How can anyone ever deserve eternal punishment?

[ayani]

I mean, even Hitler does not deserve to be punished forever, there has to be a point where he has paid for what he did. The same is true for eternal bliss, what on earth can somebody ever do that deserves to have eternal bliss?

Just think if someone is going to go to Hell, another person could be 1,000,000 times worse but still get the exact same punishment, how is that fair?

well, Biblically we're told that we can *not* attain God's favour on our own. that is where God's grace through His Son comes in.

one parable Jesus gives about hell is here.

in this parable, Jesus likens hell / God's punishment to a prison in which one suffers until one's debt of evil and sin is paid off. this is interesting. Jesus also describes hell as a place where torment does not cease, but He does not specify that one's stay in hell is permanent. yet elsewhere in the Bible, specifically Revelation, hell is described as being eternal. in the parable of Lazarus and the rich man, Jesus describes hell as a place of heat, fire, suffering, and thirst, and great separation from God's holiness.

certainly punishment for sins in the hereafter is a reality. if God did not care about sin and evil enough to do something about it when that soul faces Him, He could not rightly be called just or righteous.

 

[zenzero]

Friend HoldemDB9,

what on earth can somebody ever do that deserves to have eternal bliss?

Do NOTHING, not even THINKING.

Love & rgds

 

[Buttercup]

certainly punishment for sins in the hereafter is a reality.

May I respectfully ask how you know it's a reality?

 

[Sunstone]

certainly punishment for sins in the hereafter is a reality. if God did not care about sin and evil enough to do something about it when that soul faces Him, He could not rightly be called just or righteous.

Is it possible for a deity to be so petty that he is actually reduced to being just or righteous?

 

[methylatedghosts]

Are you asking about our ignorance or our deserving of bliss?

I'm asking, are we to cognitively ignorant to deserve eternal bliss for something we didn't really konw about during life.

 

[AK4]

Hell, in my view, is a state of mind and anyone who is "there" is put there by themselves and not by God. God rejects no one, according to my belief, but people do reject God. This is due to many reasons.

Another thought: If someone is turned away from God because of the actions of another person or persons, then I believe that God will have mercy on that person (the one turned away). I believe God is much more merciful than a lot of people I know- even those who are considered "upright.

Do you see the own contradictions in your statement? Choose one or the other. To make it more clearer,you say one is put "there" by themselves like they had no outside influence to make them choose what they choose, but then you say God is merciful and that God will have mercy on them because they was influenced by another to stray from God.

Either they made the decision without any cause or there is a cause right? And God should have mercy regardless of either right? Or is it that God should eternally reject a person because they was influenced by someone else to reject Him AND THEN SOME HOW THEY MADE THIS DECISION ON THEIR OWN?!!! Either God will have mercy on all or then He is a respector of persons, regardless of what influenced whoever to believe what they believe.

Am i going too fast for anyone?

 

[Buttercup]

I'm asking, are we to cognitively ignorant to deserve eternal bliss for something we didn't really konw about during life.

I guess I get squeamish when the word "deserve" is used...it's such a subjective word, especially when used regarding the afterlife which we aren't even sure really exists. Did that just make sense?

Anyway, to answer your question.....I certainly think we deserve bliss over punishment, that's for sure.

 

[MoonWater]

"Eternal Punishment" is an oxymoron.

How so? Are you speaking in terms of how people tend to get use to pain after experiencing it for awhile, or did you have something else in mind with this comment?

 

[Ciarin]

I don't think people deserve eternal punishment or reward after they die. But it could be if there is some sort of existence after death, that the state of mind the person was at the time of their death might determine their next existance. This could be either good or bad, and could last indefinitely.

A scenario might be someone who feels they should be punished for their deeds, might get stuck in this thinking after death, which could be considered some sort of eternal punishment.

 

[methylatedghosts]

I guess I get squeamish when the word "deserve" is used...it's such a subjective word, especially when used regarding the afterlife which we aren't even sure really exists. Did that just make sense?

*rubs eyes*

Yeah... I think so

Anyway, to answer your question.....I certainly think we deserve bliss over punishment, that's for sure.

You know... I'm not even sure that's exactly what I was asking.. I can't even remember what it was I was asking, so lets just pretend for now that it WAS what I was asking....
(Did THAT make sense?! LOL)

 

[S-word]

I mean, even Hitler does not deserve to be punished forever, there has to be a point where he has paid for what he did. The same is true for eternal bliss, what on earth can somebody ever do that deserves to have eternal bliss?

Just think if someone is going to go to Hell, another person could be 1,000,000 times worse but still get the exact same punishment, how is that fair?

All must die once (The physical and the first death) then go off into Judgment. Those spirits who have chosen death over life are then cast into the eternal fire that never goes out, this is the second death, which is that of the spirit.

The fire may be eternal, but not the suffering, those who have rejected the free gift of eternal life are sent off into total oblivion, where there is no pain, no suffering, no tears, no laughter, no joy, just nothingness, from which state of oblivian there is no return.

 

[Beaudreaux]

All must die once (The physical and the first death) then go off into Judgment. Those spirits who have chosen death over life are then cast into the eternal fire that never goes out, this is the second death, which is that of the spirit.

The fire may be eternal, but not the suffering, those who have rejected the free gift of eternal life are sent off into total oblivion, where there is no pain, no suffering, no tears, no laughter, no joy, just nothingness, from which state of oblivian there is no return.

Oh....sounds peachy!

 

[Sunstone]

If you think about it, the notion of an afterlife only gets stranger.

 

[methylatedghosts]

If you think about it, the notion of an afterlife only gets stranger.

I think you're thinking about the thinking part too much

 

[StripperClown]

All must die once (The physical and the first death) then go off into Judgment. Those spirits who have chosen death over life are then cast into the eternal fire that never goes out, this is the second death, which is that of the spirit.

The fire may be eternal, but not the suffering, those who have rejected the free gift of eternal life are sent off into total oblivion, where there is no pain, no suffering, no tears, no laughter, no joy, just nothingness, from which state of oblivian there is no return.

Nobody exactly chooses death over life (except suicide cases.) Death kind of happens to everyone.

Why would anyone reject the free gift of eternal life? Was it because they didn't have enough evidence for the existence of a particular God that they have to miss out? "Sorry, you didn't quit believe in me, even though I didn't make it clear to you that I exist. You get to be cast away forever because an all powerful, all merciful being like myself is petty like that." If you're in a state of nothingness, but still conscious, then that would be torture. Unable to do or feel anything sure seems like punishment. And there's no return? Even our justice system in the U.S. isn't THAT bad. You only spend usually a maximum of 100 years here on Earth. That somehow equates to ETERNAL nothingness in oblivion?

 

[HoldemDB9]

All must die once (The physical and the first death) then go off into Judgment. Those spirits who have chosen death over life are then cast into the eternal fire that never goes out, this is the second death, which is that of the spirit.

The fire may be eternal, but not the suffering, those who have rejected the free gift of eternal life are sent off into total oblivion, where there is no pain, no suffering, no tears, no laughter, no joy, just nothingness, from which state of oblivian there is no return.

Sounds great, I'm glad I'm safe then, because I have not decided death over life and I have not rejected any free gift of eternal life.

Which makes me wonder, why on earth would anyone ever decide to not have eternal life? Surely everyone would choose to have life over death! When do we get to choose?

 

[Riverwolf]

Sounds great, I'm glad I'm safe then, because I have not decided death over life and I have not rejected any free gift of eternal life.

Which makes me wonder, why on earth would anyone ever decide to not have eternal life? Surely everyone would choose to have life over death! When do we get to choose?

I don't want eternal life; I can't imagine a greater hell.

I will live my life until my time of death comes.

 

[StripperClown]

I don't want eternal life; I can't imagine a greater hell.

I will live my life until my time of death comes.

That depends on what kind of Eternal life. Do you go to Heaven? Are you a vampire?

 

[HoldemDB9]

I don't want eternal life; I can't imagine a greater hell.

I will live my life until my time of death comes.

I was not talking about eternal life here on earth, although I would still choose to have that if I could!

Why would you ever want to not exist?

 

[Riverwolf]

I was not talking about eternal life here on earth, although I would still choose to have that if I could!

Why would you ever want to not exist?

Boredom, tedium... just "existence".

Mortality brings beauty into the world.

Ever seen "Troy"? Wasn't a very good movie, but what Brad Pitt Achiles said is true: "The gods envy us. Everything is more beautiful because we die."

I live because I die. Life would not be worth it without death.