Do you believe in Hell?

[flmagi]

Anyone want to discuss some deep issues?
Discuss, not argue.
Do you believe in Hell? What do you think Hell is?
Is there a grading system when you die, that decides whether you go to Heaven or Hell? And what if you fall short by just 1 point, is there a re-do exam?
Do you get a second chance after you go to Hell?
If all young children that die, go to Heaven, then doesn't abortion assure these babies a place in Heaven? Where as, if they were allowed to grow, live and die, certainly some of them would go to Hell?

[joycekatherine]

what a great discussion!  flmagi, I have as many questions as you do...I believe in God, I believe in Heaven sort of but, I'm not sure that I believe that Heaven & Hell are exactly like many think they are...not sure that they are PLACES to go, rather a state of mind or a state of being...maybe everlasting life with God is Heaven and Hell is everlasting death without him/her??
There is one question that has bugged me for a long time...Adam & Eve had children...let's start with Cain...who did he have children with??  If Adam & Eve were the only people on earth, then Cain must have married or had kids with his own sister??  I posted this same question on another forum but, nobody really answered it...so if anyone can answer that for me I'd appreciate it very much!!
I know that this is the Addiction Social Forum and I have not said anything about addiction so I hope that it's ok to be here...

[lonewolf07]

Thank you for your comments - so unlike so other comments I received.  Recently, I had a heart attack but don't talk about it much.  Through some of the people at MH, I am learning more about God and have been reading the Bible.  I just don't know how to let Him in.  I do believe that you were cured by prayer.  While I was in the hospital, one of my DILs, who is from Jamaica and has relatives all over the world - from England to the USA to Saudi Arabia to Africa, asked her relatives to pray for me.  I didn't know it at the time but when I got home, she told me.  I believe the prayers "inspired" God to keep the doctor's hands steady when he put in the stent and to give me the strength to get through it.  Thank you so much for thinking I'm a good person when others don't.  I pray that God can let me hold on to what you have said instead of always giving in to my own negativity.  I also pray that I can eventually be able to forgive those who say and write cruel, hurtful things to me, whether they are true or not.  I know I'm far from perfect.

I read teko's comments and they were wonderful but then I'm a bit prejudiced - we both like shih tzus and teko is an amazing woman and so are you Utah - and that, I swear, is  how I feel.

[HelpinUtah]

I had a similar experience as Teko. In 2002 (at a young age), I went to the ER with chest pains and when I got there my blood pressure was 187/110!  They hooked me up to an EKG machine, took my blood from an artery and did tests.  While waiting for the results they gave me nitro pills just in case. The results came back that I had a mild heart attack and admitted me.  That was on a Wednesday night.  They kept me in the hospital until Friday evening.  I was on a heart monitor Wednesday night into Friday.  I was on nitro pills the whole time and it caused a tremendous headache!  Friday mid morning they did a stress test.  Friday afternoon I was told I had a blockage and the cardiologist showed me where and said I need to have a cardiac cath done.  He told me I could go home over the weekend as long as I promised to come back Monday for the cath.  He sent me home with nitro pills.   That Sunday evening I was given a blessing and people prayed for me.  When they went in on Monday to do the cath - they found that my arteries were clean and as the doctor said "super clean."  He was surprised.  We told him we felt I was healed and explained our spiritual reasons for that.  He believed us and said he has seen so many miracles.  

I don't believe that one of us deserves a miracle more than someone else, but I do believe we all have missions to accomplish here and my mission wasn't done yet.  

I have had so many spiritual experiences with regard to the loss of loved ones here on this Earth.  Each loved ones death was difficult because I miss them so much, but I know I will see them again in heaven (I hope I'm worthy of that someday).  When my grandfather died (my Dad's father), I was with him.  It was the most peaceful experience I have ever had in my life.  I felt love, warmth and felt a spirit present.  The love I felt brought tears to my eyes and my husband's eyes who was with me.  I will be forever thankful for that experience.  I don't know how to explain it - it's just so amazing.  I think that was when I stopped fearing death myself.

Everyone, thank you for sharing your experiences.  For me, it just give me more faith and joy in this life.  I know God loves us and that he is real.  I am thankful for that knowledge.

For those who still are not so sure about that, I hope and pray that perhaps someday you will find the peace that comes with a belief in God.

Lonewolf:
I understand your feelings.  I used to feel that way at times.  I haven't shared a lot about my past, but life has not been easy for me and I would suspect for most of us.  I hope and pray that you can find peace in your life and heart whether you have God or some other belief to give you hope and help you find happiness.  You deserve it!  You're a good person and I have been thankful for your friendship here!

Hugs,
Janet

[lonewolf07]

I know I already responded so if you want to delete this go ahead.  I think I'm "living" in hell.  Hope there is a heaven, a place of peace where all living beings are treated with love and compassion.  Partly the drugs make me feel like I'm in hell; partly my own character makes me feel that I'm in hell and often other people - family, can't say friends because I don't have any - but it all comes out to me as a belief that hell is here on earth.

[Totsie59]

All I have to say on this is...I do believe in Heaven...and I do believe in hell...

[LateAugust]

I am happy for you that God chose to heal you.   I remember when I was about 14 and we had another evangelist in our church during the week  and   every single service this evangelist had the parents of a little boy  about  5 or 6  lead him to the alter in his wheelchair  so he could be healed......    the little boy never walked and this evangelist had the gall to say it was because this small child didn't have enough faith?!   It still appals me.     Nor did   God  chose to heal my 24yr old from cancer. Actually she was the most religious person in our immediate family,  other than my parents being the religious fanatics, if it is for punishment  my daughter  never smoked, never drank  never did drugs,  homecoming queen,graduated college cuma sum lade,  she was truly as close to the perfect child as you could get.  But God didn't think she was worth saving.     Our perfect baby that died in a freak accident after birth, so innocent so beautiful,  God decided she also shouldn't live.......   perhaps it is for my own sanity that I can't believe God decides whom will die and when and how.......   or who is worthy of living another day.    Losing my father, fiance, close friends  that was all secondary to burying my children.......    but for me and others,  we believe in God, however we respectfully disagree in the religion of an angry and judgemental God.