The fires of Hell are real and eternal, Pope warns

The Times (UK) ^ | March 27, 2007 | Richard Owen

[JWinNC]

re: 336

excellent post

[PigRigger]

look forward to your comments...have a safe flight....

[armydoc]

Jesus uses the word "Gehenna" which was translated as Hell. Gehenna is the name of the valley to the south of the city of Jerusalem. It was the city's garbage dump. They burned dead animals and garbage there and what was left was eaten by worms. When you go to Hell your body is thrown in the dump.

So, Jesus is just explaining what is done to our physical bodies here on earth when we die?

Let's look at Mark 9:43-48 again:

43And if thy hand offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter into life maimed, than having two hands to go into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched: 44Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched. 45And if thy foot offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter halt into life, than having two feet to be cast into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched: 46Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched. 47And if thine eye offend thee, pluck it out: it is better for thee to enter into the kingdom of God with one eye, than having two eyes to be cast into hell fire: 48Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched.


Tell me, do you know of any "dumps" on earth where the fires are not quenched, and the worms never die?

[wtc911]

Thanks. I've gone through periods of intensely inquisitive research into 'the argument from evil' and have determined that although there are minds far more powerful than mine similarly striving they are still just the minds of men, and by definition, no more capable of discerning the Truth than mine.

[ArrogantBustard]

I'll bet Kennedy, Kerry and Frank would be on the list of damned.

They're still alive; therefore they still have the opportunity to repent. Let us pray that God grants them the Grace of repentance, and that they accept and cooperate with it, and that they thereby turn from their evil ways.

[Lazamataz]

Pardon me for intruding on this thread, but I have some observations that might help others....

Sin is separation from God.

This is well-stated. I'd add this: It's my experience that anything self-indulgant seperates me from my Higher Power, who I call God. Even things that might not normally be considered a sin seperate me from God -- the common theme is always acting out in Ego, or Self.

One of the quickest ways for me to get out of Self is to commit to, and be of service to others. If I ask myself "How can I best serve the person who is in front of me", I quickly get out of selfishness and self-centeredness. I quickly regain my conscious contact with the God of my understanding.

Is it hellfire and brimstone? Who knows - perhaps that's the way to describe the very terribleness of hell.

The aftermath of my very last 'using episode' was hell for me. I was disconnected from the girl I was dating at the time, I couldn't get my sponsor or anyone on my network, and my connection to God was shot-out. I was, utterly, alone -- and in great despair. That was sheer hell, but I am grateful for it, because it is what finally got me to live differently.

[mugs99]

If there's no Free Republic it must be a pretty boring place!

[mugs99]

Tell me, do you know of any "dumps" on earth where the fires are not quenched, and the worms never die?

That pretty well describes every ancient dump on the planet. Cities created a lot of garbage. The fires burned constantly and worms fed on animal and human corpses. Corpses could be seen by passers by on their way into town. Those sentenced to death were crucified in the dump...That's why some claim that Jesus was in Hell before He went to Heaven. Why did He say Gehenna?

What about "Golgotha"?
Golgotha means a pile of skulls not a mountain top.
.

[mugs99]

That was sheer hell, but I am grateful for it, because it is what finally got me to live differently.

Hell taught you a lesson that saved your life...Now that makes more sense to me than a place of eternal torture!
.

[John Leland 1789]

"This news won't go over well in the bathhouses."

Bathhouses?! This won't even go over very well in many American church congregations!!

[JWinNC]

A bump to that Laz and if I may, an observation of my own...

How do I know hell exists?

Because, if it does not, then man would surely create it.

Peace,
jw

[Bob J]

Sounds like most men should be cutting off their penis's.

[Bob J]

"How do I know hell exists? Because, if it does not, then man would surely create it."

You got it, hell is a creation of man.

[Bob J]

Christians could bring a lot more souls to God talking about how their faith has made their lives better than preaching fire and damnation.

[Aquinasfan]

Christians could bring a lot more souls to God talking about how their faith has made their lives better than preaching fire and damnation.

Depends on the person, doesn't it?

Proverbs 1:7

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom

Proverbs 3:7

Fear the Lord and turn away from evil.

[Bob J]

"Depends on the person, doesn't it?"

Yes, children or adults.

[Bob J]

Christians could bring a lot more souls to God talking about how their faith has made their lives better than preaching fear, fire and damnation.

There, fixed it.

[Aquinasfan]

There, fixed it.

On the one hand, it's prudent to use evangelical techniques that are tailored to the audience, without watering down the Gospel message.

On the other hand, Christianity isn't about making friends and influencing people.

Luke 12:50-52

"Do you think I came to bring peace on earth? No, I tell you, but division. From now on there will be five in one family divided against each other, three against two and two against three."

In the end, the truth must be proclaimed.

[Ken H]

Do Jews go to Hell forever? What about Hindus?

[Ken H]

Khmer Rouge embraces Jesus

The Khmer Rouge followed a harsh brand of communism, killing nearly two million people in their bid to return Cambodia to Year Zero. Now they have a new faith: evangelical Christianity. Hundreds of former fighters have been baptised in the past year.

Many new converts were involved in the bloody battles, massacres and forced labour programmes that led to the Killing Fields.

According to one pastor, 70 per cent of the converts in Pailin are Khmer Rouge. For many, it offers a hope of salvation.

-end excerpt-

So do the Khmer butchers, IF their repentance is sincere, get an eternity in paradise, but their victims suffer in eternal torment? Seems the biblical answer is "yes". Do you agree?