Why would God send someone to hell over suicide?

[nevermore]

Because they needed a practical reason to keep everyone from killing themselves to go to heaven.

"there's this wonderful amazing place you'll go to... but ONLY if you follow our rules and believe this this and that, but not that over there..... and you can't take the easiest way to get there."

Pretty much. Religion formed as a social control mechanism, and this is part of that. They threaten you with the stick to keep you from grabbing the carrot out of their hand prematurely.

Because suicides are no fun, and God would rather not have party poopers hanging out at his place?

If that't the case, he really should try to do a better job at conveying the "though shalt not poop parties" commandment, because most of the worst party poopers I know are pretty damned convinced they're getting into heaven.

 

[Lindley]

Your actions on Earth do not determine you going to Hell or Heaven. Your beliefs make that determination.

You could be the meanest, biggest, son-of-a-bitch in the world and you get into Heaven so long as you have Belief.

Not in Catholicism. After a bit of Googling, I believe this is the relevant passage:
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew 25:31-46&version=NIV
It's all about what you do. And frankly it boils down to "be nice to people," which is a pretty reasonable dictate to base a religion around.

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

Nobody would knowingly choose such a fate for themselves.

Yeah, you'd think that, right? Yet some people just don't do their homework, as it were.

If I am wrong and end up in Hell, I will end up there for being mistaken. Not for being a bad person, not for any heinous acts, certainly not for choosing it - for mistakenly picking the wrong religion. Yeah, that's justifiable.

Mistaken, yes. Wrong religion, no.

I will concede that *religion* was invented by man, but God was not. Religion is our attempt to impress God.

And as for suicide: It's not the end of one's problems, it's only the beginning. People who kill themselves rarely think about the mess they leave behind. It's the ultimate selfishness, really: They get to end their lives, but the rest of us have to go on with just that much more pain.

 

[StarryEyed]

Nobody would knowingly choose such a fate for themselves.

Yeah, you'd think that, right? Yet some people just don't do their homework, as it were.

Once again, we're back to people going to Hell for being wrong, for not doing their homework.

Tortured in Hell for all of eternity for not doing your homework. Damn.

 

[T'Girl]

You could be the meanest, biggest, son-of-a-bitch in the world and you get into Heaven so long as you have Belief.

If you're the meanest, biggest, son-of-a-bitch in the world, then no, you don't possess belief. If you accept God, if you live (maybe imperfectly) by Gods words, then you go to heaven. And no, God does not send you to hell. When you die you can go to heaven or hell, God's decision is whether you come into His house. You treatment in hell is entirely of satan's design.

 

[Goji]

I will concede that *religion* was invented by man, but God was not. Religion is our attempt to impress God.

You are, like, aware that more than one religion exists, right? And that they tend to be so radically different as to directly contradict each other in a lot of areas? And that from a detached, logical viewpoint, no one appears any more correct than the other?

So, it's like your parents sitting you in front of a room full of glasses of water, all looking identical to you, and ordering you to pick the right one out on the the first, and only, try.

Oh yeah, and all the other glasses are fucking poisoned, and your lingering death throes will last an eternity.

Sounds like a real swell dude y'all worship.

 

[Brent]

A much better question would be, "Why does God send anyone to hell?"

Even if God is so petty as to subscribe to the "an eye for an eye" nonsense (unlikely since even us small, flawed Humans are capable of rising above that), no Human is capable of committing so heinous a crime to equate to eternal torture. I doubt any Human has the ability to even imagine a crime equivalent to that - much less carry it out.

firstly, God doesn't send anyone to hell, he wants everyone to go to heaven, but he has given us free will for us to decide our fate

secondly, God is is control of everything, and has the power to do anything, and quite frankly he can do whatever he wants, we can't understand him in human emotional terms, but we do know he loves us, and does desire us to be with him in heaven, he wants the best for us, but again we have free will so we decide for ourselves if we chose to follow ourselves or him

 

[StarryEyed]

You could be the meanest, biggest, son-of-a-bitch in the world and you get into Heaven so long as you have Belief.

If you're the meanest, biggest, son-of-a-bitch in the world, then no, you don't possess belief. If you accept God, if you live (maybe imperfectly) by Gods words, then you go to heaven. And no, God does not send you to hell. When you die you can go to heaven or hell, God's decision is whether you come into His house. You treatment in hell is entirely of satan's design.

Let me get this straight: People get to choose Heaven or Hell AFTER they die? I think I'll take Heaven! DUH!!!?

What's the point of the whole, silly religion thing if you get to choose after you die?

Okay, folks! This is it! On this week's edition of, "You Choose," serial killer Jeffery Damar gets to choose an afterlife of eternal bliss or one of eternal torture!

"What will it be, Jeffery?"

"Duhhh, I think I'll take Heaven."

"Wow! What a surprise! What influenced you're decision?"

"Duhhh, are you fucking stupid?"

"There you have it folks! Another exciting episode of 'You Choose!'"

 

[StarryEyed]

A much better question would be, "Why does God send anyone to hell?"

Even if God is so petty as to subscribe to the "an eye for an eye" nonsense (unlikely since even us small, flawed Humans are capable of rising above that), no Human is capable of committing so heinous a crime to equate to eternal torture. I doubt any Human has the ability to even imagine a crime equivalent to that - much less carry it out.

firstly, God doesn't send anyone to hell, he wants everyone to go to heaven, but he has given us free will for us to decide our fate

secondly, God is is control of everything, and has the power to do anything, and quite frankly he can do whatever he wants, we can't understand him in human emotional terms, but we do know he loves us, and does desire us to be with him in heaven, he wants the best for us, but again we have free will so we decide for ourselves if we chose to follow ourselves or him

So he loves us. But if in our limited intellectual and moral capacity (which he gave us), we fail, we are tortured in Hell for all eternity.

I want another parent.

 

[Lindley]

You are, like, aware that more than one religion exists, right? And that they tend to be so radically different as to directly contradict each other in a lot of areas? And that from a detached, logical viewpoint, no one appears any more correct than the other?

I always kind of liked the monks in Babylon 5 who believed that every religion from every sentient race revealed an additional facet of a greater truth.

It kind of fits well with a logical mindset, since mathematicians are used to the concept of high-dimensional shapes which can only be partially viewed in 3 dimensions at any one time, and which can look radically different depending on how they are projected into 3D space.

 

[Unicron]

I also liked the semi-religious view of the Minbari as mentioned by some sources (The Official Guide is one; not sure if it was directly mentioned in the show itself), that the universe created life in an effort to understand itself and we are each a small fraction of it.

 

[Michael Chris]

Your actions on Earth do not determine you going to Hell or Heaven. Your beliefs make that determination.

You could be the meanest, biggest, son-of-a-bitch in the world and you get into Heaven so long as you have Belief.

But a person of genuine faith cannot be an SOB. That said, I think that if a person is genuinely saved prior to the act then they remain saved. It is a sin, as it is rebellion against the will of God.

 

[Crusher Disciple]

that the universe created life in an effort to understand itself and we are each a small fraction of it.

Oooh, I like that. Those Minbari are pretty wise.

 

[bigdaddy]

Alot of Christians and others with different religions beleive in the idea that if you kill yourself you will go to hell. Does this make sense? Why would someone who is really sad be punished futher in the afterlife for something they did to themselves.

Jason

It's a religion, it doesn't make any sense and is full of bullshit from the several hundred years.

 

[Nerys Ghemor]

Your actions on Earth do not determine you going to Hell or Heaven. Your beliefs make that determination.

You could be the meanest, biggest, son-of-a-bitch in the world and you get into Heaven so long as you have Belief.

Not in Catholicism. After a bit of Googling, I believe this is the relevant passage:
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew%2025:31-46&version=NIV
It's all about what you do. And frankly it boils down to "be nice to people," which is a pretty reasonable dictate to base a religion around.

Even in Protestantism--and it's often misinterpreted by Protestants themselves--though faith must come first, works flow FROM faith. If a person sincerely believes, there won't be any issue of forcing them to do good works...they are the natural fruits of belief. And not from fear of condemnation, either...but because they are the inherently right thing to do. If these fruits of the spirit are not evident, then it could suggest the faith is not there. Ultimately, though, it is between God and that individual--if I tried to pass that sort of judgment on someone, I would be doing so in absence of all of the information.

On the subject of suicide, I see that as VERY much between God and that individual, and NOT my business to decide someone's eternal status. And I suspect that if someone's ill, He would take that into account. I believe that whatever He does in this regard, it is scrupulously fair. Will I even say 100% that no one of another religion has ever been accepted into Heaven? No. I believe, as C.S. Lewis says, that Christianity is by far the most logical and safest belief. But, that 100% certain condemnation? I may be branded a heretic by some but I will not say that.

(BTW, you guys may be interested to look up "Emeth" on Wikipedia. Lewis there lays out a scenario that really makes one think...)

 

[Asbo Zaprudder]

Suicide may be the only way to escape Quantum Immortality if the Many-Worlds Interpretation (MWI) is correct.

http://space.mit.edu/home/tegmark/quantum.html

However, suicide isn't always successful, and maybe the MWI is wrong. So maybe it's damned if you do, damned if you don't.

 

[T'Girl]

Let me get this straight: People get to choose Heaven or Hell AFTER they die?

Nope, choice come before you die, during your lifetime. There is a little matter of sincerity too. Live a life of sin and then verbally state "Okay, I believe in God now" doesn't cut it, needs to come from the heart.

 

[Brent]

A much better question would be, "Why does God send anyone to hell?"

Even if God is so petty as to subscribe to the "an eye for an eye" nonsense (unlikely since even us small, flawed Humans are capable of rising above that), no Human is capable of committing so heinous a crime to equate to eternal torture. I doubt any Human has the ability to even imagine a crime equivalent to that - much less carry it out.

firstly, God doesn't send anyone to hell, he wants everyone to go to heaven, but he has given us free will for us to decide our fate

secondly, God is is control of everything, and has the power to do anything, and quite frankly he can do whatever he wants, we can't understand him in human emotional terms, but we do know he loves us, and does desire us to be with him in heaven, he wants the best for us, but again we have free will so we decide for ourselves if we chose to follow ourselves or him

So he loves us. But if in our limited intellectual and moral capacity (which he gave us), we fail, we are tortured in Hell for all eternity.

I want another parent.

We have the capacity for faith, and to believe in him. It doesn't take much intellect to do that.

 

[thumbtack]

It's a religion, it doesn't make any sense and is full of bullshit.

This would explain why the average Christian is so much more terrified of death than you would expect them to be.

 

[TheLonelySquire]

Alot of Christians and others with different religions beleive in the idea that if you kill yourself you will go to hell. Does this make sense? Why would someone who is really sad be punished futher in the afterlife for something they did to themselves.

Jason

From what I've learned it doesn't guarantee it. However, self-murder is a very serious sin.