”, if is a conditional, and logically it doesn’t contradict itself. It’s like Aquinas using the conditional statement to prove God doesn’t sin and still be all powerful. Read up

 

[gardenswithkids]

Please cite something authoritative by the Catholic Church on the multiple levels of Hell. …

Many mystics of the Church have written about levels in both heaven and hell, but according to a priest I respect the Church has not made any definitive declarations on levels in either hell or heaven. Although I personally believe such levels exist, Catholics do not have to believe private revelations revealed through saints or mystics.

While we don’t have to believe private revelation, Catholics should believe Church docrine. I believe 1ke is correct that we can not know (while on earth) if any specific person is going to hell. If I thought there was a strong chance that I was going to hell, I’d repent, get to confession, beg God for grace, and change the way I lived. If I thought there was no hope of getting into heaven, then I hope someone would correct me and offer me hope in Christ.

 

[Spirithound]

But what would you do if when you are in front of the Blessed Sacrament after having done your rosary and 4 litanies and you ask God to talk to you and a voice pops into your head and says, plain as day “You are going to Hell”?

How could it be anyone else but God?

I just poured my heart out in front of the Blessed Sacrament and I have to listen to this? And be criticized by people that call themselves Christians too?

Get to a priest, stat!
I don’t know whether you need a confessor or a spiritual director (both are beneficial), but God doesn’t predestine anyone for hell. The next time you hear that voice, say another prayer.

 

[onaquest]

I would continue to live a sacramental life striving to be more Christlike everyday. Why? Because I would be holding on to “Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven” So I would be taking what I could get. Besides Hell holds no hold of fear on me. Christ descended into hell and I claim to be willing to follow him anywhere.

 

[KingAlfred]

Why should you care what you do on Earth? Why would anything be out of bounds?

(And assume for a minute you are absolutely sure and guaranteed and resigned to the fact you are going to hell)

Hmmm…a couple of my co-workers would be in big, big…I mean massive, TROUBLE. :extrahappy:

Just kidding.

 

[sancte_joseph]

As long as you are living you are not yet condemned to hell.

Even if someone lived in ignorance a life of sin and immorality and didn’t even believe in God…but BY THE GRACE OF GOD realized on his death bed all his sins hurt God and he repented with all his heart that on the last second with his last breath he said O LORD MY GOD FORGIVE ME!

That is a perfect act of contrition

 

[cynic]

If you knew you were going to Hell then why should you be sad? I mean it’s all for the glory of God right? Perhaps the almighty has a purpose in predestining you to hell, perhaps it edifies him. Why should you care about your own happiness, sounds pretty self centred to me.

 

[Awful_Things]

Why should you care what you do on Earth? Why would anything be out of bounds?

Because my kids would be watching me, and they would learn from example.

And if I acted like someone who was condemned to Hell, they might just follow the lead.

I wouldn’t be interested in dragging them down with me. Instead I’d do my best to act like a man who has the joy, joy, joy, joy, down in his heart.

Now, if your thread had been, “If you knew you were going to Hell and had nobody to live for in this life …” my answer might be different.

 

[ghaybyers1]

I would think it would be a good opportunity for me to devote all of my time to praying for those in purgatory. If I already know I’m going to hell, there’s not a lick of need for me to pray for my own self! I can dedicate it all to others.
Which seems kind of great in a way. I love praying for others. But I really am not all that hot on the idea of hell so I’m hoping it doesn’t go that way for me!

 

[strngrnrth]

If you knew you were going to hell it would be already hell for you here so nothing you did would give any satisfaction. Therefore you would have no incentive or reason to do anything at all and you would lie down and sink into your despair. So no despair. We all have a chance.

 

[allhers]

If I absolutely knew there was no hope for me and without a doubt I was going to hell http://bestsmileys.com/crying/2.gif. . .

I wouldn’t change a thing. I would still try to lead a good life. I would still pray. I would still try not to sin. I would still frequent the Sacraments.

Why?

I’ve already contributed enough sin for our Lord to atone for in His Passion and Death. I do not, and would not, want to add to it.

I would know that I deserved it but that He sure doesn’t deserve any more of my sins.

 

[sarahpackars]

i would do what would make me feel more honest, so even if i did go to hell, i’d still have a few good things on my record. i’d go to confession every single day, sing passionately at church, beg for mercy, if i still went to hell at least i could say i tried.

 

[tabsie3210]

I read in a Catholic Encyclopedia once that someone said, “If you are not among the Elect, live your life as if you -were- among the Elect.” Basically, live as if you were destined for heaven, because God is all merciful and willing to take back any sinner who repents. So living as if you were going to go to heaven would mean you’d live your life in accordance to His law, and would be how you could show your repentence for your sins. The Blessed Fasutian said that there are any number of ways that Jesus wants us to know He’s happy to forgive us our sins. Going to confession and then Communion on Divine Mercy Sunday is one way. Jesus offered the Chaplet of Divine Mercy as a last resort for sinners who had no other hope of heaven. If they get that kind of thing, and if I knew I was destined for hell right now, I’d make up my mind to repent, take my just punishment, and to fight to avoid sin in the future, to prove my Love for Him.

 

[Pug]

Why care about anyone? Why not just take out as much on as many as you can as quick as you can?

Because the things we know to call “sins” are not arbitrary. It isn’t like someone put up a dart board of behaviors and threw darts to pick which ones would be sins. That they are sins, having meaning relative to our very nature and what makes us happy, makes them worth avoiding even if we are all going to die in the dirt and there is no heaven. Knowing I am going to hell is not suddenly going to deprive me of my desire to love my family and care for their interests, for example.

I can see how in a moment of lashing or rage a person might respond to the loss of a hope with violence, but I don’t think most people want to live like that. Anyway, the idea of me having to go to hell no matter what would be the sort of thing I would avoid thinking about once I got the news. It would be more fruitful and felicitous to think on other things.

This is very hypothetical, though. I feel as many on the thread do. I might still have hope of reform and reprieve no matter what. Well, either that or of mercy. Really, in my life my hope is more based on the idea of mercy than any real idea that I might reform. My hope is based upon the idea that God is faithful and that he is merciful and that he is my Father who loves me.

I don’t think that voice you heard was likely to be God. It might be your own fears or something else. If you hear something in your head like that at mass or benediction or the like, return to thinking about God, and not about the voice or yourself. Treat it like a distraction. If it continues, I’d seek the advice of a priest or sensible person. I’ll say a prayer for you for peace in this matter.

 

[C_Bautista]

This really is simply a nonsensical proposition. To have certain knowledge (before death) that one was going to hell would imply a limitation on God’s love and ability to forgive. Already it’s obvious that we are now in an illogical hypothetical system.

Taking it any further is an exercise in fallacy, at best.

The question is essentially probing the idea that fear of hell motivates morality. Its subtle irrationality, though, is what triggers confusion and misguided commentary.

 

[FRATER_PAVLVS]

The worst thing, the biggest fear is to do evil. After I get quarreled or lie or leave somebody to uncertainty or say something that can potentially damage somebody I feel so bad and going to hell isn’t gonna change my feelings since I’m on the bottom. While after something useful and good, I feel that even down there Christ is gonna reach me. So, it’s not in imagination. Hell is in the soul (or in the heart) as is said of the Kingdom also.

Plus, I can hardly know for certain if I am going to hell because my free will is involved. Nobody forces me to, moreover, nobody wants me to, moreover, God wants me not to, and my life and faith determine whether. God is the last to send me there but if by my deeds I choose hell over the Kingdom, God will let me, I think. God’s mercy, God’s justice and my freedom are the factors.

 

[FRATER_PAVLVS]

If you knew you were going to Hell then why should you be sad? I mean it’s all for the glory of God right? Perhaps the almighty has a purpose in predestining you to hell, perhaps it edifies him. Why should you care about your own happiness, sounds pretty self centred to me.

You speak of predestinations in a sense now dominating which is rather Islamic. Learn how St Thomas understands predestination in the Summa. It’s quite different from the common perception.