I've got a question about Christian "visions" of hell

Started by Manga, March 26, 2017, 10:34:55 PM

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Manga

Ok, so on youtube there are a variety of videos on some pro-Christian channels that encompass interviews of Christians who apparently were sinners, did not go to church, drank alcohol, masturbated, etc and they talk about how they had Near Death Experiences or visions while they were sleeping where they visited hell. Some describe hell as flames with many demons, and very loud screams, others describe it as a dark quiet place without God.
One experience kind of frightened me. It was about an elderly priest who used to be a firefighter when he was younger. He states that he took drugs often, smoked weed, drank, etc. He said he went to Sunday school for 12 years growing up, but that he never read the bible. Then he said his parents were not happy that he drank/ took drugs, so he stopped. One day, he was at work and somehow got electrocuted, and then he said he could still see clearly, suddenly, he saw utter darkness, and had a life review showing all of his sins ever committed. Then he saw demons, fires, called out to God, and His right hand came and pulled him out of the fire. Suddenly he was back at work and people came running as they heard him screaming. Then, he went to the hospital, and decided that he knew that hell was real.
What do you think could be an explanation of this experience? Do these so called "visions" give any of you atheists chills in case it is right?

Sorginak

Quote from: Manga on March 26, 2017, 10:34:55 PM
Do these so called "visions" give any of you atheists chills in case it is right?[/b]

No, because I know Hell is a place on Earth!

Baruch

Dreams/visions can be scary, crazy or pleasant.  Secular folk consider them to be hallucinations without any veracity.

So why do you think dreams/visions have any veracity?
Ha’át’íísh baa naniná?
Azee’ Å,a’ish nanídį́į́h?
Táadoo ánít’iní.
What are you doing?
Are you taking any medications?
Don't do that.

Hydra009

Quote from: Manga on March 26, 2017, 10:34:55 PMSome describe hell as flames with many demons, and very loud screams, others describe it as a dark quiet place without God.
Sounds inconsistent.  Almost as if people had come up with the idea of that place and differ widely in how they picture it.

Mr.Obvious

Quote from: Manga link=topic=11469.msg1172612#msg1172612 date
What do you think could be an explanation of this experience? Do these so called "visions" give any of you atheists chills in case it is right?

He could be lying. Though for argument's sake, let's say he wasn't.
Dude had god-only knows how many volts coarsing through his brain.
Is that far a leap for said damage to trigger a fire-related christian vision to a former firefighter, raised in the christian faith?
So, if it were real; it'd give me chills. Luckiky, it doesn't have anything to give it any substance.
"If we have to go down, we go down together!"
- Your mum, last night, requesting 69.

Atheist Mantis does not pray.

MyelinSheath

#5
My response to people who claim to have had personal "experiences" is the following: Why does God not give you actual evidence in these encounters you claim to have instead of giving you nothing more than an experience that will sound like a bogus, unbelievable story to most people you tell? Why, if he's the smartest dude in the universe, and clearly has the power to be a more effective communicator, does he give you revelations and visions instead of testable evidence to bring to people? He knows we humans rely on empirical evidence, so why does he seem to provide you with nothing that would convince a sane, rational person, but provides you with plenty of experiences, the stories of which being the type we would expect from lunatics we would normally lock up?

Munch

Quote from: Baruch on March 26, 2017, 10:46:41 PM
Dreams/visions can be scary, crazy or pleasant.  Secular folk consider them to be hallucinations without any veracity.

So why do you think dreams/visions have any veracity?

I don't really, I just see them as the brain mashing up pre existing thoughts, desires, experiences and imagined scenarios we put ourselves in. I've been in several waking horror themed dreams before, which I put down to my interest in creepypastas and horror movies, but more often some sexual themed ones, since I a bit of a horn-dog.
'Political correctness is fascism pretending to be manners' - George Carlin

SGOS

Quotehe said he could still see clearly
He didn't get knocked unconscious immediately.

Quotesuddenly, he saw utter darkness
He closed his eyes.  Probably entered an unconscious state

Quotehad a life review
He was dreaming

Quoteshowing all of his sins ever committed
He had unresolved guilt issues

QuoteThen he saw demons, fires
His father told him he would be punished for masturbating.

Quotecalled out to God
People often do when they are masturbating.

QuoteHis right hand came and pulled him out of the fire
His dream had a Hollywood plotline.  Promised never to masturbate again, and God saved him.

QuoteSuddenly he was back at work and people came running as they heard him screaming.
He regained consciousness, and opened his eyes.

Quotehe went to the hospital
Finally, something that makes sense.

Quoteand decided that he knew that hell was real.
Oops.  He lapsed back into fantasy.  Needs another jolt.

Unbeliever

#8
Quote from: Manga on March 26, 2017, 10:34:55 PM
Do these so called "visions" give any of you atheists chills in case it is right?
Nope, not me, but I can't speak for other unbelievers. Death is oblivion, just like the pre-birth oblivion, and it won't hurt a bit.
God Not Found
"There is a sucker born-again every minute." - C. Spellman

Jason78

Winner of WitchSabrinas Best Advice Award 2012


We can easily forgive a child who is afraid of the dark; the real
tragedy of life is when men are afraid of the light. -Plato

Munch

'Political correctness is fascism pretending to be manners' - George Carlin

Jason78

Winner of WitchSabrinas Best Advice Award 2012


We can easily forgive a child who is afraid of the dark; the real
tragedy of life is when men are afraid of the light. -Plato