hell and meaning of life

Is it that, the profound meaning of life? To subscribe to a set of statements about God and Revelation, and to follow a set of hard moral rules and to perform some rituals, in order to plan for another life: in order to avoid eternal suffering?

Why would not it be enough to love one another and to work for the improvement of the world (its progress toward more justice, more knowledge, more liberty, more love, etc.), and at the same time enjoy all harmless pleasures that come?

I think most of these methods are complex, and ultimately means to another end. I’m not sure what that end is itself, really.
In answer to your second question, it wouldn’t be enough if the Mind that created the Universe such that it wasn’t enough. By bringing God into the conversation, you’re implying the possibility that what seems cool to us may not be the ultimate standard of greatness.

Just because something may not be the most appealing choice, that doesnt disqualify it from being reality. Having to spend this entire life planning for the next to avoid eternal damnation may just be the cards we were dealt.

S

It might possibly be but it isn’t wanted so it becomes impossible. If it were wanted it would be done.

Consider what the bulk of entertainment money is spent on. This is collective human interest. How could it ever lead to what you describe?

Yay first post!

From my standpoint, the meaning of life is to serve God, not necessarily to bow down to him out of fear. It should be out of love that we serve him. I believe our deeds don’t necessarily determine which way we go, but how we exit. To leave Earth as a serial killer turned saint on death row is vastly superior in God’s eyes to a watered-down “good ole boy” who may claim to be a Christian, but he really isn’t. Who’s he trying to convince anyways? I got no idea, but I certainly do like the idea of having “full coverage”.

oh come on yes you do. dark age priests/govt decided that the best way to curb crime is instill the belief that an all seeing god will punish you even if we dont. its either what i just said or the bible, right? was it the bible?

what if jesus was merely referring to the trash heap referred to as gehenna as a joke? “if youre a jerk, gods fate will probably send you to desperation shoveling trash in the ghetto”–thats something i would say if i believed in divine intervention. where is hell in the bible? where is purgatory? where is the ability to PAY your way out of purgatory? why believe it? you dont???

enjoy premarital sex regardless if anybody is hurt!!! NEVER!!! NEVER NEVER NEVE RNEGVENERNEVNERNERNEVERNE NNNNEEEEVVERRRRR!!! EVVVEERRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!!!

what did god say to the isolated island man, who just so happened to have two wives, in 34 AD?
is isolated island man rotting in hell? what about the isolated island man who *heard of jesus through a missionary but the missionary was killed and his beliefs were condemned? whats the ‘arbitrary’ rule then? is this juvenile?

does it not at all address fundamental problems with christianity?

No, not really.
You would think that instilling fear in the heart of society would actually raise crime…but hey that’s just me.
And to the isolated island man, more power to him. I believe God is one fair dude, and that while island guy might have two wives, does that make him any more of a sinner than I am? Am I perfect? No. While I do think polygamy is an unhealthy lifestyle, I don’t think God would send him to burn in eternity for something as silly as that.