The Lake Of Fire

Originally posted by Rajk999
If starting a thread will make you happy then do it. You dont need my permission. Basically I put the words of Christ first and foremost in my doctrine regarding eternal life. Christ has the words of eternal life as the Bible says a dozen times. Next come the Apostles. Finally the OT.

By the way you asked me this same question about what church I belong to some months ago. Your memory is not too sharp.

Nah, this time the question was a little different.

Originally posted by FMF
Has the human imagination ever been to a darker place than the scenario summarized in the OP?

I'm sorry, maybe i'm just tired. What is the OP?

Originally posted by FMF
"Loss of life" is not what is being discussed here. What is being discussed is the notion of a perpetual state of being burned by flames as a punishment.

When the Two Witnesses are preaching, fire comes from their mouths. It is written in the scripture. Does anyone really think this is what will happen?
It is written, the Word of God is like a fire within you.

What will come from the Two Witnesses will be the Word of God.
The same is as in hell, the Word of God will envelope them. And they like the devil, who has rejected God, will live in the Word, never to receive it.

Originally posted by Pudgenik
I'm sorry, maybe i'm just tired. What is the OP?

OP means the "original post" on the thread, i.e. the topic or question being debated as laid out in the first post on a thread. Occasionally, people use "OP" to mean "the original poster".

Originally posted by yoctobyte
Nah, this time the question was a little different.

You are brothers of the same Spirit. He is in both of You.

Originally posted by Rajk999
If starting a thread will make you happy then do it. You dont need my permission. Basically I put the words of Christ first and foremost in my doctrine regarding eternal life. Christ has the words of eternal life as the Bible says a dozen times. Next come the Apostles. Finally the OT.

By the way you asked me this same question about what church I belong to some months ago. Your memory is not too sharp.

As i said to yoctobyte. You are brothers. He lives in both of you.

Originally posted by Pudgenik
When the Two Witnesses are preaching, fire comes from their mouths. It is written in the scripture. Does anyone really think this is what will happen?
It is written, the Word of God is like a fire within you.

What will come from the Two Witnesses will be the Word of God.
The same is as in hell, the Word of God will envelope them. And they like the devil, who has rejected God, will live in the Word, never to receive it.

So do you think the notion of being "eternally" tortured by fire (as a punishment for not believing) and suffering in excruciating agony without end (as propagated by some Christians) is a mistaken theological interpretation?

Originally posted by FMF
Is a "nominal Christian" a Christian or not a Christian?

I think you know as well as I do that robbie carrobie believes that you are not a real Christian unless you are a Jehovah's Witness. Everyone else are "nominal" Christians. It is typical cult mentality.

Originally posted by FMF
So do you think the notion of being "eternally" tortured by fire (as a punishment for not believing) and suffering in excruciating agony without end (as propagated by some Christians) is a mistaken theological interpretation?

Good luck getting a straight answer from Pudgenik; I'm still waiting for him to explain how Jesus had his "demons" after several bumps in the particular thread and a PM exchange.

Originally posted by FMF
Billions upon billions of innocent people, past, present, future, and ~ we are assured ~forever, being tortured by fire as a punishment, suffering in excruciating agony ~ all for a thought crime.

Has the human imagination ever been to a darker place than this?

The concept is moral indictment of those who subscribe to it. I believe the dogma arose from within the Catholic Church and was propagated in the dark ages but I'm not sure. But wherever is comes from the fact that Christians here beleive it is astonishing.

Originally posted by divegeester
The concept is moral indictment of those who subscribe to it. I believe the dogma arose from within the Catholic Church and was propagated in the dark ages but I'm not sure. But wherever is comes from the fact that Christians here beleive it is astonishing.

No it goes beyond that even that, Buddhists have the concept (check out The Wang Saen Suk Hell Garden, Thailand), as well as Hindus and Muslims and many other cultures (Islam has a special place for Christians and Jews where they suffer excruciating punishments for their infidelity and even have a freezer version where instead of being roasted you get frozen). I think the general consensus is that the teaching originated in Babylon and spread from there

The cultures of Mesopotamia (including Sumeria, the Akkadian Empire, Babylonia and Assyria), the Hittites and the Canaanites/Ugarits reveal some of the earliest evidence for the notion of a Netherworld or Underworld.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hell

Originally posted by FMF
So do you think the notion of being "eternally" tortured by fire (as a punishment for not believing) and suffering in excruciating agony without end (as propagated by some Christians) is a mistaken theological interpretation?

No, I think it will be torture not to receive the Word, not to have freedom away from this place. A fire to the mind, spirit and soul.

In the catholic church, there were three children who were given a short vision of hell. My understanding of that story was that they were terrified for months afterwards.

There have been a number of people who say they have witnessed that vision. (yours to believe or not)

Originally posted by Pudgenik
No, I think it will be torture not to receive the Word, not to have freedom away from this place. A fire to the mind, spirit and soul.

In the catholic church, there were three children who were given a short vision of hell. My understanding of that story was that they were terrified for months afterwards.

There have been a number of people who say they have witnessed that vision. (yours to believe or not)

In short, everyone exists forever, some in excruciating agony, others not; is that what you're saying?

Originally posted by FMF
In short, everyone exists forever, some in excruciating agony, others not; is that what you're saying?

Yes, God made us eternal beings. We will either be with Him in the end or not.
Many who think they will be with Him will not, and many who don't know Him and don't think they deserve to be with Him will.

Originally posted by Pudgenik
Yes, God made us eternal beings. We will either be with Him in the end or not.
Many who think they will be with Him will not, and many who don't know Him and don't think they deserve to be with Him will.

So unbelievers don't necessarily get punished?