The old posts continue to have comments added to them for anyone who has an interest but hasn't been checking the old posts.
Now then, let's see if I can cloud the picture any more. I have delved into my copy of "The Essential Catholic Catechism". You've heard the saying "know enough to be dangerous"? Yep, I am the embodiment of that philosophy. It's one of my charms. And it covers a number of topics. Like computers. But I digress.
It appears to me from what I've read that the Catholic take on Hell is this: it is not God's fault that people go to Hell, God made man with free will and does not force anyone to choose the way that leads to life. Also, there is alot of focus on the internal pain of Hell - eternal separation from God, along with the agonizing guilt of realizing that it is due to one's own choice. I can see that. Now, to the external pain of Hell... Matthew 25:41 "Then he will say to those on his left, 'Depart from me you accursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels." It seems to me that for every quote arguing that there is no Hell, there is another arguing there is. I'm not going to repeat the two that I've mentioned from Revelation since I've posted them twice and haven't had a direct argument against them.
I'm not necessarily sure what I believe about Hell, I'm not sure if I ever will. But I do think that it is impossible to say that one religion is wrong and another is right. These are all man's interpretation of God's word. If you take everything in the Bible at it's literal meaning, you (general you) may think that you know what is going to happen. But is there a religion that takes everything literally? Credibility is lost in my eyes if you say take this part literally but not this part. We won't know for sure what is going to happen until it happens. That does not mean I'm not going to continue searching, I am, and I'm going to continue asking questions. And I appreciate everyone's contribution and will continue to.
6 comments:
sorry, mary, i really haven't been commenting, basically because you know more than i do!!
BoUnCeS!! LibbY!
I have to say that I don't necessarily buy into the whole "firey pit" myself. I think that "hell" can be interpretted as "anywhere without God's love". Now, this is not any biblical interpretation (since I still have to pick it up from you!) Just my own 2 cents on the thought. Some might say it is what we are living right now, though I can't say I agree with that either. However, some days....... :)
(Sorry if this wasn't exactly what you were looking for but I haven't posted in a while and was needing to get back in the conversation!)
Becky,
I'm not looking for anything in particular, just having a conversation. Unless God has a laptop, I'm not expecting anyone to be able to say - "This is what I meant..."
Oh you are just a flippin riot! No wonder you were giggling yesterday when you told me you replied!
Frankly I'm pretty sure that John was seriously deranged when he wrote Revelation.
Forget hell, look at what John says about heaven. He provides the only biblical description of heaven: a surreal, terrifying place. "before me was a throne...and the One who sat there had the appearance of Jasper....From the throne came flashes of lightning, rumblings and peals of thunder....Around the throne were four living creatures, and they were covered with eyes, in front and in back....Day and night they never stop saying: 'Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty, who was, and is, and is to come.'" Revelation 4:2-8
Wanta go there?
Interesting thought
"But I do think that it is impossible to say that one religion is wrong and another is right. These are all man's interpretation of God's word. If you take everything in the Bible at it's literal meaning, you (general you) may think that you know what is going to happen. But is there a religion that takes everything literally? Credibility is lost in my eyes if you say take this part literally but not this part"
Why can't you say one is wrong and another is right?
Different religions teach very different things about the same issues. If you are falling back on moral relavatism...don't. It is a self defeating philosophy.
re: taking literal. Bible should be taken literal when that is the obvious intent and symbolic when that is the obvous intent. You need to be familar with the specific literary styles used in different books of the Bible.
Re: know what is going to happen, pay attention and in general terms you should. Bible talks about our history from start to finish. Specific details like dates things will happen are not important. More important to be ready for it, nto to know when it would happen. If everyone knew the when part, then seeking/repenting ext would nto occur until shortly before that time.
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