Hell Fire

Priwen wrote: Surely you feel The Force stronger when you are practicing mindfulness and are appreciating the world around you rather than when you are focused on more impermanent and worldly desires?

Is that a definition or an observation. In both cases: Source, please.

To split the difference between Zenchi and Priwen...

My understanding of the Force leads me to think that one cannot actually detach from it. That said, I can detach in the sense that I am not conscious of that connection. Perhaps, in my pain or frustration, I do not 'feel' connected to anything around me. Or I forget that I am part of everything. That illusion of isolation sounds like suffering to me.

I don't know if it qualifies as a hell, but it's awful when it happens.

Gisteron wrote:

Priwen wrote: Surely you feel The Force stronger when you are practicing mindfulness and are appreciating the world around you rather than when you are focused on more impermanent and worldly desires?

Is that a definition or an observation. In both cases: Source, please.

Define what? The statement you quoted was an observation based on how I feel better when acknowledging The Force than when I'm too "caught up" to try and align myself with it, I said "Surely" because I can only assume that it's the same for most.

Your attitude seems very confrontational, there is no right answer here. We're just trying to contribute to Streen's thoughts.

Cabur Senaar wrote: To split the difference between Zenchi and Priwen...

My understanding of the Force leads me to think that one cannot actually detach from it. That said, I can detach in the sense that I am not conscious of that connection. Perhaps, in my pain or frustration, I do not 'feel' connected to anything around me. Or I forget that I am part of everything. That illusion of isolation sounds like suffering to me.

I don't know if it qualifies as a hell, but it's awful when it happens.

Thank you for clarifying my point! Words are hard :S

Streen wrote: Thoughts?

Any guy that's been married for a while knows what hell is and hell fire has nothing to do with it! :laugh:

Streen wrote: Thoughts?

It's important to remember that there are two types of fire found in Christian spirituality. One is a bright, gleaming, cleansing fire--the kind that touched the lips of the prophet in Isaiah. It is the righteous flame of the Holy Spirit, the tongues of fire on the heads of worshippers, the warmth of the love of God, the consuming fire of the sacrificial altar, the light of all things good.

The other is the fire of destruction. Hell, the Lake of Fire, all the imagery that goes with. However, if one notices, Hell is also associated (in biblical text) with great, great darkness. It's a fire that produces no light, only pain. An interesting concept.

Some say hell is other people. Most days, I'm inclined to agree :whistle:

But I do agree with those who say that Hell is well-and-proper the separation from a higher love. The thought of it is unbearable.

Streen wrote: When I was a kid I believed in heaven and hell. After I became a Jedi, I didn't believe in hell. Now, once again I believe in heaven and hell.

What those are depends on the individual. I don't think heaven and hell are two fixed places that are the same for everyone, nor do I think you have to stay in one or the other permanently. But the point of my post is that I heard a pastor say something unexpected. He said he's been asked multiple times whether or not he believes in real fire in hell. He said No. Mostly because, first, Jesus talked about it more than anything else, and second, he always talked symbolically.

The pastor explained that Jesus said God's love burns like fire. Surely that wasn't literal. So he went on to suggest that hell might simply be disconnection from God, that his love burns people in hell as torture, as something they can no longer touch.

Thoughts?

That's basically the way Orthodox Christians explain it, and they are the absolute oldest Christian tradition, so that might tell you something.

Older than Roman Catholic?

Rickie The Grey wrote: Older than Roman Catholic?

the Byzantine/Greek Orthodox and Roman Catholic traditions both trace their roots back to the Apostles, so are equal.

M Gray wrote:

Rickie The Grey wrote: Older than Roman Catholic?

the Byzantine/Greek Orthodox and Roman Catholic traditions both trace their roots back to the Apostles, so are equal.

It all depends on what side of the argument you are on, more often than not. Catholics view the Orthodox Church as having left the Catholic Church, and vice-versa.

I personally believe, from my study of things, that Orthodoxy has preserved more of the ancient faith than the other groups, but I could be wrong.

I say hell is the Sun. They talk of hell being fire and brimstone and hotter than anything we can imagine. The Sun is fire and brimstone and hotter than anything we can imagine. The "good book" says that Satan would give people something to believe in and not just be a hidden force like "god". It stands to reason when you think about it. Not to mention, when it gets hot during the summer we all say, "It's hotter than hell outside."

There is no science or "true" religious belief in this, but it does make a little bit of sense, at least in my ways of thinking. There is always a madness to my methods. :woohoo: