Perdition's Population Clock

[Beetow]

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● John 1:9 . . That was the true Light which gives light to every man coming into
the world.

Well; there's more to humanity than just the sphere of the Jews so I'd have to say
that the "light" has been present everywhere all the time rather than only when
Jesus was here because the apostle John said The Word enlightens every man who
comes into the world, not just some men who come into the world.

That tells me that The Word has been actively enlightening indigenous folks-- e.g.
Native Americans, Pacific Islanders, Inuits, Pigmies, Asiatics, etc --ever since the
day they came into existence as a people.

Now, seeing as the Bible hasn't always been in existence, then how might The Word
have been enlightening folks without it? Well according to Ps 19:1-4 & Rom 1:19
20, the realm of nature has been speaking for God all along. Nature's preaching
may not pound a pulpit; but its construction speaks volumes.
_

 

[Beetow]

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A co-worker once remarked that he wasn't too worried about Hell seeing as he'd
have lots of friends down there to keep him company.

But I'm curious as to how he expects to find his friends. That place must be an
ocean of humanity by now if it has been collecting folks ever since the days of Cain.
I have enough difficulty finding my wife in a department store even with a cell
phone, but I doubt anybody has an iPhone or an Android where that co-worker
expected to end up.

POP CLOCK UPDATE: 215 days have transpired since beginning the thread. If the
figures in post No.1 are within reason, then something like 16,501,680 new arrivals
have checked into the fiery sector of Hades since Dec 15, 2024.
_

 

[Beetow]

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Post #222 estimated 16,501,680 new arrivals have checked into the fiery sector
of Hades since Dec 15, 2024. If the average width of the human body from
shoulder to shoulder were 1½ feet, then 16,501,680 people stood side by side
would construct a picket fence +/- 24,752,520 feet in length corresponding to
+/- 4,688 miles.

The air-travel distance from Seattle to London is +/- 4,799 miles which is roughly
74 people over 4,688. Traveling in an airplane at 560 mph, it would take 8 hours
& 34 minutes to fly the length of that human fence.
_

 

[Beetow]

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Luke 16:19-31 tells of three men in the afterlife. The story is alleged to be one of
several new testament parables: which are stories variously regarded as fact,
fantasy, and fiction.

A problem with the fantasy/fiction view is Abraham. He's an historical person; plus
he's said to be one of God's buddies. (Isa 41:8) Well; the story quotes Abraham a
number of times. It seems inappropriate to me that a Bible story would quote an
important historical figure saying things that he didn't really say.

The fiction/fantasy opinion also alleges that the Greek word haides in verse 23
pertains to the rich man's grave. Well; we can be reasonably certain that Abraham
is dead and buried (Gen 25:8-10) So I am very curious how the two men's dead
bodies were able to communicate with one another at all let alone through solid
ground from grave to grave. Aren't graves supposedly pitch black dark? Are dead
bodies somehow equipped with night vision or maybe even X-ray vision so they can
see thru the ground into other graves?

Plus; dead bodies typically exhibit no mental activity; and have lost the use of their
five natural senses of taste, touch, sight, hearing, and smell. Yet in death the rich
man's body is fully sentient, viz: he complains about heat from the flames around
him, he is in misery due to dehydration, he is able to see across a barrier to where
Abraham is located, and he is said to experience anxiety relative to the possibility
of five brothers joining him in rather unpleasant circumstances.

It appears from the language and grammar of the story that Lazarus' angelic
transportation buried his corpse alongside Abraham's corpse, i.e. he and Abraham
appear to be sharing the same grave. But the man was a diseased pauper in life so
it's extremely doubtful his remains were given any kind of a funeral at all but
instead were likely incinerated in a community landfill.

Ergo: the "fiction" theory is untenable; it won't even hold up under the scrutiny of
common sense; let alone the stretch of one's imagination.
_

 

[Beetow]

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● Matt 5:29-30 . . If your right eye causes you to sin, gouge it out and throw it
away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to
be thrown into Hell. And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it
away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to
go into Hell.

I've no doubt that numbers of folk down below right now would gladly give up a
hand and an eye if it would get them out of there.

However, for now when people die their body stays here and they go into the
afterlife as disembodied whatevers. But out ahead in Rev 20:11-15 they will be
restored to their bodies in order to answer for themselves. At that time, they will
lose their bodies once again should the proceedings go against them. Alas, for some
folks the removal of a body part in this life would be adequate to spare them the loss of
their resurrected bodies in the next life.
_

 

[Beetow]

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Folks on the wrong side of things in the afterlife should not get their hopes up by
expecting to be given a second chance.

● 2Cor 6:1-2 . . As God's fellow workers we urge you not to receive God's grace in
vain. For He says: In the time of my favor I heard you, and in the day of salvation I
helped you. I tell you, now is the time of God's favor, now is the day of salvation.

● Heb 3:8 . .Today, if you hear His voice, do not stiffen your resolve.

As a case in point; the Pharaoh of Egypt was given ample opportunity to comply
with Moses' demands until the night when an angel came thru Egypt slaying all the
land's firstborn sons; even the firstborn among livestock.

Another case in point is the Flood when Noah warned of an impending deluge year
after year until the day came when all not aboard the ark were slain; including
moms, infants, and elder citizens.

Compare the parable of the ten maidens wherein five weren't thinking. They let
themselves be distracted with a trifle and by doing so missed the party.

The disagreeable situation like that described by Luke 16:19-31 isn't probation,
rather, it's for keeps.
_

 

[Beetow]

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It's one thing to discuss Hell from the perspective of an armchair expert with no
emotional attachment, while quite another when one of your own might be down
there.

My kid brother decided early to live life on his own terms and not allow religion to
get in his way. As a result, he was secular his entire life before passing away back
in March of 2016 at 71 of pancreatic cancer. Well; if there's a Hell, it's pretty
certain my brother is down there; and that suspicion has a very strong effect on my
thoughts and feelings about eternal suffering.

The thing is; my brother isn't just another nondescript skull in the gene pool: he's
my kin, my very next of kin actually, We were born the same year: me in January
and him in December. We grew up in the same home, were nurtured by the same
parents, ate the same foods, attended the same church, and slept in the same bed
for a while till dad got us some bunks. We had mostly the same friends, and kept
each other company and were playmates together for quite a few years throughout
childhood. Our life together as juniors joined us at the hip, so to speak: forging a
lifelong bond that no amount of disagreement had ever broken.

My brother is a pretty tough guy, but Hell is designed to break people down, and I
fear that today my once-fearless adventuresome brother is now a squeaky little
gerbil wishing he'd taken an interest in religion when it mattered the most.

There's an incident depicted in the 16th chapter of Luke wherein folks on both sides
of the afterlife are able to communicate. Well; I hope that's still possible because
I'd really like to visit my brother as often as I can before he's transferred to the
lake of fire depicted by Rev 20:11-15 because after that, it's very likely I'll never
get to see him ever again. And it appears from Rev 21:3-5 that we're in for a
memory wipe so I'll not even remember his name and it'll be like he never existed;
which is actually a blessing because it would be very unpleasant to have thoughts
of my kid brother haunting me forever.

POP CLOCK UPDATE: 220 days have transpired since beginning the thread. If the
figures in post No.1 are within reason, then something like 16,885,440 new arrivals
have checked into the fiery sector of Hades since Dec 15, 2024.
_

 

[Beetow]

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The way I understand it; Hell isn't only about retribution. It's also a confinement
utilized for quarantine. In other words: the supreme being doesn't want folks
around Him that are capable of theft any more than folks capable of dishonesty.
The books to be opened at the great white throne event depicted at Rev 20:11-15
will not only determine folks' just deserts, but the sins inventoried therein will be
entered into evidence as proof they are capable of unacceptable behaviors.
_

 

[Beetow]

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Many of the Christians I encounter online typically discuss perdition in a seminarian
manner and sometimes forget we're talking about real people.

● Rev 21:3-4 . . Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them.
They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. He will
wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying
or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.

Much of the tears, the mourning, the crying, and the pain will most certainly be
related to the great white throne event depicted at Rev 20:11-15, which will likely
be a public spectacle.

In other words: people will have to watch as friends, family, associates, and loved
ones are literally pale with terror, lips trembling, mouths too dry to speak,
shrieking, sobbing, screaming, weeping, yelping, and bellowing like wounded dogs
as their eyes dart about in sheer white-knuckled panic, desperately looking for
someone, anyone, to help them as powerful celestial beings drag them off to death
akin to a foundry worker falling into a kettle of molten iron.

The Bible says the lost will be given a fair trial (Jude 1:14-15) which suggests some
of us might be subpoenaed as witnesses for the prosecution where we will have to
testify, not for but instead against, people we know and love; including our own,
i.e. moms, dads, brothers, sisters, grandparents, and quite possibly spouses too.

When I was a child, perdition was academic, i.e. an article of faith. But not anymore
because now I'm 81+ and most of my family has passed on. It's very, probable that
my mom and two of my three brothers will have to face justice at the great white
throne event. Somebody else's kin facing that throne is one thing, but quite a
different feeling about it when it's likely to be your own in that fix.

Now; whether the lake of fire speaks of termination plus suffering, or only
termination, is debatable; but one thing is for sure: according to Dan 12:2 and John
5:28-29 there's only one resurrection allotted per person. Therefore nobody is
coming back from the second death because the dead will use up their one and only
resurrection to face justice.
_

 

[Beetow]

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When the dead stand to face justice per Rev 20:11-15, they won't be disembodied,
rather, they'll be physical due to the process of restoring their remains to life, i.e.
resurrected.

● Dan 12:2 . . And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake,
some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.

● John 5:28-29 . . A time is coming when all who are in their graves will hear the
voice of the Son of Man and come out-- those who have done good will rise to live,
and those who have done evil will rise to be condemned.

The two physical resurrections are somewhat juxtaposed by Rev 20:4-6 & Rev
20:13

* I'd imagine the lake of fire will be a terrible disappointment for the beautiful
people. It's bad enough they lose their looks the first time around: losing their
looks all over again will be devastating.
_