Weather
Evil, the Devil and Hell: Damnation Considered in the Case of Israel KeyesRelated Content
ANCHORAGE - Was Israel Keyes pure evil? And is he burning in hell? Those kinds of questions are not typically explored in local newscasts, but many have been talking about those issues since Keyes' family's pastor spoke out Thursday on where the serial killer might be right now. The concept of hell has endured through the ages, from classic paintings to modern movies. Fire and brimstone are less invoked as an image than at one time. But when it comes to the serial killer Israel Keyes, plenty of people seem willing to envision eternal torment, at least in online postings. Even the pastor from Texas who will preside at Keyes' funeral in Washington state said he's burning. "We are not glad that Israel Keyes is in hell, we believe he is, but we are not glad at that," said Pastor Jake Gardner of the Church of Wells. But a couple of Anchorage ministers look at it differently. "I think the pastor's wrong. I don't believe in hell because I don't believe that God eternally punishes anyone for anything," said the Reverend George Blair of First Congregational Church. Blair said God permits evil and Keyes certainly was that. "I don't believe in demonic possession, but I do know that there are some people whose brain is wired in such a way that they have no moral conscience." But Blair cautioned against wishing for Keyes' damnation. "If the thing we want most is for God to somehow take revenge on Israel Keyes and punish him through some kind of eternal torture, that we become too much like that which we despise." For the Reverend Jerry Prevo of the Anchorage Baptist Temple, it's a matter of whether the self-professed atheist Keyes, even while killing himself, truly repented and accepted Jesus Christ as his savior. "Well, if he did change his mind, of course we know the grace of God is able to forgive him, that Jesus Christ died on the cross for our sins, and that even one of the thieves in his dying hour, as he was being crucified, cried out for salvation and Jesus told him ‘today thou shalt be with me in paradise.’" Where is Israel Keyes now? It’s a hell of a question. -------------- Serial killers Ted Bundy and Jeffrey Dahmer reportedly converted to Christianity before their deaths. A Christian rock band, Room Full of Walters, recorded a song titled, “Jeffrey Dahmer Went to Heaven.” |
This content requires the latest Adobe Flash Player and a browser with JavaScript enabled.
Click here for a free download of the latest Adobe Flash Player.
|
You have indicated this comment should be removed.
The comment has been submitted for review. Thank you .
Anonymous said on Friday, Dec 7 at 8:31 PM
right up scarah and toad's alley...they give a few favors then ask for one...then kill you for it...
108630102Anonymous said on Friday, Dec 7 at 8:36 PM
and the purpose of this wonderfull artical is ?
108630315BobD said on Friday, Dec 7 at 9:55 PM
Rev. George Blair must also not believe the scriptures , if he doesn't believe God punishes one eternally..Must be an off-shoot of the Jehova Witnesses..
108634045BobD said on Friday, Dec 7 at 10:00 PM
Pastor Jake Gardner is doing what the Bible tells us NOT to do. Judge not , lest ye be judged means not to judge anothers faith or your's will be judged. He doesn't know whether this guy asked God's forgiveness in his final hours..Only the Lord is capable of judging us by our hearts..
108634215George Blair said on Friday, Dec 7 at 10:24 PM
The scriptures are the best efforts by men and women thousands of years ago, and their experience of God in their lives. It is morally impossible for God to condemn Israel Keyes to hell because he had the wrong theology (as Pastor Prevo claims) but forgive his foul murders on his death bed if he "accepts Christ." This would be cheap grace of an amazing sort. It is also morally impossible to enjoy the pleasures of heaven while people we know and love are in hell. What kind of monster could enjoy the presence of God when he knew that friends, relatives, good people of other faiths are suffering? I couldn't, and I believe that God is a great deal more understanding and merciful than I am. The proper response to this event is to pray for the soul of all the departed, knowing that is in God's hands and not ours, and to help the survivors in any way we can. Hell is no comfort to anyone except those who are so injured by evil that they can only respond by wishing evil upon others.
108635075So said on Saturday, Dec 8 at 1:28 AM
At what point do the lame "news" stations in AK know we wants news and we are smart enough to know keys is dead and that coffee gal is too? One way to diff one news site from another, one tells the news, the other well its ktuu and ktva.
108640545james said on Saturday, Dec 8 at 10:19 AM
This is all rationalization, trying to find a meaning and explanation for a horrific and terrible thing that doesn't necessarily have one.
108668035BreezyB said on Saturday, Dec 8 at 9:00 PM
You know, George Blair, you can believe anything you want...but that doesn't discount what God told us in scripture. If you want to lead a lot of people to eternal separation from God, keep ignoring the TRUTH of the Bible and lying to them. Keep making YOUR man rules and passing along YOUR ideals. I, on the other hand, will follow what God said to do, which is to listen to His Son...and His Son said, "Believe in me". If we do not believe in what Jesus did for us, we cannot have salvation. It's not up to YOU to decide what God can or cannot do. You're a false teacher if you tell your congregation lies about what God says. Our God is a just and loving God. If we choose to be separated from Him, then He'll give us what we want. If we choose to denounce Him, then He'll do what we ask and not be there for us. If we don't believe in what Jesus did for us, then God, and God alone, will judge us ETERNALLY. A just God would do no less. Who are YOU to decide what is morally wrong for GOD?! psh.
108704255Unnecessary said on Sunday, Dec 9 at 12:17 AM
This type of religious speculation is EXACTLY the reason our country seems like it's not performing well. This has no place in the media and serves only to make these so called "leaders" seem important. I'm ashamed i saw this story on the news that turned current events into a fear-driven fairy tale session.
108711305George Blair said on Monday, Dec 10 at 9:37 PM
I beg all of us to respect the religious beliefs or nonbeliefs of each other. Some of us believe that God "told" us something in scripture, others of us believe that even thousands of years ago people were "seeing in a mirror, darkly" about the nature of God, and gave posterity the benefit of their own experiences and their best guesses. I promise you, however, neither I nor my congregation is on the road to perdition. Some things are just obvious from the nature of God.
108872065CG said on Wednesday, Jan 9 at 11:15 PM
Thank you, Rev. Blair. You give me renewed interest in Christianity.
110983372CG said on Wednesday, Jan 9 at 11:40 PM
"Pastor Jake Gardner is doing what the Bible tells us NOT to do." The "pastor" is a poseur. Never attended seminary, no ecumenical training of any kind. He and two buddies (all 20-somethings) started their own religion/cult in Texas, "Church of Wells." You can find them on the Rick Ross cult forum. They are connected to nothing, no affiliation, no church leadership or counsel. They have some kind of creative version of Anabaptist Puritan doctrine. Their belief is that every denomination and ordained minister is false. Christians who believe themselves to be 'born again' and saved are actually not. They have to live separately and have no fellowship with the world. They are the only true believers. They are extremely confrontational and control the members of their group. They are not allowed to laugh or enjoy life, because it's the devil. Fascinating! Just takes the whole bizarre Israel Keyes story up a notch into Crazy Land.
110984181Add a comment
Most Popular