Are you Afraid of Hell?
By Opalina143
@opalina143 (1240)
Morristown, New Jersey
June 9, 2009 6:03pm CST
I was raised as a Catholic, and I learned a lot about hell as a young kid. We were told it was a terrible place of fire and torture and that souls who went there suffered for an eternity, and if you committed a mortal sin and didn't confess to a priest, you would go there. A mortal sin could be simply missing mass. I remember being frantic all the time that I would end up in Hell because I couldn't make it to a priest after missing mass, because I used to oversleep a lot and miss it.
Then later, I left Catholicism and became a 'born again' christian, and we were warned about a terrible place of fire (hell) awaiting unbelievers. So we were supposed to pray and witness to people all the time about Jesus, so they wouldn't go to hell.
It seemed so unfair that god would punish nonchristians or people who miss mass by torturing them. It made me see God as a monster. Then I read a book called "23 Minutes in Hell" by a guy who claimed to have gone there. It was the last straw, and I left Christianity because it seemed so wrong.
I still worry though, that I am going to hell. So what do you think about hell, do you worry about it too?
1 person likes this
20 responses
@pheneovine (44)
• Philippines
10 Jun 09
As it was said in the bible hell is just a temporary place of those ppl who have not been baptized in the water and of the holy spirit..... the gospel has been preached out from the disciples and to the ppl and so on and so forth... When Christ second coming comes, ppl from the paradise will resurrect and meet Christ in the air and there God will judge them, separating Christians of the first fruit and and those who haven't matured in life... Basically, those who are the first fruit are the overcomers who matured in life.... Actually, hell is not the real place where "YOU WILL BE TORTURED FOREVER" it is the LAKE OF FIRE which will happen when Christ comes back and judges the unbelievers..... In reality, Christ does not required any religion for you to be saved and not to go to hell..... Just call upon his name and be baptized into the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit......
@pheneovine (44)
• Philippines
10 Jun 09
pls dont give any hard feelings for me on my post its what i just learned......=)
1 person likes this
@steelmoggy (410)
•
10 Jun 09
These books and stories published by people who claim to have been to Hell are nonsense; I wouldn't let yourself be upset about it. The way these people carry on you would think that visiting Hell is like catching a bus to the local market; there is only one who has ever descended in to Hell and returned, and that was our Lord Jesus Christ on the first Easter Saturday when He 'harrowed Hell'.
The Roman Catholic Church, AFAIK, actually teaches that Hell is the destination of those who are wicked and are un-repentant and who do not accept God's love. Protestant belief is similar; wilfull and unrepentant sinning and turning one's back on God and refusing the path to salvation offered by Jesus Christ.
Modern theologians argue that Hell is the eternal separation of our souls from God, and soem suggest from scripture sources that Hell is proportionate to teh sins.
AFAIK, missing Mass is not a mortal sin; in my Church it is a sacrement which we should take. Confession and repentance is important, as well as following teh teachings of Christ and the Commandments. But if we DO fall off the path, we can repent and turn back to God.
One of the most serious abuses of the Word of God is by people who use fear to control others; don't let people scare you from God with these sorts of claims.
@nzalheart (2338)
• India
10 Jun 09
hmm... You are right...Actually the people who are trying to create such nonsense fear in people are themselves doing some sort of sins...
@opalina143 (1240)
• Morristown, New Jersey
11 Jun 09
I don't know what you mean by that, Lottery Lover. If hell is not eternal, why would it say in the bible "The eternal fires..." etc. In Revelation it says "The smoke from their suffering will rise up forever..." unless it means that the suffering will end, but the smoke will always rise? Jesus says that hell is eternal. It would be great if it wasn't, but isn't that a contradiction of what the bible says? Where does it say that hell will only be the destruction of people? I would like to believe that.
@nzalheart (2338)
• India
11 Jun 09
Leave the Bible aside, use your common sense...
These high post catholic people are trying to dump down the actual teachings of Jesus. Some bible scholars have discovered that the original bible is not like the old original one. The new bible seems to be written just to rise the power...
If you are going to believe word by word everything, you are surely going to suffer. Because the thoughts make the great difference...
Watch the videos of realities of universe on youtube, a lot of source come to tell the facts of this universe. Mostly related to quantum physics and are highly spiritually connected too.
@antisociality (163)
• Philippines
10 Jun 09
I don't worry about it so much. Really. I just make most of what I can in this life. If I can make or do something good, then I would do it. If i do something bad, I'll be prepared for the karma or consequences. I don't know what my religion is, I don't go to mass, or be a witness for others. Some people act all nice, good when they are inside he church, or when they're talking about it, but their true color is very bad. Wolves in sheep clothing. I hope they go to that hell. I may feel guilty posting this, but it's kind of true.
@antisociality (163)
• Philippines
11 Jun 09
Yes, that's what I'm talking about. Fake people. Bad people. It's a cruel world, we can't stop them. Let's just pray.
@opalina143 (1240)
• Morristown, New Jersey
11 Jun 09
I think there are many religious people who are, indeed, wolves in sheep's clothing. I think I've been unlucky enough to run into a few of them. There are bad people out there who use religion as an excuse to hurt and judge others. There are other people who act all holy in church but then do terrible things behind closed doors. I knew a kid in high school who was a super-religious christian, and he went to church all the time and talked about Jesus constantly. Years later, he was arrested for molesting children in his church's day care center. He even pleaded guilty and admitted that he did it. He was a wolf in sheep's clothing, and I'm sure he caused a lot of people to lose faith in God. Really, it isn't God's fault- he was just a bad guy who used religion to convince people he was a safe and a good person all the while doing terrible things.
@Chiang_Mai_boy (3882)
• Thailand
11 Jun 09
talkalot2 if you start to tell me about your experience of seeing god and speaking with him I would strongly suggest that you get back on your medication.
@talkalot2 (12)
• United States
11 Jun 09
Lol well every time i hear something like this i just laugh. even if i told u some of my experiences with god as in Actually seeing him u portly still wouldnt believe lol
@lovenish00111 (93)
• India
17 Jun 09
ok if u dont believe in hell then tell me the world u r living at present can be called a heaven or something else....
thats true that this world is expanded but whats expanding in this world are following...
if intelligent doctors are expanding then diseases and patients are also growing..
if unversities are expanding then students are expanding with more speed...
the more students are expanding the more peoples are becoming unemployed even with good or poor knowledge...
in technology is expanding then crime, war, weapons, terrorist, cyber crime, privacy voilations are also expanding.....
so the whole fact is this that this world is expanding to more worst situations and soon the day will come when God has to regenerate this world that day will be called the judgement day
@talkalot2 (12)
• United States
10 Jun 09
well first off you dont need a priest to confess because jesus and god are both Completely listening to everything in this world at all times.. a priest is a person just like you u can confess if you want to in your prayer an nd trust me when you confess god will be listening.
@lovenish00111 (93)
• India
17 Jun 09
i first want to state that we should understand that everybody who is suffering something may be illness of situation is getting the punishments of his past and present wrong doing and those who r happy are becuz of good doing...
second dont ever think that confessing makes u completely blame free...or if u confess to a priest then he can make u completely blame free from that sin...for example think urself as a priest and if somebody comes to u about confession then with what power u can make that person blame free.. he will do what u can do only confessing thoughts to GOD....
so instead of confeesing again and again just try to not to repeat that sin again and feel sorry for that sin withing deep inside yourself......
hope u will follow my suggestions
@Chiang_Mai_boy (3882)
• Thailand
10 Jun 09
Why should I worry about an imaginary place? Hell is an invention of a church that needed a threat to hold over peoples head as punishment for violating what the church said were the laws of god. The church's concept of a god is also an imaginary concept used to justify the actions of the clergy.
@tulipstrader (1467)
• India
17 Jun 09
My religion does not have the concept of Hell. where spirituality reigns supreme, hell has no place. hence i do not have to worry about any hell. i sleep peacefully everyday.
the hell of christianity is the true picture of what christianity is. in the medieval ages this would have worked. these threats work with weak-minded people.
its good you left the faith on your own and after convinced thoroughly. but you seem to carry the old clothes of the fear of hell. kindly drop that and burn it. there is no hell.
@eighternity (363)
• Philippines
10 Jun 09
I'm not afraid of hell because I know I'll go to heaven lol! I believe in god and I do believe in his teaching.
@AithneFireStorm (212)
• United States
15 Jun 09
Hun, I am a Born Again Christian, Christian Pagan to be exact because I don't like the way a lot of churches our. I worship God in the temple he built! But all I remember was to witness to people to show them God's love not only in our words but in our actions. God does not send us to hell for not believing or "missing mass" I have a whole other grievance with the Catholics for things they teach!
I think that hell is a real place, it is described in the bible like itr says in 23 minutes to Hell, I have read that one too! However it is not God's will that we go there. We make our choices and that determines whether we go to Heaven or to Hell! To my knowledge God's only requirement for entrance to Heaven in asking Christ into your heart and acknowledging that your a sinner removed from God and only through his grace and mercy are we forgiven.
So it comes down to something God gave mankind that he has given no other creature on earth, Free Will! You decide for yourself. That is the sadness and beauty of being human. We decide our own fates.
I hope I did not discourage you! I simply stated my beliefs as I see them. I understand I am a contradiction of things being as most pagans don't believe in hell or the devil but that is how I feel and how God has led me.
@CzarliJohn (24)
• Philippines
17 Jun 09
Truth is, I am afraid of hell. But I don't take it as a negative feeling. Being afraid of hell inspires me to strengthen my faith (not that I'm a believer just because of the horrors of hell). . .
@silveralight (126)
• India
11 Jun 09
If there is really a place called Hell, then maybe we will all have to end up there. There's a saying that there are two faces of a coin, just like that humans also have two sides of themselves, a good one and a bad one... If something bad wouldn't have existed inside us we would have become God till now. Show me one person who hasn't done something bad, so it's baseless to be afraid of hell...
And I don't really want to be rude... I study in a Convent and I know The Fathers who look after the school, they aren't very much of a good character themselves( please please please dont take an offence but its damn true, I've really experienced it), and they talk of God and how we should all be good children, but what right do they have to preach all this when they themselves dont follow the rules of priesthood?
All this God, heaven and hell thingy really confuses me! I am born to Hindu parents but I like reading the Gita other religion's holy books only as fairy tales... I dont believe in Vishnu, Jesus or Allah.. I just know GOD...
@weirdo55 (77)
• Philippines
22 Jun 09
Hi opalina143!
I actually wrote a response earlier and it was quite a lengthy one but then my internet connection crashed so it didn't go through. Anyway, I'll write it again later cause I'll be leaving town for a couple of days. But I'd like to say that this is a very interesting topic and I'd be happy to share my beliefs with you and hope it can help you out. :)
Let me just point out to you some important stuff before I actually explian it to you. 1.God created hell, but not for us humans. 2. God is not a monster, in fact He loves us so much 3.Only Jesus can save you 4. If you've received Jesus as your personal savior than you don't need to worry. 5. it's a person's choice if he will go to hell or not (free will)
ok, so here are some points that I'd like to explain further next time. Hope you'll think bout it. feel free to ask questions. I'm no expert but I'd like to see what I can do to help you out. This is a very interesting topic. :) God bless!
@mye_drew (182)
• Israel
10 Jun 09
im not afraid to hell coz im trying my best to avoid that hell destination,..hell is the destination those bad people...im a christian and we do always the rules ang regulations of our church that i belong...i obey the rules of god to acquire his salvation....
@lovenish00111 (93)
• India
10 Jun 09
Everything is true but need very sharp intellect to undertand. Lets look from my eyes.
According to every big religion of world only two types of world exist that is hell or heaven. U can not say this world a heaven but hell. And christ said that 2000 years ago his birth it was heaven on full earth. So if it was then whats now... Absolutely hell. Proved.
So friends dont b afraid off hell cuz u r already in hell. And what ever bad sins u have did u r suffering and whatever bad u will do will suffer in next and quite in present birth also. For example if u hit a police man now u will got the punishment now. But those crime which are hidden from police but not from god will be required u to suffer later.
Ok. B happy that u are not punished too much which puts u doubt about this world a heaven or hell. Ask a beggar about this he will say i am in hell.
A soul never created nor destroyed. The soul can be made thoughtless and passive but that does not punish the soul about his bad work so god give him birth on earth as per his record.
@manayonboy (511)
• Philippines
10 Jun 09
Yeas I'm afraid to go to hell. as describe in the bible that Hell is a place of fire(Jude1:7) I don't want to be burn for with no end. So i don't want to commit sin as long as i can . Because according to the bible God will punish those who do not turn from their sin (2Peter 2:4-9). I think all of as are afraid to go to hell as long as you believe in the existence of hell.
