Hell's Population Clock
- Thread starter WebersHome
- Start date
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Objection: The idea of a hell didn't originate in either the Jewish or
Christian religion.
Response: So in that objector's judicious estimation: since the Bible wasn't
the first to talk about a hell; then the Bible's hell is eo ipso a false concept
because somebody else brought it up first? (chuckle) Great logic! I therefore
allege that the little dwarf planet Pluto didn't exist until it was discovered
February 18, 1930 by Clyde W. Tombaugh. And also: when a tree falls in the
forest, and there's nobody around to hear it, then it doesn't make any noise.
Pop Clock Update: 168 days have elapsed since beginning the thread. If the
figures in post #1 are within reason, then something like 9,841,608 new
arrivals have checked into the fiery sector of hades since December 10,
2014.
=================================
Objection: The idea of a hell didn't originate in either the Jewish or
Christian religion.
Response: So in that objector's judicious estimation: since the Bible wasn't
the first to talk about a hell; then the Bible's hell is eo ipso a false concept
because somebody else brought it up first? (chuckle) Great logic! I therefore
allege that the little dwarf planet Pluto didn't exist until it was discovered
February 18, 1930 by Clyde W. Tombaugh. And also: when a tree falls in the
forest, and there's nobody around to hear it, then it doesn't make any noise.
Pop Clock Update: 168 days have elapsed since beginning the thread. If the
figures in post #1 are within reason, then something like 9,841,608 new
arrivals have checked into the fiery sector of hades since December 10,
2014.
=================================
-
Q: Ever consider the fact that the Bible nowhere mentions that people go to
heaven or hell at the moment of death?
A: I am unaware of that "fact" which in reality, is not a fact at all, but rather,
simply a deficiency in someone's own personal knowledge of the Bible.
Paul was confident that at his departure, he would be with The Lord.
†. Php 1:23 . . I desire to depart and be with Christ
To "be with Christ" is to be in heaven because according to Acts 2:32-36
that is where the Bible's Jesus currently resides at his Father's right hand.
For believers such as myself, to be absent from the body; is to be present
with The Lord.
†. 2Cor 5:6-8 . .Therefore we are always confident and know that as long as
we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord. We are confident, I
say, and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with The Lord.
When the rich man and the beggar Lazarus died in Luke 16:19-31, the
angels carried Lazarus to Abraham's section of the netherworld.
†. Luke 16:22 . .The time came when the beggar died and the angels carried
him to Abraham's side.
It's obvious from the text that Abraham wasn't in the fiery section of the
netherworld at the time. It could be argued he wasn't in heaven at the time
either; but that would certainly not be true today. If Paul expected to be
with The Lord at his passing; then I have no doubt Abraham and Lazarus are
now with The Lord too.
Christ gave a fellow prisoner his word that they would both enter a paradise
the very day of their crucifixions.
†. Luke 23:43 . . Jesus answered him; I tell you the truth, today you will be
with me in paradise.
If Christ and his fellow prisoner went to a paradise the very day of their
deaths, then can there be any doubt that the rich man went to the fiery
section of the netherworld the very day of his own death, and Lazarus went
to Abraham's section on the very day of his death?
Upon comparing texts, it becomes clear that nobody went to heaven prior to
Jesus' crucifixion and resurrection. Old Testament saints went to comfortable
accommodations in the netherworld where Abraham was at the time of the
events narrated in Luke 16:19-31. And the damned went to you know
where; and they are still there to this very day yearning for a damp swab to
soothe their parched tongues.
Pop Clock Update: 171 days have elapsed since beginning the thread. If the
figures in post #1 are within reason, then something like 10,017,351 new
arrivals have checked into the fiery sector of hades since December 10,
2014.
=================================
Q: Ever consider the fact that the Bible nowhere mentions that people go to
heaven or hell at the moment of death?
A: I am unaware of that "fact" which in reality, is not a fact at all, but rather,
simply a deficiency in someone's own personal knowledge of the Bible.
Paul was confident that at his departure, he would be with The Lord.
†. Php 1:23 . . I desire to depart and be with Christ
To "be with Christ" is to be in heaven because according to Acts 2:32-36
that is where the Bible's Jesus currently resides at his Father's right hand.
For believers such as myself, to be absent from the body; is to be present
with The Lord.
†. 2Cor 5:6-8 . .Therefore we are always confident and know that as long as
we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord. We are confident, I
say, and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with The Lord.
When the rich man and the beggar Lazarus died in Luke 16:19-31, the
angels carried Lazarus to Abraham's section of the netherworld.
†. Luke 16:22 . .The time came when the beggar died and the angels carried
him to Abraham's side.
It's obvious from the text that Abraham wasn't in the fiery section of the
netherworld at the time. It could be argued he wasn't in heaven at the time
either; but that would certainly not be true today. If Paul expected to be
with The Lord at his passing; then I have no doubt Abraham and Lazarus are
now with The Lord too.
Christ gave a fellow prisoner his word that they would both enter a paradise
the very day of their crucifixions.
†. Luke 23:43 . . Jesus answered him; I tell you the truth, today you will be
with me in paradise.
If Christ and his fellow prisoner went to a paradise the very day of their
deaths, then can there be any doubt that the rich man went to the fiery
section of the netherworld the very day of his own death, and Lazarus went
to Abraham's section on the very day of his death?
Upon comparing texts, it becomes clear that nobody went to heaven prior to
Jesus' crucifixion and resurrection. Old Testament saints went to comfortable
accommodations in the netherworld where Abraham was at the time of the
events narrated in Luke 16:19-31. And the damned went to you know
where; and they are still there to this very day yearning for a damp swab to
soothe their parched tongues.
Pop Clock Update: 171 days have elapsed since beginning the thread. If the
figures in post #1 are within reason, then something like 10,017,351 new
arrivals have checked into the fiery sector of hades since December 10,
2014.
=================================
-
Q: According to Luke 23:39-43, Jesus went to paradise on the day of his
death. If that's true, then why did he tell Mary Magdalene at John 20:17 that
he had not yet ascended to the Father?
A: According to Matt 12:39-40 and Acts 2:24-32, the paradise that Christ
went to wasn't up, it was down.
Pop Clock Update: 174 days have elapsed since beginning the thread. If the
figures in post #1 are within reason, then something like 10,193,094 new
arrivals have checked into the fiery sector of hades since December 10,
2014.
=================================
Q: According to Luke 23:39-43, Jesus went to paradise on the day of his
death. If that's true, then why did he tell Mary Magdalene at John 20:17 that
he had not yet ascended to the Father?
A: According to Matt 12:39-40 and Acts 2:24-32, the paradise that Christ
went to wasn't up, it was down.
Pop Clock Update: 174 days have elapsed since beginning the thread. If the
figures in post #1 are within reason, then something like 10,193,094 new
arrivals have checked into the fiery sector of hades since December 10,
2014.
=================================
-
I was once challenged by an Atheist that if I believed so strongly in the
existence of a hell; then what was I doing for people down there.
Well; I had to tell the Atheist that although it isn't God's wishes that people
suffer in hell, it is His wishes that people in hell suffer. So that even if it
were in my power to do something to make their situation a bit more
tolerable and/or a bit more comfortable-- which it isn't --I wouldn't dare
attempt to circumvent God's wishes; and neither would Christ.
†. John 4:34 . . My food is to do the will of Him that sent me.
†. John 8:29 . . And he that sent me is with me: the Father hath not left me
alone; for I do always those things that please him.
†. John 10:30 . . I and my Father are unified.
This means that Christ wouldn't have protested, nor interfered, in either
Noah's Flood or the fiery destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah; even though
a number of infants and underage children went to their deaths in both
events.
Pop Clock Update: 177 days have elapsed since beginning the thread. If the
figures in post #1 are within reason, then something like 10,368,837 new
arrivals have checked into the fiery sector of hades since December 10,
2014.
=================================
I was once challenged by an Atheist that if I believed so strongly in the
existence of a hell; then what was I doing for people down there.
Well; I had to tell the Atheist that although it isn't God's wishes that people
suffer in hell, it is His wishes that people in hell suffer. So that even if it
were in my power to do something to make their situation a bit more
tolerable and/or a bit more comfortable-- which it isn't --I wouldn't dare
attempt to circumvent God's wishes; and neither would Christ.
†. John 4:34 . . My food is to do the will of Him that sent me.
†. John 8:29 . . And he that sent me is with me: the Father hath not left me
alone; for I do always those things that please him.
†. John 10:30 . . I and my Father are unified.
This means that Christ wouldn't have protested, nor interfered, in either
Noah's Flood or the fiery destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah; even though
a number of infants and underage children went to their deaths in both
events.
Pop Clock Update: 177 days have elapsed since beginning the thread. If the
figures in post #1 are within reason, then something like 10,368,837 new
arrivals have checked into the fiery sector of hades since December 10,
2014.
=================================
-
†. Isa 14:12-17 . . For you said to yourself; I will ascend to heaven and set
my throne above God's stars. I will preside on the mountain of the gods far
away in the north. I will climb to the highest heavens and be like the Most
High.
. . . But instead, you will be brought down to the place of the dead, down to
its lowest depths. Everyone there will stare at you and ask; Can this be the
one who shook the earth and the kingdoms of the world? Is this the one who
destroyed the land and made it into a wilderness? Is this the king who
demolished the world's greatest cities and had no mercy on his captives?
In context; that passage targets an ancient Babylonian king, but serves to
illustrate an important point: hell is a level field. Look around you at the
celebrities, the socialites, the news anchors, the politicians, the stock
brokers, the Warren Buffets, the Donald Trumps, the empire builders, the
financial giants, the television moguls, the movie-makers, the civic leaders,
the entrepreneurs, the fashion leaders, the intellectuals, the best-sellers, the
Rock and Roll Hall of Famers, the Olympic stars and professional athletes,
the Lewis & Clarks, the Charles Lindberghs, the Nobel Prize winners, the
shuttle astronauts, the Hillary Clintons, the Barak Obamas, the Steve Jobs,
the Mark Zuckerbergs, the Regis Philbins, the Oprah Winfrys, Congress,
Supreme Court justices, the winners of Oscar and Tony and Grammy
awards. In the Bible's hell, those kinds of people are just one more skull in
a perpetual waste stream of losers.
†. Luke 16:19-23 . .There was a rich man who was dressed in purple and
fine linen and lived in luxury every day. At his gate was laid a beggar named
Lazarus, covered with sores and longing to eat what fell from the rich man's
table. Even the dogs came and licked his sores. The time came when the
beggar died and the angels carried him to Abraham's side. The rich man also
died and was buried. In Hades, where he was in torment, he looked up and
saw Abraham in the distance, with Lazarus by his side.
Can you just imagine that rich man's chagrin to see that homeless bum, who
at one time dumpster-dived his own garbage, now in comfort while he
himself is in misery? Isn't it interesting that the bum's name is given, but
the rich man's isn't. You know why? Because he's now a forgotten man who
no longer matters.
†. Ps 73:2-17 . . I came so close to the edge! My feet were slipping, and I
was almost gone. For I envied the proud when I saw them prosper despite
their wickedness. They seem to live such a painless life; their bodies are so
healthy and strong. They aren't troubled like other people or plagued with
problems like everyone else. They wear conceit like a jeweled necklace, and
their clothing is woven of cruelty.
. . .These fat cats have everything their hearts could ever wish for! They
scoff and speak only evil; in their arrogance they seek to crush others. They
boast against the very heavens, and their words strut throughout the earth .
. Look at these arrogant people-- enjoying a life of ease while their riches
multiply . .Then one day I went into your sanctuary, O God; and I
understood their destiny.
†. Ps 37:10-11 . . For yet a little while and the wicked shall be no more;
indeed, you will look carefully for his place, but it shall be no more. But the
meek shall inherit the earth, and shall delight themselves in the abundance
of peace.
NOTE: People aren't eo ipso wicked because they're successful. It's success
to the exclusion of God that's wicked. Compare Luke 12:15-21 where a
successful man is depicted as totally focused on his enterprises while not
giving a single thought to his association with God.
Pop Clock Update: 180 days have elapsed since beginning the thread. If the
figures in post #1 are within reason, then something like 10,544,580 new
arrivals have checked into the fiery sector of hades since December 10,
2014.
=================================
†. Isa 14:12-17 . . For you said to yourself; I will ascend to heaven and set
my throne above God's stars. I will preside on the mountain of the gods far
away in the north. I will climb to the highest heavens and be like the Most
High.
. . . But instead, you will be brought down to the place of the dead, down to
its lowest depths. Everyone there will stare at you and ask; Can this be the
one who shook the earth and the kingdoms of the world? Is this the one who
destroyed the land and made it into a wilderness? Is this the king who
demolished the world's greatest cities and had no mercy on his captives?
In context; that passage targets an ancient Babylonian king, but serves to
illustrate an important point: hell is a level field. Look around you at the
celebrities, the socialites, the news anchors, the politicians, the stock
brokers, the Warren Buffets, the Donald Trumps, the empire builders, the
financial giants, the television moguls, the movie-makers, the civic leaders,
the entrepreneurs, the fashion leaders, the intellectuals, the best-sellers, the
Rock and Roll Hall of Famers, the Olympic stars and professional athletes,
the Lewis & Clarks, the Charles Lindberghs, the Nobel Prize winners, the
shuttle astronauts, the Hillary Clintons, the Barak Obamas, the Steve Jobs,
the Mark Zuckerbergs, the Regis Philbins, the Oprah Winfrys, Congress,
Supreme Court justices, the winners of Oscar and Tony and Grammy
awards. In the Bible's hell, those kinds of people are just one more skull in
a perpetual waste stream of losers.
†. Luke 16:19-23 . .There was a rich man who was dressed in purple and
fine linen and lived in luxury every day. At his gate was laid a beggar named
Lazarus, covered with sores and longing to eat what fell from the rich man's
table. Even the dogs came and licked his sores. The time came when the
beggar died and the angels carried him to Abraham's side. The rich man also
died and was buried. In Hades, where he was in torment, he looked up and
saw Abraham in the distance, with Lazarus by his side.
Can you just imagine that rich man's chagrin to see that homeless bum, who
at one time dumpster-dived his own garbage, now in comfort while he
himself is in misery? Isn't it interesting that the bum's name is given, but
the rich man's isn't. You know why? Because he's now a forgotten man who
no longer matters.
†. Ps 73:2-17 . . I came so close to the edge! My feet were slipping, and I
was almost gone. For I envied the proud when I saw them prosper despite
their wickedness. They seem to live such a painless life; their bodies are so
healthy and strong. They aren't troubled like other people or plagued with
problems like everyone else. They wear conceit like a jeweled necklace, and
their clothing is woven of cruelty.
. . .These fat cats have everything their hearts could ever wish for! They
scoff and speak only evil; in their arrogance they seek to crush others. They
boast against the very heavens, and their words strut throughout the earth .
. Look at these arrogant people-- enjoying a life of ease while their riches
multiply . .Then one day I went into your sanctuary, O God; and I
understood their destiny.
†. Ps 37:10-11 . . For yet a little while and the wicked shall be no more;
indeed, you will look carefully for his place, but it shall be no more. But the
meek shall inherit the earth, and shall delight themselves in the abundance
of peace.
NOTE: People aren't eo ipso wicked because they're successful. It's success
to the exclusion of God that's wicked. Compare Luke 12:15-21 where a
successful man is depicted as totally focused on his enterprises while not
giving a single thought to his association with God.
Pop Clock Update: 180 days have elapsed since beginning the thread. If the
figures in post #1 are within reason, then something like 10,544,580 new
arrivals have checked into the fiery sector of hades since December 10,
2014.
=================================
-
Of all the comments I've ever composed about hell over the years, this one
is perhaps the most disturbing; so if there are underage children present,
you might want to shoo them out of the room before continuing.
Lorena Bobbitt made news in 1993 by amputating her husband's manhood
with a carving knife while he was asleep. She was later acquitted by reason
of insanity. Lorena's conduct was by no means ground-breaking. Wikipedia
lists a number of such cases involving women mutilating men.
Lorena's conduct was excusable under law because of her mental state; but
there are perfectly rational, sane women out and about who would be
overjoyed with ecstasy to mutilate a man; for example:
On August 01, 2009, four angry women-- Therese A. Ziemann, 47, Wendy L.
Sewell, 44, Michelle M. Belliveau, 43, and Tracy M. Hood-Davis, 30 --were
charged in Stockbridge Wisconsin for luring a married man to a motel room
where they tied him up and blindfolded him, slapped him around for a while;
then removed his knickers and used super glue to attach his private to his
stomach in retaliation for two-timing them. I really have to wonder what in
God's name is going on inside those women's heads.
According to the Beatitudes (Matt 5:3-11) heaven is a place of peace.
Women whose imaginations are laced with wicked thoughts, having hearts
infected with a brutal desire to injure men, simply can't go there. They
would hate heaven anyway because they couldn't be themselves there and
would never fit in. They would not only be prevented from assaulting men,
but they wouldn't even be permitted the cruel enjoyment of chafing men
with denigrating remarks and demeaning comments.
The lake of fire depicted in Rev 19:20, 20:11-15, and 21:8 is a burning
death so that if gorgeous girls like say Beyonce Knowles and/or Paris Hilton
are among the condemned, they will have to lose their faces and figures yet
one more time via a horribly disfiguring mode of death akin to a foundry
worker falling into a vat of molten iron. The lake of flaming sulfur will be a
terrible heartbreak for the beautiful people.
In fire and ice, the first parts of the human body to be effected are the
extremities: ears, nose, toes, fingers, and lips. And in the case of women,
extremities would include their bosom. You twisted, man-hating women out
there in cyberspace should be thinking about that. Your first few moments in
fire will be the worst part. The first thing to go will be your hair, and then
extremities. Your bosom is soft and vulnerable; and will not survive
unscathed from total bodily immersion in molten sulfur; and guess which
gender of the human race will be responsible for your death via third degree
burns all over your entire body; head to foot? A male.
†. Acts 17:31 . . For God has set a day for judging the world with justice by
the man He has appointed, and He proved this to everyone by raising him
from the dead.
In the end, it will be Bethlehem's sweet little gentle, turn-the-other-cheek
baby Jesus who casts malicious women into the lake and permanently ruins
any chances they might have had for happiness in the future. For all
eternity, condemned man-haters will grind their teeth with hot tears and
white-knuckled fury that they ultimately lost out on everything because of
one lone male's obsessive control over their lives; and I have no doubt
whatsoever they will entertain years of happy-thoughts dreaming of
mutilating Christ should they perchance ever manage to get their hands on
him.
NOTE: There will no doubt be some bent noses over this post, and see it as
denigrating to women (while conveniently ignoring that it's a double
standard to think it's okay to denigrate men). Well, I have to ask, since
when did women become a protected species? Women are not a protected
species. There are just as many, if not more, women dehydrating in hades
per Luke 16:19-31 as men. You malicious women out there in cyberspace
need to keep something in mind. When you meet up with Christ, he is not
going to be impressed with the silkiness of your thighs nor the size of your
bosoms; in point of fact; he will be quite determined to disfigure them.
†. Rom 2:9-11. .There will be trouble and distress for every human being
who does evil: For God does not show favoritism.
†. Rev 20:15 . . And whosoever's name was not found written in the book of
life was cast into the lake of fire.
Pop Clock Update: 183 days have elapsed since beginning the thread. If the
figures in post #1 are within reason, then something like 10,720,323 new
arrivals have checked into the fiery sector of hades since December 10,
2014.
=================================
Of all the comments I've ever composed about hell over the years, this one
is perhaps the most disturbing; so if there are underage children present,
you might want to shoo them out of the room before continuing.
Lorena Bobbitt made news in 1993 by amputating her husband's manhood
with a carving knife while he was asleep. She was later acquitted by reason
of insanity. Lorena's conduct was by no means ground-breaking. Wikipedia
lists a number of such cases involving women mutilating men.
Lorena's conduct was excusable under law because of her mental state; but
there are perfectly rational, sane women out and about who would be
overjoyed with ecstasy to mutilate a man; for example:
On August 01, 2009, four angry women-- Therese A. Ziemann, 47, Wendy L.
Sewell, 44, Michelle M. Belliveau, 43, and Tracy M. Hood-Davis, 30 --were
charged in Stockbridge Wisconsin for luring a married man to a motel room
where they tied him up and blindfolded him, slapped him around for a while;
then removed his knickers and used super glue to attach his private to his
stomach in retaliation for two-timing them. I really have to wonder what in
God's name is going on inside those women's heads.
According to the Beatitudes (Matt 5:3-11) heaven is a place of peace.
Women whose imaginations are laced with wicked thoughts, having hearts
infected with a brutal desire to injure men, simply can't go there. They
would hate heaven anyway because they couldn't be themselves there and
would never fit in. They would not only be prevented from assaulting men,
but they wouldn't even be permitted the cruel enjoyment of chafing men
with denigrating remarks and demeaning comments.
The lake of fire depicted in Rev 19:20, 20:11-15, and 21:8 is a burning
death so that if gorgeous girls like say Beyonce Knowles and/or Paris Hilton
are among the condemned, they will have to lose their faces and figures yet
one more time via a horribly disfiguring mode of death akin to a foundry
worker falling into a vat of molten iron. The lake of flaming sulfur will be a
terrible heartbreak for the beautiful people.
In fire and ice, the first parts of the human body to be effected are the
extremities: ears, nose, toes, fingers, and lips. And in the case of women,
extremities would include their bosom. You twisted, man-hating women out
there in cyberspace should be thinking about that. Your first few moments in
fire will be the worst part. The first thing to go will be your hair, and then
extremities. Your bosom is soft and vulnerable; and will not survive
unscathed from total bodily immersion in molten sulfur; and guess which
gender of the human race will be responsible for your death via third degree
burns all over your entire body; head to foot? A male.
†. Acts 17:31 . . For God has set a day for judging the world with justice by
the man He has appointed, and He proved this to everyone by raising him
from the dead.
In the end, it will be Bethlehem's sweet little gentle, turn-the-other-cheek
baby Jesus who casts malicious women into the lake and permanently ruins
any chances they might have had for happiness in the future. For all
eternity, condemned man-haters will grind their teeth with hot tears and
white-knuckled fury that they ultimately lost out on everything because of
one lone male's obsessive control over their lives; and I have no doubt
whatsoever they will entertain years of happy-thoughts dreaming of
mutilating Christ should they perchance ever manage to get their hands on
him.
NOTE: There will no doubt be some bent noses over this post, and see it as
denigrating to women (while conveniently ignoring that it's a double
standard to think it's okay to denigrate men). Well, I have to ask, since
when did women become a protected species? Women are not a protected
species. There are just as many, if not more, women dehydrating in hades
per Luke 16:19-31 as men. You malicious women out there in cyberspace
need to keep something in mind. When you meet up with Christ, he is not
going to be impressed with the silkiness of your thighs nor the size of your
bosoms; in point of fact; he will be quite determined to disfigure them.
†. Rom 2:9-11. .There will be trouble and distress for every human being
who does evil: For God does not show favoritism.
†. Rev 20:15 . . And whosoever's name was not found written in the book of
life was cast into the lake of fire.
Pop Clock Update: 183 days have elapsed since beginning the thread. If the
figures in post #1 are within reason, then something like 10,720,323 new
arrivals have checked into the fiery sector of hades since December 10,
2014.
=================================
-
Many years ago-- when I was a young single guy in my early twenties, living
alone in a cheap rental --as I was listening to a radio preacher talk about
hell, something in my mind took over; and I had the strangest sensation of
falling off the earth into an abyss and nobody cared, nor did anybody miss
me, nor did my disappearance cause any alarm nor make any difference.
Nobody pitied me-- if anybody was pitied; it was the people I left behind.
They got the condolences: I got nothing.
The freeways remained busy with frustrated drivers and honking horns,
people still got up to go to work, shoppers crowded the supermarkets and
department stores, kids caught their buses to school, birds kept right on
chirping, grass kept on growing, ocean waves went on rolling onto the
beach, trains kept running, airlines kept flying; and all that.
My absence changed nothing nor disturbed anyone nor anything. The world
kept right on turning, clocks went on ticking; and nature and man went right
on with their business as usual without the slightest hiccup. At that moment
I realized just how alone and how obscure people must feel when they cross
over to the other side.
You gotta walk that lonesome valley,
You gotta walk it by yourself,
Nobody here can walk it for you,
You gotta walk it by yourself.
(Woody Guthrie)
Pop Clock Update: 186 days have elapsed since beginning the thread. If the
figures in post #1 are within reason, then something like 10,896,066 new
arrivals have checked into the fiery sector of hades since December 10,
2014.
=================================
Many years ago-- when I was a young single guy in my early twenties, living
alone in a cheap rental --as I was listening to a radio preacher talk about
hell, something in my mind took over; and I had the strangest sensation of
falling off the earth into an abyss and nobody cared, nor did anybody miss
me, nor did my disappearance cause any alarm nor make any difference.
Nobody pitied me-- if anybody was pitied; it was the people I left behind.
They got the condolences: I got nothing.
The freeways remained busy with frustrated drivers and honking horns,
people still got up to go to work, shoppers crowded the supermarkets and
department stores, kids caught their buses to school, birds kept right on
chirping, grass kept on growing, ocean waves went on rolling onto the
beach, trains kept running, airlines kept flying; and all that.
My absence changed nothing nor disturbed anyone nor anything. The world
kept right on turning, clocks went on ticking; and nature and man went right
on with their business as usual without the slightest hiccup. At that moment
I realized just how alone and how obscure people must feel when they cross
over to the other side.
You gotta walk that lonesome valley,
You gotta walk it by yourself,
Nobody here can walk it for you,
You gotta walk it by yourself.
(Woody Guthrie)
Pop Clock Update: 186 days have elapsed since beginning the thread. If the
figures in post #1 are within reason, then something like 10,896,066 new
arrivals have checked into the fiery sector of hades since December 10,
2014.
=================================
-
When people waken at night within a burning home, and the hallways are
obscured by smoke and fire: at that moment, all things-- bank accounts,
cars, clothing, mementos, charge cards, pets, taxes, sex, careers, incomes,
Obama care, immigration reform, who wins the California primary, Dancing
With The Stars, who's at fault for Benghazi, the stars in their courses, or
who's playing in the Super Bowl; whatever --pale in comparison to the
importance of finding a way out before it's too late.
When you're facing imminent death; with the flames of hell already licking
around your naked legs; it's at a time like that when you'd better hope to
God that your spiritual leaders haven't steered you down the wrong road
because there will be no time to seek a second opinion.
Pop Clock Update: 189 days have elapsed since beginning the thread. If the
figures in post #1 are within reason, then something like 10,896,066 new
arrivals have checked into the fiery sector of hades since December 10,
2014.
=================================
When people waken at night within a burning home, and the hallways are
obscured by smoke and fire: at that moment, all things-- bank accounts,
cars, clothing, mementos, charge cards, pets, taxes, sex, careers, incomes,
Obama care, immigration reform, who wins the California primary, Dancing
With The Stars, who's at fault for Benghazi, the stars in their courses, or
who's playing in the Super Bowl; whatever --pale in comparison to the
importance of finding a way out before it's too late.
When you're facing imminent death; with the flames of hell already licking
around your naked legs; it's at a time like that when you'd better hope to
God that your spiritual leaders haven't steered you down the wrong road
because there will be no time to seek a second opinion.
Pop Clock Update: 189 days have elapsed since beginning the thread. If the
figures in post #1 are within reason, then something like 10,896,066 new
arrivals have checked into the fiery sector of hades since December 10,
2014.
=================================
-
Q: Doesn't Ps 139:8 say that God is in hades?
A: Actually no. God's presence in hades in regards to Ps 139:7-12 pertains
only to people in the category of the author of the Psalm, who stated: "Even
there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me."
So Psalm 139's God isn't in hades as a resident, on the contrary, He's not
there at all; but were the author of the Psalm to somehow slip through a
crack and end up there, then God would accompany him because He
promises never to leave nor forsake His own; for example:
†. Gen 28:15 . . And, behold, I am with thee, and will keep thee in all places
whither thou goest, and will bring thee again into this land; for I will not
leave thee, until I have done that which I have spoken to thee of.
†. Heb 13:5-6 . . Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with
such things as you have. For He himself has said: I will never leave you nor
forsake you.
BTW: If only Mother Teresa had trusted the two verses above, she wouldn't
have suffered a five decades-long night of the soul; nor would she have
written in her private letters "the place of God in my soul is blank; there is
no God in me; He is not there; God does not want me". She even spoke of
Jesus as "the absent one" and yet the Lord promises his own:
†. John 14:18 . . I will not abandon you as orphans; I will come to you.
So then, if I myself should somehow slip through a crack and end up the
wrong place; the Lord will have to walk the coals with me in order to make
good on his promises. However, that won't be necessary as he promised that
hades' cages are powerless to confine his sheep.
†. Matt 16:18 . . I will build my church; and the gates of hades shall not
prevail against it.
So then, with or without the Lord's company, I would just stroll on out of
hell like a tourist in Venice.
Pop Clock Update: 192 days have elapsed since beginning the thread. If the
figures in post #1 are within reason, then something like 10,896,066 new
arrivals have checked into the fiery sector of hades since December 10,
2014.
=================================
Q: Doesn't Ps 139:8 say that God is in hades?
A: Actually no. God's presence in hades in regards to Ps 139:7-12 pertains
only to people in the category of the author of the Psalm, who stated: "Even
there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me."
So Psalm 139's God isn't in hades as a resident, on the contrary, He's not
there at all; but were the author of the Psalm to somehow slip through a
crack and end up there, then God would accompany him because He
promises never to leave nor forsake His own; for example:
†. Gen 28:15 . . And, behold, I am with thee, and will keep thee in all places
whither thou goest, and will bring thee again into this land; for I will not
leave thee, until I have done that which I have spoken to thee of.
†. Heb 13:5-6 . . Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with
such things as you have. For He himself has said: I will never leave you nor
forsake you.
BTW: If only Mother Teresa had trusted the two verses above, she wouldn't
have suffered a five decades-long night of the soul; nor would she have
written in her private letters "the place of God in my soul is blank; there is
no God in me; He is not there; God does not want me". She even spoke of
Jesus as "the absent one" and yet the Lord promises his own:
†. John 14:18 . . I will not abandon you as orphans; I will come to you.
So then, if I myself should somehow slip through a crack and end up the
wrong place; the Lord will have to walk the coals with me in order to make
good on his promises. However, that won't be necessary as he promised that
hades' cages are powerless to confine his sheep.
†. Matt 16:18 . . I will build my church; and the gates of hades shall not
prevail against it.
So then, with or without the Lord's company, I would just stroll on out of
hell like a tourist in Venice.
Pop Clock Update: 192 days have elapsed since beginning the thread. If the
figures in post #1 are within reason, then something like 10,896,066 new
arrivals have checked into the fiery sector of hades since December 10,
2014.
=================================
Last edited:
-
†. Gen 6:5 . .And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the
earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil
continually.
It's freaky to contemplate that the Bible's God has a way to eavesdrop on
one's mental processes on a level with which we are mostly unfamiliar.
†. Matt 15:18-19 . . For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts
So then, it's not how your mind works that defines you, no, it's how your
heart works that defines you; and a man's heart is easily capable of
hoodwinking his own consciousness.
†. Jer 17:9 . . The human heart is most deceitful and desperately wicked.
Who really knows how bad it is?
There is a part of us that psychology labels the subconscious; which in
Freud's opinion is a repository for socially unacceptable ideas, wishes or
desires, traumatic memories, and painful emotions put out of mind by the
mechanism of psychological repression. However, the contents do not
necessarily have to be solely negative. In the psychoanalytic view, the
subconscious is a force that can only be recognized by its effects-- in other
words: your mind's thoughts can be construed not as replicas of your hearts
thoughts; but rather, as symptoms of your heart's thoughts.
The key word in the above is repression. God is able to de-suppress those
repressed contents and submit them as evidence in the prosecution's case
against the accused. That means He will be confronting people with things
that they never before really knew about themselves; and that's why I
sometimes say only a fool would take their chances with the Bible's God.
They have no clue the extent of the psychological tsunami they're walking
into.
Pop Clock Update: 195 days have elapsed since beginning the thread. If the
figures in post #1 are within reason, then something like 11,423,295 new
arrivals have checked into the fiery sector of hades since December 10,
2014.
=================================
†. Gen 6:5 . .And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the
earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil
continually.
It's freaky to contemplate that the Bible's God has a way to eavesdrop on
one's mental processes on a level with which we are mostly unfamiliar.
†. Matt 15:18-19 . . For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts
So then, it's not how your mind works that defines you, no, it's how your
heart works that defines you; and a man's heart is easily capable of
hoodwinking his own consciousness.
†. Jer 17:9 . . The human heart is most deceitful and desperately wicked.
Who really knows how bad it is?
There is a part of us that psychology labels the subconscious; which in
Freud's opinion is a repository for socially unacceptable ideas, wishes or
desires, traumatic memories, and painful emotions put out of mind by the
mechanism of psychological repression. However, the contents do not
necessarily have to be solely negative. In the psychoanalytic view, the
subconscious is a force that can only be recognized by its effects-- in other
words: your mind's thoughts can be construed not as replicas of your hearts
thoughts; but rather, as symptoms of your heart's thoughts.
The key word in the above is repression. God is able to de-suppress those
repressed contents and submit them as evidence in the prosecution's case
against the accused. That means He will be confronting people with things
that they never before really knew about themselves; and that's why I
sometimes say only a fool would take their chances with the Bible's God.
They have no clue the extent of the psychological tsunami they're walking
into.
Pop Clock Update: 195 days have elapsed since beginning the thread. If the
figures in post #1 are within reason, then something like 11,423,295 new
arrivals have checked into the fiery sector of hades since December 10,
2014.
=================================
-
Q: Since God created us the way we are; then He is ultimately responsible
for our conduct; right?
A: Some years ago I went into a music store in San Diego and noticed that
one of the store's glass display cases contained a rather large variety of
curious bottles. So I asked the clerk what they were. He said they were
bongs. You mean for smoking dope? I asked. He replied: Yes; that is their
purpose. So I responded: But isn't dope illegal? He replied: Yes, dope is
illegal, however we don't sell dope; we only sell the means to smoke it. You
see; the responsibility for smoking dope was on the end-users of bongs
rather than upon the sellers of bongs.
In a similar incident, I went into an electronics store to purchase a mobile
CB radio and noticed an array of devices in the display case that I didn't
recognize. The clerk told me they were linear amplifiers; which, he said, are
devices for boosting a standard 5-watt CB's signal strength. I asked the clerk
if that was legal. He said no, it isn't legal to boost the standard signal.
However, he said: it isn't illegal to own equipment with the capability to do
so. In other words; the law placed the responsibility for boosting CB signals
on the end-user of linear amplifiers rather than the sellers of linear
amplifiers.
What I'm getting at is: God created humanity with the capability to make
bad choices. But at the same time, He created humanity with the capability
to make good choices too. In the incident involving the tree of the
knowledge of good and evil; Adam chose poorly. Does it make sense to
blame God for Adam's choice? No.
But you see: so-called "product liability" is a convenient way of blaming
others for our own failings. In other words: product liability's proponents
insist that the availability of things like forbidden fruit, bongs, and linear
amplifiers constitutes enablement. So these days instead of saying "The
devil made me do it; therefore my conduct is his fault" now people say "I
was provided the means to do it; therefore my conduct is the provider's
fault."
Many of the liquid products we have under our sinks and out in the garage
are toxic; so manufacturers put warning labels on them. Now; placing those
products for sale to the public constitutes enablement, but they're assuming
you're intelligent enough to read the warning labels they put on the
containers. if you ignore the warning labels; it's your own fault for being
stupid.
A smart man won't test the limits, nor push his luck, nor tempt fate; viz: he
won't eat forbidden fruit, smoke dope, boost his CB radio's output above the
legal limits, or swallow toilet bowl cleaner and Prestone engine coolant just
because those toxic products are available.
Pop Clock Update: 198 days have elapsed since beginning the thread. If the
figures in post #1 are within reason, then something like 11,599,038 new
arrivals have checked into the fiery sector of hades since December 10,
2014.
=================================
Q: Since God created us the way we are; then He is ultimately responsible
for our conduct; right?
A: Some years ago I went into a music store in San Diego and noticed that
one of the store's glass display cases contained a rather large variety of
curious bottles. So I asked the clerk what they were. He said they were
bongs. You mean for smoking dope? I asked. He replied: Yes; that is their
purpose. So I responded: But isn't dope illegal? He replied: Yes, dope is
illegal, however we don't sell dope; we only sell the means to smoke it. You
see; the responsibility for smoking dope was on the end-users of bongs
rather than upon the sellers of bongs.
In a similar incident, I went into an electronics store to purchase a mobile
CB radio and noticed an array of devices in the display case that I didn't
recognize. The clerk told me they were linear amplifiers; which, he said, are
devices for boosting a standard 5-watt CB's signal strength. I asked the clerk
if that was legal. He said no, it isn't legal to boost the standard signal.
However, he said: it isn't illegal to own equipment with the capability to do
so. In other words; the law placed the responsibility for boosting CB signals
on the end-user of linear amplifiers rather than the sellers of linear
amplifiers.
What I'm getting at is: God created humanity with the capability to make
bad choices. But at the same time, He created humanity with the capability
to make good choices too. In the incident involving the tree of the
knowledge of good and evil; Adam chose poorly. Does it make sense to
blame God for Adam's choice? No.
But you see: so-called "product liability" is a convenient way of blaming
others for our own failings. In other words: product liability's proponents
insist that the availability of things like forbidden fruit, bongs, and linear
amplifiers constitutes enablement. So these days instead of saying "The
devil made me do it; therefore my conduct is his fault" now people say "I
was provided the means to do it; therefore my conduct is the provider's
fault."
Many of the liquid products we have under our sinks and out in the garage
are toxic; so manufacturers put warning labels on them. Now; placing those
products for sale to the public constitutes enablement, but they're assuming
you're intelligent enough to read the warning labels they put on the
containers. if you ignore the warning labels; it's your own fault for being
stupid.
A smart man won't test the limits, nor push his luck, nor tempt fate; viz: he
won't eat forbidden fruit, smoke dope, boost his CB radio's output above the
legal limits, or swallow toilet bowl cleaner and Prestone engine coolant just
because those toxic products are available.
Pop Clock Update: 198 days have elapsed since beginning the thread. If the
figures in post #1 are within reason, then something like 11,599,038 new
arrivals have checked into the fiery sector of hades since December 10,
2014.
=================================
-
†. Luke 12:15-20 . . A man's life does not consist in the abundance of his
possessions. And he told them this parable:
. . .The ground of a certain rich man produced a good crop. He thought to
himself: What shall I do? I have no place to store my crops. Then he said:
This is what I'll do. I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and
there I will store all my grain and my goods. And I'll say to myself; You have
plenty of good things laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and
be merry.
. . . But God said to him: You fool! This very night your life will be
demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?
That is one of the futilities of success in this world. Everybody knows it, but
moguls like Donald Trump and Warren Buffet never seem to take it to heart
until they've got one foot in the grave.
I once heard a story about a very wealthy man who died. His surviving
relatives were all called to the reading of the man's will while the media
waited outside. When the reading was over, the media asked the man's kin
how much he left. They replied: He left it all.
Yes, of course he left it all; even the clothing he wore to his own funeral. The
paintings of Gustave Doré, illustrating portions of Dante's Inferno, depict lost
souls 100% stark naked-- with nary a stitch --as they should be because no
doubt they are.
What would you be willing to pay and/or trade in order to cheat death?
†. Matt 16:26-27 . . For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole
world, and lose his own soul? What shall a man give in exchange for his
soul?
That question essentially asks: Is it possible to either purchase, or barter, an
exemption from death? The answer is NO as there are no exemptions
available at this time: so rich men like Donald Trump and Warren Buffet
have no advantage in that respect over illegal aliens sneaking into Arizona
when it comes time to die.
†. Ecc 2:14-16 . .The wise man has eyes in his head, while the fool walks in
the darkness; but I came to realize that the same fate overtakes them both.
Then I thought in my heart: The fate of the fool will overtake me also. What
then do I gain by being wise?
. . . For the wise man, like the fool, will not be long remembered; in days to
come both will be forgotten. Like the fool, the wise man too must die
Pop Clock Update: 201 days have elapsed since beginning the thread. If the
figures in post #1 are within reason, then something like 11,774,781 new
arrivals have checked into the fiery sector of hades since December 10,
2014.
=================================
†. Luke 12:15-20 . . A man's life does not consist in the abundance of his
possessions. And he told them this parable:
. . .The ground of a certain rich man produced a good crop. He thought to
himself: What shall I do? I have no place to store my crops. Then he said:
This is what I'll do. I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and
there I will store all my grain and my goods. And I'll say to myself; You have
plenty of good things laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and
be merry.
. . . But God said to him: You fool! This very night your life will be
demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?
That is one of the futilities of success in this world. Everybody knows it, but
moguls like Donald Trump and Warren Buffet never seem to take it to heart
until they've got one foot in the grave.
I once heard a story about a very wealthy man who died. His surviving
relatives were all called to the reading of the man's will while the media
waited outside. When the reading was over, the media asked the man's kin
how much he left. They replied: He left it all.
Yes, of course he left it all; even the clothing he wore to his own funeral. The
paintings of Gustave Doré, illustrating portions of Dante's Inferno, depict lost
souls 100% stark naked-- with nary a stitch --as they should be because no
doubt they are.
What would you be willing to pay and/or trade in order to cheat death?
†. Matt 16:26-27 . . For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole
world, and lose his own soul? What shall a man give in exchange for his
soul?
That question essentially asks: Is it possible to either purchase, or barter, an
exemption from death? The answer is NO as there are no exemptions
available at this time: so rich men like Donald Trump and Warren Buffet
have no advantage in that respect over illegal aliens sneaking into Arizona
when it comes time to die.
†. Ecc 2:14-16 . .The wise man has eyes in his head, while the fool walks in
the darkness; but I came to realize that the same fate overtakes them both.
Then I thought in my heart: The fate of the fool will overtake me also. What
then do I gain by being wise?
. . . For the wise man, like the fool, will not be long remembered; in days to
come both will be forgotten. Like the fool, the wise man too must die
Pop Clock Update: 201 days have elapsed since beginning the thread. If the
figures in post #1 are within reason, then something like 11,774,781 new
arrivals have checked into the fiery sector of hades since December 10,
2014.
=================================
-
When God Is Ignored -- He Ignores Back
†. Prv 1:24-33 . . I called you so often, but you didn't come. I reached out
to you, but you paid no attention. You ignored my advice and rejected the
correction I offered. So I will laugh when you are in trouble! I will mock you
when disaster overtakes you-- when calamity overcomes you like a storm,
when you are engulfed by trouble, and when anguish and distress
overwhelm you.
. . . I will not answer when they cry for help. Even though they anxiously
search for me, they will not find me. For they hated knowledge and chose
not to fear The Lord. They rejected my advice and paid no attention when I
corrected them. That is why they must eat the bitter fruit of living their own
way. They must experience the full terror of the path they have chosen. For
they are simpletons who turn away from me-- to death. They are fools, and
their own complacency will destroy them. But all who listen to me will live in
peace and safety, unafraid of harm.
Case in point is Mr. Esau.
"Esau, who sold his own birthright for a single meal. For you know that even
afterwards, when he desired to inherit the blessing, he was rejected, for he
found no place for repentance, though he sought for it with tears." (Heb
12:16-17)
The koiné Greek word for "repentance" is metanoia (met-an'-oy-ah) which
essentially means to change one's mind; viz: to reconsider.
Esau was an okay guy, but he was secular to the bone. He "got religion"
right quick when he saw his way of life costing him the blessing; but alas, the
poor slob was a day late and a dollar short; so to speak.
Lesson to be learned: The time for people to believe in hell is not when they
get there, but before they get there.
Pop Clock Update: 201 days have elapsed since beginning the thread. If the
figures in post #1 are within reason, then something like 11,774,781 new
arrivals have checked into the fiery sector of hades since December 10,
2014.
=================================
When God Is Ignored -- He Ignores Back
†. Prv 1:24-33 . . I called you so often, but you didn't come. I reached out
to you, but you paid no attention. You ignored my advice and rejected the
correction I offered. So I will laugh when you are in trouble! I will mock you
when disaster overtakes you-- when calamity overcomes you like a storm,
when you are engulfed by trouble, and when anguish and distress
overwhelm you.
. . . I will not answer when they cry for help. Even though they anxiously
search for me, they will not find me. For they hated knowledge and chose
not to fear The Lord. They rejected my advice and paid no attention when I
corrected them. That is why they must eat the bitter fruit of living their own
way. They must experience the full terror of the path they have chosen. For
they are simpletons who turn away from me-- to death. They are fools, and
their own complacency will destroy them. But all who listen to me will live in
peace and safety, unafraid of harm.
Case in point is Mr. Esau.
"Esau, who sold his own birthright for a single meal. For you know that even
afterwards, when he desired to inherit the blessing, he was rejected, for he
found no place for repentance, though he sought for it with tears." (Heb
12:16-17)
The koiné Greek word for "repentance" is metanoia (met-an'-oy-ah) which
essentially means to change one's mind; viz: to reconsider.
Esau was an okay guy, but he was secular to the bone. He "got religion"
right quick when he saw his way of life costing him the blessing; but alas, the
poor slob was a day late and a dollar short; so to speak.
Lesson to be learned: The time for people to believe in hell is not when they
get there, but before they get there.
Pop Clock Update: 201 days have elapsed since beginning the thread. If the
figures in post #1 are within reason, then something like 11,774,781 new
arrivals have checked into the fiery sector of hades since December 10,
2014.
=================================
-
Many of Christ's parables are so life-like, and depict such a variety of human
experiences, that I used to wonder how a young man who never went to
school, and lived in the same small town all his life prior to going on the road
as an itinerant preacher, could have such a volume of realistic short stories
all prepared and ready to go.
Well, one day it hit me. Duh! Christ was a prophet: a holy man micro
managed by a higher power. He neither authored nor composed a single one
of the parables: they were his master's handiwork thru and thru.
†. John 3:34 . . He speaks God's words, for God's Spirit is upon him without
measure or limit.
†. John 8:26 . . He that sent me is true; and I speak to the world those
things which I have heard of him.
†. John 8:28 . . I do nothing of myself; but as my Father hath taught me, I
speak these things.
†. John 12:49 . . For I have not spoken of myself; but the Father which sent
me, he gave me a commandment, what I should say, and what I should
speak.
†. John 12:50 . . Whatsoever I speak therefore, even as the Father said unto
me, so I speak.
†. John 14:10 . .The words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but
the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works.
I am fully persuaded by Titus 1:2 that Christ's Father always tells the truth.
In other words; I sincerely believe Jesus' master drew His parables from the
archive of records that He's been keeping on every soul who ever lived--
everything they've ever done and said in public, and everything they've ever
done and said in private --for thousands of years beginning with the first
man Adam right on down to the last man today. Christ's Father knows all,
He sees all, He hears all; and He remembers all: even people's secret
thoughts.
Can you think of even one of the Father's parables that could not, by any
stretch of the imagination, be a true story? No; there's nothing out of the
ordinary in His parables. They're all true to life-- farmers sowing seed,
widows losing coins, sons in the far country, wineskins bursting, tares
among the wheat, leavened bread; barren fig trees, the blind leading the
blind; et al. They're all 110% believable. None of them come across as
fables with no basis in reality; e.g. Aesop's.
So why did I make such an issue out of the origin of Christ's parables?
Answer: because anti burning-in-hell people insist that the disturbing
narrative at Luke 16:19-31 is a fable with no basis in reality whatsoever. But
the Father's impeccable character is what makes that narrative all the more
terrifying. Unless somebody can prove, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that
Christ's Father is a tale-spinner; I pretty much have to assume the narrative
was drawn from real-life archives.
Another thing: there are three real-life persons named in Luke 16:19-31--
Abraham, Lazarus, and Moses. I just don't think Christ's Father would make
up a whopper about those three real-life people and thereby give Jesus'
audience the wrong impression about them. In point of fact, if Christ's
Father were to do that; then nobody's reputation would be safe in His hands.
I highly recommend accepting Luke 16:19-31 as a true story rather than risk
the shame of insinuating that Christ's Father is a dishonest person of
questionable integrity who can't be trusted to tell the truth about people.
†. 1John 5:10 . . Anyone who disbelieves God has made Him out to be a liar
†. Rom 3:4 . . Let God be true, and every man a liar.
Pop Clock Update: 207 days have elapsed since beginning the thread. If the
figures in post #1 are within reason, then something like 12,126,267 new
arrivals have checked into the fiery sector of hades since December 10,
2014.
=================================
Many of Christ's parables are so life-like, and depict such a variety of human
experiences, that I used to wonder how a young man who never went to
school, and lived in the same small town all his life prior to going on the road
as an itinerant preacher, could have such a volume of realistic short stories
all prepared and ready to go.
Well, one day it hit me. Duh! Christ was a prophet: a holy man micro
managed by a higher power. He neither authored nor composed a single one
of the parables: they were his master's handiwork thru and thru.
†. John 3:34 . . He speaks God's words, for God's Spirit is upon him without
measure or limit.
†. John 8:26 . . He that sent me is true; and I speak to the world those
things which I have heard of him.
†. John 8:28 . . I do nothing of myself; but as my Father hath taught me, I
speak these things.
†. John 12:49 . . For I have not spoken of myself; but the Father which sent
me, he gave me a commandment, what I should say, and what I should
speak.
†. John 12:50 . . Whatsoever I speak therefore, even as the Father said unto
me, so I speak.
†. John 14:10 . .The words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but
the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works.
I am fully persuaded by Titus 1:2 that Christ's Father always tells the truth.
In other words; I sincerely believe Jesus' master drew His parables from the
archive of records that He's been keeping on every soul who ever lived--
everything they've ever done and said in public, and everything they've ever
done and said in private --for thousands of years beginning with the first
man Adam right on down to the last man today. Christ's Father knows all,
He sees all, He hears all; and He remembers all: even people's secret
thoughts.
Can you think of even one of the Father's parables that could not, by any
stretch of the imagination, be a true story? No; there's nothing out of the
ordinary in His parables. They're all true to life-- farmers sowing seed,
widows losing coins, sons in the far country, wineskins bursting, tares
among the wheat, leavened bread; barren fig trees, the blind leading the
blind; et al. They're all 110% believable. None of them come across as
fables with no basis in reality; e.g. Aesop's.
So why did I make such an issue out of the origin of Christ's parables?
Answer: because anti burning-in-hell people insist that the disturbing
narrative at Luke 16:19-31 is a fable with no basis in reality whatsoever. But
the Father's impeccable character is what makes that narrative all the more
terrifying. Unless somebody can prove, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that
Christ's Father is a tale-spinner; I pretty much have to assume the narrative
was drawn from real-life archives.
Another thing: there are three real-life persons named in Luke 16:19-31--
Abraham, Lazarus, and Moses. I just don't think Christ's Father would make
up a whopper about those three real-life people and thereby give Jesus'
audience the wrong impression about them. In point of fact, if Christ's
Father were to do that; then nobody's reputation would be safe in His hands.
I highly recommend accepting Luke 16:19-31 as a true story rather than risk
the shame of insinuating that Christ's Father is a dishonest person of
questionable integrity who can't be trusted to tell the truth about people.
†. 1John 5:10 . . Anyone who disbelieves God has made Him out to be a liar
†. Rom 3:4 . . Let God be true, and every man a liar.
Pop Clock Update: 207 days have elapsed since beginning the thread. If the
figures in post #1 are within reason, then something like 12,126,267 new
arrivals have checked into the fiery sector of hades since December 10,
2014.
=================================
-
The wrath of God is interesting. For example:
†. Isa 13:9 . . Behold, the day of The Lord comes-- cruel; with both wrath
and fierce anger
The Hebrew word for "wrath" in that statement is 'ebrah (eb-raw') which
indicates an outburst of passion. In other words: the wrath of God won't be
weeping big wet crocodile tears while it's slamming the dead at the Great
White Throne event depicted at Rev 20:11-15; no, they will be terminated
with extreme prejudice; viz: their judgment will be administered with choler.
(cf. Isa 63:1-6, Rev 19:15)
Webster's defines "fierce" as a behavior exhibited by humans and animals
that inspires terror because of the wild and menacing aspect of fury in
attack. Ferocity is an aspect commonly seen among roaring, snarling lions
savagely attacking prey. There's neither sportsmanship nor sympathy in
ferocity; only sheer terror, brutality, and blood lust.
"cruel" is defined as: disposed to inflict pain or suffering; viz: devoid of
humane feelings
†. Heb 10:27 . . A certain fearful expectation of . . . fiery indignation
"fiery indignation" is quite a bit more severe than ordinary indignation. It
speaks of someone who is seriously ticked off; and so angry that they're
actually red in the face.
There are people out there in pews all around the world who have been so
coddled by sappy versions of Christianity that they have no concept of the
magnitude of the lethal tsunami of rage and violence coming their way to
get them.
Another interesting aspect of the wrath of God is the person appointed to
administer it-- none other than the sweet little baby away in a manger.
†. John 5:22-23 . .The Father judges no one, but has committed all
judgment to the Son, that all should honor the Son just as they honor the
Father.
†. Acts 17:31 . . For God has set a day when he will judge the world with
justice by the man he has appointed. He has given proof of this to all men
by raising him from the dead.
†. Rev 19:15 . . He shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treads the
winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God.
You know all those horrors depicted in the book of Revelation? Jesus Christ
has been designated to supervise every one of them.
†. Rev 1:1 . .The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show his
servants.
Pop Clock Update: 210 days have elapsed since beginning the thread. If the
figures in post #1 are within reason, then something like 12,302,010 new
arrivals have checked into the fiery sector of hades since December 10,
2014.
=================================
The wrath of God is interesting. For example:
†. Isa 13:9 . . Behold, the day of The Lord comes-- cruel; with both wrath
and fierce anger
The Hebrew word for "wrath" in that statement is 'ebrah (eb-raw') which
indicates an outburst of passion. In other words: the wrath of God won't be
weeping big wet crocodile tears while it's slamming the dead at the Great
White Throne event depicted at Rev 20:11-15; no, they will be terminated
with extreme prejudice; viz: their judgment will be administered with choler.
(cf. Isa 63:1-6, Rev 19:15)
Webster's defines "fierce" as a behavior exhibited by humans and animals
that inspires terror because of the wild and menacing aspect of fury in
attack. Ferocity is an aspect commonly seen among roaring, snarling lions
savagely attacking prey. There's neither sportsmanship nor sympathy in
ferocity; only sheer terror, brutality, and blood lust.
"cruel" is defined as: disposed to inflict pain or suffering; viz: devoid of
humane feelings
†. Heb 10:27 . . A certain fearful expectation of . . . fiery indignation
"fiery indignation" is quite a bit more severe than ordinary indignation. It
speaks of someone who is seriously ticked off; and so angry that they're
actually red in the face.
There are people out there in pews all around the world who have been so
coddled by sappy versions of Christianity that they have no concept of the
magnitude of the lethal tsunami of rage and violence coming their way to
get them.
Another interesting aspect of the wrath of God is the person appointed to
administer it-- none other than the sweet little baby away in a manger.
†. John 5:22-23 . .The Father judges no one, but has committed all
judgment to the Son, that all should honor the Son just as they honor the
Father.
†. Acts 17:31 . . For God has set a day when he will judge the world with
justice by the man he has appointed. He has given proof of this to all men
by raising him from the dead.
†. Rev 19:15 . . He shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treads the
winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God.
You know all those horrors depicted in the book of Revelation? Jesus Christ
has been designated to supervise every one of them.
†. Rev 1:1 . .The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show his
servants.
Pop Clock Update: 210 days have elapsed since beginning the thread. If the
figures in post #1 are within reason, then something like 12,302,010 new
arrivals have checked into the fiery sector of hades since December 10,
2014.
=================================
-
†. Acts 9:1-6 . . Meanwhile, Saul was still breathing out murderous threats
against the Lord's disciples. He went to the high priest and asked him for
letters to the synagogues in Damascus, so that if he found any there who
belonged to The Way, whether men or women, he might take them as
prisoners to Jerusalem
. . . As he neared Damascus on his journey, suddenly a light from heaven
flashed around him. He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him:
Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me? Who are you, sir? Saul asked. I am
Jesus, whom you are persecuting; he replied. Now get up and go into the
city, and you will be told what you must do.
Saul was very fortunate. With that obtuse Jewish attitude of his, he would
have been lost for sure had not Christ trespassed upon his privacy with a
close encounter of a third kind.
The interesting thing about Saul was his spiritual condition. He wasn't an
Atheist or a Communist or an Islamic Fundamentalist; yet he hated
Christians just as passionately as if he were an Atheist or a Communist or an
Islamic Fundamentalist. But if perchance you're one of those reading this,
don't get your hopes up expecting maybe you too will be converted by a
close encounter with Christ of a third kind. God had a special purpose in
mind with Saul's conversion --there's no logical basis for assuming He has a
similar purpose in mind for you.
Pop Clock Update: 213 days have elapsed since beginning the thread. If the
figures in post #1 are within reason, then something like 12,477,753 new
arrivals have checked into the fiery sector of hades since December 10,
2014.
=================================
†. Acts 9:1-6 . . Meanwhile, Saul was still breathing out murderous threats
against the Lord's disciples. He went to the high priest and asked him for
letters to the synagogues in Damascus, so that if he found any there who
belonged to The Way, whether men or women, he might take them as
prisoners to Jerusalem
. . . As he neared Damascus on his journey, suddenly a light from heaven
flashed around him. He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him:
Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me? Who are you, sir? Saul asked. I am
Jesus, whom you are persecuting; he replied. Now get up and go into the
city, and you will be told what you must do.
Saul was very fortunate. With that obtuse Jewish attitude of his, he would
have been lost for sure had not Christ trespassed upon his privacy with a
close encounter of a third kind.
The interesting thing about Saul was his spiritual condition. He wasn't an
Atheist or a Communist or an Islamic Fundamentalist; yet he hated
Christians just as passionately as if he were an Atheist or a Communist or an
Islamic Fundamentalist. But if perchance you're one of those reading this,
don't get your hopes up expecting maybe you too will be converted by a
close encounter with Christ of a third kind. God had a special purpose in
mind with Saul's conversion --there's no logical basis for assuming He has a
similar purpose in mind for you.
Pop Clock Update: 213 days have elapsed since beginning the thread. If the
figures in post #1 are within reason, then something like 12,477,753 new
arrivals have checked into the fiery sector of hades since December 10,
2014.
=================================
-
According to Siddhartha Gautama, there is no personal "soul" that continues
to exist beyond the demise of one's organic body; ergo: one's original self
no longer exists after death.
So then in Buddhist rebirth; what is reborn if not the person? Answer:
Buddhist rebirth is not a resurrection; but rather; a rearrangement of the
karmic matter that was once a particular individual.
Simply put, karmic matter is like the pieces and parts that go into
assembling a chariot; which when dismantled, the pieces and parts can be
utilized to construct some other conveyance; with very possibly another
gender too; which means that if Steve Jobs is back on earth as rearranged
karma; then he/she just might be back as a sea urchin, or a termite, or a
fruit bat rather than a human being. He could even be kelp spore in the
Pacific ocean off the coast of San Diego, or even as E.coli 0157-H7 in the
belly of a cow being fattened up with genetically engineered grain in one of
Tyson's concentrated animal feeding operations, or as an Indonesian child
destined to work for peanuts in one of Nike's offshore sweat shops making
shoes and sports apparel selling for big bucks to Chinese consumers.
In addition: reincarnation doesn't usually stop with one event unless a
Buddhist manages to achieve nirvana on the first try; but typically
eventuates in the possibility of a Buddhist having to undergo six cycles of
birth, misery, and death called samsara.
Unlike reincarnation's potentially numerous cycles of birth, misery, and
death; Christianity allots but one resurrection per person (Dan 12:2, John
5:29, Rev 20:5-6). So then, those who undergo a second death in the
reservoir of molten sulfur depicted at Rev 20:10-15 won't be coming back in
another form because they will have used up their one allotted resurrection
in order to face justice at the Great White Throne event.
Pop Clock Update: 216 days have elapsed since beginning the thread. If the
figures in post #1 are within reason, then something like 12,653,496 new
arrivals have checked into the fiery sector of hades since December 10,
2014.
=================================
According to Siddhartha Gautama, there is no personal "soul" that continues
to exist beyond the demise of one's organic body; ergo: one's original self
no longer exists after death.
So then in Buddhist rebirth; what is reborn if not the person? Answer:
Buddhist rebirth is not a resurrection; but rather; a rearrangement of the
karmic matter that was once a particular individual.
Simply put, karmic matter is like the pieces and parts that go into
assembling a chariot; which when dismantled, the pieces and parts can be
utilized to construct some other conveyance; with very possibly another
gender too; which means that if Steve Jobs is back on earth as rearranged
karma; then he/she just might be back as a sea urchin, or a termite, or a
fruit bat rather than a human being. He could even be kelp spore in the
Pacific ocean off the coast of San Diego, or even as E.coli 0157-H7 in the
belly of a cow being fattened up with genetically engineered grain in one of
Tyson's concentrated animal feeding operations, or as an Indonesian child
destined to work for peanuts in one of Nike's offshore sweat shops making
shoes and sports apparel selling for big bucks to Chinese consumers.
In addition: reincarnation doesn't usually stop with one event unless a
Buddhist manages to achieve nirvana on the first try; but typically
eventuates in the possibility of a Buddhist having to undergo six cycles of
birth, misery, and death called samsara.
Unlike reincarnation's potentially numerous cycles of birth, misery, and
death; Christianity allots but one resurrection per person (Dan 12:2, John
5:29, Rev 20:5-6). So then, those who undergo a second death in the
reservoir of molten sulfur depicted at Rev 20:10-15 won't be coming back in
another form because they will have used up their one allotted resurrection
in order to face justice at the Great White Throne event.
Pop Clock Update: 216 days have elapsed since beginning the thread. If the
figures in post #1 are within reason, then something like 12,653,496 new
arrivals have checked into the fiery sector of hades since December 10,
2014.
=================================