Christians, do you believe hell is literal or symbolic?

Good question. I opened it to see the answers!

I'm Jewish so I'm not answering for myself. I've known Christians who believed literally - most of them. But I've known some who see the whole thing as allegorical & don't take much of it literally. (Answering just so I don't get a violation.)

Judaism of course sees it very differently. There is no hell. There's very little focus on afterlife & no definitive view that you need to believe. There's a common Orthodox view of a purgatory lasting no more than 11 months before being pure enough to be part of the world to come. However, it's still a varied & complex view, that isn't required belief. I've read famous Orthodox sage's writings on this -- and they will explore various contradicing views all in the same article. (Jewish focus in on this life.)

So it's interesting to me to read Christian views on it.

Hell/Hades means mans grave, the pagan belief that there is a burning hell is not a scriptural teaching, the Bible uses fire as total destruction, to be cast into the lake of fire means never to be again, this is why in the 20th chapter of Rev it speaks of death(a thing),hell(a place), the wild beast & the false prophet(symbolic creatures) being cast into the lake of fire which is the 2nd death, this means total destruction, no resurrection. Acts 24:15 & John 5:28-29 says that both the good and the bad will be resurrected, Romans 6:7 says that our death acquits us of our sins, there is no need of a burning hell, it's of pagan roots, something a christian is not t touch.

Hell is literal. Satan/demons are literal also. However, both are used as symbols in some contexts so I guess it can go both ways.

It is literal. the main meaning is the grave. the second meaning is the second death in the lake of fire that purifies the earth and destroys sin and sinners so YAHUSHUA can make all things new, and very good. there is no perpetual torture.

I believe that God created us in His image and likeness as eternal spiritual beings. This is our true nature. Those who choose love over hate, kindness over greed, fidelity over lust will, after our "death" and return to our real nature and be one with Him who is love. Those who choose hate over love, greed over kindness, lust over fidelity... in other words choose to reject God will not be one with Him. I cannot imagine anything worse than an eternity without love. Either way, it is not God "rewarding" us or "punishing" us, but rather simply OUR choice.

I believe that the purpose of this world is for us to learn TRUE love. For that to happen we had to be given a choice to choose love or one of its many opposites. Therefore, we had to be offered the opposites as well. Hence the NEED for an evil one.

Hell is a real place...It was first prepared for Satan and his demons...[Matthew].

My mom certainly believes its real, and that I, along with the other gays and non-christians, will burn there.

The only person who could talk authoritatively about it, said its real and we are still doubting it. If you believe in Jesus, then believe in hell.

Real

the torture is symbolic too