T
thistle
Guest
The unending torture you speak of is the eternal separation from God’s love and such punishment has been freely chosen by a person rejecting God.
So to answer to your question is yes!
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So to answer to your question is yes!
A
Aquarius
Guest
Why?
C
carol_marie
Guest
What sense would it make for God to bring someone to heaven to worship and adore Him for all eternity when that person wants nothing to do with God?
A
Aquarius
Guest
carol marie:
And hell…if it is separation from God, is not that much different from our lives right now. But, who would characterize our lives now as torture?
I’d also wonder if someone separated from God can change his mind.
I think we know zip about how this all works.
I’d say there are very few people who say they want nothing to do with God. However, many say they want nothing to do with the people who claim to speak for God.
And hell…if it is separation from God, is not that much different from our lives right now. But, who would characterize our lives now as torture?
I’d also wonder if someone separated from God can change his mind.
I think we know zip about how this all works.
T
thistle
Guest
The Catholic Church is the one true Church and Deposit of Faith and the only one with authority to speak for God. It was given by Jesus to us through Peter.
Hell means eternal separation from God’s love. Once you die and go to Hell then its too late for a change of mind. Here on earth you still have the opportunity to change your mind, repent, seek forgiveness through the Sacrament of Reconciliation.
A
askeptic
Guest
Black Jaque:
I don’t think it’s pride, I think it’s common sense. In my entire life I have not met anyone who I thought deserved to spend an eternity in hell. Can you think of anyone you think deserves to be in utter misery (worse than any kind of earthly torture) for an eternity?
T
thistle
Guest
Anyone who rejects God’s love and is unrepentant of doing so!
A
askeptic
Guest
I guess I could live with that if people rejected God by committing grave evils such as rape and murder.
But for Catholics missing mass on Sunday, remarrying after being abandoned by spouse, and using birth control are grave evils.
I can believe that a murderer is evil, but not someone who uses condoms. It’s hard for me to believe that someone who remarries after being abandoned is rejecting God’s love.
A
Aquarius
Guest
How do you know it is too late?
A
askeptic
Guest
A very big problem with the whole concept of hell is the following:
God knows in advance what each individual will choose, setting aside the apparent contradiction with human free will, it makes me wonder why God chooses to create people he knows in advance will spend an eternity in hell.
Why doesn’t God simply create only those people who he knows in advance will freely choose (free will and all) to love him and go to heaven?
God knows in advance what each individual will choose, setting aside the apparent contradiction with human free will, it makes me wonder why God chooses to create people he knows in advance will spend an eternity in hell.
Why doesn’t God simply create only those people who he knows in advance will freely choose (free will and all) to love him and go to heaven?
J
JamesG
Guest
This is not a problem at all.
Don’t assume that God is subject to a time line.
Gods knowledge of the future is exactly the same as His knowledge of the past and present. Just as His knowledge of the past does not interfere with man’s free will, neither does His knowledge of the future
knowledge of a future happening is entirely different than causing the event to happen.
God already HAS created those people who he knows in advance will freely choose (free will and all) to love him and go to heaven. He even gave us a free will by making us subject to time.
The weeds are the sons of the evil one
lets examine what Christ says about this.
Jesus told them another parable: "The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field. But while everyone was sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and went away. When the wheat sprouted and formed heads, then the weeds also appeared. "The owner’s servants came to him and said, ‘Sir, didn’t you sow good seed in your field? Where then did the weeds come from?’ "‘An enemy did this,’ he replied. "The servants asked him, ‘Do you want us to go and pull them up?’ “‘No,’ he answered, ‘because while you are pulling the weeds, you may root up the wheat with them. Let both grow together until the harvest. At that time I will tell the harvesters: First collect the weeds and tie them in bundles to be burned; then gather the wheat and bring it into my barn.’” ( Matthew 13:24-30)
Then he left the crowd and went into the house. His disciples came to him and said, “Explain to us the parable of the weeds in the field.” He answered, "The one who sowed the good seed is the Son of Man. The field is the world, and the good seed stands for the sons of the kingdom. The weeds are the sons of the evil one, and the enemy who sows them is the devil. The harvest is the end of the age, and the harvesters are angels. "As the weeds are pulled up and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of the age. The Son of Man will send out his angels, and they will weed out of his kingdom everything that causes sin and all who do evil. They will throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears, let him hear. ( Matthew 13:36-43)
three things are needed to belong to God’s kingdom: understanding, commitment, and total devotion to God’s Word above all else.
A
Aquarius
Guest
I think many people really want a hell. If it does not exist, then what are they saved from?
Suppose God said, “Hey, you people really do screw things up. But that was fun. We’re done with the earth cycle now. All of you come along with me to the next event.” I think lots of people would be personally very unhappy at that prospect.
J
JamesG
Guest
Yes the weeds of the evil one cannot enter the kingdom of God. The don’t want to.
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Aquarius
Guest
Would you object if they were admitted?
C
carol_marie
Guest
So if YOU were God - you could decide that it’s perfectly OK for someone to remarry -miss mass- and use condoms. But YOU aren’t God - so what YOU think is OK vs. what YOU think is evil, really has nothing to do with what God thinks.
But your attitude is a common one - it origniated in the Garden of Eden when the serpent tempted Eve… she could have ALL the fruits of every tree - except for the one tree God said she couldn’t eat from. How dumb is that really? What’s the big deal about that ONE tree? Well apparently is WAS a big deal because it got her & Adam kicked out of the garden… because you see it wasn’t so much that she wasn’t supposed to eat the fruit - it was more that she was to OBEY what God commanded. Follow his rules… not decide for herself.
J
JamesG
Guest
Since a person can only enter the kingdom of by his or her own free will, there is no need for me to object.
You either cross the finish line or you don’t
This is what Jesus says about the kingdom of God.
The Parables of the Hidden Treasure and the Pearl in Mat.13
Code:
44"The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field.
45"Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls. 46When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it.All men and women are busy, seeking goodly pearls: Riches, honor, culture, pleasure, power...but the most are imposed upon, and take up with counterfeits for pearls... Jesus Christ is the Pearl of great price, a Jewel of inestimable value, which will make those who have it rich, truly rich, enough to make us happy here and for ever.
A
Aquarius
Guest
Ever wonder if God will eventually say, “And just how did you guys manage to come up with religion? I give you a wonderful life and you guys have to screw it up by inventing religion? And hell? That’s just insulting. Didn’t you trust me at all? Oh, well…OK. Everybody, and I do mean everybody, come along. There’s a lot more to come.”
A
askeptic
Guest
Especially if they gave up happiness and a good life in order to avoid hell.
A
askeptic
Guest
carol marie:
With a God like that, one wonders who needs the devil.
I don’t see any value in obeying an unjust authority. For instance, in the Old Testament “God” frequently orders that people be stoned for things like breaking the Sabbath rules.
If God told you to stone somebody who was gathering wood on the sabbath, would you do it?
With a God like that, one wonders who needs the devil.
J
JamesG
Guest
HAHAHA!
I quote exactly what Christ said about the kingdom of God and you say the exact opposite.
It is after all coming out of your mouth and you have rejected Christ.
You won’t find any followers here Satan. In the name of Christ move on and sow your weeds someplace else
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