# Am I going to hell?
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-going-to-hell/755432
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion
**Created:** [May 23, 2016, 2:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-going-to-hell/755432 "2016-05-23T02:05:30Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 2
### Author:  [@Poysyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Poysyn)
#### Post date: [May 23, 2016, 2:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-going-to-hell/755432/21 "2016-05-23T02:58:01Z")
> [@Moriarty](#):
>
> Considering that the bible includes stories of people who are commanded by god to kill, I don’t think your god is going to be bothered by you supporting other people’s military actions. Just to be safe, though, I suggest that you try not to personally kill anyone (even if you think that god is telling you to).
Good idea. Cover all bases.
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### Author:  [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)
#### Post date: [May 23, 2016, 2:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-going-to-hell/755432/22 "2016-05-23T02:59:52Z")
> [@Poysyn](#):
>
> 😃 that would have to be the least necessary asterisk ever!
Not necessarily. Kinda depends on your breed of Christianity. Personally, I find the very idea of Hell and a loving and forgiving God impossible to reconcile, so I default to the nicer path.
Yeah, that means that I figure Hitler is in Heaven. Sue me. 😉
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### Author:  [@Poysyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Poysyn)
#### Post date: [May 23, 2016, 3:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-going-to-hell/755432/23 "2016-05-23T03:04:07Z")
Ultimately, Hell or no Hell, feel free to support the military. Not hero-worship, but support is nice.
And we like it. Makes it easier when we are coming home to know the people there have our backs.
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### Author:  [@Defensive\_Indifference](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Defensive_Indifference)
#### Post date: [May 23, 2016, 3:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-going-to-hell/755432/24 "2016-05-23T03:07:58Z")
> [@Siam\_Sam](#):
>
> [Maybe he’s planning a trip to California.](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hell,_California)
Hell does occasionally freeze over: [Hell, Michigan - Wikipedia](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hell,_Michigan)
Anyway, I’ve never really understood what it meant to “support the troops”. Does it just mean you root for them like your local sports team? Paint your face and chant when the bombs start falling? Do you send them care packages so they feel a bit better about getting their arms and legs blown off for a pack of lies in Iraq? Do you try to help them get health care and jobs when they bring what remains of their bodies back home? Do you vote for candidates who aren’t hell-bent on playing a real life game of Risk? What form does your “support” take?
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### Author:  [@buddha\_david](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/buddha_david)
#### Post date: [May 23, 2016, 3:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-going-to-hell/755432/25 "2016-05-23T03:09:46Z")
> [@snfaulkner](#):
>
> You are in Hell right now.
> [@Enola\_Gay](#):
>
> Welcome
If there’s a sequential post contest, this wins.
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### Author:  [@RivkahChaya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RivkahChaya)
#### Post date: [May 23, 2016, 3:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-going-to-hell/755432/26 "2016-05-23T03:12:43Z")
I was in the National Guard. I never killed anyone. Some people in my unit had been in the Gulf War, but none of them killed anyone directly. Some of us in the Guard saved civilian lives, though.
One guy was at the scene of an auto accident, and offered first aid for shock and bleeding that may have saved lives, and probably saved a limb. His first aid training was from his military basic training. Another woman I know knew how to administer someone’s epi-pen when he had an allergic reaction, because we are trained to do this in gas attacks in basic as well.
My squad sergeant was never called up for overseas duty, but he was once called up to take a 200kW power generator (my squad was power generator operator/mechanic) up to a hospital during an ice storm when a whole region lost power. He kept the hospital powered for two days, sleeping four hours at a time, getting up to refuel and perform checks. He didn’t get a medal or ribbon or anything for it, but I think it was more heroic than a lot of things that get called “heroic” these days.
The Guard gets called out to sandbag during floods, and to assist the Red Cross during disasters, or the police during disasters and things like riots (I’m kind of surprised no one talked about them being called out for 9/11). And if there is ever something the Guard doesn’t have enough personnel to handle, reserve units could conceivably be called up for domestic situations. If there is ever an attack on the US, the regular Army would be there.
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### Author:  [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)
#### Post date: [May 23, 2016, 3:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-going-to-hell/755432/27 "2016-05-23T03:15:02Z")
If you have to ask, the answer will always be yes.
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### Author:  [@Sage\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sage_Rat)
#### Post date: [May 23, 2016, 3:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-going-to-hell/755432/28 "2016-05-23T03:22:14Z")
If you actually read through the Old Testament, I think you’ll find that worrying about this, because of what it says in the Bible, doesn’t make much sense. It also tells you to kill your son if he’s disobedient and to rape the women during a war.
> **[Bible Gateway passage: Deuteronomy 21:18-21 - King James Version](https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Deuteronomy%2B21%3A18-21&version=KJV)**
>
> If a man have a stubborn and rebellious son, which will not obey the voice of his father, or the voice of his mother, and that, when they have chastened him, will not hearken unto them: Then shall his father and his mother lay hold on him, and bring...
> **[Bible Gateway passage: Deuteronomy 20:10-14 - English Standard Version](https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Deuteronomy%2B20%3A10-14&version=ESV)**
>
> “When you draw near to a city to fight against it, offer terms of peace to it. And if it responds to you peaceably and it opens to you, then all the people who are found in it shall do forced labor for you and shall serve you. But if it makes no...
The morality of the Old Testament has long since been tossed way, way, far away. So if you want to subscribe to one or two of the rules it lays out, you would need to explain why the hundreds of other ones no longer count but those one or two still do.
But I will note that a) murder and killing are two separate things in the Old Testament. Murderers murder. Soldiers kill. God seems to have no issue with the latter (and generally encourages it). b) Jesus’ big message was, “Forget the Old Testament. Be kind and treat people the way you would want to be treated.”
> [@Poysyn](#):
>
> 😃 that would have to be the least necessary asterisk ever!
Some Christians don’t believe in Hell.
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### Author:  [@Poysyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Poysyn)
#### Post date: [May 23, 2016, 3:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-going-to-hell/755432/29 "2016-05-23T03:24:21Z")
> [@Sage\_Rat](#):
>
> If you actually read through the Old Testament, I think you’ll find that worrying about this, because of what it says in the Bible, doesn’t make much sense. It also tells you to kill your son if he’s disobedient and to rape the women during a war.
>
> [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Deuteronomy+21%3A18-21&version=KJV](https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Deuteronomy+21%3A18-21&version=KJV)
>
> [Deuteronomy 20:10-14 ESV - “When you draw near to a city to - Bible Gateway](https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Deuteronomy+20%3A10-14&version=ESV)
>
> The morality of the Old Testament has long since been tossed way, way, far away. So if you want to subscribe to one or two of the rules it lays out, you would need to explain why the hundreds of other ones no longer count but those one or two still do.
>
> But I will note that a) murder and killing are two separate things in the Old Testament. Murderers murder. Soldiers kill. God seems to have no issue with the latter (and generally encourages it). b) Jesus’ big message was, “Forget the Old Testament. Be kind and treat people the way you would want to be treated.”
>
> Some Christians don’t believe in Hell.
This thread has opened my eyes and fought my ignorance, I did not know that! Possibly my Southern Baptist upbringing, but I thought all Christians believed in Hell. Interesting.
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### Author:  [@jasnooks](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jasnooks)
#### Post date: [May 23, 2016, 3:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-going-to-hell/755432/30 "2016-05-23T03:40:57Z")
> [@RivkahChaya](#):
>
> I was in the National Guard. I never killed anyone. Some people in my unit had been in the Gulf War, but none of them killed anyone directly. Some of us in the Guard saved civilian lives, though.
>
> One guy was at the scene of an auto accident, and offered first aid for shock and bleeding that may have saved lives, and probably saved a limb. His first aid training was from his military basic training. Another woman I know knew how to administer someone’s epi-pen when he had an allergic reaction, because we are trained to do this in gas attacks in basic as well.
>
> My squad sergeant was never called up for overseas duty, but he was once called up to take a 200kW power generator (my squad was power generator operator/mechanic) up to a hospital during an ice storm when a whole region lost power. He kept the hospital powered for two days, sleeping four hours at a time, getting up to refuel and perform checks. He didn’t get a medal or ribbon or anything for it, but I think it was more heroic than a lot of things that get called “heroic” these days.
>
> The Guard gets called out to sandbag during floods, and to assist the Red Cross during disasters, or the police during disasters and things like riots (I’m kind of surprised no one talked about them being called out for 9/11). And if there is ever something the Guard doesn’t have enough personnel to handle, reserve units could conceivably be called up for domestic situations. If there is ever an attack on the US, the regular Army would be there.
🙂
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### Author:  [@jasnooks](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jasnooks)
#### Post date: [May 23, 2016, 3:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-going-to-hell/755432/31 "2016-05-23T03:45:44Z")
> [@Guinastasia](#):
>
> If you have to ask, the answer will always be yes.
This is probably true
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### Author:  [@Me\_Billy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Me_Billy)
#### Post date: [May 23, 2016, 5:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-going-to-hell/755432/32 "2016-05-23T05:30:19Z")
I am not religious, so do not believe in hell as such - not somewhere you go when you die. People who die simply do not exist any more.
However I have seen some people _living_ in hell! They have pretty sad lives. Everyday is miserable. You don’t sound any way like that, so count your blessings!
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### Author:  [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)
#### Post date: [May 23, 2016, 5:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-going-to-hell/755432/33 "2016-05-23T05:51:09Z")
It doesn’t matter what other people feel. Only God (if he exists) can decide who goes to Hell (if it exists). And God isn’t a member of this board.
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### Author:  [@The\_Niply\_Elder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Niply_Elder)
#### Post date: [May 23, 2016, 6:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-going-to-hell/755432/34 "2016-05-23T06:40:15Z")
The only way you’d believe if there is or isn’t a hell is if you subscribe to Ancient Greek mythology. So rest easy, there isn’t a hell in existence, as much as there is a Valhalla.
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### Author:  [@Sage\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sage_Rat)
#### Post date: [May 23, 2016, 7:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-going-to-hell/755432/35 "2016-05-23T07:31:15Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#):
>
> God isn’t a member of this board.
[http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/member.php?u=1886](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/member.php)
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### Author:  [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)
#### Post date: [May 23, 2016, 8:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-going-to-hell/755432/36 "2016-05-23T08:49:51Z")
Taking the question seriously, there is an episode where some soldiers go to see Jesus and ask him “what should _we_ do?”
He answers, “do not abuse your power”.
He doesn’t refuse to talk to them, or tell them to leave their jobs.
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### Author:  [@glee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/glee)
#### Post date: [May 23, 2016, 9:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-going-to-hell/755432/37 "2016-05-23T09:40:16Z")
God slaughtered an entire generation of innocent Egyptian children.
And He’s not going to Hell. :smack:
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### Author:  [@RivkahChaya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RivkahChaya)
#### Post date: [May 23, 2016, 9:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-going-to-hell/755432/38 "2016-05-23T09:51:37Z")
> [@Sage\_Rat](#):
>
> Jesus’ big message was, “Forget the Old Testament. Be kind and treat people the way you would want to be treated.”
And about 70 years earlier, Hillel said that the essence of the Torah _was_ “treat people the way you would want to be treated.”
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### Author:  [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)
#### Post date: [May 23, 2016, 9:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-going-to-hell/755432/39 "2016-05-23T09:57:36Z")
> [@jasnooks](#):
>
> I feel that because I’m a supporter of MY country and these kids that are trained to kill, that I’ll eventually end up in some sort of hell
Do you know who else is “trained to kill”? Yep; police officers and people learning self-defense. “Trained to kill” is, essentially, a ridiculous and demeaning description of the military. People in the Armed Forces are trained for quite a number of things.
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### Author:  [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)
#### Post date: [May 23, 2016, 10:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-going-to-hell/755432/40 "2016-05-23T10:42:53Z")
> [@RivkahChaya](#):
>
> I’m Jewish. There is no hell.
I’m a Universalist. There is a hell, _but_ people don’t go there. It’s only a prison for Satan.
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