87 replies to this topic

[singer]

With Halloween just a few days away, I thought this might be an appropriate and compelling topic.

What do you think? Does Hell exist?

Is it a place, lorded over by Satin?

Is it a state of mind that we create right here on earth?

Is it physical with actual volcanic fire and brimstone?

Does God send you there?

Does Satin take you there?

Will you meet your departed friends there?

Are you tortured and forced to do the same thing over and over again?

[petunia4998]

Satin is a lovely material and I don't think there's any in hell. Sorry, couldn't resist. I'm hoping that your spellcheck was malfunctioning.

Seriously now, there really is no such thing as hell. However, since you are the creator of your own existence, if you believe there is a hell, there will be one and it will be just as you expect. If you feel the need to experience a hell, you will go there. God does not send you; You, and you alone, send you. You will remain there until the time comes when you understand that it doesn't really exist and that you no longer need the experience.

Like I said, the answer to all your questions is dependent on what you envision hell to be like.

[singer]

Satin is a lovely material and I don't think there's any in hell. Sorry, couldn't resist. I'm hoping that your spellcheck was malfunctioning.

Seriously now, there really is no such thing as hell. However, since you are the creator of your own existence, if you believe there is a hell, there will be one and it will be just as you expect. If you feel the need to experience a hell, you will go there. God does not send you; You, and you alone, send you. You will remain there until the time comes when you understand that it doesn't really exist and that you no longer need the experience.

Like I said, the answer to all your questions is dependent on what you envision hell to be like.

I have to disagree about the cloth, satin, being in Hell. Have you ever had to wear it? If it's hot in Hell, wearing satin will intensify it.

Being relatively new here, I haven't been able to locate spellcheck, but then, it would've told me my spelling was correct. For all of you other creative spellers, Webster's tells me the word is spelled, "Satan". So how do I change it in the topic? hmmmm

By the way, I agree with everything you wrote about Hell. Thank you for your post.

[Sci-Fi16]

Singer,

Do I believe in a Hell? I really couldn't tell you. However if there is a Hell, I'd rather not find out by visiting.

[aloha_spirit]

It is my experience that Satan is a real being. He has the form of a man. No hooves, no horns, no tail. That depiction arose when the early Christian Church wanted to demonize the Pagan deities.

My sect uses the word Hell in three distinct but related modes.

After we die, our spirits go to a realm known as the Spirit World while awaiting the resurrection. While in the Spirit World, we must be purged of all sins of which we have not repented. This purging is Hell, Spirit Prison, or Purgatory.

During the Final Judgment (after the resurrection) we are assigned our eternal state. We can go to one of the Three Degrees of Glory, or to Outer Darkness.

Outer Darkness is comparable to the traditional Christian Hell. Satan reigns, and there is no end. Only a few end up in Outer Darkness, so it is unlikely anyone reading this thread will spend eternity in this Hell.

Hell is also a state of mind. You see, we choose where we will end up, so if someone ends up in one of the lesser Degrees of Glory, it will wrack their minds to know they prevented themselves from receiving a fullness of glory.

[singer]

Singer,

Do I believe in a Hell? I really couldn't tell you. However if there is a Hell, I'd rather not find out by visiting.

With your light heart and humor, they won't want you in Hell.

[Laurie Ann]

I'm going to sound so hypocritical in a few moments...but I don't believe in Hell. I believe that Heaven and Hell is right here on this Planet we call home. It's exactly what path in life you choose to take, which will determine if you're in Hell or if you're in Heaven. I believe I was married to Hell, no joke at all here. He used to beat the living crap out of me for no reason at all. Put ciggerettes out on my leg, and when I was pregnant with our son, he tried to suffocate me with a pillow while I was in labor. I'm not looking for sympothy, it all made me the strong person I am today. My husband now...it's Heaven. I now have 3 healthy, beautiful kids...which are angels to me. Although when we were married, I had a choice to change my situation. At the time, I thought that was the way things had to be. It's alot easier said than done, but I woke up one morning & had enough.
Now for the hypocritical side. When my little one went in for surgery for a double hernia, then went in for major feet surgery, I prayed like there was no tommorrow. I prayed so hard I gave myself a migrane. Sometimes in the darkest of moments, that's all I have to hold on to is prayer. Who am I praying to? Anyone who will listen and help my child(ren). The thing that gets me is the one who helped me get out of my first marriage was the Chaplain on the Navy Base. But what about the little ones who don't deserve to go through the Hell their in? I don't know...I could get into this pretty deep. To answer the question...I do believe Hell exists. Just that it CAN exist inside of us.

[singer]

AlohaSpirit wrote: "It is my experience that Satan is a real being. "

Have you actually met Satan? If so, how did it effect you? What was your emotional response?

I met what I thought at the time was Satan, but came to believe it was a thought form, created by people who feared such a being. It was given to me that if enough people believed something that it would be manifest.

This is all so interesting. Thank you for sharing your beliefs.

I'm going to sound so hypocritical in a few moments...but I don't believe in Hell. I believe that Heaven and Hell is right here on this Planet we call home. It's exactly what path in life you choose to take, which will determine if you're in Hell or if you're in Heaven. I believe I was married to Hell, no joke at all here. He used to beat the living crap out of me for no reason at all. Put ciggerettes out on my leg, and when I was pregnant with our son, he tried to suffocate me with a pillow while I was in labor. I'm not looking for sympothy, it all made me the strong person I am today. My husband now...it's Heaven. I now have 3 healthy, beautiful kids...which are angels to me. Although when we were married, I had a choice to change my situation. At the time, I thought that was the way things had to be. It's alot easier said than done, but I woke up one morning & had enough.
Now for the hypocritical side. When my little one went in for surgery for a double hernia, then went in for major feet surgery, I prayed like there was no tommorrow. I prayed so hard I gave myself a migrane. Sometimes in the darkest of moments, that's all I have to hold on to is prayer. Who am I praying to? Anyone who will listen and help my child(ren). The thing that gets me is the one who helped me get out of my first marriage was the Chaplain on the Navy Base. But what about the little ones who don't deserve to go through the Hell their in? I don't know...I could get into this pretty deep. To answer the question...I do believe Hell exists. Just that it CAN exist inside of us.

It's amazing how living thru Hell can make us strong. I had abusive relationships also. Now I just plain choose not to tolerate hurtful behavior. I am not a victim because I know I can choose to get out.

I am so glad that you survived your difficult life. Your children are blessed that you are there to share your hard-won wisdom.

Thank you for sharing your story.

[paradox_found]

I can only think of Hell as being the place where we do a "life review" after we have passed on from this physical life. I believe that Hell is the state of mind in which we are reliving the things that perhaps we should have played out differently during our last life. I do believe that Hell can be a more permanent place if we don't allow forgiveness for the issues that we are reliving. It is in forgiveness of ourselves that moves us beyond Hell into the light, knowledge and peace. And if, in fact, there is a Satan, then he/ she would need to be the one to create confusion and anxiety for a misguided soul so that it cannot know peace.

[singer]

I can only think of Hell as being the place where we do a "life review" after we have passed on from this physical life. I believe that Hell is the state of mind in which we are reliving the things that perhaps we should have played out differently during our last life. I do believe that Hell can be a more permanent place if we don't allow forgiveness for the issues that we are reliving. It is in forgiveness of ourselves that moves us beyond Hell into the light, knowledge and peace. And if, in fact, there is a Satan, then he/ she would need to be the one to create confusion and anxiety for a misguided soul so that it cannot know peace.

I love this. Your writing is so enlightened.

I do believe that Satan/Lucifer is the arch-angel assigned to, as you so aptly put it, "create confusion and anxiety" and that he responds to a person's deep desire to experience suffering. When a person is done with suffering (fear) and ready to experience joyful abundance (love) all they have to do is decide they have, as Laurie Ann said, "had enough" and move toward the light, away from the darkness.

This does not apply to helpless ones such as children, animals and plants.

Thank you for your post. I enjoyed it.

[spooksareus]

Having been to hell and back I can say that hell is definately here and now whereever you make it!
I see no reason to not believe hell can also be part of the afterlife.

As to whether there is a "Satan" tippy-tapping around on hooved feet with a sardonic grin and a hefty appitite for fresh souls, who knows, but I believe that the good the bad and the indifferent can suffer the tortures of the damned, that hell is not merely reserved for the "Hitlers" of the world.

I believe we can both put ourselves in hell and that we can take ourselves out of hell as well (free willed creatures that we are) hell to me is a state of mind and a state of spirit more than a state of physicallity (although I'm sure that there is plenty of argument for a physical hell...

Good topic kid!

[aloha_spirit]

AlohaSpirit wrote: "It is my experience that Satan is a real being. "

Have you actually met Satan? If so, how did it effect you? What was your emotional response?

I met what I thought at the time was Satan, but came to believe it was a thought form, created by people who feared such a being. It was given to me that if enough people believed something that it would be manifest.

This is all so interesting. Thank you for sharing your beliefs.

The first stories I posted on GV (way back in December 2003) were of my adventures with a shadow person. As I got familiar with that being, his coloration was shown to me. He made me an offer and told me stuff that convinced me he was the dark one.

Why Me? (scroll down to my first post in that thread). Also look for my other early posts.

[JimDe]

Hell,

If it were a state of mind,
We would all be in it ...when life was not going our way.
It is a sad thought, but I reject it as being weak.

It is said, Hell is the domain ruled over by Satan.
Satan is the supernatural angelic being of evil, suffering and despair.
If I were he, I could think of better ways to torture you.
...

Edited by JimDe, 29 October 2006 - 07:00 PM.

[leslie_dragonlvr]

My only thought to this is:

If Satan and or hell exsisted and Satan was such a powerful being, why has he not just taken over everything that we know?

I refuse to be ruled by things that were "made up" or "exagerated" to control society.

But I will not judge others by their needs or beliefs tho. So I will say no more. I will respect my friends. This only how I, myself, see things from my own life's experiences.

It should be left alone to each their own choice.

Hugs,
Les

[singer]

Hell,

If it were a state of mind,
We would all be in it ...when life was not going our way.
It is a sad thought, but I reject it as being weak.

It is said, Hell is the domain ruled over by Satan.
Satan is the supernatural angelic being of evil, suffering and despair.
If I were he, I could think of better ways to torture you.
...

Thank you JimDe. Your post is like poetry.

My only thought to this is:

If Satan and or hell exsisted and Satan was such a powerful being, why has he not just taken over everything that we know?

I refuse to be ruled by things that were "made up" or "exagerated" to control society.

But I will not judge others by their needs or beliefs tho. So I will say no more. I will respect my friends. This only how I, myself, see things from my own life's experiences.

It should be left alone to each their own choice.

Hugs,
Les

If Satan took over and had to control everything, it would be a big headache. This way, he can mess with us, dashing around causing mischief. I think it would be much more entertaining to him to just step in whenever he pleases.

On the other hand, if Satan's place in the scheme of things is to be available to help us to cause our own hells and mishaps, his is more of a service occupation. He exists to serve our Self-destruction.

Thank you for sharing.