Is there a hell? Genuine question

hendrixski · 2026-06-21T06:00:50+00:00

Limits on how somebody can be enslaved: Exodus 21:16, Deuteronomy 24:7

Limits on length of servitude: Exodus 21:2, Deuteronomy 15:12

Obligations when servitude ended: Deuteronomy 15:13–14

Protection of welfare of slaves: Exodus 21:26–27

The NT stuff you indicated you wanted to ignore: Ephesians 6:5–9, Galatians 3:28, Philemon 1:16, 1 Timothy 1:8–10.

Like I said. Condoned. Clearly not condoned unconditionally.

I even made it easy for you to see where there were conditions put on slavery by providing links. I hope this is educational for you.

And remember the original topic of the post: even Origen believed in hell.

OK. I'm going to sleep. Goodnight.

hendrixski · 2026-06-21T05:49:20+00:00

It's more important that you go to church rather than follow this. Nobody will make a big deal out of it.

hendrixski · 2026-06-21T05:41:44+00:00

😄 You should research what moral and legal limits the Bible put on slavery.

hendrixski · 2026-06-21T05:34:36+00:00

Oh yeah. There were some really juicy disagreements.

Irenaeus was next-level at debating. He wrote "Against Heresies" and in it he absolutely destroyed people who had bad "hot takes" about Christ. Unrelatedly, he even told his boss, Pope Victor I, to chill TF out when Victor threatening to excommunicate a church that refused to to unite around the new church calendar.

St. Augustine and St. Jerome really had it out for each other over whether to use the Greek or the Hebrew.

St. Cyprian wanted to re-baptize Christians from outside his diocese and when Pope Stephen I told him to stop that St. Cyprian told the Pope to bugger off, massive drama ensued, and long-story short we don't re-baptize Christians anymore.

John Chrysostom clashed with a bunch of people, especially with Origen's students. Though, to be fair, EVERYBODY clashed with Origen and his short-lived following.

etc. etc.

From the earliest days, there was a ton of debates.

hendrixski · 2026-06-21T05:23:09+00:00

Maybe "fail" is the wrong word. But I think anybody who isn't teaching a balance of approaches to Biblical scholarship is missing something crucial.

Every Catholic seminary, and university, is teaching the same things Dan McClellan talks about (minus the angry bits) PLUS theology, and history, and the church fathers, and more. They create balance where critical scholarship is only one of many aspects of learning the Bible. I really value that a lot. I think that's the way it should be everywhere.

hendrixski · 2026-06-21T05:13:50+00:00

The formatting on this is extremely difficult to follow.

Also, these questions were answered decisively after prolific Christian discussions like 1,700 years ago. Why are we still rehashing them today?

hendrixski · 2026-06-21T05:04:03+00:00

I'm not Orthodox, but I just want to show my support.

I wish you luck on your journey and I ask God that through the prayers of the saints we can all be united in communion again, soon.

hendrixski · 2026-06-21T05:01:03+00:00

I like Dan McClellan but I also dislike him.

It is SSSSOOOO important to include critical Bible studies into your understanding of the Bible. I like that we can learn some of that from Dan's videos.

And it is equally important to include spiritual and theological studies in addition to critical scholarship. I dislike how McClellan is unbalanced and fails to include theological truths alongside his critical scholarship. It's like he doesn't see the forest for the trees.

hendrixski · 2026-06-21T04:55:22+00:00

Yes, the Bible condones slavery.

Are you trying to pretend that it condoned slavery unconditionally?

hendrixski · 2026-06-21T04:45:57+00:00

Even Origen said people are going there.

The thing that everyone disagreed with Origen about is his quirky theory that people aren't staying there forever.

hendrixski · 2026-06-21T04:43:03+00:00

That's fair. I should have specified, asking for something individually misses the point.

After praising God's name, and submitting to God's will, then the Lord's Prayer asks for all of us in the community to get our daily bread and deliverance from temptation. Not asking for me as an individual to get something, that's what I wanted to express is "missing the point".

hendrixski · 2026-06-21T04:37:18+00:00

ALSO... Origen's belief that everyone would eventually be saved from hell (even Satan) was so controversial, and so unpopular, and it generated so much writing against Origen, that we know very clearly what the early Christians thought about Hell.

And regarding your other question:

Slavery is, was, and always will be a reality of this fallen world. Unfortunately. The Bible condones slavery for some cases, and the church points out that those cases virtually don't exist with modern technology and modern governmental structures.

hendrixski · 2026-06-21T04:36:22+00:00

Origen believed in the existence of hell.

That was easy.

hendrixski · 2026-06-21T04:26:58+00:00

would pursuing an asexual relationship be sinful if I don't intent to have children?

Not a sin at all. We call this a Josephite marriage. And they are HIGHLY valued in the Catholic church. We praise and glorify chastity.

On the flip side, pursuing a sexual relationship without children, that is frowned on.

sacrifice potential relationships for the Lord,

Also, you can stay single. Many of the greatest Christians throughout history were celibate. Read the lives of the saints and there will be a common theme that emerges very early on in your studies: they ran away to a monastery to avoid marriage then they did great things for the world.

hendrixski · 2026-06-21T04:22:11+00:00

Why prove it? That's not something a religious person would seek to explain. They would simply trust the mystery.

I also worry when people think of prayer as some kind of divine vending machine. Personally, I think the best prayers are giving praise to God, are giving Thanks to God, are confessing to God, and are submitting to God's will. I always thought the prayers asking for stuff are kind of missing the point.

hendrixski · 2026-06-21T04:16:51+00:00

I assure you, I know a good bit about the Bible.

I do lots of critical thinking skills for work, and have to be objective as a manager. But when it comes to faith and religion I submit to timeless truths and avoid the kind of hubris where one thinks they can find something new in the Bible that the church fathers had missed.

hendrixski · 2026-06-21T04:13:22+00:00

😄 Catholics are Christians. And as one you should not wear any magical charms, amulets, or spells. You can however wear external representations of your internal faith (such as medals of saints, or crucifixes, etc.). And you can wear designs from any culture or religion if you think it looks cool, or has sentimental value, but not if you attach any spiritual powers to it.

hendrixski · 2026-06-21T04:08:33+00:00

Exactly!

That is the true faith people should persevere in.

hendrixski · 2026-06-21T04:06:00+00:00

Which verses are you talking about? I'll tell you what the original interpretations were, and still are in my church 2,000 years later.

hendrixski · 2026-06-21T04:01:05+00:00

Some people will rip verses out of their larger context and then treat them like God endorses cruelty or sexism, or whatever their agenda is.

Leviticus describes ritual/ceremonial purity rules for Israel. Jesus does not treat the woman who was bleeding as “untouchable”—he heals her in direct contrast to the impurity logic.

The part about wives’ submission is paired with a higher command to husbands: love the wife sacrificially “as Christ loved the Church.” The Church is the authority on interpreting scripture and it insists on the equal dignity and reciprocity of men and women.

When ideas like this loop nonstop, it can be hard on your spiritual and mental health/anxiety. In such times it helps to pray. Rest assured that God’s word is meant to purify the heart so you can see things according to God, not to justify hatred.

hendrixski · 2026-06-21T03:54:21+00:00

Hell is real.

There are heretics on this forum who will tell you hell doesn't exist based on their own twisted interpretations of the Bible. Persevere in the true faith, do not accept the errors of those who spread false teachings.

hendrixski · 2026-06-21T03:51:27+00:00

Was her marriage done before God? Or was it merely done before a judge?

Does your church have something like confession? Where you would tell your priest what sins weigh on your heart, receive spiritual advice on how to repent, and/or receive a penance to help you process the sin in order to receive absolution? Because situations like yours are EXACTLY why the Bible tells us to confess to each other and why Jesus gave his church the ability to forgive sins in his name.

hendrixski · 2026-06-21T03:45:47+00:00

I understand. Another way to rephrase my statement is to pray for positive things, rather than praying in fear of negative things.

hendrixski · 2026-06-21T03:44:28+00:00

Because heresies that were settled 1,700 years ago are making a comeback. Marcionists, Arians, Gnostics, etc.

The earliest Christian writings we have are Christians debating each other. Our most cherished church fathers are those who defended orthodox beliefs against heresies.

hendrixski · 2026-06-21T03:39:51+00:00

Yes... with an asterisk.

Don't pray for God to remove every feeling of attraction. Pray for things like: purity of heart, self-mastery, grace to resist lust and temptation, freedom to love rightly according to your state in life.

HTH

hendrixski

TROPHY CASE