Your own personal Hell.
Do you ever think about Hell? I know its supposed to be fire and suffering, but do you ever think it may be something else?
My job sometimes requires that I crawl under a house or building to complete my work. Sometimes the crawl space is clean and easily accessible but usually, the space is very confined, nasty and dark.
The other day I found myself in one of these "other spaces." I had to access an area under a building that had probably been built 50 to 75 years previously. The floor was so low that I had to belly crawl the entire time I was under. The foundation had been built with no ventilation so after a few minutes of crawling, I was in total darkness. The wood joists were covered in black mold and I could see various insects crawling just on the edge of my flashlights lumination. As I crawled slowly and deeper into the labyrinth, I wondered (don't ask me why) what would it be like to never be able to find the way back out, and further what if I had to spend eternity crawling through this musty space forever seeking an exit that didn't exist? Worse, what if my light failed and I was forced to crawl in the dark, alone with whatever creatures lurked in the nooks and crannies of the walls? Then I imagined hearing the voices and steps of my loved ones on the floor right above my head, perhaps calling to me, but not being able to communicate with them. Forever.
Sounds like Hell to me.
I was glad to see the sun again and I'm not ashamed to say, I looked back over my shoulder once or twice as I crawled (the whole job took about 45 minutes under there, most crawling). But I wonder, has anyone else thought about a personal Hell? Is it just fire and brimstone, or is it something else? Do you even believe in Hell?
What is your personal hell?
My job sometimes requires that I crawl under a house or building to complete my work. Sometimes the crawl space is clean and easily accessible but usually, the space is very confined, nasty and dark.
The other day I found myself in one of these "other spaces." I had to access an area under a building that had probably been built 50 to 75 years previously. The floor was so low that I had to belly crawl the entire time I was under. The foundation had been built with no ventilation so after a few minutes of crawling, I was in total darkness. The wood joists were covered in black mold and I could see various insects crawling just on the edge of my flashlights lumination. As I crawled slowly and deeper into the labyrinth, I wondered (don't ask me why) what would it be like to never be able to find the way back out, and further what if I had to spend eternity crawling through this musty space forever seeking an exit that didn't exist? Worse, what if my light failed and I was forced to crawl in the dark, alone with whatever creatures lurked in the nooks and crannies of the walls? Then I imagined hearing the voices and steps of my loved ones on the floor right above my head, perhaps calling to me, but not being able to communicate with them. Forever.
Sounds like Hell to me.
I was glad to see the sun again and I'm not ashamed to say, I looked back over my shoulder once or twice as I crawled (the whole job took about 45 minutes under there, most crawling). But I wonder, has anyone else thought about a personal Hell? Is it just fire and brimstone, or is it something else? Do you even believe in Hell?
What is your personal hell?
posted by Death Warmed Over | 11:39 AM
11 Comment:
my hell would be dark, and cold. cold scares me more
Hell would be not having my laptop and having to spend eternity in a place where you just can't do anything except sit around...bored!
What's interesting is scriptures define hell as someplace where physical pain is endured by the sinner...as you said why can't it be mental hell?
I read Lee Strobel's Case for Faith, and some renowed experts of the old testiment said that the fire and brimestone were methaphorical, that the suffering is more about being alone and away from God, interesting huh?
My personal hell would involve hearing "wear have all the cowboys gone" over and over and over again with no way to stop it.
I don't believe in heaven or hell, but my personal hell would be dark, humid, and filled with morons attempting to engage me in banal conversation for all eternity.
Having access to rooms and rooms of oreos- and not one drop of milk.
Being isolated-dark- and cold (like Fatty said)- with only my confused thougths- that would be maddening.
Being surrounded by books and people that I couldn't understand- or be understood by.
Watching my kids suffer-
Yep...that would be Hell...it is Hell.
Fatty-I agree, I think dark would be one of the worse, not able to see what's coming
reflextion-and as some people can tell you, pain can actually become a companion that is endured, a mental hell almost makes more sense.
Hey Fresh-a country music hell? Hmmm I think you're on to something. Btw, hows huston. Never been there, take some pics.
Grant-a hell with morons? If that's the case, hell is closer than we think. Or maybe hell is asking for help at Wal-Mart.
MV-there is no greater hell than watching a child's suffering as any parent of a terminally ill child can attest.
I am going to think on this post and answer. I have so many ideas of a personal hell.
I've been thinking about this post and I realize that I am too terrified to answer. I feel that I've endured hell in a lot of situations--perhaps loss of love is the worst kind of hell, but reading about the Holocoust and Rwanda terrifies me--any kind of senseless violence in which you seem to die with no purpose. I'm still not clear on Hell; does it exist as the Bible says? What constitutes a bad person--an unbeliever, a sinner who has repented but still treats his neighbor with disdain, self-righteous Christians, those who follow other faiths and show the goodness of God? I have trouble with this issue.
EOTR, you and I are in the same boat. "The Great Divorce" by CS lewis, is helpful in answering a few of these questions as is Mere Christianity.
for more questions on hell I really suggest leah strobel's case for faith
Houston is great by the way, I really do like the city. Kinda hot though. :p
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