On the subject of Hell and Salvation

[fredd bear]

One more reply to make on some of this old material.


If you'd been paying attention, you would've read my first post in this thread, where I made it perfectly clear that I hold the doctrine of eternal torment to be blasphemy. You're speaking of a god that is the bastard child of paganism and Christianity, birthed by the whore, Mystery Babylon.

I mention this only because I believe this doctrine to be a major hurdle for atheists. Clearly it's a wicked doctrine that does not at all align with the character of a merciful God. I suppose I can even understand the hatred you have for this supposed god, but you should be careful where you shoot that half-cocked gun in the future.

No, the nonexistence of your alleged god is a bigger hurdle by far.

But if you could put some serious effort into convincing other Christians that hell is a myth, maybe they'd stop frightening children with it.

Indeed.

I remain confused about the origins of an eternal hell. It simply does not exist in Judaism , the foundation on which Christianity and Islam are based..All three worship the same god, all trace their origins to the prophet Abraham. (hence the term  'The Abrahamic religions")***


As far as I can tell, it evolved, beginning with the Roman concept of an after life. The diverse claims about an after life,, from several faiths, are irrelevant to me. This leads back to why I find it impossible to have a rational discussion with a devour apologist of any religion; all of the arguments take the existence of god as a given.  That claim has not been proved, so I'm able to accept it as 'a given'.  I demand proof of the existence of whatever flavour of deity the apologist favours before proceeding an inch further.. 

The problem of evil and suffering is secondary, but also an important obstacle in arguing the existence of an infinitely compassionate god. Hindus and Buddhists make a reasonable  enough argument, if  the first hurdle [of the existence of god[ is overcome. 

Christianity has had 2000 years to come up with an answer to the problem of suffering and of evil, especially when related to the suffering of innocents; animals and children. No such answer has been provided.

Epicurus wrote his opinion about gods in general, but it fits the Abrahamic faiths perfectly:


       “Is God willing to prevent evil, but not able? Then he is not omnipotent.
Is he able, but not willing? Then he is malevolent.
Is he both able and willing? Then whence cometh evil?
Is he neither able nor willing? Then why call him God?”

― Epicurus   

((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((())))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((())))))))))))))))))


***     The Abrahamic religions, also referred to collectively as Abrahamism, are a group of Semitic-originated religious communities of faith that claim descent from the Judaism of the ancient Israelites and the worship of the God of Abraham. The Abrahamic religions are monotheistic, with the term deriving from the patriarch Abraham (a major biblical figure from The Old Testament, which is recognized by Jews, Christians, Muslims, and others).[1]


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abrahamic_religions