Look, we can play battling links, but that won’t really get anywhere. I posted a link also, which addressed all of those verses and the context in which they are given. If you don’t want to read that, fine, but don’t expect me to disect a long blog on Freerepublic.
I will just reference you back to my first post. I used to preach an eternal Hell and I know all of the verses dealing with Hell/Hades/Ghalena/Sheol/etc. but like you, I just parroted what others had told me without really reading what those verses really said. In the end you can not find ANYWHERE in the Bible where we are immortal before accepting Christ. Second, you can’t ignore what Revelation says about the destruction of Hell and all that were in it in the Lake of Fire.
Now, maybe it’s too hard for you to accept what the Bible lays out right now. I understand. Many good Christians have been mislead on this doctrine, but I am thoroughly convinced after much reading and studying of the Bible that the eternity for the unbeliever is complete and total ellimination in the Lake of Fire. Now that doesn’t mean that they won’t suffer for a time in Hell, but that time is finite and will end.
Hey, I would prefer that the Hell not be eternal, actually, I would prefer that it not exist at all, and if it does, that the souls in it have a chance to escape. The passages in the Bible where Jesus talks about eternal hell are a major turn off. I would also prefer that God approve of every fun thing I want to do, or at least understand that when I sin I always have a good excuse. But what I prefer and what is true are obviously two different things.
We can argue what the Bible says and actually means ad infinitum. That is the reason why there are so many protestant sects, each claims to have the real Truth. I call that chaos. Believe what you will, what is true is true. We are not obligated to believe one way or the other about Hell, only to be obedient to God.