Have They Discovered Hell?
HAVE you noticed that the doctrine of hellfire seems to be on the wane lately? Perhaps it just can’t survive this skeptical age we’re living in. Or perhaps more and more people are realizing that the notion of tormenting human beings forever in fire is not compatible with the just and loving God portrayed in the Bible. Whatever the reason for the disbelief, some religious leaders are responding with measures that smack of desperation. Consider a case in point.
In the United States, both a national “Christian” television network and an evangelical newsletter recently reported that scientists had discovered “hell” while drilling in Siberia! The magazine Biblical Archaeology Review wryly summarized one such account.
Allegedly, a team of Finnish and Norwegian scientists were in Siberia drilling deep into the earth’s crust as an experiment. They were quite surprised when, several miles below them, the drill bit began to spin in empty space! They were even more surprised when they found that the temperature down there was over 2,000 degrees Fahrenheit [1,100° C.]! They were most surprised of all, though, when they lowered a microphone down the hole and subsequently heard thousands—perhaps millions—of human voices, all screaming in agony! So unnerved were the scientists, the story goes, that many abandoned the project. Some were sworn to secrecy, while others converted from atheism to “Christianity” because of this proof of hell.
Not surprisingly, those who printed and repeated this story claimed that it was well documented. Rich Buhler, host of a radio talk show, wrote in Christianity Today that he and his staff tried to follow up on such reports. Under investigation, one source evaporated in a tangled web of articles that quoted from letters that were quoting from equally unsubstantiated articles.
The other source was a letter from a Norwegian man who, upon inquiry, frankly admitted that his letter was a fake. He sent it simply because he felt sure it would be believed and publicized. No doubt he realized the sad truth about far too many religious organizations—they believe what they want to believe.
In the Hebrew Scriptures of the Bible the word “hell” is translated from the Hebrew word sheol. It occurs 65 times and in the Authorized King James version Bible is translated 31 times “hell,” 31 times “grave,” and 3 times “pit.” In the Greek Scriptures of that Bible version the word “hell” is translated from the Greek word Hades in all of its ten occurrences. Both sheol and hades mean the common grave of mankind, and never relate to pain or fiery torment or to anyone living several miles below the surface in Siberia!
[Picture Credit Line on page 31]
Picture Book of Devils, Demons and Witchcraft/Ernst and Johanna Lehner/Dover