#008 Kevin Miller: Hellbound? (Does Hell Exist? If So, Who Ends Up There, And Why?)

Does hell exist? If so, how can a loving God allow millions of people to suffer in a place of eternal conscious torment? In this episode, I interview award-winning screenwriter, director and producer, Kevin Miller. And we discuss his provocative, critically acclaimed documentary Hellbound? which, in Kevin’s words, “seeks to discover why we are so bound to the idea of hell and what our views on hell reveal about how we perceive God, justice, the Bible and, ultimately, ourselves.” IN THIS EPISODE, KEVIN ANSWERS THE FOLLOWING: • Why do so many loving Christians still believe in hell? • When did you start questioning hell? • I once heard you say that the “belief in hell creates hell.” What did you mean? • Where does the imagery of hell (fire, darkness, torture) come from? • If someone believes in the Christian God, does he or she have to believe in hell, too? • Is hell part of the Christian message? • What did the early church believe about hell? • It’s often said that Jesus spoke more about hell than heaven. Is that true? • Why are so many people afraid to question hell? • Does it makes sense for God to give Hitler a free pass into heaven without any punishment? • Is eternal conscious torment the only view of the afterlife for Christians to hold to? • If there’s no eternal hell, then why the need for a savior? • How did the writers of Scripture know with certainty what happens after we die? • If there were no Bible, would people still believe in hell? • If people really believe in hell, then why aren’t they sharing their faith 24/7 to save people from it? • If we’re all trying to make sense of the world, does the idea of hell really make a good story? • As you toured the film and did Q&A’s, what were some of the responses?

LINKS AND RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE

• hellboundthemovie.com

• Her Gates Will Never Be Shut by Brad Jersak

• Kevin's Patheos Blog

• Hellbound? Facebook Page

• Hellbound? on Twitter

• Please Support This Podcast by Making a Donation (any amount helps!)