Is there a Hell?

[hellomynameis]

Yes there is, and that place is called Earth, wars, famine, greed, and so on.

Where there can be love there cannot be a hell.

"Earth's the right place for love:
I don't know where it's likely to go better"
- Robert Frost, Birches

[Born_again]

What I find strange about the accompanying poll is that so many non-Christians have voted "No", when the poll question clearly asks:

"Does the Bible teach that there is an eternal fiery Hell?"

Have they not read the bible? If they had then they would see that there is no possible answer but, "Yes".
Are they confusing the thread title("Is there a Hell") with the poll question, perhaps?

And, as for the Christians that voted "No"; you would have a very hard time convincing me that you have even read any part of your scriptures. In all there are at least 150 references to Hell in the bible, so it's not like you can selectively ignore one or two instances for convenience, say, ...........is it??!!

[fluffy]

Maybe there's some confusion going on. The poll question "Does the Bible teach that there is an eternal fiery Hell?" and the thread title "Is there a Hell?" are two different questions. "Does the Bible teach..." is pretty straightforward, it either does or it doesn't, but the more general question "Is there a Hell?" opens a door to numerous perspectives. Those who view the Bible as a collection of parables rather than a literal account of history are more apt to be open to metaphorical interpretations, of which the the heaven/hell-on-earth concept is a front-runner, and the idea of heaven and hell as actual destinations for eternal souls in the afterlife loses credibility.

[Born_again]

Ah, Fluffy, you're back. I was wanting to add a little clarification to the 'fear' discussion.
I see fear as a positive emotion because it is just that. It is wholly natural, and one could go as far as saying that it is 'healthy' when viewed as one of the survival mechanisms by which many species have flourished. Basically, without fear we would not be here. Negative?
Just because fear is seen by some as "the root of all negative emotions" does not mean that fear itself is negative -- but far from it. How people manage their fear is where the negativity is allowed to kick-in. Worse still, is how some people/organisations have learned that they can manipulate fear in certain others to their own ends. Basically, they can use fear to control people as easily as a Border Collie controlling a flock of sheep. Same thing going on, just different sets of species. Fear, or more accurately, irrational fear.
The sheep think that the Border Collie is a threat to them, when in fact it is not.The threat doesn't exist.
People think that Hell is a threat to them, when it is not. The threat doesn't exist.

If the fear emotion can have any negativity attached to it, then it is only through a vulnerability of the users mind. Cognitive skills usually has a patch for that, and it's free!

[fluffy]

I think you hit the nail on the head when you mentioned how people mange their fear. I agree that fear is a natural and necessary part of our lives when it comes to protecting us against potential harm, I think the damaging fear I speak of is fear that is more of a "chronic"nature, fear that breeds anger and resentment, and the health issues that arise out of extended periods of stress. I think it's more than a little naive to think we can live without fear, but the tools to dispel fear either through physical or mental action, are important to use lest the fear become toxic.

[hellomynameis]

So where does that leave the hell-on-earth idea?

personally I blame the cut backs

[fluffy]

So where does that the hell-on-earth idea?

?

[Born_again]

leave??

[fluffy]

leave??

A likely candidate.

[hellomynameis]

leave??

A likely candidate.

1243230701806.jpg

=)

[fluffy]

So where does that leave the hell-on-earth idea?

Veiwed in a metaphorical sense, hell can be taken as the result of living an immoral life. Shame, fear, guilt, lack of love, all the crap that goes with life "off the path".