Truth About Hell

[devils_advocate]

maybe next time you SHOULD do it with out circular reasoning.

Munz, would it matter if we do triangle sometimes, or rectangular..hahahaha

[jamesmusslewhite]

"Over time, a country's economic growth is ultimately a function of growth rates in population and labor productivity (output per hour worked). But since population growth tends to change slowly, a nation's labor productivity growth is what ultimately determines whether it will be rich (high productivity growth) or poor (low productivity growth)."
it's direct to the point. no further explanation needed.
While traditional growth theories go far in explaining cross-country patterns of economic growth, some economists believe they do not go far enough. Instead, many researchers are increasingly turning to noneconomic factors, such as religion.

but here's the interesting part:

"According to the secularization hypothesis, as a country's inhabitants become richer and more educated, their faith in religion and religious institutions wanes, and they attend church less regularly."

ooppss... nice try James.
I was was only providing the Article that you said no longer available.I read everything before I post it as well as what other members post. I knew that paragraph was there and that you would try to spin this Topic of belief in Hell to Religion in General. I was also pretty sure you would pick and chose that which could elevate you, but you excluded the following. You are so predicable. I always try to be fair and balanced. This is the fundamental difference between us, I still research as i was trained "all data pro and con" must be considered and each equally weighed. I do not pick and choose just what I want to accept.

This what you excluded.
perhaps because public school systems tend to reinforce secular education that, the economists argue, conflicts with traditional religious beliefs. By contrast, economist Laurence Iannaccone wrote in 1998 that church attendance rises with education, which suggests that rich Western countries should have higher rates of church attendance. Ultimately, then, the issue is whether religious beliefs, as Weber and Smith argued, can be shown to have an effect on a country's economic growth.
(Here is the fair and Balanced parts) In a paper last year, economists Robert Barro and Rachel McCleary provided evidence that church attendance and economic growth are negatively related, but a belief in hell-their measure of religious beliefs-was positively related to increased economic growth. According to Barro and McCleary, increased church attendance could lower growth because of more resources flowing to the religious sector. However, the net effect would be uncertain because increased church attendance may also increase religious beliefs, which, as Weber believed, raises economic growth by spurring individual behavior and actions that are thought to encourage productivity. Interestingly, Barro and McCleary also found that economic performance was largely unrelated to the dominant religious theology of the nation.
(which means as long as it is a religion not a particular sect)

This being a topic on Hell. The Article suggest that if most the people in your country believe in hell, than your life living there may be less like hell. Unless it is a Muslim country, that they have to figure out why that is different for themselves. This Article does not cover that issue.

[Hellblazer 2.1]

hell is here on earth.

[chad_tukes]

This being a topic on Hell. The Article suggest that if most the people in your country believe in hell, than your life living there may be less like hell. Unless it is a Muslim country, that they have to figure out why that is different for themselves. This Article does not cover that issue.

the article suggest that believing in hell is positively related to economic growth but it is not the DIRECT CAUSE of it. ergo, it also suggest that increased church attendance could mean lower economic growth. now, imagine if there was no religion or church, then secularization would be so much better (and countries way richer and productive), correct? it also doesn't say whether not believing in hell means lower GDP. so the article is one-sided.

and did you not read the last part?

"Interestingly, Barro and McCleary also found that economic performance was largely unrelated to the dominant religious theology of the nation."

so religion has got nothing to do with a nation's economic performance. belief in hell may have an influence on its growth, but it is only suggestive, not concrete.

[regnauld]

When you believe that HELL is after death...you are not using your CRITICAL THINKING! Hell as a temporary state is here on earth and not after you die!

[jamesmusslewhite]

the article suggest that believing in hell is positively related to economic growth but it is not the DIRECT CAUSE of it. ergo, it also suggest that increased church attendance could mean lower economic growth. now, imagine if there was no religion or church, then secularization would be so much better (and countries way richer and productive), correct? it also doesn't say whether not believing in hell means lower GDP. so the article is one-sided.

and did you not read the last part?
Morality then could be a sliding scale. Theologies provide a written and accepted moral code. Most countries of this world's countries civil laws are the product of the influence of the moral codes. To say culture would be better without religion can only be a fallacy. A new totally different moral code, that with not theological influence would be needed to make that even a possibility. A perfect Atheist state would have to be just a mirror image of the perfect Religious state, a copy. If an Atheist sate was to develop free of a religious influences, would it impose laws and ideologies restricting citizens from believing in deities? If man is not to fear punishment from God, than he must fear something to make him adhere to this new atheistic moral law. Sounds like Communism to me.

"Interestingly, Barro and McCleary also found that economic performance was largely unrelated to the dominant religious theology of the nation."
That means it does not matter Catholic over Protestant, Buddhist over Taoist, etc. Only that the societies which believed in eternal damnation in the after life tended to be more prosperous and more conducive to fair business practices. And this stimulates a viable business environment which leads to economic prosperity for their citizens. You may want to use it a a battle ground issue, that is cool, but the report still stands. I am not and Economist and you are not an Economist. I have been and still am a business man, and if I am going to invest large sums of money with a man or a country. I want him to have a fear of God, I do not want just a failed court system as guarantee that he has a moral code. You may choose to give your money to just anyone, but first earn a large sum of money. Then see if you will just hand it to an Atheist in an atheistic country. You can talk trash, but true reality chances concepts; especially when faced with the true realities.

so religion has got nothing to do with a nation's economic performance. belief in hell may have an influence on its growth, but it is only suggestive, not concrete.
That may be what you choose to read out of the report, but that is not what this report implies.

You may argue points of semantics with me all you wish. But it does not change the findings of these Economists, email them and bicker over petty points with them. This diversion for silly word play games is only an act of misdirection, the findings still stand whether you choose to believe are accept them. It is what it is, and that is all that it is. Simple

I guess there is a sound example of support for your argument: The Philippines
Question: Why do so few major world companies choose to invest in the Philippines?
Question: With such beauty, why so few world travelers choose to come here?
Question: With so much claiming religion, why such corruption and economic disparity?
Question: Religion, Cultural, or DNA key factor for corruption and economic disparity?
The Philippines being religious and the 14th largest ethnic group on this planet, should have been on the list of this report. I am asking with the deepest respect for the country were I live, the culture and people that is my neighbors, and that which is my wife and son. 50 years ago the Philippines was the strongest economic base in the Pacific ream. What explains the realities facing the Philippines of the present? Most Filipinos believe in the concept of Hell.

[pinky09]

... aaaahhhhhh... the almighty links to youtube. please, dont believe everything you see in the net.

hahahahah

[pinky09]

When you believe that HELL is after death...you are not using your CRITICAL THINKING! Hell as a temporary state is here on earth and not after you die!

[Kenshiro]

Hell is purification of sinners of this earth. It is a future event and not a current event.

For those who have faith Hell is composed of fire and brimstone from heaven. Buring people who are left behind from the rapture. Purification does have an end. Because the purpose of purification is to make a certian place like this earth pure. If purification does not end then how can it be pure. Same logic as that "hell" does not burn forever and ever it has an end. The end would be that the wicked would be ashes.
Just like a fire consumes a metarial it becomes an ash.

Then you will trample down the wicked; they will be ashes under the soles of your feet on the day when I do these things," says the LORD Almighty.

For those who have no faith and does not believe in the Bible, Hell is their own interpretations based on mostly movies they have watched. And selective biased personal assumptions that favor their own twisted beliefs in life.

[bungot25]

most of the people go to hell because they dont believe in it,, thats a fact!