Secular Elation

For the most part, or at least in my experience, the Christians have generally described Hell as a place of unberable torture. They describe it as a place where sinners will burn for an eternity, of course.

This seems terribly harsh, doesn't it? Let's consider Hell in the context of American law.

The Eigth Amendment to the Constitution reads as follows:

Now tell me, is not burning for an entire eternity clearly cruel and unusual punishment?

Therefore, Hell is unconstitutional and thus it is unAmerican!

[ August 16, 2002: Message edited by: Secular Elation ]</p>

Demigawd

Better not let John Ashcroft find out about that. If he did, then it would be bye-bye Eigth Amendment.

Heathen Dawn

Good one, SE!

I like those who don't mince words, those who don't go harping on about the "compatibility of democracy with revealed religion". Like the author of <a href="http://www.tencommandments.org/idolatry.html" target="_blank">this tasty tract</a>...

Amos

But hell is protected in the constitution under Freedom of Religion. Heaven and hell are religion specific in Christendom and since heaven is for Catholics only hell is protected in the American constitution specifically for American protestants.

case

Huh?

Ojuice5001

I don't always understand Amos's posts, but I think he's saying that since the government protects your right to be a Protestant, and Protestants go to hell, that means the government protects hell.

Great original post, BTW.

[ August 16, 2002: Message edited by: Ojuice5001 ]</p>

Novowels

Haven't the Catholics done away with the "burning forever" Hell idea? I know "Satan" is now considered a non-entity (just "the evil that exists in all of us" ) and I thought Hell got a makeover too.

I dunno, I'm not a Catholic anymore. Heh, I don't keep up with their kooky doctrines.

The Cromwell Institute

Does this mean the supreme court can overturn excommunications [as they invariably lead to eternal damnation]?

Amos

Close enough and may I add that it is still in the Cathechism that only Catholics can go to heaven. If this is true protestants can only go to hell (which does not mean that all do go to hell) but now means that the right to be protestant protects the rights of protestants to go to hell.

Amos

Excommunication does not lead to eternal damnation because that would mean that atheist and Buddhist also go to hell. Hell is when you get born again to "enter the race" and can't finnish it before you die.

Three symptoms are evidence of hell and in Revelations they are symbolized with angles soaring through mid-heaven (halfway between heaven and earth because they have entered the race):

1) Floating about in midheaven while burning scriptures to stay aloft and from there boasting about their own salvation (Rev.14:6-7), while Jesus ordered Peter to tell no-one.

2 Hatred for the whore of Babylon (Catholicism; Rev.14:8).

3) Warning others about the mark of the beast while displaying it themselves. Hence the smoke of their tornment leaves them no rest by night or by day (Rev.4:9-11), etc.

Why? Because protestants keep the commandments (under conviction of the law) and their faith in Jesus (freedom from the Law as per Gal.1:1-5). Hence they are torn between good and evil and therefore remain torn between heaven and earth.