what if this was hell what if everyone on earth is here because they commited some horrible act in the real world.

i mean we all did something wrong right? what if these restrictions put on us these sins where just ways that we torture ourselves in hell.

i mean everyone has there dark sinful secreats could it not be true?

all this war and anger mruder and emotion maybe we are all just horrible people being punished in hell for sins we committed in a past life.

seems to make alot of sense the more you think about it?

That's a very interesting theory, although I've heard it before. It does make a certain amount of sense--a lot of sense if you subscribe to the Christian mythology.

Hell is defined by most religions as being utterly and totally cut off from God. I doubt there would be opposing religious denominations in Hell - your soul is damned, so you don't really have the capacity for faith.

quote:Originally posted by Armed&Angry:

Hell is defined by most religions as being utterly and totally cut off from God.

so you agree??

Very good theory. Made me think a little, but then i wondered. Isnt it true that hell does not allow pleasure?

Actual brain excerciser.

Nowhere in the Bible is Hell described as being void of pleasure. It is described as a void of God, however, as Armed&Angry correctly noted.

While the theory suggested by the Marksman is plenty interesting, I don't quite buy it. I don't think this world is anything like the Hell depicted in the Bible for obvious reasons like the existence of hope, establishments of church, etc. etc. Plus while that theory of Hell certainly does explain why so many of us suffer here on earth, it doesn't explain why many other people don't.

But I like the thought. Who knows, you might be right.

well isnt it true that desire leads to suffering and that without something pleasurable to desire it would be one less thing to suffer?

and also there are diffrent levels of hell the people who seem to be living it up may only have commited minor sins.

also im an atheist and dont believe in heaven hell or god but i often tend to think to much.

This world is a "hell", so to speak. But it is not "the hell", if you get what I'm saying. God has given us an escape from this world(death). If nobody would ever die, then this world might be "the hell".

god boys, go read my post if you've got a spare moment (my gods shows that your god doesn't exist).

this earth certainly is a living hell, but life is a constant struggle against the negative and the bad. this is all arbitrary though, considering heaven and hell and god are control methods used to keep you all fitter, happier, and more productive. keep up the good work.

The religion that I practise(I'm a 7th day adventist, another branch of christianity) does not promote God as a control. When you say control, I'm pretty sure that you're talking about fear and rewards. But one does not love God and obey him to get out off hell and into heaven. And one does not do the "right thing" because of fear. Rather, you will do the right thing automatically when you lnow and love God.

If all religions(with Gods) were like you have portrayed, if they suddenly claimed that there was no hell or heaven to make sure that they don't do evil deeds, it would be utter chaos, or at least the majority of people would just stop believing, for there would be no apparent reason to love and obey a God. That in itself is the wrong attitude, but I guess far too many people have it.

There must be something else that keeps people(no matter how few they are) in say, Christianity. Perhaps it's the inner peace that comes when you truly know God. I don't know if this is standard brainwashing, but people who I have asked about this all talk about the inner peace and joy that they get when they have surrendered themselves to God.

Can you say that you have earnestly searched for God without contempt and yet have failed to find him?

Yes i can say with a degree of certanty that through all thoughts that have passed through my mind never have i come anywhere close to the conclusion that there was a god.

it has since been said that there is no heaven or hell yet choas is uneffected. People do not need religion to control them they need it for a hand hold so they dont callapse under the weight of there own problems common in our society, which many people simply do not have the capacity to deal with without religious support.

people dont believe in god because he exsist they believe in him so that they can go on exsisting without having to worry about setting there own moral values or having to worry about all these things they'd never understand like life or death. since society began there has always been some book some scripture or some prophet to lead these otherwise hopeless people onwards through moral complications brought about by our own socialogical development.

it doesnt matter if god exsist or not either way you have no control over any part of the universe other then your own concious choices which for the majority of our population amount to nothing.

Aw, d4v3, you were doing so good until the atheist diatribe started pouring out.

quote:Originally posted by d4v3:

god boys, go read my post if you've got a spare moment (my gods shows that your god doesn't exist).

With such a polite invitation, how could I refuse?

Like this: no thank you. I prefer civilized discussion.

quote:Originally posted by d4v3:

heaven and hell and god are control methods used to keep you all fitter, happier, and more productive.

That's horrible reasoning.

People have committed genocide in the name of God.

Why would believing in God ensure productivity or security?

People are still people, whether they believe in God or not. Tap into that realization.

Should mention, though, that I always appreciate a Radiohead reference.