Hell NO! Hell Yes!

In the Bible we have 4 words that we translate Hell. As we look at them do we get a picture of an eternal torture chamber as portrayed by most pastors and priests of the western church or do we get some other thought?

Sheol: This is the only word in the Old Testament that someone might translate hell. Realistically the Old Testament never talks about Hell. This is why, to some extent, that the Sadducees did not believe in an after life. Of course they also didn't believe in most of what we call the Old Testament. Sheol's definition on Wikopedia is the "abode of the dead", the "underworld", "the common grave of humankind" or "pit".[2] In the Hebrew Bible, it is a place where both the bad and the good, slave and king, pious and wicked must go at the point of death."

Sheol should never be translated Hell. It's best translation is probably "the grave."
It is where we all go. Typically this translation is used, but when we get to the New Testament things change.

Hades is basically the same as Sheol. In fact the word Hades was substituted for Sheol when the Hebrew scriptures were translated into Greek. So why do we translate the 11 times hell? Honestly it is often translated Hell and the grave in the New Testament. Why aren't they consistent when translating? Maybe they want to put their own belief into what we read.

Gehenna is used 12 times in the New Testament. Only once outside the gospels. (James 3:6.) Gehenna was simply a garbage dump that burned outside Jerusalem. A place that today no longer exists.

"Tarazzo" is used one time and is the Greek word for eternal torment. It is interesting that Jesus never used this word. Have you ever wondered why? Most likely you never knew. Neither did I until a couple years ago when I was studying the Greek words translated Hell. In the passage, The writer of 2nd Peter (2 Peter 2:4) talks about the angels sent to "Tarazzo" and how if God sent them to eternal torment why wouldn't he judge you. I don't see in that passage where it talks about sending mankind to hell. Only that we will be judged.

Is it then possible that we won't be sent to an eternal burning Hell like the church teaches? I'm not saying that there won't be consequences for our wrongs or sins. If God is a God of justice, then there must be some kind of consequence.

What I am saying is that it may be possible that God will not condemn us to an eternal suffering simply for not accepting him.

Think about all the people in the world who have not seen a good example of following God. How could they be held responsible for not following what they see as corrupt? How could God give them the same judgment as a Hitler, Stalin, or Hussein? What about your good neighbor who helps people out but does not believe Jesus is God. Even though they do what is right are they subject to eternal punishment?

How many of you would beat your child until they are black and blue simply for not believing you? Isn't the idea of eternal torment the same? Maybe even worse, since there is no hope of getting out of Hell. Isn't what the church teaches about Hell eternal Child abuse? We are after all God's children and He is supposed to let us burn forever. What parent would do that to their child?

I'm sure someone is going to tell me that we send ourselves there, but if it was my child in Hell, I'd do everything to pull them out! Maybe God isn't all that powerful, because if He has the power and doesn't use it then what kind of God is that? I'd guess that he really didn't want to save everyone.

Think about how good the Gospel would really be if all could eventually go to Heaven. No more weeping over the lost loved ones dying and on the way to hell. We could tell of a God that was truly loving and not some torturous fiend. A God that would do anything for his children, even enter the Gates of Hell and pull his children to safety.

That's the kind of God that people would want to serve freely without being scared. A God that they could truly love because of His justice and real care for them. A God that they knew would do anything for them to the end.

What if the church has been mistaken? Would you be willing to stand up and be persecuted for what you believe in? The likes of Luther, Calvin, Huss, Wycliff and others stood up for what they believe in. Why not you? Think about this too. The likes of Origen, St. Clement, St. Jerome, Gregory of Nyssa, and many others taught that God would reconcile with all creation. The theory of Hell came as the Roman empire fell and the middle ages began. Why don't we go back to what the earliest church Fathers taught?

Why do I say this? Simply because I don't know anyone who truly believes in Hell. Yes, there are many who profess to believe in it and quote many scriptures, but no one actually acts like they believe it. If I truly believed in a Hell, I'd be begging people every moment I could to change their ways. Nothing else would matter. I see no one living who acts any where near this. So let's stop pretending we believe and start rethinking the question of an eternal punishment in Hell.