Who's in hell? Pastor's book sparks eternal debate

[Allhallowsday]

Who's in hell? Pastor's book sparks eternal debate 
DURHAM, N.C. – When Chad Holtz lost his old belief in hell, he also lost his job.

The pastor of a rural United Methodist church in North Carolina wrote a note on his Facebook page supporting a new book by Rob Bell, a prominent young evangelical pastor and critic of the traditional view of hell as a place of eternal torment for billions of damned souls.

Two days later, Holtz was told complaints from church members prompted his dismissal from Marrow's Chapel in Henderson.

"I think justice comes and judgment will happen, but I don't think that means an eternity of torment," Holtz said. "But I can understand why people in my church aren't ready to leave that behind. It's something I'm still grappling with myself."

The debate over Bell's new book "Love Wins" has quickly spread across the evangelical precincts of the Internet, in part because of an eye-catching promotional video posted on YouTube.

Bell, the pastor of the 10,000-member Mars Hill Bible Church in Grand Rapids, Mich., lays out the premise of his book while the video cuts away to an artist's hand mixing oil paints and pastels and applying them to a blank canvas.

He describes going to a Christian art show where one of the pieces featured a quote by Mohandas Gandhi. Someone attached a note saying: "Reality check: He's in hell..."

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20110324/ap_on_re/us_rel_hell__no

[Newt]

Wait a minute - before I read the article (I know, I know!) - Gandhiji is in HELL?  Talk about missing the point!     That's a FAIL in my book.  How sad.

[akiratubo]

Wait a minute - before I read the article (I know, I know!) - Gandhiji is in HELL?  Talk about missing the point!     That's a FAIL in my book.  How sad.

Well, he certainly wouldn't be in the Christian Heaven.

[RCMerchant]

Hmm...I would make a list except Hell doesnt exist. It's a scare tactic invented to keep folks in line.Whats amazing is that people still believe in this fairy tale s**t. Like Santa Claus and God made the world in 7 days.
Gimme a break.
My opinion,of course.

And people say Im crazy for my UFO thoughts. Hmm.

[Newt]

Wait a minute - before I read the article (I know, I know!) - Gandhiji is in HELL?  Talk about missing the point!     That's a FAIL in my book.  How sad.

Well, he certainly wouldn't be in the Christian Heaven.

In a way of course you are right.  BUT...for some of us, the minute the concept is confined/restricted/limited with a modifier it compromises the principle.  Who would put a limit on God's love?

Bah. I don't want to debate.  I should learn to keep out of it.   

[Newt]

Now I have read it: good article.  The comments after are just as good.  Gives me hope for humanity.

"If people are good only because they fear punishment, and hope for reward, then we are a sorry lot indeed." - Albert Einstein