Frightening people into believing in god. Nice.
I still have problems with the whole “by the way, all this torture is occurring at the hands of someone who is all powerful, all knowing, and loves you very, very much.”
Jesus Christ did the very same thing quite often, frightening people… it is what we deserve for treating such a merciful God so badly as to continue sinning and living lukewarm lives, even though He sent His only son to come down here and live and die most horribly.
Here’s some biblical evidence if you are into the Bible. Are you a Christian?
The Reality of Hell
olrl.org/doctrine/came_back.shtml
Stories of Persons who Visited Hell and Apparitions of the Damned
The Bible and Hell
There are over thirty repeated references to the existence of Hell in the Old Testament alone. For instance: “The sorrows of death have compassed me: and the perils of Hell have found me” (Psalms [D-R] 114:3). “For the Lord Almighty will take revenge on them. In the day of judgment he will visit them: for he will give fire and worms into their flesh, that they may burn, and may feel for ever” (Judith 16:20 -21). “Depart from me, come not near me, because thou art unclean: these shall be smoke in my anger, a fire burning all the day” (Isaias 65:5). “A fire is kindled in my wrath, and shall burn even to the lowest hell…I will heap evils upon the transgressors of my law, and will spend my arrows among them” (Deut.32:22-23). “The congregation of sinners is like tow heaped together, and the end of them is a flame of fire” (Ecclesiasticus 21:10). “He shall be punished for all he did, and yet shall not be consumed:…he shall burn, and every sorrow shall fall upon him…All darkness is hid in his secret places: a fire that is not kindled shall devour him” (Job 20:18,22,26).
In the Gospels, Jesus speaks of Hell more than of Heaven. In St. Matthew’s Gospel, Jesus says “But I say to you, that whosoever is angry with his brother, shall be in danger of the judgment…And whosoever shall say, you fool, shall be in danger of Hell fire” (St. Matt. 5:22). “The Son of Man shall send his angels and they will collect out of his kingdom all who cause others to sin and all evildoers. They will throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth” (St. Matt. 13:41-42). In St. Mark’s Gospel, Jesus warns: “And if your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter into life maimed than with two hands to go into Hell, into the unquenchable fire…” (St. Mark 9:42).
A description of the last judgment in the Book of Apocalypse clearly makes the point: “And I saw the dead, great and small, standing in presence of the throne, and the books were opened; and another book was opened, which was the book of life; and the dead were judged by those things which were written in the books, according to their works. And the sea gave up the dead that were in it, and death and Hell gave up their dead that were in them; and they were judged every one according to their works. And Hell and death were cast into the pool of fire. This is the second death. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life, was cast into the pool of fire” (Apoc. 20:12-15).
Jesus describes in St. Matthew’s Gospel the last judgment as His separation of the sheep (those who loved God and neighbor) from the goats (those who did not). To the goats, Jesus says His indictment will be: “Depart from Me, you accursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. …And these will go off to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life” (St. Matt. 25:41,46). Jesus Christ could not have been more clear that each of us, by our choices and conduct, risks eternal punishment after death – Hell.
