Visits to Hell and my thoughts about it

[OrbisNonSufficit]

If God wishes to send a message it can have only one purpose: that the message be received.

Yes, but at the same time, He does not need to will that everyone will receive it… just that some will.

If the communication does not mean the same thing to all who hear it then it is not effective.

Yes, but what if God does not wish to communicate universally on effective principle, but rather communicate to those who meet the criteria (faith, interest etc).

Your parent asked about a maths question, were he God, would guide all children asking him towards the same answer, not different answers, as is the case with private revelations.

Yes, I agree… but He would guide them in different fashions. Some people understand things when explained graphically, some when it is explained by terms etc etc… God does guide everyone towards Him, towards same point but not through same road.

As a Protestant did you really have to experience choosing between thousands of ways to get water baptized? Did you experience thousands of choices on abortion? On communion? On songs to sing?

I believe not all of those are not doctrines (or at least not all doctrines that Protestants hold).

 

[CroatCatholic]

Hello, mcq72.

Well, back in Protestantism there were differences between

-baptism
-communion
-OSAS
-tongues
-denominations
-Trinity
-interpretations

There are more things. I was mostly involved with non-denominationalism, but I also had Baptist friends and Evangelical friends. And Pentecostal.

So many different intepretations, churches, denominations, no authority. I was literally breaking apart because there was no solid foundation to Protestantism, it is a house divided against itself built on sand.

 

[mcq72]

I believe not all of those (baptism, communion, abortion/sanctity of life, liturgical songs) are not doctrines (or at least not all doctrines that Protestants hold

Ok, but which Protestant doctrine or practice did you find “pure chaos with thousands” of choices to warn Patrick about, or warn anyone?

 

[CroatCatholic]

The thousands is more figurative.

It would be better said this:

Protestantism has many types, and many of those types have divisions among them. There are so many disagreements which are the fruit of no authority. Baptists, Pentecostals, Anglicans, Lutherans, Evangelicals, Oneness, Modalists, Presbyterian, non-denominational. Some believe in Trinitarian baptism, some don’t. Some hold OSAS, some don’t. Some hold that communion is literal or spiritual flesh and blood, some just symbols. Some believe in tongues, some don’t.

So, I admit my mistake is using the “thousands”, but all can admit that Protestantism is made up of many different churches and denominations, and different doctrines and practices which are a result of no authority.

 

[mcq72]

So many different intepretations, churches, denominations, no authority. I was literally breaking apart because there was no solid foundation to Protestantism, it is a house divided against itself built on sand.

Ok, at least you down to “many” and not thousands of interpretations.

Not sure about a house divided…that would be a bit like me saying non Protestants ( Catholics, Old Catholics, Orthodox, Russism Orthodox etc.) are divided and can not stand.

Yet if your foundation or “rock” is focused more on a church and it’s authority perhaps Catholicism is best for you… you will find what you seek…the real grace is in what we seek

 

[RaisedCatholic]

But some of the things I read just didn’t match with Scripture. I also read “23 Minutes in Hell,” it described individual “pockets” of hellfire of people suffering, instead one large lake of fire .

That’s not horrible ?

The contradiction with Scripture doesn’t make it just as “horrible.” That wasn’t the point. The point is that when Scripture describes Hell (ie: the lake of fire) it does not describe the individual damned as having their own individual “pocket” where they are suffering, but one large “lake” of fire. Since the “experience” of the “23 Minutes in Hell” guy contradicts God-breathed Scripture which cannot be wrong, then the experience is wrong, or most likely did not happen.

 

[EndTimes]

There have been people mostly protestant make claims that they visit hell. These things concern me and it makes me fear God (not in a way that makes me get closer to him) and the way I live my life. I feel a bit paranoid about whatever happens next to me and my love ones and scared of going to hell because I failed to follow God. Every time I read these hell stories it makes me want to hope that their experience was not true. I do believe that hell is real and that the people who told these stories should focus on their relationship with God. But their stories make me feel hopeless.

Obviously, your hopelessness raises a Flag re: you:

My suggestion is for you to take your own advice .
Focus upon God and your relationship with Him
And avoid all ‘stories’ about hell.

 

[vin_dedvukaj]

I personally tend not believe these kind of stories that come from protestants (No Offense ). Especially when they say a canonized Saint is in hell. Thats where I stop listing, you cant be sure of the true intend of these kind of stories when you start hearing stuff like that. Just my opinion.

 

[historyfan81]

most protestans and heck even catholic visits to hell contracict not only the bible description of hell but eachother and even other early writtings of hell .

 

[Margaret_Ann]

I have the one on Purgatory by Fr. S.

 

[Margaret_Ann]

Sister Josefa Menendez also experienced Hell. Look up The Way of Divine Love. That is one of the best books ever written.

 

[Margaret_Ann]

I have that book on Purgatory too and I’m Ukrainian Greek Catholic.

That icon is the wedding at Cana, right?

 

[NevermoreLenore]

So many different intepretations, churches, denominations, no authority. I was literally breaking apart because there was no solid foundation to Protestantism, it is a house divided against itself built on sand.

I’m really late to this party but the above quote describes my experience as an evangelical/Baptist/nondenominational Christian my first thirty years of life. “Breaking apart” describes it perfectly–it was agonising to be told different things by different pastors and not have any final interpretive authority. Becoming Catholic was a radical shift for me that included many catalysts, but having the authority of the One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church was amoungst them.