Hell Is Temporary?

[Farsight one]

This is a copy and paste from one of my facebook debates that got commandeered by the Christians there who think the idea of purgatory is bad I figured I'd get no such commandeering here, so I'm posting it:

[quote]I want to make this clear right away that I don't hold this personal standpoint, but I think that it is a possible interpretation of things. By possible, I mean that it could match up to the bible if one were to interpret certain verses in the right way. However, my knowledge of the bible is sadly limited. So, I want to see how strongly this concept might hold up. That means that if you wish to, please debate me on this. I will try to defend it(and perhaps refine it somewhat along the way), and if I meet something that I find irrefutable, I will say so.(perhaps someone else might like to pick it up from there)

Ok, so here goes. This concept is that hell is temporary for some people. Some people are there for eternity, but some not so. Think if it as the ideas of hell and purgatory merged into one - That a person who is saved is temporarily sent to hell to be cleansed of the stain of sin by a "cleansing fire"(which is exactly what purgatory's purpose would be). The obscure references to the idea of purgatory in the bible could then be considered in this as reference to hell.[/quote]

[CatherineM]

I don't know what to think about that. I do believe in heaven, hell and purgatory, but realize that my finite brain has no hope of understanding an infinite reality. I remember hearing a story once that after the final judgment, Mary will go to work on Jesus just like she did at the wedding in Cana, and eventually talk him into releasing the souls sent to Heaven. Kind of a nice thought.

[Socrates]

Hell (like heaven) is forever.
Purgatory is temporary.

[Farsight one]

[quote name='Socrates' post='1381379' date='Sep 8 2007, 08:39 PM']Hell (like heaven) is forever.
Purgatory is temporary.[/quote]I know hell is forever, but does that mean that one's time spent there must be forever as well? The bible says that some that go to hell will never leave, but does it say all that go will never leave?

[Era Might]

"The teaching of the Church affirms the existence of hell and its eternity. Immediately after death the souls of those who die in a state of mortal sin descend into hell, where they suffer the punishments of hell, 'eternal fire.' The chief punishment of hell is eternal separation from God, in whom alone man can possess the life and happiness for which he was created and for which he longs." --Catechism of the Catholic Church, #1035

"Abandon all hope, ye who enter here." --Dante

[Farsight one]

I know what the Church officially teaches. I understand that. I'm just sort of playing devil's advocate here. While I am Catholic, assume that you are not debating one(as this hell is temporary concept is contrary to Catholic teachings). That means that using the Catechism holds no weight in this discussion. I'm sort of looking for bible verses that directly contradict my claim.

[CatholicCid]

I would think that, if arguing with a non-Catholic, one would need to hear their definition of hell first.

If the definition included say... Denial of God or Total Seperation from God...

Possibly these verses could be used to negate the temporary hell idea...

Mark 3: 28-29
28I tell you the truth, all the sins and blasphemies of men will be forgiven them. 29But whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven; he is guilty of an eternal sin."

Matthew 12:31-32
31And so I tell you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven. 32Anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but anyone who speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the age to come.


All offenses can be forgiven but blasphemy against the Holy Spirit...
If they cannot be forgiven of this eternal sin, then would they not be eternally seperated from God?
So, they would be in Hell, seperation from God.
If this is Hell, how can then any sins be forgiven if those in Hell are guilty of an eternal sin?

Just my uneducated thoughts on the matter.

Edited September 9, 2007 by CatholicCid

[Dismas]

[quote name='Farsight one' post='1381440' date='Sep 8 2007, 10:15 PM']I know what the Church officially teaches. I understand that. I'm just sort of playing devil's advocate here. While I am Catholic, assume that you are not debating one(as this hell is temporary concept is contrary to Catholic teachings). That means that using the Catechism holds no weight in this discussion. I'm sort of looking for bible verses that directly contradict my claim.[/quote]

I don't have Bible verses for you. There are a dozen or more people here that can search through online bibles or concordances better than me; so if you want them, I'm sure they will speak in due time.

What I can offer is real life. Have you ever dealt with an addict, or worse been one? The tongues of fire that rise from Hell do not lick just the dead. Have you ever sought to understand what is it that burns so hot within one enslaved to sin? I'm not talking about cheating on homework here, but the really nasty stuff. You know, real multiple Commandment breaking stuff. If you have not, I shall pray to God Almighty this very night that you do not.

Grace is a natural state, it is what we are meant for. Sin is an act of masochistic self-wounding. The object of sin is like a knife, and our souls are cut or punctured or even slaughtered with this sin. And with most any healing, spiritual wounds hurt more in the healing than in the receiving.

I am trying to hold the contents of my stomach in here, as this is rather personal. The salvation of the Cross to one so enslaved to sin is like a searing light. It causes tremendous pain, far more than the wound itself. That is not to mean there is no consolation from the Spirit, it is just so much easier to continue hurting ourselves than allowing Christ Jesus to heal us. Those who desire to embrace that light from the depths of that sin endure terrible agony within and anxiety throughout, which is dampened only by the immediacy of our flesh. Pray for such souls, oh how we need it.

For those souls unfortunate enough to enter Eternity in such slavery will never find that peace or consolation. We were all given a free will, and for those poor souls, they chose wrong. They behold Eternity, and will continue to eternally choose against grace and healing

[carrdero]

[quote]CatholicCid writes: I would think that, if arguing with a non-Catholic, one would need to hear their definition of hell first.

If the definition included say... Denial of God or Total Seperation from God...[/quote]
This definition sounds very similiar to atheism.

[ruso]

[quote name='Socrates' post='1381379' date='Sep 9 2007, 03:39 AM']Hell (like heaven) is forever.
Purgatory is temporary.[/quote]
It is as simple and true as what Socrates says.

The Jewish belief says however that the souls of the condemned will were destroyed after the final judgment.

[Dismas]

[quote name='ruso' post='1381936' date='Sep 9 2007, 04:47 PM']It is as simple and true as what Socrates says.

The Jewish belief says however that the souls of the condemned will were destroyed after the final judgment.[/quote]
One of the three Jewish beliefs in the Afterlife. During the time of Jesus, these three theories were batted around more than Christians do with Justification.

It took God to settle the matter.