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"Do You Believe in Hell?"

slingblade

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An article at MSMBC news:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/14274585/from/RS.1/

asks if you believe in hell, offers a poll on religion (though some of the questions are worded funkily, especially for those who have no religious beliefs at all) from which you can learn how a sampling of Americans feels about religion, and offers a couple of videos in which Ted Haggard of the New Life Church in Colorado Springs (Fundie) and John Shelby Spong, retired Episcopal bishop, debate the existence of hell. I haven't watched them yet, but Spong supposedly discusses hell as a "control tactic," which I opine you'd have to be a moron not to see. I know, I know: tell us how you really feel, Sling.

Anyhoo, there 'tis. Insert usual request for thoughts and opinions here.
 
slingblade said:
An article at MSMBC news:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/14274585/from/RS.1/

asks if you believe in hell, offers a poll on religion (though some of the questions are worded funkily, especially for those who have no religious beliefs at all) from which you can learn how a sampling of Americans feels about religion, and offers a couple of videos in which Ted Haggard of the New Life Church in Colorado Springs (Fundie) and John Shelby Spong, retired Episcopal bishop, debate the existence of hell. I haven't watched them yet, but Spong supposedly discusses hell as a "control tactic," which I opine you'd have to be a moron not to see. I know, I know: tell us how you really feel, Sling.

Anyhoo, there 'tis. Insert usual request for thoughts and opinions here.
Click to expand...
HELL NO!
 
slingblade said:
asks if you believe in hell, offers a poll on religion (though some of the questions are worded funkily, especially for those who have no religious beliefs at all) from which you can learn how a sampling of Americans feels about religion,
Click to expand...
You're right, some of the questions don't really have an "atheist" response, but you don't have to answer all of them in order to vote on the ones you can answer. Right now 14% don't believe in hell and 13% don't believe in heaven-- not a bad atheist showing.
 
The videos are short, but good. I like Spong. I felt comforted just watching him.

JamesDillon, yes, I agree; I found it to be a good representative showing, considering it's just an online poll.
 
Right now, 14% don't believe in Heaven. I suspect this is skewed toward atheism due to being an online poll, and sci-fi geeks being online :D .

It's interesting that 75% believe in an afterlife, but only 62% in hell. Is this a number of liberal Xians, or does it reflect a broader spirituality?
 
I'm not worried about going to Ted Haggard's version of Hell, just like he's not worried about going to the Muslim version of Hell, or the Hindu version of Hell, or any of the other versions of Hell.
 
Jimbo07 said:
Right now, 14% don't believe in Heaven. I suspect this is skewed toward atheism due to being an online poll, and sci-fi geeks being online
Click to expand...

Maybe, but compare the number of people registered on this site with the number registered on Rapture Ready:

JREF RR

Registered members: 9,527 19,724

Active members: 2,147 10,968

Number of posts: 1,828,920 3,459,462

Makes me wonder if it isn't skewed the other way.
 
@RSL: It was a Digitech Talker, and anyone who claims it was Antares Autotune is pulling your-

Oh, wait, wrong forum. Never mind.
 
The questions under "Weigh In" are difficult to answer if one is an atheist.
Do you interpret your religion's texts as literal or figurative truths?
Literal truths / Figurative truths / Both
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The questions are written terribly and don't take all answers into account (as in there is no "neither" option, nor is there a "no religion" option).

In my mind, this makes to poll useless.

This is actually something I notice in a lot of places, a misunderstanding of the atheist position.
 
Bob Klase said:
Maybe, but compare the number of people registered on this site with the number registered on Rapture Ready:
Click to expand...
Talking of RR, (and hijacking the thread) I registered there a few days ago but I still haven't been given posting rights. I mailed their admins to reassure them I wasn't a troll but still no reply. Is this normal for them?
 
I would imagine they figured out you were in France, and therefore hated America, and therefore hated Jesus, and thus were a hellbound sinner who was only joining to try and lead a few righteous souls into damnation. You bastard.
 
Not only do I believe in hell, I'm completely convinced it is the religion and philosophy section of this forum. Irresistable curiosity eventually lures you to enter against your better judgment, and once inside you find only the inescapable torment of eternal nonsense waiting for you. :eek:
 
Marquis de Carabas said:
I would imagine they figured out you were in France, and therefore hated America, and therefore hated Jesus, and thus were a hellbound sinner who was only joining to try and lead a few righteous souls into damnation. You bastard.
Click to expand...
That's always possible, but improbable. Knowing that I live in the land of culture and good taste would make them MORE likely to let me in.

My paranoia was that with a few JREFers signing up there they might be double checking and blocking JREF members. I've used the same user name and email address because I have nothing to hide and I also don't intend to cause any trouble. I just want to read the posts and do some searches. Unregistered readers cannot search threads.
 
Latest update:


Do you believe in an afterlife? * 11460 responses

Yes
71%
No
17%
Undecided
11%

Do you believe in Hell? * 11455 responses

Yes
56%
No
35%
Undecided
9.2%

Do you believe in the Biblical description of Hell as "fire and brimstone"? * 11462 responses

Yes
41%
No
48%
Undecided
11%

Would you attend a church that does not believe in Hell? * 11314 responses

Yes
28%
No
56%
Undecided
16%

Does your belief in Heaven motivate you to do good in life? * 11425 responses

Yes
61%
No
22%
Not applicable -- I don't believe in heaven
17%

Do you interpret your religion's texts as literal or figurative truths? * 11056 responses

Literal truths
23%
Figurative truths
40%
Both
36%

Have you ever seriously questioned the teachings of your religion? * 11260 responses

Yes, I have
74%
No, I have not
26%

Have you ever converted to another religion in your lifetime? * 11284 responses

Yes, I have
23%
No, I have not
77%
Click to expand...
 
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The one that just blew my socks off was "Does your belief in heaven motivate you to live a good life." -- 62% said yes.

Well, if that's not an argument to leave religion alone I don't know what is. Can you imagine that 62% losing their motivation?

Jeez!
 
StewartP said:
Talking of RR, (and hijacking the thread) I registered there a few days ago but I still haven't been given posting rights. I mailed their admins to reassure them I wasn't a troll but still no reply. Is this normal for them?
Click to expand...

hey me too...although i registered about 2 weeks ago....i thought it would be interesting....

but i still cant post....

maybe they've been doing a background check and have found out i'm not holy enough or something :D
 
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