In Immigrant Areas, a Culture Clash Over Gay Marriage

[ZeeWolf]

Originally Posted by razark

My view is that I do not choose what to believe and disbelieve. I can no more choose to believe the bible than I can choose to believe that water is not wet, or choose to believe the sky is green. Belief is the result of your brain processing the information it has available. I will not say that I have read every word of the bible, but I have read large portions of it, and find it to resemble more an ancient society's world view and less an authoritative book of history, science, morality, or any other subject. In addition, I have read other accounts of history and the history of the bible, and that further removed the bible from the category of authoritative literature.


And the more I learned about the bible, the less I was able to consider it accurate.


However, none of that addresses the question. Even if we take every bit of the bible as true, why is hell necessary? The only thing I can see it being needed for is to coerce people to comply. If god is omnipotent/omniscient, he should be able to achieve his ends without the need of eternal torture. If he is omnibenevolent, eternal torture (or even non-eternal torture) should go against his very nature.

I think you are confusing the issue with things
that we learn to believe as children through
the five senses. Which depends on each other
to confirm our conclusion. what I mean can be
demonstrated for example by a simple game you
can play by closing your eyes and have someone
feed you a spoonful of something familiar with
out the use of you sight. You will be amazed how
easily you choose to believe you are eating
something that in reality is totally wrong.
And another example is the man who hears from
his best friend tell him his wife is cheating
on him. The facts my be very well prepared and
presented with great sensitivity and more times
then his best friend just became his worst enemy
because he refuses to believe his wife would do
such a thing. This example could also work in
reverse, by having a suspicion about his wife
that no matter what she dose he refuses to
believe her. I could go on but I think you will
understand.
So, I hope you see that "choosing to believe" is
in fact a daily occurrence in our lives.

As for hell it is as much a deterrent as going
to prison for a crime. If you ever interviewed
men who committed crimes that resulted in a prison
sentence many will say they never thought they
would get caught.
There is very little concern for the need for
punishing criminals who work to enforce and uphold
the law. But there is great concern over the need
for prison and punishment from those innocent little
darlings setting in prison.
I guess it matters what side you are on over these
issues. The same logic can apply with the need for
hell.