gross@dg-rtp.dg.com (Gene Gross) (10/23/90)
>OFM, there is at least one other group who also holds to >annihilationism: Jehovah's Witnesses. Wonder if there are others? >What about the Worldwide Church of God? If by "annihilationism" you mean cessation of existence for unrepentant sinners, then the answer to your question about the WCoG is, "yes". We believe that God will give every human who has ever lived an opportunity to understand the purpose of their existence, come to repentance, and receive salvation through Jesus Christ. For some, this opportunity comes in this life. For the vast majority of humanity, this opportunity will be granted at the day of Judgment. (We do not view the Judgment as a negative, fearful event, but a time of teaching, learning about God's Plan and way of life, and an opportunity for salvation for those who are judged.) However, some (hopefully few) will reject their opportunity for salvation, either by willful disobedience or neglect. Such ones (we believe), will be mercifully put out of existence by God in the Lake of Fire. They will be burned up - reduced to ashes - never again able to inflict misery on others or themselves. We believe that the notion of eternal torment in the fires of "hell" arises out non-Biblical speculation about life after death and is inconsistent with the agape-love of God. Our view is predicated on our belief that humans are mortal; that they do not have immortal life inherently (as in an "immortal soul"). The idea of eternal torment is predicated upon belief in an immortal soul - an idea that arose out of Egyptian and later Greek schools of thought - and was engrafted onto mainstream Christian thought beginning around the end of the 2nd century with men like Origen and Tertullian. Drew Corrigan. --- Drew Corrigan. Department of Computer Science, Australian National University.