Do you think hell exists?

i agree. the comments here give a lot of food for thought.

@amadeo I find that this is a fascinating subject and I want to make sure that I understand it correctly.

@hereandthere We can learn much from others that have a love for God and that want to understand his love and will.

There is something which is much more powerful then fear of punishment, love. Colossians 3:14 New International Version (NIV) 14 And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity. 1 John 4:18 New International Version (NIV) 18 There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.

@louievill I'm glad that we both appreciate freedom of choice and will have to live with the blessings and consequences that come with it. I want to look up the Scriptures with fire and brimstone. Can you tell me which Bible you are using in your study?

@1hopefulman here are different versions of the bible where you can find it so we can have different sources for comparison.

@1hopefulman yes friend, like what you said people are free to believe, if that is your belief then so be it. Wait how about that place with fire and brimstone?

Is this something the Bible teaches?

@1hopefulman it would have if it wasnt tampered with. Here is a wonderful example of Hell and Heaven as told by the Buddha. A man went to the Buddha and asked Him to take him to Heaven. The Buddha replied; " Before you can see Heaven, you must first see Hell." The man agreed and The Buddha took him to Hell. They were in an elaborate dining hall, the tables were decorated with the finest linen and the best food from all cultures of the world adorned the tables. It was surprising and delightful to say the least. But the people sitting around the table were not happy. Instead of hands, each of them had a knife and fork protruding from their arms, but the handles were so long that it was impossible for them to reach their mouths with them and feeding themselves was impossible. There was much screeching, moaning, groaning and gnarling of teeth as no one was happy with their circumstance. The Buddha let the man view this scene for a bit. "Now let me take you to Heaven", said the Buddha. The man and the Buddha entered Heaven. They were in an elaborate dining hall, the tables were adorned with the finest linen and the best food from all cultures of the world. The people sitting around the tables had knives and forks with protruding handles instead of hands and arms. The scene was literally the same as the scene they just viewed in Hell. But there was a slight difference. All of the people were happy, singing and eating joyfully, truly enjoying their meal. Instead of trying to feed themselves with these impossible utensils as arms and hands, they were FEEDING EACH OTHER!! @1hopefulman A slight raising of consciousness from only thinking about yourself to think of others can make all the difference! You dont need the Bible to tell you that.

Yes, we won't remember the suffering and pain of this world.

It does seem so, doesn't it? Do you think God made a worse one after this?

I could not sleep! I have been thinking about this verse all night and so went to read the context. Read Mark 9:43-48. If we take the words about the worms and fire literally then we would have to take the words about cutting off of the hand and foot and the plucking of the eye also literally and since James says that we all stumble then we would all have to cut off our hands and feet and pluck out our eyes? Then that would mean that where we go to live we would all enter maimed? James 3:2 New International Version (NIV) 2 We all stumble in many ways. Anyone who is never at fault in what they say is perfect, able to keep their whole body in check.

I have on hand two Greek interlinear translations and the English word "hell" is a translation of the Greek word Gehenna. What was Gehenna when Jesus was on earth and what would the hearers of Jesus at that time understand Jesus to mean by his use of the word Gehenna? Mark 9:43 Expanded Bible (EXB) 43 If your hand causes you ·to sin [lose faith; stumble], cut it off. It is better for you ·to lose part of your body and live forever [L?to enter life maimed] than to have two hands and go to ·hell [L?Gehenna; C?a valley outside of Jerusalem where in the OT period children were sacrificed to a pagan god; later used as a burning trash heap; a metaphor for hell], where the fire never goes out.

I know that you are a person that loves God dearly and that you love and respect the Bible and have much respect for you. I believe that I can disagree and at the same time respect you. But for the sake of the discussion and for the sake of searching the truth about all things, is the statement you made true? What I understand is that if there was no "hell" (a place where unrepentant sinners are tortured forever in an eternal fire) heaven would be a place with evil?

@1hopefulman Think about it. What difference would there be? Heaven is portrayed as a place where there isn't any kind of evil because sin and evil cannot dwell in the same place God does because God is love. Jesus gave us several parables about heaven and hell. Hell is a place of weeping and gnashing of teeth. Revelation tells us there will be the White Throne Judgment where all those who rejected Jesus Christ will be judged and then cast into the Lake of Fire and Brimstone for eternity. Now beside those instances in the Bible, I have heard testimony's from people who have been on the verge of eternity, and when they were brought to by medical personnel, they told about Hell where they would have gone if not given the second chance to turn their lives around. It's true that doesn't happen very often, and I know how skeptical people can be about those kinds of testimonies. However, Hell was originally reserved for Lucifer and the fallen angels who warred against God. Lucifer has made certain Hell will have more than just him and the angels, but all those who reject Jesus Christ. 2 Peter 3:9 shows us the love God has for his people by giving then every chance to repent so they won't perish.