Do you ever worry about going to hell?

[BeHereNow]

I think it's a legitimate question. A large number of people in the world think that there is a hell, and all of us are undoubtedly heading straight for it. Let's say there's a .001% chance they are right.

Are you worried about it, or would you not care to die and find yourself falling into a pit of flames for eternity?

If a hell does exist, I wouldn't want to go there, but I'm not worried about it.

[Archimedes]

About as much as I worry about aliens invading the Earth. This, I believe, qualifies as "no".

[EvoUK]

I worry about it as much as I worry about the IPU urinating fire onto my roof.

[FormerFundy]

I worry about going to the Christian hell about as much as Christians worry about going to the Muslim hell. Translation--about 0%.

[Gilgaron]

I worry about going to the Christian hell about as much as Christians worry about going to the Muslim hell. Translation--about 0%.
And about as much at the Muslims worry about going to Zorastrian hell.

How many more hells are there? There's Tartarus, but I don't think that's quite the same.

[BeHereNow]

Wow, 9 no's so far.

[EvoUK]

I wonder if it's sunk into the heads of those naughtly theist lurkers that threatening us with something we don't believe in really doesn't work...

[JCA]

Hmm.. Am I allowed to post here? If not, sorry :teeth: However, it would be a bit strange to ask only people who don't believe in God and hell in general, if they have ever thought about going there.. Sort of like asking someone who doesn't believe in the Olympian Gods if they have seriously thought about a trip to Mount Olympus.. :teeth:

I picked sometimes.. but then, we are talking about WHAT definition of "hell"? If you mean into the fire for eternity, then I would have to say no. I have wondered if my 'life' will come to a "hellish" end.. is that the same thing?

I also think the City of Detroit is going to hell, but is that the same thing?


Also, everyone who replied NO, is obviously not telling the truth, as they had to think about it to make the vote :wink: (snicker)

As I said, it depends on your definition of "hell" as to wether or not I have 'thought about it'.. and just thinking about it isn't the same as dwelling on it.. most people think about suicide at one time or another.. doesn't mean they will do it etc. But that's slightly differnt I guess.

Here's a question right back though.. Can believing that one might go to a hell for being 'bad', be a better incentive to do 'good', than NOT belieiving in it? Just wondering..

L&P

:jca:

No, JCA - you're not allowed to post here. That's why the thread starter put the thread here, and you need to respect his wishes.

[BlackOpal12]

Ya know? Even if the Christian hell was real, and their god acted like they think he should...
I think the population of hell would be a lot cooler than the population of heaven. I mean, come on...most of the world'd be there. And there's a lot of partying going on around the world, eh?

Sorry...weird mood today.

[mickiel]

Its certainly not a figment of truth. When fear is the strength of a message, the message is barbaric. Hell is a pain amphlifier, not a grace amphlifier. Any who consider it Gods will, serve a god of pain.

This is a non-theist area only, Mickiel.

[Ghettochild]

i beleive in nonexistance after death, isnt that worse?

[JCA]

i beleive in nonexistance after death, isnt that worse?


Smack your thumb with a nail, and then ask if it would have been worse if you hadn't :teeth: Basically, the answer is no... depending on how you view Gods punishment. Most people will say that one is sent to hell forever.. however, I do not agree with that. So, if there is a chance for existance after punishment, I would prefer it over non-existance.


L&P

:jca:

This is a non-theist area only, JCA. Please do not post here.

[Ghettochild]

to live in heaven or hell is just to exist without purpose.

[JCA]

to live in heaven or hell is just to exist without purpose.

Isn't that a bit presumptuous? I'm a Christian, and even *I* can't tell you what heaven will be like completely. Once again, it seems to boil down to what your view is..

In my worldview, Heaven is the vastness of space and the Universe, where I am free to explore, not worrying about death etc.. To say there is no purpose in heaven, or hell for that matter, is like saying atheists don't have any basis for 'morality'.. :teeth:


L&P

:jca:

[Da Lone-Warrior]

Static concepts of Heaven and Hell are misleading.

As stated elsewhere, Heaven is where God is and Hell is where God ain't. There isn't a Muslim God and a Zoroastrian God and a Christian God and so there ain't their respective Hells. There is only God and Heaven and Hell.

Do I have a relationship with God? Yes. Does that mean I'm not going to Hell? Yes, If I died tonight I would be in Heaven w. God. Could I lose this relationship? Yes. Do I worry about this? No. There is no point to doing so. The best one can do is to set up institutions that serve to point us regularly to God and the importance of our relationship with God.

dlw

This is a nontheist only forum DLW

[LGM]

I'm a Christian, and even *I* can't tell you what heaven will be like completely.

:lol: Wow! That's awfuly humble of you...

What parts do you know for certain?

Since heaven and hell only exist in the imaginations of individual hominids, I'm not sure why anyone who "believes in it", can't describe it "completely"...


LGM
...BHN: it would appear some rogue Christians have distorted the poll results...pity...

[Ghettochild]

Damn it DDW let him talk!!!


regarding heaven, to live without reason is pointless. everything in the universe has reason, except for the beginning which is one of the biggest apologetics discussions, what is the reason to exist in heaven for eternity? As an atheist i have certain morals that i abide to to stay within the natural order and society. I understand that without personal rules there can be no civilized life.

That was a completely inappropriate comment to a moderator. BHN started this thread for a reason in a nontheist area. It is my job to enforce that guideline.

[JCA]

:lol: Wow! That's awfuly humble of you...

What parts do you know for certain?

Since heaven and hell only exist in the imaginations of individual hominids, I'm not sure why anyone who "believes in it", can't describe it "completely"...


LGM
...BHN: it would appear some rogue Christians have distorted the poll results...pity...

Tell you what, if those in this thread want to continue this convo, which I am more than happy to, please start a thread on it in a Forum I am "allowed" to post in. It's not really fair for me to break the rules.. but I would like to continue to answer if you are interested.

Let me know..

L&P

:jca:

Non-theist area only, please.

[Ghettochild]

to the friendly place where everybody knows your name

BTW I said "damn it let him talk!" erm will that get moderated too?

Yes, it will. Don't let it happen again.

[EvoUK]

Uh, you can't question a moderating descision in the same thread. So, irrelevent of my or your feelings/opinions about it, you can't tell a moderator they shouldn't have moderated something.

[Ghettochild]

...

[Bill Mutz]

They wouldn't let me in. They're afraid I'd take over.

[Ghettochild]

Bill Mutz is driving the bus straight to hell:lol:

[Ken]

interesting... so how do you know, for certain, that there is no heaven and hell.....?

This is a non-theist area only, Ken.

[Bill Mutz]

interesting... so how do you know, for certain, that there is no heaven and hell.....?
I'm an hardline materialist.

[Ghettochild]

seems humans needed to stop freaking themselves out so they created an idea to make themselves less freaked out about death.

[EvoUK]

seems humans needed to stop freaking themselves out so they created an idea to make themselves less freaked out about death.

BA HA HA HA HA

You mean this misanthropist view of an all-powerful father figure torturing you for all eternity for merely not believing in "him" isn't designed specifically to freak people out about the afterlife?

:lol:

[BeHereNow]

Hmm.. Am I allowed to post here?

No ;p

If not, sorry :teeth: However, it would be a bit strange to ask only people who don't believe in God and hell in general, if they have ever thought about going there.. Sort of like asking someone who doesn't believe in the Olympian Gods if they have seriously thought about a trip to Mount Olympus.. :teeth:

I know, but some people still have remnants of their past beliefs that linger. Also, I was just curious if, even if it was .001% possible to exist, would people worry about it.

I picked sometimes.. but then, we are talking about WHAT definition of "hell"?

However you define hell. There are too many definitions out there, so just pick your pet definition, folks.

[BeHereNow]

Ya know? Even if the Christian hell was real, and their god acted like they think he should...
I think the population of hell would be a lot cooler than the population of heaven. I mean, come on...most of the world'd be there. And there's a lot of partying going on around the world, eh?

Sorry...weird mood today.

But BlackOpal, don't you know this was the same motto my church warned me about as a child? I distinctly remember a pastor displaying slides of heavy metal albums and lyrics that implied hell would be a party, and everyone (including myself) would gasp in disbelief and pity.

Aren't you worried that your view has been influenced by Satan? If hell exists per most definitions, it certainly will not be a party.

[BeHereNow]

...BHN: it would appear some rogue Christians have distorted the poll results...pity...

To shame. I wonder if the mods can delete a vote?

[Bob the Builder]

Also, everyone who replied NO, is obviously not telling the truth, as they had to think about it to make the vote :wink: (snicker)

Except that the question is "Are you worried about going to hell?" so everyone who replied NO has been perfectly honest

[Bill Mutz]

How would your hobgoblin go about influencing someone's mind, BHN? I never quite understood that.

[BeHereNow]

How would your hobgoblin go about influencing someone's mind, BHN? I never quite understood that.

I'm not sure what you are talking about. Hobgoblin?

[lenny]

why worry hell is here on earth, were all heading for our final reward

[Ghettochild]

Hell is the week before a mid term

[Ishmael]

I have been to hell. They speak Arabic there.

[Ghettochild]

youve been to iraq?

[Harlequin Solit]

i beleive in nonexistance after death, isnt that worse?

Definitly. Having demons do unimaginable things to your backside isn't as bad as not having one.

I think if there is one, the company will be so much better than heaven it would be the better option.

[Ghettochild]

What am I afraid of:

1. Living without a purpose
2. Not doing enough in life
3. Big spiders

Heaven, imagine living simply to exist. There would be no problems to solve, no fears to overcome, complete communistic society where you are bound to the same level as every one of your peers.

[nutzo]

I dont think that a hell even is in existance for many reasons I dont feel like explaining right now, but I think I can say kinda as another question, so far in my studies, I have not found another religion that believes in an entity such as satan other than christianity, I have found demonoid type creatures, but not one and only one that represents anti-good in total. I think that a hell may exist, such as a hell on earth, a separation from the devine as it is defined, or pergatory, that would be alot like a long line, the sumerlands I think is how you spell it. A hell in a non physical world, or a hell in your mind, but I dont believe in something as physical after life as a Christian hell

[Ghettochild]

well, this is the metaphysics department...

[Seasanctuary]

I have not found another religion that believes in an entity such as satan other than christianity, I have found demonoid type creatures, but not one and only one that represents anti-good in total.

Not even Satan fits that bill. Two reasons.

1) In order to be "anti-good in total" you have to either be a mirror image of God (and then you have dualism) or you have to be a nothingness (and then you don't have a personal Satan). Christianity teaches that Satan is an existant person...and that existence comes from God and is therefore good of itself. Also Satan existed before he was evil, and so the true evil is what took him over...not the creature Satan himself.

2) Christianity teaches that evil comes not only from Satan but by our own desires that can give birth to sin. Satan can't be all of the anti-good if we can supply it as well.

So, basically, Satan is not the substance of evil itself in Christianity.

[C. D. Ward]

Although "worry" is probably too strong a word to describe the feelings I have (perhaps "concern" would be better?), I voted "sometimes".

I suppose partially it's a lingering fear that the misanthropic beast portrayed in the OT actually does exist, but that should strike fear into anyone's heart, not just non-Christians...

OTOH, it could also be just the fact that I'm not myself a creature of certainty. I don't claim to know that God doesn't exist and freely admit that my current beliefs could be mistaken.

[Bob the Builder]

I don't claim to know that God doesn't exist and freely admit that my current beliefs could be mistaken.

I agree with this pov.
However I do find myself wondering whether God (sometimes gods) exists sometimes - I never get as far as hell though.

[shunyadragon]

I think it's a legitimate question. A large number of people in the world think that there is a hell, and all of us are undoubtedly heading straight for it. Let's say there's a .001% chance they are right.

Are you worried about it, or would you not care to die and find yourself falling into a pit of flames for eternity?

If a hell does exist, I wouldn't want to go there, but I'm not worried about it.
Nah! Neither am I. Not a chance. The boggie man in the closet was more of a problem when I was a kid. It ended up that he taught me how to dance and about girls!

I like Mark Twain's stories on heaven and hell.

This line sounds like a 1950's evangelist. Oh yeah! The one that told the believers to put their hands on the TV to feel the vibs of the Holy Spirt.
Anyone else old enough to remember that one.

Trivia question: Who was it? Hint - He also wrestled the devil on stage.

[Harlequin Solit]

I wonder where God goes when he does something bad? (Genocide and the like)

[Satori]

The only people who need to worry about "hell" are the religious folks among us who inherently have a great deal of difficulting distinguishing between fantasy and reality (a very common mental affliction). The rest of us do not give much regard to such vile metaphysical fantasies and archaic folklore from savage and ignorant times. :) I find it sad that this has been used to brainwash people into submission though. Fear is a very strong motivator.

I also don't buy into the idea that those who answered the poll in this thread have all been truthful in their "no" response. Answering yes to such a question, by religious folks, would mean that they are admitting to either their own god-defined "wickedness", or their lack of 100% faith in the notion that their gullible beliefs will somehow "save" them from such a perverse fate at the hands of a supposedly loving and compassionate god.

When a given metaphysical belief system built on a childish psychological punishment/reward system find root in a mind, I feel that it severely truncates honesty just as much as it obviously truncates reason, objectivity, and intellectual freedom.

[Ghettochild]

honesty... doesnt that come from the perception of outside not inside forces nowadays?

[Satori]

I wonder where God goes when he does something bad? (Genocide and the like)

Don't you know? Gods don't have to follow their own rules. The rules only apply to humans, not to the gods. It's truly a case of "do as I say, not as I do". Is that hypocritical? I think so.

I started a thread about this topic a while back, and it was extremely amusing the amount of silly rhetoric it generated from all sorts of faithful bible-thumpers as they attempted to justify their god's wicked ways. Amusing, and sad actually.

One young man summed up all the responses quite nicely, he said something to the effect of "He's god, he can do whatever he wants." Yep, that is the degree of the insanity still going around, hehe.

In short, god is, by definition, incapable of sin. It could spend a few thousand years raping children and torturing people for the terrible "crime" of being who they ARE (ie. rational and analytical types) and since god makes the rules, and god decides what is a sin and what isn't, it can merely designate all its horrible deeds and cruelty as truly holy and justified. God answers to no one, therefore, god is subject to no specific standard of ethics/morality, not even the standard it presumably holds us to.

Can you say HYPOCRITE?

hehe, I love stating the obvious ;)

[Ghettochild]

What on earth are you rambling on about?! It is perfectly fine to disagree with someones belief but you have completely stepped over the line here Satori. You need to reread your last post and think about it. Besides it isnt that the actions of God cant be considered sins but instead that God lacks the drive to sin.

[arcadejunkie]

I don't worry about going to hell, but hell worries about me coming :lol:

[Dave G]

Satori can even elicit a serious response from Ghettochild. (No offense, GC, I think your posts are funny.)
:shy:

[Abigail]

I don't worry about going to hell, but hell worries about me coming :lol:
:lol:............................... :brood:

[rach12]

ACK!!! We're being invaded! :lol:

[Kulindrichnus]

ACK!!! We're being invaded! :lol:

You missed out the 'TTA'

K

[arcadejunkie]

ACK!!! We're being invaded! :lol:
Not really... I'm Agnostic and Jewish. Since they didn't have the option to choose both, I went with my culture.

[atkinson]

This question is every bit as vague as the "Do you believe in God?"

Which hell?

Whose hell?

I grant, the notions of hell provide rich material for theological speculation, and a great source of parable and conundrum. A Muslim who converts to Christianity, for example, even if qualified for the Christian heaven, will still spend eternity in the Muslim hell (unless granted holiday leave).

[sqbr]

Well, this is my first ever post to this fourm so I hope I don't mes up :)

(I feel a little more comfy round we non-theist types)

I worried a lot more about hell (ie, at all) when I was christian, since I have a tendency to catastrophise (I think thats the word) ie think everything is going to go horribly wrong, and theres a lot of commandments etc I ended up breaking despite my best efforts. (ie doubting God :wink: )

My logic (emotionally) is that if any God would be willing to punish me for the crime of not believeing in Him/Her etc then I wouldn't worship him even if he existed so it's Hell for me either way :) Why this makes me feel safer I don't know! That and I'm a string atheist with regards to any God like that.

I suppose in my philosophy its like "Do you worry about being tortured and killed by a psychopath?" Yes its worrying, but highly unlikely and there's noting I can do about it!

Oh, and :hi: to grubbcm, yes you got me to join, sorry you can't reply to this post :shy:

[mikeledo]

I am a godless person who lives in a red state. What can God do to me that would be worse? What concerns me from time to time is the fact that very soon I will no longer exist and my conscience and mind will cease to function. I have converted people over to atheism and that is an initial scare they all have in common- that the end is very final. The eternal sleep with no dreaming allowed.

In the long run, this will one day be a dead planet and then star dust once again- the human race will no longer exist. Everything we were or did will not matter to anyone as there won't be anyone left.

What scares me is the last person alive may be a Christian and will still be waiting for Jesus to come.

[BeHereNow]

This question is every bit as vague as the "Do you believe in God?"

Which hell?

Whose hell?


I'll have to quote myself on this one:

However you define hell. There are too many definitions out there, so just pick your pet definition, folks.

Do you worry about some type of eternal punishment? My phrasing in the OP may have been too specific, but it's just the image of hell I conjure since it's how I was taught growing up.

I grant, the notions of hell provide rich material for theological speculation, and a great source of parable and conundrum. A Muslim who converts to Christianity, for example, even if qualified for the Christian heaven, will still spend eternity in the Muslim hell (unless granted holiday leave).

:lol:

Kwite the Qoan.

[BeHereNow]

Well, this is my first ever post to this fourm so I hope I don't mes up :)

(I feel a little more comfy round we non-theist types)

Glad to see you around. The non-theist forum at Theology Web, though, is pretty slow. Notice the 5-month gaps between some posts.

I worried a lot more about hell (ie, at all) when I was christian, since I have a tendency to catastrophise (I think thats the word) ie think everything is going to go horribly wrong, and theres a lot of commandments etc I ended up breaking despite my best efforts. (ie doubting God :wink: )

My logic (emotionally) is that if any God would be willing to punish me for the crime of not believeing in Him/Her etc then I wouldn't worship him even if he existed so it's Hell for me either way :) Why this makes me feel safer I don't know!

I agree totally. Defiance above acquiescence, always.

I suppose in my philosophy its like "Do you worry about being tortured and killed by a psychopath?" Yes its worrying, but highly unlikely and there's noting I can do about it!

:broccoli:

[Brian37]

I think it's a legitimate question. A large number of people in the world think that there is a hell, and all of us are undoubtedly heading straight for it. Let's say there's a .001% chance they are right.

Are you worried about it, or would you not care to die and find yourself falling into a pit of flames for eternity?

If a hell does exist, I wouldn't want to go there, but I'm not worried about it.

How is it a legitimate question when the "reality" of it's existance has not been established? Which version, which religion?

When I visited Japan I went to a museum that depicted the Japanese culture's version of eternal torture, unrelated to the Christian version of hell.

I think the concept of doing harm to others has manifested into this idea of "hell". I think the reality is that we project what we want regarding homeostasis and chaos as being positive "inmortality" vs negitive "inmortality".

The concept of "hell" bothers me no more than the thought of life before I was born. I have no evidence that what I felt before I was born will be any different than after I die. However, what I do inbetween certainly is important to me because I'd like to maxumize that inbetween.

God or not, we dont need to spend our lives telling each other "my dad can beat up your dad".

[Lazy Agnostic]

Nope; my wife is a devout Christian, so I get a free pass.

[Seasanctuary]

Nope; my wife is a devout Christian, so I get a free pass.
Hah, yes...I like that verse too.

[NormATive]

I think it's a legitimate question. A large number of people in the world think that there is a hell, and all of us are undoubtedly heading straight for it. Let's say there's a .001% chance they are right.

Are you worried about it, or would you not care to die and find yourself falling into a pit of flames for eternity?

If a hell does exist, I wouldn't want to go there, but I'm not worried about it.

Hell no!

I spent my entire childhood worrying that everytime I couldn't find my parents, the rapture happened and I was left behind to roast in hell because I - for the life of me - just couldn't "believe."

As hard as I tried, I couldn't.

Still can't.

The only difference is that now the very idea of a pit of fire reserved for god to toast bad boys and girls for all of eternity is laughable.

Shame on whoever came up with that awful imagery. When I think of the needless hours of sleep, and worthless worry a fear in hell was... Shame, shame, shame. I hope they rot in...

Fie!

NORM

I know back to back posting is verbotten, but I think a little poetry is in wont here:

Gr-r-r--there go, my heart's abhorrence!
Water your damned flower-pots, do!
If hate killed men, Brother Lawrence,
God's blood, would not mine kill you!
What? your myrtle-bush wants trimming?
Oh, that rose has prior claims--
Needs its leaden vase filled brimming?
Hell dry you up with its flames!
-from Robert Browning; Soliloquy of a Spanish Cloister

NORM

Not only is back to back posting verbotten, in this case it was unnecessary. You could have edited the first post to add the poetry (which I did) as it was posted within 15 minutes of the first post. Using that word as an explitive is also verbotten.

[EvoUK]

The only difference is that now the very idea of a pit of fire reserved for god to toast bad boys and girls for all of eternity is laughable.

Hell has nothing to do with punishig bad people- it's only concerned with burning non-christians.

[Vivian]

This is hell for sons of God - which we all are but have forgotten!

This is the far country, the outer darkness where there is gnashing of teeth.

This is the place of God's purifying fire.

When I get stuck on thinking of myself and forgetting why I am here, I sometimes worry about having to come back.


viv
Naturalism is for non-theist only.