Comicsartist

I can agree with this. I know I've said it before but look at the tale of Lazarus and the rich man. Lazarus dies of thirst since the rich man won't give him anything to drink. When the rich man dies, he goes to a place where he is burning with thirst and the spring of life is just out of reach. Add to this tale that Lazarus is resting in "the bossom of Abraham" and the rich man can see him, and what you end up with sounds very similar to what you wrote, Gurn. The rich man is reliving his mistake. I would think that after you've "learned your lesson" so to speak, you would then be welcomed into the "bossom of Abraham."

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nroberts

But what is this belief based upon?? Nowhere in the Bible does it say hell is temporary. In fact it says exactly the opposite many, many times. What hell is appears to be different from part to part of the Bible but the one thing that seems quite consistent is its permanence. So what makes you think it isn't?

Environment Man

Not bad. Not totally good like my religion but not bad. And it works for you so there you go. It is not comprehensive to me though because of the vagueness of the future.

Comicsartist

It's based on pure speculation. Just as all belief is, really.

The main reason I don't think Hell is permanent is simply because we are a part of God. God created us, so why/how would/could God effectively "kill" a part of Him/Her/Itself? Jesus even said, "Aren't we all gods?" You can take that a few different ways, but the way I read it, it means we all have a part of God inside us. Also, I just refuse to believe that a loving God would cast sinners into a lake of fire forever. Doesn't sound too loving, does it?

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Environment Man

Comic gets himself so twisted up in knots that he does not know what he believes in. Then he tries to take his confusion out on the road to share wih others.

GurnBlanston

No where in the Bible (or actually "scripture" since "Bible" is subjective) does it even mention Hell. This was one of the main realizations I had that prompted me to leave seminary school before I graduated.
All references of what Christians call "Hell" are anything but. They are usually mistranslations of simple wrods such as "death" and "grave". The one's that translate a specific place are Sheol (Jewish afterlife) and Hades (Greek [Helenistic] afterlife) neither of which were thought of as places of eternal torment. It was in fact where all who died went. The uncommon occurance of the mentioning of Gehenna (a Jewish word derived from Geh Hennon, literally "The Valley of Hinnon"). In Jesus' times, it was a rubbish pit and the Canaanites (aka Phoenicians) used it for child sacrefice (the story of Abraham and Isaac was attempting to stop this practice called "Molloching". The Valley of Hinnon was where the Canaanites of Jerusalem performed this act (presumably at the top of Mt Moriah where Solomon built his temple). Because of this, the Valley of Hinnon was often referred to by some "fiery" simile. The mistranslation here is one of context.
I'm sorry if you were looking forward to all those sinners suffering (which is kinda creepy anyways), but there is no Hell. Nor is my belief in it mandatory much less relevant.

Comicsartist

At least I don't claim to know for fact that which no one can.

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Environment Man

Well you are lost and I am found. Dont blame me for that.

Comicsartist

You think you are found but I think you should continue to look.

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Environment Man

Nice lesson Gurn and you are exactly right.