Għandek xi problema bl-idea ta’ Alla li jħobb jikkundanna lin-nies għal eternità fl-infern? Ukoll, għandek. Għax ħadd qatt ma kellu problema akbar b’din l-idea minn Alla nnifsu. In this series of articles we will examine Jesus’ teaching on this subject, in an effort to understand the nature of this problem. Have we misunderstood and exaggerated what Jesus said, or have we seriously under-estimated the near-impossibility of eradicating evil without eliminating ourselves?

This is a highly controversial and, in places, speculative subject; and we are not claiming to know all the correct answers. We ask only that you prayerfully weigh the evidence presented, whilst seeking fresh insights into the nature and ways of God that may surprise your current understanding. Space has been included for comments at the end of each chapter: so it is hoped that these will lead in time to further insights from which we may all learn.

The following is a brief summary of the topics covered. We have attempted to organize these so that you can either read them ‘book-fashion’, from beginning to end, or else dive directly into the topics that most interest you.

Click here to start at the beginning, jew fuq kwalunkwe mis-suġġetti hawn taħt:

Il-Perspettiva Umana

It is clear that what we choose to believe will radically affect how we value both our own lives and those of others. In these opening chapters we will start by examining what part our human experience and perspectives have played in shaping our understanding of the Biblical teaching on this subject.

• X’Jgħid Alla, jew X'Naħsbu?
  Jekk ma jkunx hemm ġustizzja suprema, kif jista’ l-qawwi jinżamm responsabbli? Imma jekk ikun hemm, then we should recognize that our limited human viewpoints are prone to serious bias.
• L-Isfond Storiku
  Man began by knowing God: but having broken faith he faced death not knowing what would happen next. God promised restoration: but how He would do it remained a mystery.
• Il-Vokabularju ta’ Ġesù
  Sakemm ġie Ġesù xi kunċetti kienu stabbiliti sew fil-ħsieb Lhudi; but their contemporary meanings did not always tally with the explanations that Jesus gave…

Ir-Relazzjoni bejn l-Imħabba u l-Ħażen

We humans can also be surprisingly naïve concerning the nature of the relationship between ‘good’ and ‘evil.’ In these chapters we explore the real nature and interrelationships of goodness, imħabba, libertà, l-egoiżmu u l-korruzzjoni biex jgħinuna nifhmu għaliex dawn il-kwistjonijiet morali huma ta’ konsegwenza daqshekk kbira fid-dawl tal-eternità.

• Għaliex Alla huwa daqshekk strett?
  So much is said about Jesus’ love and forgiveness that we often suppose Jesus has a more liberal attitude towards sin than God had in the past. Fil-fatt, his standards are much tougher.
• L-Impossibbilità ta 'Imħabba Obbligatorja
  No English word has ever been more dangerously devalued than ‘love.’ To ask, ‘If God is omnipotent, why can’t He make us more loving?’ turns out to be a logical self-contradiction.
• Spirali Vizzjuża tal-Ħażen
  għaliex, ħin mogħti, ma nistgħux intejbu? Don’t most of us really want to simply love and be loved? So why does evil tend to multiply in a downward spiral?

Il-Messaġġ ta’ Ġesù

We now take an in-depth look at Jesus’ own descriptions of what will happen when we die and how God will ultimately intervene to put a stop to all the evil in this world.

• Kien Ġesù jesaġera? Rabbinic teachers often used deliberate exaggerations to make a point. Wasn’t Jesus simply doing the same thing?
• X'Nafu S'issa?
  Qabel ma ngħaddi biex tikkunsidra t-tagħlim dwar dan is-suġġett x'imkien ieħor fit-Testment il-Ġdid, ikun ta’ għajnuna li nġabru fil-qosor dak li żgur nistgħu ngħidu fuq il-bażi tat-tagħlim ta’ Ġesù stess.
• Il-Ġlieda biex Nifhmu
  Jesus’ own assertions, plus some unresolved questions about his exact meaning, leave us facing an intellectual and emotional struggle to understand and accept his message.

Id-Dilemma t’Alla

Ħadd qatt ma kellu problema akbar bl-idea li jikkundanna lin-nies għall-qerda eterna minn Alla nnifsu. F’dawn il-kapitli finali se nikkunsidraw l-estremi ta’ wġigħ li ġarrab biex ħadd minna ma jkollu bżonn ibati tali destin..

• In-Niket ta’ Alla
  Qabel ma nġib dan l-istudju għal konklużjoni nixtieq li nagħmlu tentattiv biex nifhmu l-perspettiva t’Alla stess dwar il-ħażin li għamilna.
• Hell to Win?
  The span of history is littered with the ruins of once-great and seemingly invincible civilisations. S'issa l-ħajja umana baqgħet ħaj. But is our ‘luck’ about to run out?
• Jew il-Ġenna biex Tħallas?
  Mdorrijin ngħidulhom li jekk jonqsu milli “nirbħu” se jkun hemm “l-infern x’nħallas!” Imma l-​verità hi li qatt ma nistgħu nirbħu jew naqilgħu post fis-​sema, ma jimpurtax kemm nippruvaw.

Appendiċi

• Appendiċi A – Kemm idum Aeon?
  L-eternità qatt tispiċċa?
• Appendiċi B – Il-Buck jieqaf Fejn?
  Kif jista’ jkun hemm tmiem permanenti għall-ħtija u l-mistħija?
• Appendiċi Ċ – Hija Mewt Għal Dejjem?
  Jista’ jkun hemm xi tmiem għat-tbatija ta’ persuna fl-Infern?
• Appendiċi D – Id-Dnub Unforgivable
  X'inhu dan, u għaliex huwa unforgivable?