[Son of Belial]

Quote by: Flip Jackson We teach a TON about heaven, and almost nothing about Hell.

From where does this information come? I listed everything in my article that the Bible says about Heaven. There's not a whole lot to say about it, scripturally.

Fear drives people to mediocre acts. They want to be good enough to go to heaven, but want to do so with the least effort possible.

Agreed, but I'm not sure it's fear that does this. It's people wanting the reward at the end without having to give up too much earthly pleasure.

We teach that the better you are, the better your standing in the next life. Basically, you will be with the kind of people that you are. There are my two bits. My religion preaches a different view of things

Again, is this Biblical or just something your denomination made up?

Quote by: sergeant Additionally, Hell is the absence of God.......I'll find the reference....but I was taught hell is eternal torment without the presence of God or his love......

So it's eternal torment PLUS the abscence of God. Not sure I see how that's worse than just the eternal torment. I'd rather God NOT be there to gloat over me the whole time.

Do you not fear or did you not fear your fathers, even tough you known they loved you....

My father wouldn't throw me in an oven for five seconds, much less eternity.

I'm not trying to win you over or save your souls....only explaining the Christian view behind your posts.

No need to be apologetic, this is a debate based around an aspect of Christianity, it would be expected that you'd discuss your views of the faith.

watch yourself jack you are close to have changes filed against you criminal charges...that could be taken as a threat...and push me too far....my husband is on duty...I'll email him the link.....He'll have no problem writing up the charges........

Something that sounds vaguely like a threat is meaningless. In fact, two seperate police officers have told me that death threats are not illegal and are covered by our Constitutional freedom of speech. Silly I know, but this is what I was told when I tried to report death threats given to me. I was told I couldn't do a thing about it. Nobody is scared of your husband.

Quote by: Let There Be But you quoted me above out of context.

I was simply trying to set up a "reference point" for the beginning of this thread, since I was trying to branch it off of the other one.

Does it ever bother you that you believe in an existence devoid of any ultimate purpose?

Define "ultimate purpose." Some of us would rather be happy here on earth than give up happiness for an afterlife that may not exist. And don't tell me how happy you are as a Christian and how you didn't give anything up. Been there, done that, wasn't happy, left. But I'm sure it was because I didn't subscribe to your form of Christianity. That's usually the answer I get.