Concept of Hell

[iLL_LeaT]

Could it be possible that hell is not hot or cold?

Feeling pain through temperature is strictly a survival mechanism, and probably a feeling of the flesh.

I have found through studying a few religions that most of them find the concept of God and the afterlife incomprehensible, but yet most religions do try to explain it. Perhaps calling hell hot (!) or cold (!) is just attempting to explain the unexplainable.

I have read somewhere that the Trinity was actually thought up by the Greeks, and the whole point of it was to remind people that God isn’t comprehensible. Having one God in three separate parts is a little confusing. Having one God in three parts is, in fact, not suppose to be comprehended, just understood.

I’m all of the sudden thinking of the book of Genesis from the Torah. I laugh every time I think about an all knowing being trying to explain how the earth came to be in terms that a human from over 4000 years ago could understand.

Anyway… is hell hot or cold? Saying it is hot or cold, is that just trying to explain something that is not comprehensible? I mean who is to say that in the hereafter we will have the same concepts pain or even love?

It’s all something to think about.

 

[czgibson]

Re: Ice Hell

Greetings,

Could it be possible that hell is a fiction invented by humans in order to scare other humans into following orders? The descriptions given above are clearly human projections of human fears, and nothing more.

Peace

 

[tilmeez-ullah]

Re: Ice Hell

Greetings,

Could it be possible that hell is a fiction invented by humans in order to scare other humans into following orders? The descriptions given above are clearly human projections of human fears, and nothing more.

Peace

absolutely not. Allah promises hell for the non-belivers, an he is the best at fulfilling his promises.
This is the point where asking too many questions becomes harmful, brother

 

[czgibson]

Re: Ice Hell

Greetings,

absolutely not. Allah promises hell for the non-belivers, an he is the best at fulfilling his promises.
This is the point where asking too many questions becomes harmful, brother

I always ask questions. It's how I learn.

I'm asking if it's possible.

Peace

 

[tilmeez-ullah]

Re: Ice Hell

Greetings,


I always ask questions. It's how I learn.

I'm asking if it's possible.

Peace

okay, sorry if i offended you in any way. i think i misinterpreted the question

im am not a learned man in islam, but i do know that Allah sent down the Quraan to Muhammed (sawws). in the quran Allah speaks of "a fire, blazing fiercley, whose fuel is men". Im certian there are much more descriptions, but my point is that this was sent down to the prophet (saaws) by Allah. No man made verses have ever enterd the quraan since the day it was revealed. But i must say, you are right when you say that it keeps some people form doing wrong.
It will be a painful torment for the non-believers.

 

[glo]

Re: Ice Hell

Greetings,


I always ask questions. It's how I learn.

I'm asking if it's possible.

Peace

It certainly would be an effective way of controlling people's behaviour ...
The more gory the details, the easier it would be to ensure compliance.

As somebody who believes in heaven and hell myself, I still have to admit that the idea could be abused by human to control their fellow human beings ...
I don't really know how anybody could deny the possibility ... :X

peace.

P.S. My husband reckons that's a Gibson Les Paul ... is he right?

 

[- Qatada -]

Re: Ice Hell

Hi czgibson.


The reason why fears may have to be projections of human fears is so that people can understand what the punishment is actually like.

If we were warned of a punishment that we couldn't even imagine - then we wouldn't actually understand it, feel confused, and may not even believe it.


Like the fire of this world is just a taster of the fire in the afterlife, so we try to avoid getting too close to it, the same way - this fire that we are afraid of can be used as a form of pleasure because it brings in heat etc. The same way the pleasures of this life are just minimal because with nearly every pleasure there is a negative aspect (i.e. with all the wealth we have, we will die anyway.)

So this world is like a taster to the real thing, and we realise that if we do bad - then we will be punished, and by experiencing the punishment (in a minor way) - we'll want to avoid it. The same way, we'll experience pleasures, but we know that every pleasure will end some time, hence pleasures do have a negative effect - but we do get a taster of what pleasure actually is - so we strive to do good, to gain the eternal pleasure in the afterlife insha'Allaah (God willing.)


So the tasters of this world aren't pure, the punishment of this world won't totally harm us, and the pleasure won't always make us feel happy. Hence these tasters are what influence us to do good, and to avoid evil - because we realise that there will only be two outcomes in the afterlife; either punishment which will have no enjoyment whatsoever and in its pure form - that will last forever, or pure pleasure without no harm, and the person will never die - hence the fun will never end..


Allaah Almighty knows best.


Peace.

 

[glo]

Re: Ice Hell

I don't think czgibson is asking why we visualize hell the way we do.
If you read his question carefully, he is actually asking if 'it could be possible that hell is a fiction invented by humans?'

 

[iLL_LeaT]

Re: Ice Hell

I don't think czgibson is asking why we visualize hell the way we do.
If you read his question carefully, he is actually asking if 'it could be possible that hell is a fiction invented by humans?'

No. I asked the question

 

[glo]

Re: Ice Hell

No. I asked the question

Sorry, if I misquoted anybody. :hiding: I copied and pasted the question straight off czgibson's post - I didn't see it in yours.
Anyway, it's a good question! And worthy of some consideration.

Peace.

 

[- Qatada -]

Re: Ice Hell

Could it be possible that hell is not hot or cold?

Feeling pain through temperature is strictly a survival mechanism, and probably a feeling of the flesh.

I have found through studying a few religions that most of them find the concept of God and the afterlife incomprehensible, but yet most religions do try to explain it. Perhaps calling hell hot (!) or cold (!) is just attempting to explain the unexplainable.

I have read somewhere that the Trinity was actually thought up by the Greeks, and the whole point of it was to remind people that God isn’t comprehensible. Having one God in three separate parts is a little confusing. Having one God in three parts is, in fact, not suppose to be comprehended, just understood.

I’m all of the sudden thinking of the book of Genesis from the Torah. I laugh every time I think about an all knowing being trying to explain how the earth came to be in terms that a human from over 4000 years ago could understand.

Anyway… is hell hot or cold? Saying it is hot or cold, is that just trying to explain something that is not comprehensible? I mean who is to say that in the hereafter we will have the same concepts pain or even love?

It’s all something to think about.

Hey.


The descriptions in the Qur'an of punishment for unbelief are, like the descriptions of Jannah, very descriptive. Skin is burned off the person's body and then they are given new skin so it can be burned off again.

As for those who reject Our Signs, We will roast them in a Fire. Every time their skins are burned off, We will replace them with new skins so that they can taste the punishment. Allah is Almighty, All-Wise. (4:56)


Peace.

 

[iLL_LeaT]

Re: Ice Hell

Greetings,


I always ask questions. It's how I learn.

I'm asking if it's possible.

Peace

My personal feeling is that anything is possible.

I have been taught to conclude from reason and logic, and since there is no known evidence of any God (scientifically), it’s hard to conclude that there could be a god. However, concluding from only reason and logic is limited, as is only concluding from faith.

There are limitations on science.
1 – Nothing is fact, just making theories from tests
2 – Science is always changing; therefore what is currently though to be true very well could be changed to something completely different.

Current limitations in science prevent from there being any evidence based religious beliefs. Evolution is an evidence based theory. However, it is not a religion. It has no explanation of what happens after life, nor does it explain how the universe came to be. Most say that the universe has just always been, but that is not evidence based.

Let me read you a quote

“Human understanding of value and purpose are outside of natural science’s scope. However, a number of components – scientific, social, philosophical, religious, cultural and political contribute to it. These different fields owe each other mutual consideration, while being fully aware of their own areas of action and their limitations.

While acknowledging current limitations, science is open ended, and subject to correction and expansion as new theoretical and empirical understanding emerges.”
- IAP Statement on the Teaching of Evolution

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/bsp/hi/pdfs/20_06_06_iap_evolution.pdf

In my opinion, anything is possible. There very well could be no hell. Since I have been raised to conclude from reason and logic, I feel that there being no God is a very scary possibility. I have spent many nights awake in bed thinking about this.

I have decided that there could be no god or afterlife. But, I would rather burn in hell for the rest of eternity then not exist after death. However, I would also rather only live one life then never live at all.

But really, anything is possible. There could even be no God but still have an afterlife, and there could be a God but still no afterlife. Who knows?

 

[czgibson]

Re: Ice Hell

Greetings glo,

I think it's a valid question, and it's heartening to know someone agrees with me.

P.S. My husband reckons that's a Gibson Les Paul ... is he right?

Your husband is absolutely right! And what's more, it's mine. I play it every day and it sounds glorious!

Peace

 

[Ansar Al-'Adl]

Re: Ice Hell

This section is for Islamic beliefs. Please keep religious debates in the comparative religion section. If you need posts moved, contact a mod.

Regards

 

[glo]

Re: Ice Hell

Greetings glo,

I think it's a valid question, and it's heartening to know someone agrees with me.



Your husband is absolutely right! And what's more, it's mine. I play it every day and it sounds glorious!

Peace

Cool! I'll tell him.

I have to confess that for a while I had this bizarre conspiracy thing going, that you and my husband are actually the same person!!! ;D ;D
It's just that you have so much in common!

He has two guitars, and plays them all day every day.
But he doesn't have a Les Paul ... so that's the proof that you are not the same person! :giggling:

Peace.

 

[------]

Re: Ice Hell

Interesting...

 

[iLL_LeaT]

Re: Ice Hell

Interesting...

How so?

 

[czgibson]

Re: Ice Hell

Greetings,

This section is for Islamic beliefs. Please keep religious debates in the comparative religion section. If you need posts moved, contact a mod.

Sorry, Ansar. My bad. These posts would be better in comparative religion. My trouble is I never look to see which forum each thread is in - I just discuss the issue as it stands.

Peace

 

[- Qatada -]

Re: Ice Hell

Thread Moved to Comparative Religion.


:wasalamex

 

[czgibson]

Re: Ice Hell

Greetings,

Thank you FS! So does this mean someone can answer my question now?

Could it be possible that hell is a fiction invented by humans in order to scare other humans into following orders?

Peace