Wednesday, December 8, 2010

What Is Hell?

I was reading some posts on a forum when I came across a question.  The person asked,"Isn't an eternity in hell a disproportionate punishment?" Click here for the thread.

As I read further (and also in other pages), I realised to my horror that many people had skewed versions of hell.

Some thought it would be pretty nice to go to hell because won't all the drinkers and floozies be there?  One eternal party.
Others thought that God is all-merciful and therefore this meant He should forgive all sin.  If He forgave all sin, then there wouldn't be hell.
Still others felt that hell was a Catholic invention to scare its devotees into following the rules.  But what are the rules if not to pray (for spiritual strength), to love (and not to harm our neighbour) and to share your goods with those in need (charity~!).  What would happen if everyone start doing the opposite?  Stop praying, stop caring and start grabbing.  Sounds like anarchy to me.

The person who posted that question felt that breaking God's law in 'small things' such as not going to one Mass  shouldn't bring down upon one's head an eternal punishment.  But what I see so clearly is that when you break a law, you have committed a sin.  The issue is NOT missing the Mass.  The issue is breaking the law.  If you did it knowingly and if you do not feel sorry and you repeat it over and over again, what does that say about how you feel about God?  You know doing this would hurt God but you do it anyway.  It is clear in the Bible teachings that when one repents, one goes to confession and plead for forgiveness.  If one is truly sincere, one wouldn't repeat the sin again.  So what does repeating the sin signify?  It shows you don't really care about God, doesn't it?

The unrepentant go to Hell.  It is that simple.  You don't go to Hell because you missed one Mass.  You go to Hell because you are unrepentant.  You only feel sorry when you are on the precipice of punishment and you are about to walk into a very uncomfortable environment.  You aren't sorry about the sin, in that case.

It's like the criminal who only feels sorry when he gets caught.  But as long as he is free to do what he likes, he will keep on robbing and killing.

Not many people have been to Hell and made it back to tell us what it is.  And it's not easy to believe someone who claims to have done that.  But what most Catholics would agree on is that nobody wants to go to Hell.

Descriptions of hell would bring up phrases such as :
eternal fire
stench of brimstone
demonic torturers
eternal suffering
everlasting agony

Bible quotations on hell
Luke 16:19-31
tells us about Lazarus and the rich man.

Revelations 14:11
11And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name.

Revelations 20:10
10And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.

As to that person who asked if it was fair to suffer eternal punishment for a sin... I would like to ask if it's FAIR to enjoy eternal paradise for just following God's law.