Author Topic: Why are so Many People More Willing to go to Hell Than Follow (Read 2368 times)

Truth is Eternal · « **on:** September 26, 2010, 07:52:23 PM »

Guy says to me,

Quote

“A God that allows all of this bad stuff to happen is not a God worth worshiping. God made a mistake. If I go to Hell, I go to Hell and there is nothing I can do about it.”

Other guy in the room then says to me,

Quote

“All the money in the world won't buy me out of Hell.”

Another guy said to me,

Quote

“Hell is what you make it.”

Later on I asked this guy if he really believes Hell is what you make it and he said, "yes." I then said, “Since you believe Hell is what you make it, Do you want to go to Hell when you die?” He then got real angry and said, “I do not want to go to hell nor do I want my family to go there.”

People obviously know Hell is a bad place to go yet they refuse to remedy their situation. Do people think it is worth living a life of rebellion only to end up in Eternal Hell? Why do so many people hate God so much only end up in Eternal Hell?

I still don't understand why so many people are willing to live their whole lives without working out their salvation with fear and trembling so as not to end up in Eternal Hell.

MaterDominici · « **Reply #1 on:** September 26, 2010, 11:57:22 PM »

Unfortunately, it's far too easy to go about life in this world and seldom to never think about the eternal.

And, plenty of those who think about it just a little have been told that Heaven is where everyone goes except a dozen or so really bad people. The fact that these guys recognized Hell as a possibility (even if jokingly), is better than many.

Matthew · « **Reply #2 on:** September 27, 2010, 12:29:11 AM »

It's the mystery of iniquity.

Why do people choose Satan, who is a horrible tyrant, who doesn't keep his promises,

rather than God, who gave his Only-begotten Son to save us, Who is always faithful, Who supports us with His grace, gives us His own mother to help us, gives us countless helps on earth (Church, sacraments, Mass, Rosary, etc.)?

And when you seek the path of pleasing God, you have a peaceful conscience and you are *happier*, even in this Valley of Tears, than the ones who are headed for hell.

Seems like a no-brainer to serve God rather than the world or the devil, but some people apparently don't have a brain -- and that is the mystery of iniquity.

Why do so many people follow the path of sin, when the wages of sin is death?

Matthew

Charles · « **Reply #3 on:** September 27, 2010, 01:16:18 AM »

We are all sinners, but we can't use that as an excuse. One has to have strong faith to understand how vulnerable we really are. The lukewarm don't see it.

Those who just don't worry about it, and at worst are atheists, will certainly die a miserable death. Best they can hope for is that they die in their sleep.

And the saddest part of the post VII church is that the sermons are far too fluffy. priests read prepared homilies they print off the internet. Even the ones truly concerned for souls focus on His mercy without acknowledging His justice and wrath.

clare · « **Reply #4 on:** September 27, 2010, 03:01:20 AM »

People prefer immediate gratification to deferred gratification.

JoanScholastica · « **Reply #5 on:** September 27, 2010, 03:11:58 AM »

Quote from: Truth is Eternal

I still don't understand why so many people are willing to live their whole lives without working out their salvation with fear and trembling so as not to end up in Eternal Hell.

Quote from: Matthew

Why do so many people follow the path of sin, when the wages of sin is death?

I guess it is because most people always think base...

Trinity · « **Reply #6 on:** September 27, 2010, 06:43:06 AM »

To get into heaven we must become "like God". When God made us in His image, He gave us a bit of His power, that is free will. Then He gave us the ten commandments with which to limit ourselves and imitate Him. Later He came Himself to expound, explain and demonstrate them.

One of the ways we can best imitate God is in suffering, as He suffers us. In fact, that seems to be the way that best pleases Him. These days suffering isn't very popular, and with our free will, we will usually not choose it. To limit ourselves (deny ourselves) is to suffer. We don't choose it even though we know there is a possibility we might go to hell. We all prefer to escape suffering. So we are probably attempting to avoid any sort of hell and in saving our lives, we lose them.

Belloc · « **Reply #7 on:** September 27, 2010, 07:42:28 AM »

Quote from: Truth is Eternal

Guy says to me,

Quote
“A God that allows all of this bad stuff to happen is not a God worth worshiping. God made a mistake. If I go to Hell, I go to Hell and there is nothing I can do about it.”

Other guy in the room then says to me,

Quote
“All the money in the world won't buy me out of Hell.”

Another guy said to me,

Quote
“Hell is what you make it.”

Later on I asked this guy if he really believes Hell is what you make it and he said, "yes." I then said, “Since you believe Hell is what you make it, Do you want to go to Hell when you die?” He then got real angry and said, “I do not want to go to hell nor do I want my family to go there.”

People obviously know Hell is a bad place to go yet they refuse to remedy their situation. Do people think it is worth living a life of rebellion only to end up in Eternal Hell? Why do so many people hate God so much only end up in Eternal Hell?

I still don't understand why so many people are willing to live their whole lives without working out their salvation with fear and trembling so as not to end up in Eternal Hell.

UNless you can calmly represent and present the Fide to these people, I would politly leave the room, as it might become a target for a "natural" disaster....

Belloc · « **Reply #8 on:** September 27, 2010, 07:43:06 AM »

Quote from: clare

People prefer immediate gratification to deferred gratification.

guy I know used to ahve a saying:

"only in America does instant gratification take too long"

Truth is Eternal · « **Reply #9 on:** September 27, 2010, 04:39:34 PM »

This is part of the reason I quit going to the Catholic Church in the first place until I found out the Traditional Catholic Faith has the answers I was looking for. Now I am becoming a true Catholic. :reading:

Alexandria · « **Reply #10 on:** September 27, 2010, 04:50:25 PM »

Quote

People obviously know Hell is a bad place to go yet they refuse to remedy their situation. Do people think it is worth living a life of rebellion only to end up in Eternal Hell? Why do so many people hate God so much only end up in Eternal Hell?

I still don't understand why so many people are willing to live their whole lives without working out their salvation with fear and trembling so as not to end up in Eternal Hell.

Several reasons for this:

They have been repeatedly told that God is (and He is) All Merciful and have forgotten that He is also Just.

They think that they are "good" people with "good" hearts and aren't worthy of Hell.

They think that "God will understand" whatever mortally sinful act they do and excuse them the same way they excuse themselves without feeling the need to confess their sinfulness to a priest.

spouse of Jesus · « **Reply #11 on:** December 02, 2011, 09:51:01 AM »

Quote

One of the ways we can best imitate God is in suffering, as He suffers us. In fact, that seems to be the way that best pleases Him. These days suffering isn't very popular, and with our free will, we will usually not choose it.

Our faith gives us far less to suffer than many false religions. Even in temporary (earthly) things christians are far more happier and prosperous than many.

Quote

Seems like a no-brainer to serve God rather than the world or the devil, but some people apparently don't have a brain -- and that is the mystery of iniquity.

Why do so many people follow the path of sin, when the wages of sin is death?

Humility is so hard. Looking around me I see people who prefer to lose their worldly happiness rather than getting rid of their pride. People are willing to live a life of total misery and despair even when they could easily solve all of it by a little humility.
Jesus satisfies all your need and desires except our pride.
devil satisfies none of your wishes other than our pride.
It is why people chose satan.
Even in this life people love their pride more than their happiness.

Anthem · « **Reply #12 on:** December 02, 2011, 10:27:29 AM »

I tend to agree SoJ, that people are caught up in pride, which demonstrably is the first deadly sin. I also think that people have a false understanding of happiness and equate it only with material prosperity. This is another example of the lack of humility. If one is warm and dry (modest home and clothing) and has the basic necessisities to live (decent food), one has all he needs. Unfortunately, a person of this standard of living is judged (in the West, and US especially) to be living in near poverty.

Most people, even those who believe the existence of a literal hell, do not dare think of the real implications of hell. And, if they do, they believe hardly anyone actually winds up there. Anyone who understands what hell is ought to be scared stiff if he had the possibility of going there.

And the posters above are right as well. We hear, if anything, only the very basic cautions about hell in most homilies on the topic. Then it is quickly on to how if we "try" to live a "good" life, God will be merciful.

rowsofvoices9 · « **Reply #13 on:** December 02, 2011, 12:24:04 PM »

As Alexandria pointed out, part of the reason is because people have been told repeatedly how merciful God is that no matter how grave their sins. God knows all things and He understands the motivation behind all their actions and since God is so loving and merciful surely He would never condemn anyone to hell. Sadly they forget that God is also a God of justice and that He punishes sin. Some of the blame for this sad reality can be placed squarely at the feet of priests who have been remiss in their duties. Another reason is because people have become so habituated to sin that they are blind, their hearts are so hardened.