My approach works--it led t 2 conversons of skeptics on another on another non-Christian website--in one case, with the help of personal friendships of the poster in his community. If Pavlos is going to pontificate about Hell, he needs to be educated on what the relevant texts actually teach.
Do you think Pavlos is open to hearing the relevant texts at this moment? When someone's closed off, continuing to share texts can come across as annoying or even inappropriate. Instead, it might be more effective to engage with him through genuine friendship-building and grasping his views. Create an environment where he'll be receptive to the teachings in the future
It wouldn't make a difference; I've read them all before.
While your devotion may be rooted in friendship with god, hell is a critical aspect of christian theology, representing justice and the consequences of sin. it underscores the gravity of moral choices regarding your free will, without it, the true understanding of god may be diminished.
Yes jesus is central to christianity. However, the concept of hell is crucial in christianity’s theological framework. Jesus spoke of hell as a real place, underscoring the seriousness of sin and the importance of following his teachings. Hell highlights the problem of rejecting Jesus' message. It serves as a boundary, illustrating the consequences of deviating from the will of god, and its adherents to strive for virtue. Therefore, while Jesus sets the moral bar, hell reinforces the significance of following his teachings.
Agree, but I would add that "Hell" comes in many forms.
It's the mature grasp of God’s love that sustains my faith. My goal's to grow in his perfect love, moving beyond fear to a deeper friendship with him. In my mission to share the Good News, I balance talking about God’s justice with his love. By doing so, I help others grasp the full picture of his character. I'll keep seeking God’s guidance in my journey, living out his will with love
Absolutely. For many liberal Christians, it is a symbol of remorse. Some would say a separation from God.
Sure does. For many liberal Christians, choosing good is a response to God's love and/ or offer of salvation. Some would say wholeness rather than salvation.
I meant to say, "I try to remember God created Gehinnom as well as heaven"
I think this has become a problem to some degree. Too often, we look at Hell through the lenses of Milton and Dante (and more recently folks like Neil Gaiman who were inspired by those two), not a Biblical one. People reject that vision without understanding the original concept or its Greek and Jewish precedents. That's why I liked Bart Ehrmann's Heaven and Hell and started a study group on it here. He went back to basics, looking at the Jewish and Christian scriptures and the history and culture in which the idea developed, eschewing the modern understandings that date to the Middle Ages and later.
Which, as mentioned earlier, is also a view embraced by some Christian universalists. Gives salvation for all but also a chance for the not so nice folks to get a comeuppance/time of repentence before they are admitted to God's Kingdom.