Kenny wrote:Kurieuo wrote:Kenny wrote:Kurieuo wrote:Kenny wrote:
That's what I mean. God wants us to do his will and he will punish us if we don't. How is that free will?
Ken
How does God punish us?
Hell.
Ken
What is Hell?
Why does it exist?
Who'd go there?
What is Hell? Kinda depends upon who you ask; but most agree it is a place of torture and agony.
Why does it exist? Because God created it
Who'd go there? Most people say Satan, his angels, and anybody who doesn't make it to Heaven.
I realize like anything else in religion, there is not a consensus among believers, so perhaps you might have a different perspective, but I just answered the questions the way I've heard other people answer.
Ken
Yes, it is a place of torture and agony.
Yes, God does ultimately create the place.
Yes, Satan, his angels and those
without Christ are there.
However, where we would differ with God designing and creating Hell specifically as a place of torture (like a torture chamber of sorts) to specifically punish souls for eternity. If God did this, then
I'd still disagree with you that this takes away our free choice in our world (since God has withdrawn himself sufficiently enough for people to be able to bury a knowledge of God and ignore His existence if they so desire).
However, it does bring God's loving nature into question.
Rather, I see hell as a necessary place if God is to rightfully reign over all creation.
Those who do not want God, who reject God, or cannot be accepted without God impugning His own holiness, God's goodness, God's purity, must necessarily be cast out.
Souls will be tortured for eternity because God will withdraw Himself as much as possible and give them a world without Himself reigning in it.
Consider some serial child rapist and torturer of hundreds of children in this life.
What would you have a good and loving God do with such?
Accept, embrace and welcome such into His kingdom?
Or should justice be meted out and evil dealt with?
If such had their way, they would probably love to just rape and torture God Himself for eternity.
Such a person doesn't love God, and clearly some punishment is in order as a matter of justice on behalf of those he committed evil against... so what would you have God do?