Annihilationist Christianity, is non-existence really that bad to some?

[targz]

People really think that annihiliation is tantamount to hell? I would think that it is in fact at least as good as heaven so I'm quite surprised at this viewpoint.

In Christianity, annihilationism (also known as extinctionism or destructionism) is the belief that after the Last Judgment, all damned humans and fallen angels including Satan will be totally destroyed, cremated, and their consciousness extinguished rather than suffering forever in Hell. Annihilationism stands in contrast to both the belief in eternal torment and the belief that everyone will be saved ("universalism"). However, it is also possible to hold to a partial annihilationism, believing unsaved humans to be obliterated or cremated, but demonic beings to suffer forever.

 

[theboy]

you just have to believe in the bible and study it well to answer the question you asked and the comment you posted.

 

[Pluto]

Jehovah's Witnesses hold this belief.

 

[MindFrog]

I mean the soul is very important in christian belief so total destruction of it must be a devastating thought.

I don't know if I recall it correctly but there's also this belief where your torture in hell will only last after a few millennia, so there's hope for the damned to change. It think it's hypocritical but hey that's religion for you.

 

[Forever Sleep]

Extra life in any location- including heaven, seems more like punishment to me than nothing. It makes me laugh inwardly when people want to 'save your soul'. I'd much rather have the freedom to choose. I'm sick of either people (parents) or if there are other entities- them choosing our fates for us. How is that a reward, or a good thing? To have the most crucial decision there is- whether you exist or not- to be made by someone or something else and you get no say in the matter?

 

[Ambivalent1]

Most Christians do not believe in annihilationism. Even though it's clearly stated. "And they will go away into everlasting destruction." Destruction means obliterate. "For the wages of sin is death." Death means death. "And they will be cast into the Lake of fire, which is the second death." Death means death.

 

[Pluto]

As I understand it, early Christianity was vague on the topic of hell being eternal or not. It was the Catholic Church that popularised the concept of eternal hell.

Eternal hell is more intimidating and makes for emotionally-charged imagery. Or, more bluntly, it's better for manipulating, threatening and controlling the population with an idea that by definition cannot be disproven. I sometimes ask if this is not the greatest scam in human history, especially since it is still with us today.

 

[DarkRange55]

Jehovah's Witnesses - Watch Tower publications teach that hell (hades or sheol) is not a place of fiery torment, but rather the "common grave of mankind", a place of unconscious non-existence.

I think that's preferable to the traditional fire and brimstone den of torture…