Hell or Not

Is there such thing as hell? Well, since young, we’re been exposed to horrific images of hell—scary-looking devils with pitchforks and burning fires. And the torment that goes along with the whole package.

What brought me to write about this? I read this Yahoo! News article on a book which stirs debate about the afterlife. According to the book, hell is something that we go through in life, something to mould us and teach us in our journey to be with God.

It seems like an interesting concept—but is it true? From biblical and other religious materials, hell is described as a place where sinners go in their afterlives. It is a place of torment, and nothing like the paradise where the people of God would go to.

Yes, this is really an interesting topic of conversation. I mean, I’ve never really given it such a comprehensive, thorough thought on this: Is there hell?

Well, in retrospect, I do believe that there is hell. Because the Bible says so. But … what is really hell? Is it something, abstract, or is it something physical?

I so want to delve into Rob Bell’s thoughts by probably getting his book, “Love Wins”. I mean, what he writes may not be 100% real, but it’s always good to have your thoughts out to be analyzed, and discussed upon further, and compared with previous writings on such beliefs.

But seriously, there is hell enough on earth as it is: war, natural disasters, famine, nuclear radiation, poverty, diseases, etc. So are all these occurring to somehow teach us a lesson for the betterment of our lives with God? Believe me. It’s hell enough on earth.

What Bell mentions in his book may be true to some degree.

It does help with betterment of lives, and shaping of character. For eg., in the recent Japan tsunami aftermath, people are learning something very valuable: that is the tenacity to cope with hardship, and the teamwork with one another that brings unity. That along brings compassion, and love, and generosity.

If you see it that way, the hell of the tsunami does indeed bring something positive out of all of this.

So if we’ve suffered enough hell on earth, will there be another hell in the afterlife?

Good question.

I’m so gonna get Love Wins, to know from the perspective of Bell about the afterlife.

Because seriously, hell in the afterlife does seem like a scary place. It does. It is eternal suffering, and God knows what.

Nobody wants that.

And from the Bible, we know that God is a loving God filled with compassion. Would he want his children to endure that in the afterlife?

Is there something more than it than it seems?

It’s definitely something to debate about. Hell or not.

Here’s the article I read from Yahoo! News!

http://yhoo.it/glGFpF