Christian Apologetics and Research Ministry
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Latest CARM Articles
Eternal Conscious Torment is too horrible and monstrous to be true
Some conditionalists present an argument that the idea of eternal conscious torment is too horrible to be true. Unfortunately, such an argument is based on subjective emotion. Let me [Clark Pinnock] say at the outset that I consider the concept of hell as endless...
Eternal Conscious Torment makes God unloving
Though it is not a very common argument, some annihilationists state God would be unloving to torment someone forever. They say that since God is love (1 John 4:8), it cannot be that God would allow such a horrible thing. First, this argument is a subjective appeal to...
Eternal conscious torment does not benefit God nor the one being punished.
The problem with the idea that eternal conscious torment does not benefit God or the one that God punishes is that it mistakenly assumes there must be a benefit to God and to those punished. Furthermore, I have not yet heard what the conditionalist means by benefit. ...
Eternal Conscious Torment makes God immoral
One of the complaints raised by conditionalists against the teaching of eternal conscious torment (ECT) is that it makes God immoral. They say that it is wrong for someone to suffer for eternity, in utter agony, for finite sins committed here on earth. Therefore, to...
Examining soul sleep and its problems
Among conditionalists, soul sleep is the position that upon death the human soul enters a state of unconsciousness “soul sleep,” the view that death is a state of total unconsciousness, rather than survival in heaven, hell, or purgatory."[fn]Rethinking Hell: Readings...