Everything You Think You Know about Hell is WRONG w/ Jimmy Akin

This clip was taken from a recent livestream with Jimmy Akin. Watch the full interview here: • 10,000 Objections to C...
In this clip, Jimmy talks about what Hell will really be like. Hint: it's probably not going to be lakes of fire.
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[@MultiJpad]

I try to imagine a life without God, it's a nightmare, no truth, no love, no way to move towards God, it's scary.

[@awuriefnejqwjmnwn4960]

100%, and we can see this even among the living. They are not mentally well

[@bbjornrud]

it's actually really great and freeing!

[@wet-read]

This notion is incomprehensible to me. Each of us probably thinks the other is metaphysically challenged. Whatever.

[@rumrunner8019]

As a child of the late 80s early 90s, I never imagined Hell as being a place of fire. Instead, I imagined it being a dark place of leather-bound demons torturing people who played with the wrong puzzle box.

[@WienerBrigadier]

And Jesus Wept

[@skylernova489]

I feel there's a reference here that my 2000s brain isn't getting

[@rumrunner8019]

@@skylernova489 it's a reference to "Hellraiser"

[@nicholasim1317]

😂

[@user-np8nr5uw3r]

Puerile take on things

[@allisonfogarty2822]

When listening to Jimmy's description, I immediately thought of Our Lady of Fatima. I went and read Sr Lucia's account of the vision of hell that Our Lady showed the seers and it is not a place of "feeling" that Jimmy appears to describe as hell, it is way worse... I think I will defer to Our Lady and not the modern mentality of Hell.

[@rosemaryfernandez3197]

Yes. Also, so many, many others Saints have actually seen hell as physical fire as well. I find this argument very modernist and not meshing completely with Church teaching.

[@joechriste7052]

What if those visions of hell show physical fire to these people so that they are able to mentally grasp the reality of the painful truth about it? Like angels appearing to look like men so that they are easier for our human minds to accept. God appears to Moses in the burning bush, because it’s not possible for men to look upon God and live. It is entirely possible for them to be shown an image of hell, that is easier for the human mind to comprehend as God has done throughout history of divine revelation.

[@NaruIchiLuffy]

I'll tell you what psychological or physical, matters little to me, both versions of hell sound hellish and practically speaking I wouldn't want a part in either.

[@Kyntai]

I thought of the exact same thing.

[@seanthompson5077]

WHAT??? It’s a symbol?? That’s not what the Lord taught. The rich man cried out and said, “Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, for I am in anguish in this flame.” This is our Lord speaking. Is the Eucharist only a symbol? God is both merciful and just, but Hell has been watered down lately.

[@theamericanfarmstead131]

God is so good! Just yesterday my husband and I were discussing this very topic and pondering the justice of hell, especially as it seems so unjust to our incompetent understanding... how perfect for you to post this video, thank you Matt Fradd and Jimmy Akin! May God continue to bless you and your work!

[@espositogregory]

God sends no one to hell. But countless people choose hell and send themselves there. We either love God and follow Him or we reject God’s laws and send ourselves to hell. One cannot “love” God but reject His teachings.

[@carollyon4755]

@@espositogregory Amen.

[@utubeskreename9516]

The general consensus by Bible theologian commentators has historically been that when the Bible IS being figurative, using natural/physical descriptions for something, it is WAY BETTER than the positive described or WAY WORSE than the negative described... think about that one for a second.

[@michaelanthony4750]

You could somewhat imagine it. Imagine being burned by fire but consoled by God's love vs no fire and experiencing no love or happiness and being alone by yourself forever.

[@benbing3926]

Very good explanation. I think that a big problem that I have is that I'm constantly grappling with scrupulosity, distraction, not trusting in God enough... and I essentially act like I'm in Hell. However, I'm not in Hell (and I certainly don't want to go to Hell), I'm on Earth, and I need to and strive to embrace God, INCLUDING the positive and joyful parts of that embrace.

[@jtparker9890]

You're the man Matt! Prayers for you and the family.

[@pstrzel]

Imagine being in an unfulfilled state of hatred and rage, envy, pride, lust, and an overwhelming experience of despair and loss because of the lack of any hope. That's how I think of the fire of hell.

[@awuriefnejqwjmnwn4960]

Agreed, and it is reflected in real life. I have met alot of people who are on antidepressants, none of them christians. Being hopeless will cause your torment, its utterly self inflicted

[@christianf5131]

Even if hell isn’t literal fire, emotional torture would be horrible too. I don’t know that this makes me feel any better about hell and my fear of going there

[@SheepofChrist818]

God made it so we don’t have to fear. Salvation is literally a free gift. All you have to do is receive it by faith. Trust in Jesus alone for salvation and you are saved and sealed forever.

[@reokagro]

@@SheepofChrist818cant force your heart to believe and its not free you have to repent from sin which this world is full of and live your life a certain way limiting basically everything nowadays just simply trusting in god and believing doesnt mean your saved

[@SheepofChrist818]

@@reokagro The Bible literally says believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved (Acts 16:30-31). Repenting of sins is works. Obeying the law. Changing your works. God doesn’t require that.

[@reokagro]

@@SheepofChrist818 he says if you love god you will follow his law and repent from sin. you are just twisting the words to justify you being able to do whatever you want but because you believe in god you will go to heaven no matter what

[@SheepofChrist818]

@@reokagro Do you love God to go to Heaven? Or do you believe? Loving God is a work. God doesn’t need your works. He only requires Faith. You are condemned because you don’t believe (John 3:18). You’re slandering me just like Paul was slandered. “And not rather, (as we be slanderously reported, and as some affirm that we say,) Let us do evil, that good may come? whose damnation is just.” ‭‭Romans‬ ‭3‬:‭8‬ ‭KJV‬‬

[@danieldimitri6133]

Some months ago i experienced a feeling of a lack of love or a lack of a connection with god for a few days. I remember years ago catholic religious groups would distribute audio tapes of exercisms and during one a demon said that the worst part was being cut off from god or gods love. That's the only way i could describe what i felt and i think it was a great grace or warning to me that i needed to do better. When i discussed this with a friend she said she experienced something similar when she imagined what if it really was all evolution etc... And that yet another friend of hers said they felt it all at a time period slightly prior to my experience. Very strange. An acquaintance who was athiest seemed to have some spiritual curiosity around this time. I hate to seem too paranoid about the end times. But i think god is getting us ready. I think this youtube channel is helping many people.

[@csongorarpad4670]

God has always set out to get us ready, as it is always the time for somebody... Now, whether it's on a grander scale, it's for the best not to think about it and simply do what must be done regardless.

[@beatlecristian]

The day that we die is a lot closer than Jesus coming on the clouds so I would worry about the end of my life more because then I can get ready for Jesus’ second coming at the end of my life.

[@danieldimitri6133]

Actually scriture says he'll gome like a theif in the night and no man will know the day nor the hour.

[@beatlecristian]

@@danieldimitri6133 Jesus is coming when we die so why do I need to worry about the End Times when we’re not even promised tomorrow? Is worry about this going to get you to Heaven?

[@Darth_Vader258]

@@beatlecristian My prayer to my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ ✝️ is to DIE sooner. So that I *DON'T* OFFEND Him any more, and possibly end up in Hell. But the Lord probably won't grant this, since it will DEVASTATE my LOVED ones.

[@itinerantpatriot1196]

Hell is an absence of God. I experienced that in this life and it is an awful way to live. To spend an eternity away from God? There's no fire needed to make the suffering any worse. That is why I beg forgiveness and trust in His redemption. God wants us with Him. The question then becomes; is that where we want to be?

[@user-np8nr5uw3r]

Fire isn’t needed? Really?

[@ThePhilosorpheus]

I dont see it necessarily as an either/or question. It could be fire AND an emotional state of the soul. The most compelling description of hell for me is that the very fire of God's love burns like the fires of hell to those who reject God. It's the same fire. The fire of love is not a literal fire, but the analogy is more than mere poetry, it feels like fire in a very real sense.

[@nelsondantas3040]

Jimmy Akin seems to completely dilute the severity of hell! St Faustina n St John Bosco have well n truly explained what hell looks like in reality!🙏🙏

[@jeffwalczak1003]

Hellfire is much worse than literal earth fire. Hellfire burns souls.

[@brianw.5230]

The Church has been "watering down" the topic of Hell for a long time. Regarldess of what it is exactly, it's horrible and we should avoid it.

[@partydean17]

The church has not been watering it down. Islam, greeks,, and Dante's inferno did most of the torture pit building. The church is trying to keeping things consistent with what Jesus said about being the only way to eternal life

[@brianw.5230]

@@partydean17 lots of saints saw horrible visions of Hell. Fatima, Saint Teresa of Avila, Saint Faustina, Saint John Boscoe, etc. I never hear priests give homilies on Hell anymore.

[@maxamahnken7325]

Wrong. False.

[@thyikmnnnn]

@@brianw.5230Since when had ‘visions of saints’ been infallible ?

[@brianw.5230]

@thyikmnnnn they're not but I believe them.

[@cafecomescrita]

It is literally fire consuming souls. Reality doesn't change because it sounds strange to modern audiences.

[@kauekodama3234]

Yes, exactly. Jimmy and Matt Fradd are doing a disservice here by twisting the meaning of such an important part of the revelation and misinforming people.

[@scsteeldrums]

I've been burned in fire, and I've felt separation from God, and separation from God was worse.

[@kauekodama3234]

@@scsteeldrums You haven't felt your whole body burning for all eternity.

[@cadenorris4009]

@@kauekodama3234 and he also hasn't felt separation from God for all eternity either. That somehow makes one worse than the other?

[@kauekodama3234]

@@cadenorris4009 What does it even mean to feel separation from God? Everyone can somehow imagine how terrible it would be to feel one's body being permanently burned. But separation from God sounds more like a manner of speaking, and to be honest it seems to be more in line with the atheist belief in eternal oblivion after death.

[@anonymouscrank]

Abject hopelessness--despair beyond any experienced in this life as the soul knows it is without end.

[@pilgrim3387]

I'd love if the same question was put to Ralph Martin. I'd bet he'd say it involves real fire. Also there is a small museum in Rome, Piccolo Museo Del Purgatorio, or “Museum of the Holy Souls in Purgatory,” it holds a collection of scorched handprints and other items believed to be from souls seeking prayers and masses from their loved ones.

[@masterofblabber367]

Found this insightful, thank you so much!

[@johnclark1371]

Thank you. Very well explained. I’ve found a hell on earth when I have knowingly separated myself from God. That separation has always caused intense psychological pain. Fortunately, God always welcomes us back after we have fallen away.

[@Jacob-lt8de]

Jimmy's great! Definitely disagree with him here. It's not a straw-man to describe Hell as unending fire/torment especially when that's the exact language Jesus Christ used. The straw-man is "God's going to send me to Hell because I jerked off", that's what Matt was trying to get at, but I think Jimmy got stuck on the hellfire bit and missed the actual hang-up which is the seeming inequality with the crime and it's punishment.

[@jabelltulsa]

Agreed. I'd like him to carry on from Matt's point. I'd really like to hear that.

[@verum-in-omnibus1035]

Jimmy describes hell as basically something is just a bit uncomfortable - making Christ and the Church liars. Modernist want to tiptoe a bit softly softly around dogma, and it only serves to turn people away. This whole episode was like that.

[@jabelltulsa]

@@verum-in-omnibus1035 that was my thought as well. I think the inadequacy of our language to describe Hell is only deficient in illustrating how much more awful it must be. Further, the must be some sort physical effect as well, as we will be Untied body and soul after the final judgement.

[@joechriste7052]

Yeah, my question to Jimmy would be, so what happens when those souls in Hell are reunited with their bodies on the last day? Does the fire become more literal then because now they have physical bodies again?

[@fringednomad2229]

@Brian Farley how is he trolling? Watch the video he posted. Akins is a weird dude and not really someone I would recommend listening to.

[@Damian1975]

Thankyou. That was helpful.

[@thegoldendojoloach6832]

Clip about liking and subscribing at the end made me chuckle.

[@NorthCountry84]

Great clip burn it would be way more awesome to have a full episode on hell or at least all the last things

[@hellene3546]

The other way to understand hell is the Orthodox viewpoint that hell is not a physical place or a realm that is void of God, since God is omnipresent. God is Good. He is pure. As Jimmy says, hell is a state of separating oneself from God. What is experienced as hell by an unrepentant soul is God's presence. His Spirit being pure and the revealer of everything will feel like fire to the sinful soul and pleasant to the repentant one. Heaven are Hell are both in God's presence

[@thinkaboutit8653]

Agreed. This is the simplest way and what I believe is the most accurate explanation 👏

[@sebastiangiucastro2426]

This is perfect. I’m a Catholic and I’m shocked to see so many Catholics believe hell to be a literal fire. I would argue this is a pagan idea. 👍🏽

[@JimCvit]

I'm glad you posted this snippet. It's been on my mind since I watched it. I'm a huge fan of Jimmy. He's one of the best if not the best out there. But...I think he's wrong on this one. His point here is that hell isn't really what Scripture says. To me that's the same as a Protestant saying the Eucharist is just a symbol. I know he goes solely from scripture but in this case I think script is right. Yes, I'm basing it off some private revelations from St Catherine of Siena in ten Dialogues recorded in four parts. On a side note regarding Aquinas saying that a a fire can burn a non-material soul can be 100% right. God can do that. He is omnipotent. To say otherwise says that God can't do it and that is foolish. I think Jimmy needs to rethink his case on this one. Also, one of the things that the catechism says is that hell is a state of separation. For non-material souls that state can be a state of a place. "So I say to you, that in Hell, the souls have four principal torments, out of which proceed all the other torments. The first is, that they see themselves deprived of the vision of Me, which is such pain to them, that, were it possible, they would rather choose the fire, and the tortures and torments, and to see Me, than to be without the torments and not to see Me. This first pain revives in them, then, the second, the worm of Conscience, which gnaws unceasingly, seeing that the soul is deprived of Me, and of the conversation of the angels, through her sin, made worthy of the conversation and sight of the devils, which vision of the Devil is the third pain and redoubles to them their every toil. "The fourth torment that they have is the fire. This fire burns and does not consume, for the being of the soul cannot be consumed, because it is not a material thing that fire can consume. But I, by Divine justice, have permitted the fire to burn them with torments, so that it torments them, without consuming them, with the greatest pains in diverse ways according to the diversity of their sins, to some more, and to some less, according to the gravity of their fault." Let's also not forget Fatima in which Our Lady showed the children hell and told them to pray "save us from the fires of hell." Every saint who has been given these graces all agree: there is fire in hell. Our Lord attested to that.

[@Sonnyjune69]

Most Protestants I know don’t believe the Eucharist/Communion is ONLY a symbol - we believe spiritual things are occurring - but we do believe that the bread and wine remain bread and wine rather than somehow literally becoming Christ’s body/blood. There is a lot of nuance between Catholic and Protestant views of the Eucharist, but actually much more similarities than most people realize.

[@JimCvit]

@@Sonnyjune69 yea I agree with that. I was just used that because it’s easier to understand that’s all.

[@bethanyann1060]

I agree. I think it is more prudent to go with what Scripture and the saints say. Although Jimmy would say we’re not obliged to believe private revelations.

[@fringednomad2229]

I used to really like Jimmy Akin. But he has been saying a lot of stuff that goes against scripture and what the Saints have taught. And with his past statements and beliefs, I just don’t trust the guy anymore.

[@JimCvit]

@@bethanyann1060 then you have Scripture

[@mariobaratti2985]

I must disagree with this one, also because it directly contradicts visions of saints like John Bosco. And I fear many times we don't want to see how terrible hell really is because we are afraid but the fact the hell is with fire is an euphism in my opinion. Souls cannot be put on fire, it's true; but our bodies will resurrect. Before that it's likely those souls will suffer hallucinations and spiritual torments, something like deep terrible depression sadness and desperation. Then once the bodies are resurrected, of course you'll have fire. Fire and way worse; visions of Saints report all kind of horrible tortures and torments to the damned. If you read the Gospel of Matthew it's hard to not see this coming tbh

[@manny4012]

Even though we visualize fire when we think of hell we have to remember that it’s not the only way hell is described in scripture. It’s also described as a cold and/or dark place.

[@mariobaratti2985]

@@manny4012 yes it's all of those thing together

[@andrewt.2850]

The fire of hell is a spiritual fire, lit by God's anger. This fire will burn the soul in ways that fire on earth cannot.

[@abelovedchildofgod7383]

The St Vincent Ferra who had the vision of hell say that the fire on this earth is cool compared to the fire of hell.

[@mattmalcolm534]

Exactly, I was wondering why Jimmy assumed we are only talking about the timeframe between death and the General Judgment. Since the afterlife is eternal, nearly all of that time will be spent united with our bodies.

[@gregw74]

I wish Jimmy would have elaborated on how hell might be "experienced" relative to eternity. If there isn't any "sense" of time in hell because there is no time to be experienced (a finite created thing) then I would assume it's experienced as a perpetual now or moment. In other words, the experience of hell isn't subject to the sensation of time given that "time" (as we experience now, a finite creation) will no longer exist. Does that make sense?

[@americanrefugee6756]

The difference is between those sinners who DO REPENT and those sinners who do not. Our LORD does not condemn us for sinning. Rather, we condemn ourselves for failing to REPENT. R-E-P-E-N-T therefore, and be blessed. 🌹✝️💪🏻

[@AJ_Jingco]

​@@EduardoRodriguez-du2vd You will have CONSEQUENCES for your SIN on this Earth.

[@electrifiedspam]

We could borrow from Plato and say that the fore is the ultimate realization of 'fireness.' That would burn anything.

[@chaunceyhart1346]

Our Lady of Fatima would disagree

[@majorpuggington]

As people of faith, we KNOW by SUPERNATURAL FAITH, that God never errs, that people go to hell by their own choice, that God's mercy will not fail us if our life has as its core goal, k owing, loving and serving God. Seeking to live in the Divine Will. Say your rosary daily and do not be afraid. God wants you in heaven more even than you want to be there.

[@pop6997]

I like Saint John Henry Newmans way of articulating the last things, as they make the most sense to me in relation to our loving and merciful Father.

[@Sonnyjune69]

He is as equally loving and merciful as he is wrathful and holy against sin.

[@arthurdanzi404]

How does he do it?

[@bman5257]

@@Sonnyjune69In a certain since I don’t want to create inequalities in God, but I would agree with CS Lewis that Hell is finite and Heaven is infinite. Hell can not do hell as well as Heaven can do Heaven. A butterfly from heaven could swallow up all of hell.

[@Sonnyjune69]

@@bman5257 What do we do with the Scriptures that say the lake of fire is eternal? Do we just say nahhh it's not actually, because we have a nicer way of looking at it?

[@bman5257]

@@Sonnyjune69 I’m not referring to duration. I’m referring to size and magnitude. I think Hell is of infinite duration but the lake of fire is a metaphor. If it were literal than how would it be the “outer darkness”. A lake made of literal fire that contained all the danmed, would not be dark, that would be extremely bright.

[@darlameeks]

Jimmy's description of hell using the Biblical language figuratively makes a lot of sense. Thanks!

[@MattisWell.20]

I have found that the doctrine of hell is only a problem when it teaches that justice is retribution, rather than rehabilitation. “Primarily, God is not bound to punish sin; he is bound to destroy sin. The only vengeance worth having on sin is to make the sinner himself its executioner.” - George MacDonald If anything is to be considered true justice, and if suffering is to be involved in that system of justice, it can never be suffering without a remedy. God only destroys so that He can re-create. There is no justice found in destruction purely in and of itself.

[@cookielemons]

Bless this oasis of a comment amid the frothing infernalists venting their spleens in this comment section. Bonus points for the MacDonald reference as well.

[@MattisWell.20]

@@cookielemons 😆🙏🙌 Honestly, may all glory be to Christ alone! May what He accomplished on the Cross awaken in every heart! Amen. ✝️❤️‍🔥🕊

[@ntmn8444]

I agree.

[@kaifreyleue5961]

Interesting: God only destroys so that he can re-create. This reminds me of Samsara. In Hinduism and Buddhism, there are many different hells that the wicked may be reborn in, depending on what kinds of crimes they committed in life. They receive their punishments for the evils they committed in life, and while it lasts a long time, it is not forever. Eventually, the soul dies and is reborn into the world in order to "try again" - hopefully, the soul learned its lessons and can do better this time around. Is your idea similar to this? There are Christians out there who believe in reincarnation. My friend's mother is one of them. Or, do you see hell as sort of a "cleansing" of sins without the need for a do-over?

[@erinreilly33]

I think those that choose hell (turn their back on God) will ultimately just be completely destroyed and wiped from history. The Catholic Church teaches of purgatory where you repair for your sins and eventually meet with God. But Hell is eternal and there is no coming back.

[@alexchristopher221]

An EO exorcist priest once asked the devil whether the souls in Hell are literally burning alive. The devil told him that what takes place is that the light of God sears the conscience forever.

[@xpictos777]

This is more likely correct. God is everywhere, as with normal fire it can provide warmth, light and beauty or searing pain. It just depends on our orientation toward it.

[@2ndSentinel]

I think we should side with scripture and the personal accounts/revelations of saints rather than the opinion of Jimmy Akin!

[@MZONE991]

Scripture does not explicitly talk about the fire of hell being literal plus the visions of the saints could be symbolic like the vision of Isaiah in God's throne room but of course neither position is heretical, the Church accepts both and you are free to choose.

[@2ndSentinel]

@@MZONE991 Fairly certain that scripture does not explicitly talk about the fires of hell as being metaphorical or symbolic. When it's repeatedly mentioned in both scripture and in private revalation, I'll err on side of caution. Also, the notion that the fires are just metaphorical or symbolic is an insult to all those who have had the experience of seeing it. I don't recall any private relation from a Saint or otherwise who stated afterward that the vision of fire was merely symbolic. Lastly, I would also not put God into a box based on the known physical world we're accustomed to. If God wills to have a plain of existance void of his presence that contains fire which consumes souls in perpetuity.......than he can.

[@2ndSentinel]

@@MZONE991 Also, metaphors and symbolism neither purify nor torment.

[@MZONE991]

@@2ndSentinel what torments and what purifies is greater than the physical ;)

[@carolroselli5853]

This is for Dom...what region of Italy is your ancestry? We live in Le Marches and enjoy following the podcasts. Great stuff!

[@AJ_Jingco]

*MANY* will go to Hell, and so *FEW* go to Heaven. But the *MAJORITY* of Mankind goes to Purgatory.

[@m.935]

As far as my understanding goes, we don't go to hell because we masturbated or whatever the sin we committed (although we should, and people did before Jesus), but because we don't accept the Mercy of Jesus. To accept mercy one must open their heart, and we do that by the sacrament of reconciliation (with Jesus). If we look at the example of Judas and Peter, they both betrayed Jesus, but one of them didn't reconcile with Him. Didn't accept mercy and love from Jesus, but judged himself to death (instead of letting God to be the judge, because we have no right to judge ourselves as much as the others). The more often we reconcile with Him, the less is likely it for us to fall back into sin, but if we do, sin becomes harder: “When an unclean spirit goes out of a person it roams through arid regions searching for rest but finds none. 44Then it says, ‘I will return to my home from which I came.’ But upon returning, it finds it empty, swept clean, and put in order. 45Then it goes and brings back with itself seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they move in and dwell there, and the last condition of that person is worse than the first. Thus it will be with this evil generation.” Matthew 12:43

[@2ndSentinel]

When we knowingly sin against God (fornication/masturbation) reject the grace of reconciliation, and fail to amend our lives....yes, we do go to hell. Free will and choices have consequences.

[@erinreilly33]

Exactly. It’s like the ultimate desperation for all eternity. What shocks me is the demons saw everything all in an instant, chose to disobey God, and would do it again and again and again if presented with the same choice. They don’t choose like humans do. They knowingly choose, knowing all the outcomes.

[@linopaul]

I prefer to listen to people who the church officially called Saints. In that case before the Supreme judge I can at least beg that I got it wrong because I took Your words literally and listened to people who Your church titled- Saints.

[@lynxrufus2007]

For me a good analogy of hell is 'broken heart'. When you can't see the person you love (or are in love with), you feel a terrible fire in your heart. So hell is this times infinity.

[@gph752]

I don’t know but lots of Saint and mystics have described hell and it seems like it’s gonna be fiery existence full of flames and the stench of burning sulfur 🤷🏼‍♂️ just saying.

[@kelechukwuanozyk7605]

Jimmy Akin is causing so much confusion

[@MZONE991]

not really, the Church allows multiple views on many issues, the nature of hell is just one of these issues

[@verum-in-omnibus1035]

That’s because he’s trying to walk a balancing act between the Novus ordo sect/Vatican II revolution and the traditional Catholic faith. It will always be watered down in certain areas and confusing.

[@ryanpope7891]

I'd like to see Jimmy interact with Dr. David Bentley Hart's arguments - mainly, how can a finite, rational being incur an INFINITE penalty for a finite decision made with imperfect knowledge?

[@cookielemons]

That's not even the only or the best of Hart's arguments.

[@ryanpope7891]

@@cookielemons Exactly!

[@nicolamcostello]

Human beings have the capability to make permanent decisions with full knowledge.

[@ryanpope7891]

@@nicolamcostello What human being has full knowledge of the divine?

[@nicolamcostello]

@@ryanpope7891 none. That's not the issue. Human beings can make permanent decisions with full knowledge of what they are doing. It doesn't take full knowledge of God to have full knowledge about an earthly moral decision.

[@donaldmartineau8176]

Never water down Hell!

[@Jedi9847]

St. John Bosco, St. Faustina, St. Teresa of Avila, Bl Anne Catherine Emmerich, Sr. Lucia, along with myriad other Saints & Doctors of the Church to include no less than our Blessed Mother literally have said otherwise but okay, Jimmy.

[@jd3jefferson556]

I was thinking the same thing.

[@graziaromano3531]

Yep

[@carollyon4755]

Ditto!

[@abelovedchildofgod7383]

They ignore the Tradition.

[@laymanchristian1138]

Lol real fire, real boat and real animals on an ark too.

[@jamesd9895]

I've heard these exact same opinions from more than a few protestants and modernist Catholics alike. But I think I'll stick with what the Church Fathers taught, as well as what the various mystics of the Church have seen.

[@carollyon4755]

Just what I was thinking.

[@justsomevids4541]

From what i can see, the point is just that it is possible for hell and/or purgatory to be symbolised as fire to make it easier for our intellect to grasp, U dont have to believe it, the point is just that it's possible

[@Sylvia-of9hj]

One theory I heard (from Pastor Steve Chocolianti) is that the Lake of Fire is actually the Sun. And when you look at pictures of the surface of the Sun, it's fire, but the flames are moving around with a water like fluidity.

[@themobbit9061]

We have to wonder what eternity means outside of time. For all we know it has no relationship to time as we experience it here in the world.

[@daddydaycareah3994]

The problem with the arguments against the truth of the theology of hell, is the humanistic manner of the approach. Good according to whom? Is God not just? Is he going to judge someone falsely? According to the faith, we choose hell

[@adestefideles9042]

Even if Hell is what Jimmy says it is, it's way worse than just being burned by fire.

[@jamaquinabella3378]

I died and went to hell at the age of 17. Hell is extremely horrible . Its a place of weeping and gnashing of teeth as the Bible says.. I remember it like it was yesterday , I had gone to visit an Aunt of mine .. I sat talking to her for a moment then she left the room , as soon as she left , I was attacked by an unseen entity. It wrapped it's cold , steel hands around my neck and began strangling me . I fought with this unseen entity but fought a losing battle.. I travelled at lightening speed through a dark tunnel. It was like I was being carried by a whirlwind... I abruptly landed in an extremely dark place.. The air was so hot and I was unable to breathe , I was gasping for breath .. I was beyond terrified . I could hear the terrifying screams of people, it was like a multitude of voices all screaming at once , I heard weeping and wailings.. I knew I was in hell , and I cried out to God. I said God please save me I don't want to go to hell. As soon as I said this I was transported back to my Aunt's place.. God is a merciful God and He hears our cries.. God didn't create hell for us , He created it for the devil and his fallen angels.. Anyone who rejects Jesus Christ and anyone who abuses God's grace will go to hell which was created for the devil and his demons , anywhere your Master is , is where you will go...

[@Dienekes678]

Thank you for sharing that!

[@ClassicalTheist]

It’s not so much that Jimmy is wrong about the core of what Hell is, he is accurately describing the principal pain of Hell (pain of loss) But there’s no reason to think this principal pain wouldn’t also be reflected in the physical realm, in order to signify the spiritual reality of this pain of loss. This is true for glorified bodies which signify the immaterial glory of the soul, so why shouldn’t the inverse (pain of loss) also be signified in the body?

[@jakelivingstone5747]

To frame Aquinas' idea of literal fire affecting the soul as stupid is completely unfair. The countless testimony of the saints and Scripture tells us of a literal fire. Also, the fact that we will have Resurrected bodies refutes Akin's entire argument. "He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing fan is in His hand, and He will thoroughly clean out His threshing floor, and gather His wheat into the barn; but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.” -Matthew 3:11-12 "The sea gave up the dead who were in it, and Death and Hades delivered up the dead who were in them. And they were judged, each one according to his works. Then Death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire." -Apocalypse 20:13-15

[@MZONE991]

a good question to bring up : if the fire of the holy spirit is not a literal fire? why would the fire of hell be literal? if water flowing out of our belly is non-literal why would the lake of fire be literal?

[@tonyaiello5776]

Akins argument makes much more sense especially seeing that scripture uses different metaphorical language to talk about the experience of hell. Aquinas and many saints lived in the Middle Ages so it’s not surprising their opinions were more morbid than ours

[@jakelivingstone5747]

@@MZONE991 It's not airtight logic to suggest because there is metaphorical language in one passage, it is therefore metaphorical in another passage. The way the Church has always talked about Hell includes both spiritual and physical torment. Hell's worst torment is spiritual, having no hope of the beatific vision, but is also physical since we are body/soul composite.

[@tonyaiello5776]

@@jakelivingstone5747 if you dig to the center of the earth you find the earths core, if you leave the atmosphere you find space not heaven to where do these spiritual planes exist literally?

[@tonyaiello5776]

@YAJUN YUAN so the soul just waits around in the grave until the final judgment then gets tossed into the pit?

[@craigsmith1443]

Now I see: your can in your ad says 'Liquid Death.' OK, water is essential to life, but I agree with Ben Franklin: _...wine; a constant proof that God loves us, and loves to see us happy._ Beer's not bad, either. Gotta be a Catholic beer somewhere...

[@NotFromConcentrate]

On the other hand the amount of time souls will be hell without a body isn’t even a nanosecond in terms of eternity.

[@user-np8nr5uw3r]

Jimmy citing JPII that he’ll isn’t beneath us under the earth is contrary to what is taught to us by Our Lady of Fatima.

[@johannakunze3300]

Depression is hell imho

[@SammytheStampede]

I like what Christ said about Hell. You can’t say it more clearly.

[@IONov990]

Is heaven a literal place? I imagine tasting the most fully ripe fruit, smelling and looking at the most beautiful red roses, and being in my physical prime

[@majorpuggington]

It is beyond all imagining and many mystics have talked about the brilliance of light, color, familiar objects etc.

[@IONov990]

@@majorpuggington I would love to see Our Lady. She has been described as beyond beautiful 😍. I wonder how beautiful Eve is. Both women were personally handcrafted by the hands of God. I want to enjoy the music in heaven, the rainbow, and God is the original artist.

[@Sonnyjune69]

What do you think the Resurrection of believers is suggesting? Believers will be resurrected with redeemed bodies and there will be a new heavens and a new earth. Most Scriptural evidence supports our spirits and bodies being redeemed together.

[@IONov990]

@@Sonnyjune69 I cannot wait to hear the music of heaven. Even the most highly sensitive and musically inclined person cannot compose heavenly music

[@austinespi1793]

This makes sense for purgatory and souls in hell right now, but after the resurrection even the souls in hell will have a physical body.

[@psallen5099]

You can choose between divine revelation or human understanding through Jimmy Akin. Theologians over think everything to no effect. Mark 9:46, Jesus Christ says about hell: "Where THEIR WORM dies not, and the fire is not quenched." That's all you need to know.

[@partydean17]

Really? Because that describes a well kept garden with a tiki torch around

[@peterchanel8044]

What to do? Do I believe Jimmy (or) Jesus, Padre Pio, Mother Mary, St Faustina, St John Bosco et al.

[@garybrown2039]

Isn’t the states of Limbo as well as Purgatory also a factor in this and is relevant to the question?

[@ryanburgess3762]

I think what Jimmy is trying to say is that while fire may be an aspect to hell, like Our Lady showed St Lucia, it is simply deeper than that. He's not saying there's no fire, he's saying it is way worse.

[@bumponalog5001]

If that's what he meant why didn't he just say that?

[@SevenDeMagnus]

Thsnks sir Jim

[@zeap87]

But what happens when the resurrection of the body takes place? Then Hell will have to be physical place… Right?

[@gardnert1]

I like to think of Hell as a dimension down from ours; meaning however many dimensions our reality uses (be it 3 or 4 or whatever), Hell is less than that, and the idea of a higher dimensional being like us being cast down into a lower dimension of reality must indeed be absolutely maddening. Like imagine if you suddenly lost all ability to move yet were still perfectly alive no matter what. You would burn with madness. It could be like that. And then Heaven on the other hand would be more like an unlocking of higher dimensions which would of course be amazing to us. Could be like that, but I dunno.

[@defendthesaints847]

Many saints had visons of hell. At fatima our lady showed the children hell. See God doesnt want no one to go to hell. He wants us in heaven. The fatima prayer o my jesus forgive us our sins save us from the fires of hell especially those in most need of thy mercy amen.

[@defendthesaints847]

I know this is considered private revelations but the bible talks about hell to

[@tomsmith8503]

True...and Saint Faustina's description of hell is almost identical to the children of Fatima. They correspond to our Lord's repeated references to the fires of hell.

[@360decrees2]

Maybe souls in Hell run _into_ the fire in an attempt to distract themselves from the spiritual torment they feel.

[@josephreagan9545]

But you will also (at the resurrection) get your body back and fire could affect that.

[@ProdDC-tg7rl]

A finite sin could never justify an infinite punishment.

[@vivacristorey1853]

No sin is finite because the One offended is infinite.

[@ProdDC-tg7rl]

@@vivacristorey1853 And the one who is offended has an infinite propensity to forgive us and love us. Such that he wouldn't think of sick, sadistic, and ever creative ways to eternally punish us because we just so happened to be put in an environment in which we are guaranteed to fail him. Also if every sin is infinite based on it's offense. Then the ultimate offense or injustice was Christs crucifixion yet Christ said forgive them.

[@vivacristorey1853]

@@ProdDC-tg7rl There is no sadism in God. And I agree that God is infinite mercy. Hell is for those who refuse His mercy. Also side note: I’m not here in the comments as a know it all or to win an argument. I’m here respectfully and humbly in a sense ;). Do you believe there even is a hell?

[@vivacristorey1853]

@@ProdDC-tg7rl and another side note: I’m also not here to get into a huge debate or long back and forth. If my replies stop please don’t take it the wrong way. I hope you are well and God smiles on you forever!!

[@ProdDC-tg7rl]

@@vivacristorey1853 I believe in the hell that st Gregory of Nyssa believed in. Not the doctrine that developed later on.

[@davet6024]

That liquid death you opened at the end there is fitting to the discussion, and cheating. Tisk tisk

[@yvobalcer]

There is a Museum of Purgatory that I read about. There is a handprint that is burned from a person in purgatory who came and asked for prayers.

[@lostandfound1642]

IF - IF- IF what Jimmy said were true, then how do you account for the Fatima visionaries (children at the time) who were shown a very real vision of hell by the Holy Virgin? Also countless other visionaries have had very real experiences of hell: Sister Josefa Menendez; St Faustina, St John Bosco....St Pio of Pietralcina - to name just a few (of literally hundreds of Saints and Mystics)? In addition to their experiences, there are the real, credible experiences of people who had NDE's - and who ended up in Hell (albeit temporarily).... .Even people who were not Christian have had such experiences.... +++ Another point: JESUS CHRIST died in absolute torment - and He was tortured in the most barbaric and cruel way possible.... to save us from what? Do you think that God the Father permitted all this suffering for nothing?? To save us simply from an "unpleasant" experience? +++ Yet another point: as horrible as it is, the existence of a torturous Hell is the eternal justice for those who refuse to repent... Think of people such as Stalin, Hitler (these are extreme examples) ... who were responsible for the cruel slaughter of millions of people, including little children. Should they have the same fate as someone who didn't do nearly as much evil, yet out of pride did not want to ask forgiveness, for mercy? If Heaven is far more beautiful and amazing than anything our human imagination can tell us, it is logical to believe that Hell is also far worse than anything we could possibly imagine. Sorry, but I think it's dangerous to spread such ideas, dangerous to downplay the very real, unimaginably horrible reality of Hell. Better to be warned in advance...

[@georgecherucheril9947]

Jimmy Akin talks a lot and justifies a lot of nonsense. He is a modernist.

[@graziaromano3531]

Very well put

[@chrisobrien6254]

Modernists don’t believe in Fatima!

[@lostandfound1642]

@@chrisobrien6254 .... what exactly is a modernist? And isn't that just a label? I hardly think that God judges according to labels we give ourselves, but rather, how much we love Him and love/forgive our neighbour. On these two commandments the entire rest of the Law depends.....

[@chrisobrien6254]

@@lostandfound1642 a person who believes in modernism....😏 and yes of course it’s a label and I never said anything critical of modernists other than they often don’t believe in Fatima. Why are you bringing Gods judgment?

[@jankopandza1072]

A man went trough near death experience and said that the cold he experienced in place he was "hell" for the sake of argument.. it was so cold that your soul would burn from within . Not from fire but from the understanding that the soul knew what it has done and it has become absent of God and from that absence your soul is in fire of misery that is burning from within. The man that went trough this said he saw a sparkle of light telling him " pray to God" . As he was atheist and didnt know any prays and did not ever read any books of that type he invented prayers of his own . Today the man is a firm God believer and Christ follower . Before this event he was a "man for hire"..He stated he never gave a damn about human life not even his own before that. When you hear him speak you know he is not making things up . Nobody could describe that kind of misery he went trough in the words he choose to use. Even to this day i will never forget that mans testimony . The light hugged him and he said he could feel the misery of countless souls around him because these souls knew the light is there yet they could not look at it as when they had the chance they rejected the light . That is indeed hell !

[@johncopper5128]

Thank you.

[@salonsarwar4557]

Hell is where a damned soul AND body go to..... So.... Real fire for a real body. Suffice to say, hell will be very very painful, both physically and spiritually.

[@laymanchristian1138]

Well said jimmy 👍

[@Sean-lv6fx]

Read the Catholic Encyclopedia's description of Hell if you want some sobering thoughts, regarding what the souls experience who go to there.

[@efrainperez846]

Hell is hell, eternal separation from God and God's infinate love and goodness. It does not matter how hell is described; it does not make change hell in any way. I don't want to go there.

[@michelemcdermott75]

What about Saints seeing hell!? Are we not to believe them?

[@hopefull61256]

No we are not required to believe them at all.

[@michelemcdermott75]

@@hopefull61256 But I do! Too many Saints - revered Saints- have seen hell. Burning fires of hell. I am very aware we are not required to believe them; I chose all of them over an apologist’s (and he is an awesome one) interpretation. Blessings 🙏

[@Consume_Crash]

Glad to see a lot of the comments sticking to the truth that it's a real fire.

[@maxamahnken7325]

False. Wrong.

[@prodigaldawtr7907]

I "liked" the video bc this is an important topic. But I really disagree with the points made here. I'm gonna go with the literal words of scripture and the visions of the saints on this one. It's frightening and off-putting for sure when talking to ppl, but I think we need to error on the side of caution here. Take it as seriously as possible, you know?

[@junacebedo888]

Bishop Fulton Sheen said 'Hell is a condition of one's self'. It's a form of corruption or rotting away. So, heaven is possible here on earth but also same with regards to Hell.

[@jessejames88]

I respectfully yet strongly disagree with this view of Akin's. Hell is much worse than we can imagine, and for all we know it may include a torture that is far worse than the pain of physical fire. I'm going with Our Lady of Fatima's description from the seers. Thank you for this interview and God bless.

[@abelj5145]

wouldn't rejecting God's love be the worst thing that could ever happen to someone?

[@renaissanceman9168]

I think the point Akins was making is that the pains of hell are incompressible to mankind who rely on our five senses. The scriptures attempt to relate the afterlife using terms and concepts we can easily grasp. Personally, I’m not going to tempt fate. If the scriptures compare the pain and suffering of hell to burning in fire for all eternity, I don’t need any further clarification lol. The choice is clear, I definitely don’t want to go there. And to the people who say: “Separation from God? Is that all?” They will not know the true agony of being separated from God until he’s no longer there. God’s love is all around us. It’s in the happy moments we share with loved ones. It’s moments of peace and contentment. It’s in everything we take for granted and fail to give thanks for.

[@fernandosanchezsarmiento7704]

What about the time after the resurrection of the budy? The condem people will habe a body, and could feel the pain of burning with fire.

[@scurvydog20]

I could make two counters to the fire not being physical, 1 after the resurrection we will have physical bodies which could be affected, 2 the soul in it's natural state would not have any sense experience separate from the body but the saints are provided experience directly by God so God could provide the sense experience of fire appropriate to the damned

[@iqgustavo]

🎯 Key Takeaways for quick navigation: 00:29 *🤔 Questioning the justice of eternal punishment based on life experiences and choices.* 01:53 *💭 Human cognition struggles to comprehend supernatural concepts beyond the material world.* 03:30 *🔥 Hellfire interpreted symbolically as an emotional experience rather than physical torment.* 04:54 *📖 John Paul II emphasizes hell as a state of separation from God's goodness rather than a physical location.* 05:49 *📚 Historical literacy levels influence interpretations of religious texts and doctrines.* 06:17 *🌍 Cultural context shapes understanding of theological concepts over time.*

[@michaelorsini9695]

Just close your eyes and imagine that being your existence forever...totally alone, conscious and never being able to escape it. Never being able to see or hear anything...being conscious only of your own thoughts. That would be a hellish existence to me anyway...being completely alone forever.

[@erinreilly33]

Exactly. It’s like the ultimate desperation for eternity. What shocks me is the demons saw everything all in an instant, chose to disobey God, and would do it again and again and again if presented with the same choice. They don’t choose like humans do. They knowingly choose, knowing all the outcomes.

[@NomosCharis]

"How can a physical fire affect a soul?" An objection that only has relevance during the intermediate state. What about the future resurrection of the dead?

[@awb07d]

Better question, how does he know fire doesn’t affect the soul? Think about it our souls affect our bodies and our bodies affect the souls. So if our material bodies can affect our souls what’s to say other material things don’t have some kind of effect

[@Electric_]

Even if it’s not literal fire, the overall pain is on par with literal fire according to the Holy Bible, which is why it uses fiery language to describe it. I don’t think God is understating hell. Therefore, we need to do whatever we can to avoid it.

[@peterfitzsimmons]

Dante went the other way in his Divine Comedy, the bottom of Hell was Satan frozen into and ice lake after the resurrection, all he could do was flap his wings, worth a read. Peter.

[@TruePT]

I was always told that a soul goes to Hell because they don’t choose God when they die/how they lived.

[@DanielGallagherMusic]

But I don't think I've ever actually seen you drinking a pint during any of your videos. 🤔 (...except the outro...)

[@josefnoah6626]

Despite the visions etc of hell, I don't think you really covered the heart of this topic. I don't think people's issue is with the literal flames. Rather, I think people have trouble understanding how actions made by broken, troubled, imperfect beings like us can result in an eternity of ANYTHING outside of God. Even an eternity of an earthly paradise would eventually become a horrific hell. Imagine being in a an earthly paradise for 500 billion years - you'd already want it to end, having done everything that can be done countless times, but it wouldn't have even really begun. That kind of eternal permanence seems terribly cruel, something that I almost feel we shouldn't even have the authority to choose for ourselves. It is something I choose to believe because I am Catholic, but I do struggle with it.

[@carolwhite4655]

Josef, I agree that Jimmy did not address Matt's question. Matt wasn't asking if the fire of hell is real, but why would broken, struggling or hurting souls go to hell. It is my belief that God judges us not on our actions but on what we hold in our hearts. We know in our hearts when we have chosen ourselves over God, and God knows it too. If we repent, we are forgiven. That is the New Covenant! Now, with regard to boredom in eternity, I think that in Heaven there is no past and present, no then and now, no yesterday and today. There is no passing of time as we know it here. I believe that when we are fully and completely WITH God there will be no boredom, ever. I do not think that eternity with God is anything that needs to be feared.

[@somebodyfromsomewhere790]

People choose to be away from God.why can't uou comprehend the idea of eternal torture? A saint said that most peopke who end up in Hell don' believe in Hell. Come to think...lots of Protestants dont beliwve in hell.

[@petero9952]

Hell consists of three places. 1. The outer darkness 2. The lake of fire. 3. Torture pits / chambers. For different punishments. Not everyone gets the same, EXCEPT the fire and the worm, which never die.

[@Jtotheroc69]

Here's what I imagine Hell to be: Imagine the most sickness, stress, depression and physical pain you've ever felt in your life except x100 and you're stuck in a forest all alone.