by David Kramer

Created on: May 05, 2010

Debating whether hell is a real place or metaphor to deter evil-doers needs to be examined on two levels.   First there is the question whether or not hell is real and secondly if it is real, what purpose does it serve.

First some definition. Hell in the Bible is referred to as a place of torment, but was never intended for humankind.  It was prepared for the devil and the fallen angels who were not granted free will like humans were.  Free will cannot exist, however, without choices.  While the choices may be limited to two, heaven or hell, it's still a choice and still free will.   God does not force people to go to heaven, and at the same time does not send people to hell.  The choice is up to each individual, not based on a balance of good and evil they have done in life, but whether or not they have chosen to be with God.

Some believe that oblivion is the answer and those who do not accept God will go into nothingness.  After all, how could a loving God torment people just because they reject Him?  They forget, however, that humans were created in the image of God with a soul or spirit that never dies.  Therefore, when passing from this life the spirit must go somewhere.   If the person chose not to be with God, then that leaves one place.  A place that also happens to have torment because God is not present there to keep order and God being love, there is no love.  Imagine how quickly the world we live in now would become torturous in the absence of love and order.  

Therefore it is not a metaphoric place to coerce people into being good.  The Bible does not teach people to be good.  The Bible teaches people to choose God and to not hurt others or oneself.  The entire Mosiac law, and Ten Commandments can be summarized with love God first and foremost, and love your neighbor as yourself.   Think about those two things and if accomplished how they actually accomplish everything that was written into the Mosaic Law. 

The Bible is not a book of rules which state that when broken one is doomed to hell, there is no sin that cannot be forgiven except the rejection of the Holy Spirit, that is turning away from God.  As stated, God does not force anyone into heaven, but makes it possible that anyone can go to heaven.  If hell is a choice, then it is not necessarily a deterrent any more than prisons are in this life.  Prisons exists but they are

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