Does hell exist?

Don't believe in hell, it was made up to scare people or translated incorrectly. The bible does mention a certain practice at that time. The deceased would be honoured by their loved one but a person unworthy would be tossed over into a garbage dump and it was set on fire. This practice signified how those with a life of hateful criminal actions would come to a poor lonely end.

There is no hell in the bible. It mentions a lake of fire where Satan will burn, but it doesn't say that anyone normal will go there. Hell was created as a concept in the Middle Ages in Europe. Now there is a reincarnation cycle that could be called hell, but it's not something normal people get into either. It was like a prison system set up for very select people thousands of years ago.

Thank you so much for posting this!!! I know it's a hot topic (no pun intended) but no, I also don't believe hell is an eternal punishing place. I mean if G-d is merciful and righteous, wouldn't that speak out of His character??? Just think about it, and logically, too. Now, I do believe in a judgement - when the books are opened in the olam haba (world to come) and we find out if our names are written in the sefer l'chaim (which means the book of life) - and that the wicked will be eradicated, never to exist no more. To me, that speak much more better of G-d's character as opposed to eternal suffering and torture and pain. During the Middle Ages, the Catholic Church had many depictions on hell and how horrible it is, just the scare the people into converting to the religion. I believe it is dramacised to even higher amounts of torture as the years went on, and even some cathedrals had images of hell to keep the parishioners in their place.

I think hell exists deep within the psyches of those who are unkind to others. And those who exploit others.

It doesn't make any sense, does it? If "hell" existed then why does not God tell Adam and Eve about it?

Does it REALLY seem reasonable that this God fella' places everyone all over the planet to be raised by their families or whomever with their own beliefs often pushed on us and limited resources to objective literature and many thousands of religions, each with followers that provide seemingly substantial proof of their religion and/or God(s), BUT we are expected to find one specific religion SOMEHOW out of the sea of diversity of faiths and if we just happen to even come across it, we should absolutely know that it somehow is THE right way? Anything short of this and daddy God sends us straight to our HELL bed for the eternal sleepless slumber! How else will we ever learn?! I'm leaning towards................."no." But, hey, that's just me and my crazy off-the wall ideas that I start spouting off after a few glasses of this oddly strong tasting beverage I just happened across. Of course, if someone's asking, it seems like they might have a reason why they are doing so! So whatever you're thinking about doing...Just don't do it! I'm pretty much agnostic at the moment (however I'm flexible, mind-wise!) But I pretty much don't do things that are considered sins! Not all that difficult to fit into more than one Jell-O mold without losing vital appendages in my most humblest of humble opinions, and they're all quite humble (says I)! So eye's off your neighbor's husband and no killing or hateful actions....OK? Can you do that? And the golden rule is absolutely golden material! Follow it to the letter...And stop worrying about fire and brimstone! It's simply sulfur and a match, we've got it here in the Earthly plane, and everyone's OK! OK?

How could a loving God torture anyone forever..?? There are many misunderstandings about this, as some translators have not been consistent, as they have mixed the meaning of the original words. Here is a deeper research that I found:

Hell is separation from God.

Yes Hell is real......God created Hell for satan and his followers....... Hell is a place of torment, no light, a complete separation from God...

If love is god, then he can't be that punitive. You have your kids. Can you kill them? Unless they are really really bad, you wouldn't. So stop getting scared of god. Think of him as somebody equal to parents, and more constant. The relationship can be fun too.

You will be in hell for a period conforming to the severity of your sins. Once your punishment becomes equal to the volume of your sins, you are released. Then you will be born again. This is the case with heaven also. Both are not permanent places. This is based on the Vedanta theory of India.

Hell doesn't make sense on any level. It's certainly not something an all knowing God would do.

I beleive it exists! Especially here in DR where alot of people beleive in santeria and mess with witch craft!

Hell is just the concept of Divine Justice. And in an unjust world that is not a bad thing. Contrary to what some are saying here, yes, the Bible does talk about it, and no the Catholic Church did not create it. Nor are Christians the only ones who believe in it.

As far as hell is concerned, it is real, but there is no hell yet, as that is reserved for Satan and his angels, although there will be others that are lost and will have to burn up in hellfire, which won't exist until after the millenium when theholy city comes down from heaven, and all the wicked try to take it over. God will then cause fire to come down and burn them up. Satan will burn the longest as he is punsihed for the evil he displayed on this earth.

Great topic to discuss! ^_^ I do believe in Hell. God is referred to as a Father in the Bible. We can compare Him to a parent that cares very much for your safety but just like how your parents punish you when you do wrong God is no different. You reap what you sow. If a parent cared very much for her son but he became a murderer, she would still love him but she also recognizes that he has to be sealed away from hurting others. She doesn't want it and thats why she gave commands to warn her son from living a bad life just like how God gives us commands as warnings to stop us from living a bad life. If somebody did wrong to someone else or to you, you would say they'll get whats coming to them. Hell is for those committing evil acts. In the Bible, Isaiah 57:1 reads, " The righteous perish, and no one ponders in his heart; devout men are taken away, and no one understands that the righteous are taken away to be spared from evil." Heaven is for the righteous and Hell is for the wicked. Although your point of view is very understandable and shows how big of a mind you have to actually question this. That's good. Great minds are the foundational peak of curiosity which bridge into imagination. But this life compared to the after life where Hell and Heaven exist is a chance to change who we are and in the end, God loves us enough to give us freedom of choice to accept His judgement and fairness or not accept it. ^_^

You can establish hell in your head or in your life Read Dante about 9 circles of Hell