I may be mistaken, but I am sure that that is a central tenet of the Jehovah's Witnesses, namely that all but the "righteous" will simply return to dust. (And, of course, they cite Scripture to back this assertion up.)
Further, according to a report by the doctrine commission of the Church of England:
"Hell is not eternal torment, but it is the final and irrevocable choosing of that which is opposed to God so completely and so absolutely that the only end is total non-being."
The Episcopalians likewise believe that Hell is merely "alienation from God."
Regards,
I agree with that completely. But I would assert, and I think those two religions would agree with me, that the very act of being separated from God is, in and of itself, the punishment of Hell.
As far as Jehovah's Witnesses, I usually don't answer the door, so I have no idea. :-)
Thought I’d point out a few things:
1) Jehovah’s Witnesses are not orthodox Christians, and deny key elements of the orthodox faith. Therefore their views on hell are as irrelevant to Christianity as their views on the person of Jesus (a created being).
2) This statement by the Church of England most certainly does not reflect the historic position of the Church, but rather is a denial of what it used to teach (much like the Anglicans and homosexuality).
3) I would agree with the Episcopalians in stating that hell is ultimately “alienation from God.” It is a place of separation from the holiness and righteousness of God. C.S. Lewis famously said that the gates of hell were closed from the inside.
But realize that it is NOT Jehovah’s Witness doctrine, or the Church of England, or the Anglicans, or any other denomination that should carry sway in Christian thought; but rather the Bible.
No one talked more about hell than Jesus (see Luke 16 for the most graphic example, the parable of the rich man and Lazarus). Further, we see hell described in Old Testament passages such as Job 10:21. Jewish Pharisees in fact thought of Gentiles as existing to literally serve the purpose of firewood for hell! The Bible is very clear that there is a place of eternal judgment and eternal torment - originally prepared for the devil and his angels according to Jesus - that those who reject God’s salvation proceed.
As part of the Imago Dei, humans possess eternality of existence. We are born, but we never die; rather, our souls survive the deaths of our animal bodies, either to heaven or to hell.
I would further argue that apart from heaven and hell, there is no ultimate difference between doing good and doing evil; and that if Mother Teresa and Adolf Hitler enjoy the same end there is no ultimate justice in the universe.