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Christians, what do you think of these views?

Summary of article: pastor in trouble for his belief that there might not be a hell where souls are tormented and tortured for eternity.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20110324/ap_on_re/us_re...

From the article:

He describes going to a Christian art show where one of the pieces featured a quote by Mohandas Gandhi. Someone attached a note saying: "Reality check: He's in hell."

"Gandhi's in hell? He is? And someone knows this for sure?" Bell asks in the video.

In the book, Bell criticizes the belief that a select number of Christians will spend eternity in the bliss of heaven while everyone else is tormented forever in hell.

"This is misguided and toxic and ultimately subverts the contagious spread of Jesus' message of love, peace, forgiveness and joy that our world desperately needs to hear," he writes in the book.

8 Answers

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  • Anonymous
    1 decade ago
    Favorite Answer

    That's the problem I have with most Protestantism, especially the newer, evangelical groups. They are far too literal with the bible and can't imagine that any good person, who isn't exactly like themselves, could be in heaven. Their surprise when the find out what happens to such judgmental people will be interesting.

  • NoBozo
    Lv 6
    1 decade ago

    Obviously he is what is known as a "reformed theologian" also know as a false teacher/prophet. These types are apostate and don't believe in the authenticity of the scriptures,preach another Gospel and are under God's condemnation and curse.. Warnings about such have been given by God Himself to His elect to avoid such teachers. Jesus Himself had made it clear,that for those who reject Him,they are condemned already and will be put in that place with the Devil and his angels in that was only originally created for them,not man. Man's place is with God,but rebellious man makes up his own mind where he will spend eternity.

    The scriptures are also clear: Many are called but few are chosen.Broad is the way that leads to destruction and many are upon it.The smoke from their burning will rise up forever.God will separate the sheep (His Elect) from the goats (those who reject Christ) and there are numerous other scriptures that point out that God will gather His own in to His kingdom and those who reject Christ will be eternally separated from Him and His glory throughout all eternity and will do so in a place of torment.

  • yesmar
    Lv 7
    1 decade ago

    A lot of truth there neighbor. Actually, that pastors ideas are not new, and not far from the truth stated in scripture. Authentic Christianity has always taught that "hell" is a state of being, not a place of torture. On the other hand, the bible does not teach the Universalist's idea that all will be saved unilaterally.

    Thanks for sharing.

  • Tiny
    Lv 6
    1 decade ago

    I hope that he keeps thinking and searching because if he does it will lead him to the truth. No where in the bible does it teach that souls will be tormented forever in hell and that the rest will go to heaven. The bible clearly says that the righteous will possess the earth and live forever upon it and the wicked will be cut off from the earth forever. They will return to dust from which they were taken which means they will die with no hope of living again. Good for him for using his brain and not allowing himself to be brainwashed by the false teachings in so many religions today.

    Psalms 37:29,34- The righteous themselves will possess the earth, And they will reside forever upon it.

    34 Hope in Jehovah and keep his way,And he will exalt you to take possession of the earth. When the wicked ones are cut off, you will see [it].

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  • Anonymous
    1 decade ago

    Anyone who denies that Hell exists is thus denying the truth of the Bible and is thus, more than likely, not a Christian. The Bible is the inerrant word of God.

    No, no one living now knows the final destination of anyone who has died, for God judges the heart of man.

    However, anyone who rejects Jesus Christ unto death, has chosen Hell for their eternal destination.

  • Anonymous
    1 decade ago

    If he doesn't believe in hell, he doesn't believe the Bible. It's as simple as that. "Anyone whose name was not found written in the book of life was thrown into the lake of fire." This is John writing down what he saw in a vision that depicted the end of the world, which means this is going to happen at the end of the world.

    Source(s): Revelation 20:15
  • 1 decade ago

    I do believe in hell but I don't think you go there just for not being Christian.

  • 1 decade ago

    People don't go to heaven because of how good or bad we are. There is good and ad in all of us. We go to heaven by having faith in Jesus Christ, that he died for our sins.

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