There are passages in the Bible indicating eternal punishment. Check for example Matthew 25: 41 & 46, also Mark 16:16. There are others.
During the time of the Jews, they lived under a "covenant" or contract they made with God to live in a certain way. This is where the 10 commandments came from. They were part of that "law covenant." While Jesus was on earth, he instituted a "new covenant." The purpose of doing this was because the original covenant said that the Jewish nation (the nation of Israel) were God's chosen people. However, throughout time the Jews abandoned God and many converted to the pagan religions and repeatedly ignored the commands god had given them for their protection. The Jews were no longer God's chosen people after that. So Jesus opened up the way for people of all nations, a "spiritual Israel," to inherit God's kingdom. When this new covenant was instituted, that is when the first Christian congregation was formed.
The funny thing about religion is that it all comes down to "Faith". The point is you have faith in what you believe, that does not mean you absolutely know it as fact. If you did, then there would only be one religion because religion would no longer be based on faith, but fact. By saying you know for a fact that your beliefs are correct, then you are saying everyone that does not believe the same thing you do is wrong in their beliefs.
The ten commandments IMO was somebodies way of trying to keep the masses in check. If you take a walk through history it was pretty lawless with no real morals until Christianity and the ten commandments. The population was growing rapidly and besides Buddhism and a couple other religions that are still here now there was no one thing to keep the masses in check. Fear mongering is what has kept Christianity alive and people in check for the last 2000 years.
My point is, you don't want religion pushed on you because no one knows for sure: Should we push certain cancer treatments when nobody knows for sure? Should we push weather predictions when no one knows for sure? Should we push going to college, when no one knows for sure? Should we push war or no war with other countries, when no one knows for sure? Should we push investing in the stock market, when no one knows for sure?
Matthew 25:41 says the everlasting fire has been prepared for the devil& his angels. It doesn't refer to humans on earth going there. verse 46 says that those ones (people who do not display Christian qualities) will depart into everlasting cutting off...or lopping off, as the original Greek text renders it. It is saying those ones will lose their life, but doesn't say anything about tormenting them forever. There isn't a Mark 16:16.....there's only 8 verses
uh... well you see the problem with all of those examples is that we at least have some sort of past experience where we can make our own judgement your point is not very well thought out
I believe sin is sin and our hell will be standing in front of our creator after all knowledge has given to us and realizing how selfish and F'd up we really were while on this green earth. We all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God so lets not kill to much time pointing our fingers at others, worry about your own walk and the purpose your here on earth. I don't worry about these big $ preachers to much. If they can help reveal the bible more to me thats fantastic. I know they are human just like me but they've got a huge target on their backs.
I suggest you read everything from 41 through 46. I shouldn't have abbreviated it. And there are 20 verses in Mark 16.
This is basically my view on almost any religion. I'm not sayin every part is wrong or made up but for the most part it was probably embellished a little to get the people to believe and go along. Which still happens to this day, you here stories from or about certain people that sound amazing and gain a following but most of the time the truth is far from the myth. Over history there's been civilizations that have came and went and they're history or existence was all but wipes out by whatever group conquered them. So who's to say whatever they believed in wasn't right? History is written by the victors.
Not sure medical research or research in general are in the same ballpark as religion or an existence in god. Prayers did not put a man on the moon.
I'm very familiar with the passage. The context doesn't imply humans living on earth will suffer eternal torment. As far as Mark chapter 16. I would encourage some research on your part. The conclusions added after verse 8 are widely regarded as unauthentic. They are missing in most of the ancient manuscripts, such as the Sinaitic and the Vatican No. 1209. The fourth century scholars Eusebius and Jerome are in agreement that the authentic record closes with the words "they were in fear." (Verse 8) the others were added much later, and not by Mark, most likely to smooth over the abruptness with which the gospel ends.
How can anyone have any sort of confidence when nobody can even agree what the text of the basis for the religion even says?
That is a problem of course. It's the Word of God, well, some of it anyway, and maybe this part is and that part isn't. And then science indicates that some parts are not quite true. What can we say?
Heresy. How can someone question a book written by men, that been edited, and rewritten, what a couple dozen times at the least? And we shouldn't forget the reasons for the revisions. Because they are important and all Devine sought out, politics, money, wars and probably several other very noble reasons. All great reasons not to question the gospels, or any other part of the bible for that matter. But that brings me to my real question. How can any thinking individual not question it?
