Is Earth Hell? (New theory on Jesus descending into Hell)

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In hell, we are told there will be “weeping and knashing of teeth”. Most people on earth experience this, such as when a loved one dies. So our current life on earth matches the description of hell in the bible (at least in this description).

Could it be that:
  • If we accept Jesus’ offer to pay for our sins we get into heaven (where we spend eternity). We are also joined with God.
  • If we refuse Jesus’ offer to pay for our sins, we stay here on Earth in the grave (where we spend eternity). We are already separated from God here on Earth (we were separated at the Garden of Eden), and if we spend eternity in the grave on earth, we consequently end up spending eternity separated from God (just like the bible says will happen to people who go to “hell”).
So hell does exist, and we are in it right now. And accepting Jesus’ offer to pay for our sins is our one way out of here. If we don’t accept Jesus’ offer, we end up staying here (in hell) for eternity (ie in our graves, we never leave the face of the earth).

This theory arguably explains one of the most difficult-to-interpret verses in the bible where it says that Jesus descended into hell and preached to the imprisoned spirits:

He was put to death in the body but made alive in the Spirit. After being made alive, he went and made proclamation to the imprisoned spirits— to those who were disobedient long ago when God waited patiently in the days of Noah while the ark was being built. In it only a few people, eight in all,were saved through water, and this water symbolizes baptism that now saves you also—not the removal of dirt from the body but the pledge of a clear conscience toward God. (1 Peter 3:18-21)

The term “descended into hell” fits with the idea that Jesus “rose up” at the ascension. And also during the miracle of the loaves and the fishes, he looks up to God:

And he directed the people to sit down on the grass. Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke the loaves. (Matt 14:19)

He “looks up to God” because he descended down here in the first place. He “rose up” at the ascension because he descended down here in the first place.

In short, Jesus descended to earth. And so, when the bible says Jesus descended to hell, is this trying to tell us that earth is hell and Jesus descended to us (the imprisoned spirits) to preach to us (which he did through the various preaching he did around Jerusalem and Galilee)?
 
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Harry123 said:
In short, Jesus descended to earth. And so, when the bible says Jesus descended to hell, is this trying to tell us that earth is hell and Jesus descended to us (the imprisoned spirits) to preach to us (which he did through the various preaching he did around Jerusalem and Galilee)?
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But He was in the tomb during that time, so He can’t have been preaching on earth.
 
Are you Catholic? We already have sufficient explanations.

He preached to the righteous dead who were awaiting the Gates of Heaven to open. That is what we call “hell” in the Creed.

He descended down from Heaven because Earth isn’t Heaven. It’s not Hell either.
 
When we say in the Creed that “he descended into hell,” we mean he descended into the Limbo of the Fathers. Not Earth.
 
Harry123 said:
In short, Jesus descended to earth. And so, when the bible says Jesus descended to hell, is this trying to tell us that earth is hell and Jesus descended to us (the imprisoned spirits) to preach to us (which he did through the various preaching he did around Jerusalem and Galilee)?
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No.

But you do make a good point that when Jesus brought the Kingdom, He meant for us to begin to experience heaven on earth right now. Similarly, we can create our own hell, and live in it, until we depart this life.

People can also engage in the process of purgation here on earth, so that it does not become necessary after the completion of this life.

The earth is not “hell”, andneither is the place of imprisoned souls where Jesus went to release the captives.
 
Harry123 said:
So hell does exist, and we are in it right now. And accepting Jesus’ offer to pay for our sins is our one way out of here. If we don’t accept Jesus’ offer, we end up staying here (in hell) for eternity (ie in our graves, we never leave the face of the earth).
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No. We are not in h***! And whose new theory is this?
 
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You are correct that hell is separation from God, permanently. As to the earth being Hell, ask yourself this, if Hell is where God is not, how do you square that with the belief that the RCC is the dwelling place of God in this world? The RCC belief is that Jesus is truly present in the Eucharist, body, blood, soul, and divinity of Jesus Christ. He is truly with us. And the Eucharist is offered and present just about every minute of every day on this earth, around the world.

This is a Catholic belief, this is a Catholic forum. If you are not Catholic this may be hard for you to accept, but it is our truth.

Edited to also ask, how does the idea that the earth is hell, with Jesus’ words, “I will be with you always, even to the end of time?”
 
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Yes, Hell is real, and final. Although life on earth can be scary, it is not the state of Hell. The true suffering in Hell, not on earth, is that some one in Hell, will never see God face to face ever, and be separated from Him for all eternity.

Catechism of the Catholic Church 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.

Jesus did not create Hell, he merely allows its existence. Jesus doesn’t cast one into Hell, nor predestines anyone there. It is us who chooses the path to Hell, in our refusal to believe in Jesus and to accept his teachings, and praise his blessed name. We send ourselves to hell. So do not blame Jesus for something we do ourselves.

Turn your life over to Jesus, make a good confession in the sacrament of Penance, go to church on all Sundays, and holy days of obligation, receive the Blessed Eucharist, and pray, pray, and pray some more.
 
joeybaggz said:
You are correct that hell is separation from God, permanently. As to the earth being Hell, ask yourself this, if Hell is where God is not, how do you square that with the belief that the RCC is the dwelling place of God in this world? The RCC belief is that Jesus is truly present in the Eucharist, body, blood, soul, and divinity of Jesus Christ. He is truly with us. And the Eucharist is offered and present just about every minute of every day on this earth, around the world.
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Yes, but if Jesus “descended into hell” then that means Jesus can travel to hell (whether hell is some other place or here on earth).
joeybaggz said:
This is a Catholic belief, this is a Catholic forum. If you are not Catholic this may be hard for you to accept, but it is our truth.
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I am catholic, i’m just asking questions out loud to get other peoples (who might have more knowledge on this than me) take.
joeybaggz said:
Edited to also ask, how does the idea that the earth is hell, with Jesus’ words, “I will be with you always, even to the end of time?”
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I would define the end of time as the end of the world when, in the twinkle of an eye, everyone who is living will be brought straight before God on judgement day (along with those who have already died throughout history). In other words, the people at the end of time will not taste death but be brought straight before God on judgment day. After this happens, according to science, in billions of years time the earth will be consumed by the sun and dissolved. Therefore, every person who had been buried in the ground (ie in a graveyard or wherever) will be burned up in the sun in arguably, the “eternal fire” of the sun.

They will never leave the universe. They will spend eternity burning in the sun as cosmic fuel (ie the “eternal fire” of hell). This is what “hell” is. Forever separated from God. Though while they will be burning forever in the sun, they wont actually feel anything as they will be just molecules burning away in the sun. This is the fate of people who refuse to accept Jesus in their lifetime.

Of course, this is just a theory.
 
Yes, but by hell we are referring to the limbo of the fathers when we say “He descended into Hell”.
 
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