Well, the Bible gave you the explanation right there, it's for "not accepting Jesus".
Don't worry, I'll see you there too. I'm atheist, which probably you are too since I know most buddhists don't believe in a god.
But really, I think it's just a ploy to try and scare people to join Christianity in my opinion.
The question is moot unless you've stumbled across some demonstrable evidence to suggest that any of it is actually real. If you have not, then you might as well be asking why the machine intelligence is bothering to plug you into the Matrix in order to extract power from your body when it has access to Uranium for nuclear reactors. It's a moot question because it is based on a fiction. A stupid fiction cobbled together with a host of self-serving ulterior motives underpinning the whole thing.
But you know that. You're only asking the question in order to stir up an argument. I can certainly respect that, but it doesn't seem very Buddhist of you.
The word 'hell' has a very different definition than what the churches claim:
Webster’s Third New International Dictionary, unabridged, under “Hell” says:
“fr[om] . . . helan to conceal.”
The word “hell” thus originally conveyed *no thought* of heat or torment
but simply of a ‘covered over or concealed place.’
In the old English dialect the expression “helling potatoes” meant to simply place the potatoes in the ground or in a cellar . . . not to roast them.
What the churches teach is based upon the pagan philosopher Plato's mythical elaborations of the pagan teachings of 'afterlife' and 'eternal torment'.
God's Word --on the other hand-- says:
"For the living know that they will die, but the dead know nothing at all." (Ecclesiastes 9:5a)
"Whatever your hand finds to do, do with all your might, for there is no work nor planning nor knowledge nor wisdom in the Grave . . ." (Ecclesiastes 9:10)
"Just a little while longer, and the wicked will be no more. (Psalm 37:10a)
"But the wicked will perish;
The enemies of Jehovah will vanish . . . They will vanish like smoke." (Psalm 37:20)
"These very ones will undergo the judicial punishment of *everlasting* destruction." (2 Thessalonians 1:9a)
"The *future* of wicked people will be *cut off*." (Psalm 37:38b)
Thus, not only you, but *no one* else is going to be kept alive to be tortured for eternity, no matter how intentionally wicked they were!
"What Did Jesus *Really* Teach About Hell?"
http://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/20088...
The magazine Presbyterian Life says: “Immortality of the soul is a Greek notion formed in ancient mystery cults and elaborated by the philosopher Plato.”
In ancient Babylonian and Assyrian beliefs the “nether world . . . is pictured as a place full of horrors, and is presided over by gods and demons of great strength and fierceness.” (The Religion of Babylonia and Assyria, Boston, 1898)
Early evidence of the fiery aspect of Christendom’s hell is found in the religion of ancient Egypt. (The Book of the Dead, New Hyde Park, N.Y., 1960)
Buddhism, which dates back to the 6th century B.C.E., in time came to feature both hot and cold hells. (The Encyclopedia Americana, 1977, Vol. 14)
Depictions of hell portrayed in Catholic churches in Italy have been traced to *Etruscan* roots.―La civiltà etrusca (Milan, 1979).
I don't believe the Bible actually says that directly. Perhaps instead of reading the Bible, you talked to someone from one of the fear and guilt Protestant denominations. If you did read it in the Bible, post the book, chapter, and verses and I'll take a look at it and see if I can answer.
Ever since the Fall of our first parents, humanity has been dead in spirit. By our sinful nature, we ought to cease existing, deserving nothing. But God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
Jesus came to die for our sins, those who don't accept Jesus as Lord and Savior are not covered by the blood of the New Covenant, poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.
We still deserve death, Hell even, but for a time the Son of God came in the flesh and took the brunt of God's wrath. For he was wounded for our transgressions, crushed far in equities, the punishment that brought us peace was up on him, by his wounds we are healed.
As far as the general rules go, there is no other way that leads to salvation, safe through Jesus Christ. There are possible exceptions, by the grace of God, but we are not suppose to ponder on exceptions, for the secret things belong to God.
Sandra Rogers had a near-death experience during which she was shown this:
“I asked the light, which I call Christ, how people from other religions get to heaven. I was shown that the group or organization we profess alliance to is inconsequential. What is important is HOW WE SHOW OUR LOVE FOR GOD BY THE WAY WE TREAT EACH OTHER.
The light showed me that what is important is that we love God and each other, and that it isn't what a person says, but the love in their being that is examined in the afterlife. In reviewing and reliving your life, your acts and thoughts of love bring you and God great joy, and your acts and thoughts of indifference, selfishness, and anger bring you and God deep remorse.
We are all part of God's family, and are all interconnected. Those organizations or religions which claim some singular relationship with God, claim superiority over others, or exclude people for various reasons, GO AGAINST GOD'S LAW that we love one another as we love ourselves.”
http://www.near-death.com/experiences/su...
Quite a few religions demand strict loyalty and threaten punishment for those who do not believe. The Christian Bible tells its followers to believe in their one god and to accept his son, Jesus Christ, etc. etc. Keep in mind that this is simply an aspect of their religion and not something that exists in the wider reality. I might add, it is a religion that you do not follow! I would understand why Christians might be afraid of Hell because they think their religion is real (that's normal enough, people generally think their religion is real) but if you do not follow a religion, do not believe in it, it seems pretty strange that you would worry about any one little scrap of it.
We have all sinned, honey. That is why we have to accept Christ as our personal Lord and Savior, otherwise, who will pay for you sins other than yourself?? You can be a buddhist and still accept Christ as your personal Lord and Savior. He only gave us two commandments: 1. Love God first and foremost and 2. Love others as you would love yourself...
Pray the sinners prayer and you are saved if you believe you are saved. Christianity is a religion that teaches us the power of faith in God and the power of love towards God and one another.
Some people don't know what it means to be a "good" person.
Because the creator of the universe specifically said that if you don't repent of your sins and ask Jesus to be your Lord and Savior you will spend eternity in hell, separated from God. Spiritually dead. The explanation is that God is holy and righteous and without the covering of the blood of Jesus for your sin you are unclean and unfit your eternal life.
You won't Christians love scaring people. However the bible is about suffering to make ones spirit stronger. If your kind and loving you will enter paradise.
