Chris Matthews Tries to Tackle Debate Over Existence of Hell — Tries
- Posted on April 17, 2011 at 6:00pm by
Jonathon M. Seidl
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Bell's book "Love Wins" and his suggestion that there might not be a Hell has made the new cover of Time Magazine.
We’ve covered the Rob Bell controversy extensively on this site (here, here, here, and here). Remember, he’s the “evangelical” pastor who just released a book questioning the existence of Hell and seemingly suggesting that everyone goes to Heaven. Well guess who else decided to cover it now? MSNBC’s very own Chris Matthews.
Matthews admitted “this is the strangest topic we’ve ever dealt with” before asking his panel what they thought about Bell’s theory and how it has now made it to the front cover of Time Magazine.
“Is this a minister trying to appeal to a larger flock, is this some new revelation here?” Matthews asked the panel.
Mediaite’s Tommy Christopher explains some of the strange responses:
Veering off-topic somewhat, Matthews asked “Why does the right wing love the Old Testament so much?”
Joe Klein noted that they “like Revelation better,” while Andrew Sullivan offered that “Jesus loved the poor. He thought they were better than the rich.”
After it becomes obvious the discussion is a dud, Matthews had to jokingly goad his guests: “Don’t hold back, kids.” That’s about the point where your forehead might hit your palm.
You can watch the clip below, after which you might think Matthews should stick to describing the thrills up his leg:
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Comments (197)
Showtime
Posted on April 17, 2011 at 7:23pmSorry, but Chris Matthews is a waste of time. Not worth bothering over, figuring out, or listening to. He is free to be the person he is or wants to be, and I am free to ignore him.
Report Post »MBA
Posted on April 17, 2011 at 7:22pmH*ll is having to listen to matthews and his ilk.
Report Post »angelcat
Posted on April 17, 2011 at 7:22pmliberals make any place they gather a hell on earth.
Report Post »DarthVader
Posted on April 17, 2011 at 10:36pmConsider this thread hell then.
Report Post »sooner12
Posted on April 17, 2011 at 7:18pmUnless one believes that Jesus Christ was God’s Son and died for our sins will not see heaven.
Report Post »jstan442
Posted on April 17, 2011 at 7:16pmthey know NOTHING of the Bible– Jesus spoke more of hell than He did of heaven–sorry but if He says it is a real place where there will be ‘weeping and gnashing of teeth’ i for one believe Him–coz if He lied about hell why should i believe He is the Savior??? God will not be mocked–they are sinners who will not see or hear to save their souls!!! Jesus is the only way to the Father and heaven–not mohammed or buddha etc they are nothing but fake idols
Report Post »denn4074
Posted on April 17, 2011 at 7:16pmHow pathetic! Can anyone believe this guy is still on the air?
Report Post »http://www.zazzle.com/stand4freedom
Alvin691
Posted on April 17, 2011 at 7:15pmHell is being separated from God.
Report Post »Colonel-Burkhalter
Posted on April 17, 2011 at 7:13pmHell is watching them!!!!!
Report Post »bigbonebaby
Posted on April 17, 2011 at 7:03pmExcuse the spelling of Big Bone Baby…. typed fast and has a glass of Pinot Nori, OOOOPs!
Report Post »foobear
Posted on April 17, 2011 at 7:03pmIt’s hilarious to watch liberals – who don‘t want to publicly admit they’re atheists – awkwardly try to talk about religion.
Report Post »CatB
Posted on April 17, 2011 at 7:03pm@DOGLADY
I think PMSNBC represents Hell pretty well.
Report Post »WhiteFang
Posted on April 17, 2011 at 7:03pmIf people took to heart what Jesus actually said, they would not have to worry about Hell (Sheol/Hades).
John 17:3 Jesus spoke these things, and, raising his eyes to heaven, he said: “Father, the hour has come; glorify your son, that your son may glorify you, 2 according as you have given him authority over all flesh, that, as regards the whole [number] whom you have given him, he may give them everlasting life. 3 This means everlasting life, their taking in knowledge of you, the only true God, and of the one whom you sent forth, Jesus Christ. 4 I have glorified you on the earth, having finished the work you have given me to do. 5 So now you, Father, glorify me alongside yourself with the glory that I had alongside you before the world was.
Notice verse 3
bigbonebaby
Posted on April 17, 2011 at 7:02pmThese people scare me. I remember when I thougth Nora O’Donnell was so pretty and now she looks hard and just plain awful. These people have sold their souls. They plainly do not believe in a higher power than themselves. They have no belief in God, period. They are vane people and represent the main stream media which is frightening. We must take a stand.
Report Post »bigbonebaby
Posted on April 17, 2011 at 7:04pmExcuse my bad spelling but I typed quick and also had and I promise just 1 glass of Pinot Noir.
Report Post »Underground Man
Posted on April 17, 2011 at 10:27pmA Jew and a bunch of Catholics… but no, you’re right, they’re probably all sinister atheists in disguise.
Report Post »Wyatt's Torch
Posted on April 17, 2011 at 7:02pmDrive-by theology from the drive-by media
Report Post »Cemoto78
Posted on April 17, 2011 at 7:00pmI don’t think Matthews needs to really talk about or worry if there is a heaven, cause this turd will never get the chance to see it or get there.
Report Post »Jack007
Posted on April 17, 2011 at 6:58pmUntil someone comes back from Heaven or Hell all we got is conjecture, and that’s a fact Jack.
Report Post »JohnFourteenSix
Posted on April 17, 2011 at 11:28pmSomeone did….His Name is Jesus Christ! He left the glory of Heaven…..came to earth as a baby in a manger……lived a sinless life…….was beaten, spat on, mocked……bore the sins of all humanity…..was crucified on a Roman cross…..buried in a borrowed tomb…….but HALLELUJAH…..HE AROSE FROM THE GRAVE! You can read all about Him, and how to go to Heaven & avoid Hell, in His Book…the Bible!
Report Post »donnyho
Posted on April 18, 2011 at 10:26amRead “Heaven is for Real” by Todd Burpo. His 4yo son went to heaven while in surgery and had some interesting things to say about it when he returned. Hell is for those who reject the Giver of Life. It is “hell” because you will be separated from the Source of Life, for an eternity. It is called the “second death”. The Father of all life has told us, “I lay before you life and death.” He continued by giving us a hint; “Choose life.” Your choice. If you knew what the Word of God says you would not say heaven is conjecture.
Report Post »Bhaub
Posted on April 18, 2011 at 12:43pmAnd remember that ALL graves opened when Jesus came back, so tons and tons of people returned from the dead. It’s weird that nobody else mentions that in history, but I guess it was pretty scary, so they just wanted to forget about it…
Report Post »anutter
Posted on April 17, 2011 at 6:58pmHell on Earth would be when (if) the progressives take over.
Report Post »wampanoag
Posted on April 17, 2011 at 6:57pmI wonder why Beck is giving free publicity to the dunce Mathews, Why is his show of any importance.
Report Post »DarthVader
Posted on April 17, 2011 at 10:41pmCuz Beck is about the MONEY. And just see how fired up all the BECKERHEADS get when they see liberals being liberal. Beck has always cashed in on Beckerheads fears. He never gave a balanced perspective. At least O’Reilly tries. If Beck had a solution or really knew what he was doing, he’d run for office or REALLY organize people. Take a look at that, think about it.
Report Post »Blacktooth
Posted on April 17, 2011 at 6:53pmAbout four minutes of listening to four people talking about something they have no accurate idea about.
Report Post »mingfurecon
Posted on April 17, 2011 at 6:49pmA complete dolt. This poor fool is a travesty of a mockery of a sham
Report Post »marine249
Posted on April 17, 2011 at 6:48pmthey don’t have a clue about what they thing
Report Post »they are talking about
oldeagle101
Posted on April 17, 2011 at 7:20pmI agree…Of course they dont have a clue because they’re a part of MSNBC the network of the cluless.
Semper Fi 249
Report Post »CatB
Posted on April 17, 2011 at 7:22pm@MARINE249
Do they ever???
Report Post »G.W. Dobbs
Posted on April 17, 2011 at 7:35pmTrust in the LORD. The ANSWER to the existence of Hell is in the scriptures and Jesus Himself spoke of Hell. Do the research yourself.
Report Post »lovenfl3
Posted on April 17, 2011 at 6:48pmChris Matthews is an idiot. Although Rachael Madcow ended up winning the worst person in media in 2010 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hJgTlPwQEUM this clown wasn’t far behind.
Report Post »JEANNIEMAC
Posted on April 17, 2011 at 6:47pmThe radicals want people to believe there is no hell, so that they will be promiscuous, crude, illiterate beasts. The radicals will provide “bread and circuses” in the form of pornography and drugs to control the serfs.
Report Post »PATTY HENRY
Posted on April 17, 2011 at 7:39pmYou are 1000% CORRECT. Demoralizing America, ruining our family foundation/structure was the major goal of the COMMIES….when they sent various plants to the USA (most ended up teaching nonsense to our college kids who really think somehow they have now an education!! – like SUNSTEIN ) what a joke he is.
KEEP GOD first…we will survive. Then we will thrive and hopefully we will never fall asleep at the wheel again. AMERICA is GOD’S PRECIOUS gift to us… we need to do what SARAH says…WE NEED TO FIGHT FOR AMERICA! “Fight like a GIRL” :)
Report Post »LibertyGoddess
Posted on April 17, 2011 at 7:41pmThis should be the first comment listed…well said.
Report Post »RLTW
Posted on April 17, 2011 at 8:22pmThe easy way for progressives to know Hell exists would be to just look into a mirror. They live in the place between ego and shadow within the human soul, all progressives do.
Report Post »Underground Man
Posted on April 17, 2011 at 10:22pmOh yeah, because whether one ends up in heaven or hell depends upon their own efforts and how moral they are — not, you know, like, faith in Jesus Christ and his own perfect sacrifice on the cross, or anything. Rob Bell is clearly a wolf in sheep’s clothing who secretly wants to see orgies in the streets.
lurn2christianity
Report Post »spirited
Posted on April 17, 2011 at 6:44pmtheology?
>…, anyone??
Report Post »EnoughBS
Posted on April 17, 2011 at 8:33pmThe comments of some of you are absolutely repulsive. It’s no wonder I left the church and the Christian religion altogether!
Report Post »teachermitch32
Posted on April 17, 2011 at 8:53pmYea, yea! We heard you the first time. Bye, bye now.
Report Post »EnoughBS
Posted on April 17, 2011 at 9:06pmyeah sorry- it posts twice sometimes?
Report Post »SlimnRanger
Posted on April 17, 2011 at 9:44pmChris Matthews I do hope you read The Blaze from time to time, I want you to know Jesus died on the cross for you as well as the rest of us here,Chris you truly need to repent and ask Jesus into your heart,give your life to him completly,I promise you that you don’t want to go to hell,it’s eternal torment ,pain and agony,it’s an eternety Chris,it’s definatly not an overnight thing,Easter is next Sunday the day we celebrate the ressuruction of our Lord,I pray daily that this nation will repent and call upon God and once again be a Christain nation,please remember Chris,God is not willing that any should perrish but that all come to repentance,God does not send anyone to hell,people do that themselves by denying Christ and accepting him as Lord and Savior,Jesus says we are to pray for people like you and i shall,again Chris it’s your choice,Hevean or Hell,you chose
Report Post »GETLIFE
Posted on April 18, 2011 at 4:26amThanks, TEACHER, The ENOUGHBS person needed to be reassured that indeed he has been heard….
Report Post »TeaBeliever
Posted on April 18, 2011 at 11:23amMatthews and his pals like Jon Stewart are non-believers who will be judged harshly. Accept Jesus Christ or suffer. Pray for Glenn
Report Post »WhiteFang
Posted on April 18, 2011 at 12:33pmEnoughBS,
Dont’ blame our righteous God and His Son for the bad behaviour of false Christians.
Report Post »kmichaels
Posted on April 18, 2011 at 7:13pmAfter seeing the repulsive comments and violent behavior and standard practice of lying coming from liberal atheists, I see now why I decided to never become an atheist, since most atheists are such self-serving lying violent irrational sort of people that believe in things without proof, such as global warming, redistribution of wealth, socialism, etc.
Report Post »douglassoileau
Posted on April 17, 2011 at 6:42pmNo intelligence Found………empty space between the ears………….and a chill up the leg into the rear……..
Report Post »CatB
Posted on April 17, 2011 at 7:04pmHell on Earth is having to watch Matthews and the rest of the MSM progressives/Marxists.
Report Post »IntrepidSI
Posted on April 18, 2011 at 9:52amI can tell you what Hell’s waiting room looks like. You are surrounded by big screen TV’s that play MSNBC constantly, save for the DNC commericals that come and go. The literature on the tables are books, such as Nancy Pelosi’s books, Barrack‘s book and Harry Reid’s unpublished scratchings.
The receptionist is none other than Ted Kennedy himself, who can pour all the Chivis into a glass that he wants, but it never gets it to his mouth. (That is his punishment). Your punishment is that he has no pants on, as he did not in so many Palm Beach nights.
Eh, erra, eh, do you have ahan appointment?
Report Post »watchtheotherhand
Posted on April 18, 2011 at 11:18amHilarious someone who denies that the Bible is God’s word is now trying to espouse his high and mighty opinion to educate the masses by asking dumb questions to guests who have no clue about which they speak. ROFL !!!!! I am sure this really boosts his journalistic credibility right out of the toilet.
Report Post »watchtheotherhand
Posted on April 18, 2011 at 11:27amMan it feels good to be able to post on here again. Nothing I would posts showed up the entire weekend????? I was suck on Huff Po and man there are some bizarre people with bizarre views over there let me tell you. Whew, makes me fear for future generations even more. Their definition of facts and mine don’t seem to be the same. They like to call their opinion facts and facts as garbage. How twisted people are when they are agenda driven.
Report Post »WhiteFang
Posted on April 18, 2011 at 12:00pmWell, I have to say there is not much point in commenting on Blaze stories if they can eliminate a comment string in its entirety. I can see getting rid of a objectionable comment, but a long string? This has been the case a couple of times now, and perhaps there is no point in contributing to this site.
Report Post »WhiteFang
Posted on April 18, 2011 at 12:28pmThere was a comment string from April 17 before Douglassoileau’s comment.
Report Post »stephenb.net
Posted on April 18, 2011 at 2:31pmRob Bell- “God is going to send you to hell unless you believe in Jesus”
Wow really Rob? God is going to SEND YOU TO HELL? Do me a favor Mr. trained teacher of the Gospel, find that in the scriptures will you please. We are all going to hell…until we aren’t. Why are some not going to hell? Because we desired a relationship with God, obeyed His commands and subjected our own will for the will of our Father. Not any longer conforming to the ways of this world but being transformed by the Holy Spirit. You should know better Mr. Bell. Now for the people who I expect nothing from:
Andrew Sullivan editor “The Dish”
“Our refusal to accept the love of God-our inability to accept it.“ ”It exists on earth as it does after death. We could be living in hell right now if we do not accept the love that is openly given us by God the Father and the Son”
OK wait…you just said that we have an inability to accept God‘s love and then you say we could be living in hell right now if we do not accept God’s love. Huh? How can we be living in Hell right now if we are still alive on this planet?
“Heaven is simply the ability to let go of your pride and let God in”
OHH I see, so letting go of our pride and letting God in IS heaven. It isn’t an afterlife destination for our souls. So Jesus was in heaven because he let God in right. Even when he was being beaten and hung on a cross. Heaven? You don’t know what you are talking about.
The man who calls himself “The Jew on the panel with 4 Catholics.” (no name recognition was evident on the video) “JFK Here on earth Gods work is truly our own we create our own heavens and our own hells.”
So quoting the misguided comments of the philandering president constitutes a firm understanding of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Hmm.
Nora O’Donnell-MSNBC Washington correspondent. “Hell keeps you on the straight and narrow. Don’t act this way or your going to end up in hell the rest of your life. It’s been a way to keep a check on your behavior and the idea of Heaven too is the positive way to look at it we behave and love and teach others that there is an afterlife a great afterlife (edit) We can be with others who behaved-um and acted morally in life.”
O’Donnell is a classic dunce when it comes to Christianity even though she claims to be one…Heaven is filled with people who acted morally in life. Compared to who? Hell is just a veiled threat to keep you in line but heaven is where the moral people go. Who’s morality? In her belief, one earns their way to heaven. That’s nice, it isn’t Christianity, but what the he…ck.
Becky Quick Co-Anchor Squawk Box- “The idea of heaven and hell this is something that the new testament preaches not the old.”
the OT speaks of the heavens which meant the sky as well as it meant the dwelling place of God. The ability for man to join God in heaven doesn’t yet exist because Jesus had yet to provide a path. Hell though mentioned 31 times in the OT is translated from the Hebrew word sheol which meant in the earth, death.
It’s been a long, long running debate. I went back and looked at a lot of old Time covers all the way back to the 1950′s where this has been debated and kind of played out”
All the way back to the fifties and you looked at that cornerstone of wisdom, Time magazine for your information? Wow, impressive.
“…I do think that right now the message of heaven and embracing God and God will forgive you I think that sells right now…”
LOL, yup I get 9.95 every time I tell someone and if they act now I’ll throw in a sham wow with the New Testament printed on it.
…and I think that that’s important for churches when you look at the decline in the numbers of people who go to church each Sunday.”
OK you lost me. So you are saying that the message of salvation is a ploy by the churches to increase membership? So, Christianity is a ponzi scheme? Liberals, gotta love em, hard to save em.
Matthews- “Why does the right wing like the old testament so much they’re always going back to that the Christian right, they love the old testament?”
OOh! OHH! Me, me! Pick me Chris! Because it’s the word of God and “right wingers” as you call them like to take in all the information and not just the stuff that makes you feel all warm and fuzzy inside.
Becky Quick- “It’s the more fundamentalist read right?
True.
Jewish guy- “They like Revelation better.”
Yeah cause that’s when Jesus comes to show you guys just what “real” holiness looks like. Try to earn your way out of that day. Good luck.
Andrew Sullivan- “It‘s because Jesus loved the poor they think they’re better the (garbled)”
Meds must be kicking in.
Report Post »beckisnuts
Posted on April 18, 2011 at 2:45pmAnyone who believes stories fed to them without any proof at all, like the claptrap all religions spew, is the real mindless person.
Report Post »beckisnuts
Posted on April 18, 2011 at 2:51pm“God is going to SEND YOU TO HELL? Do me a favor Mr. trained teacher of the Gospel, find that in the scriptures will you please. We are all going to hell…until we aren’t. Why are some not going to hell? Because we desired a relationship with God, obeyed His commands and subjected our own will for the will of our Father. Not any longer conforming to the ways of this world but being transformed by the Holy Spirit. You should know better Mr. Bell. Now for the people who I expect nothing from:”
That’s delusional nonsense that was spoon fed to you without any proof at all. If there really was some grand creator who used humanity as his plaything, there would be some form of proof of its existence. There is not. If Jesus had revealed a fact known now that wasn’t then, like the earth is a sphere for example, it would have helped support claims of a supreme creator. It never happened because there is no god and never was.
Report Post »kmichaels
Posted on April 18, 2011 at 7:11pmBECKISNUTS
Posted on April 18, 2011 at 2:45pm
Anyone who believes stories fed to them without any proof at all, like the claptrap all religions spew, is the real mindless person.
You mean, like global warming, that you were spoonfed with little to no proof? Yeah. How about you thinking Obama would be a good leader, without any proof to back up the claim? How about Obama getting a nobel peace prize without proof that he deserved it?
You’re a hypocrite and a moron.
Report Post »My Sacred Honor
Posted on April 19, 2011 at 1:09amThat sounded like a bunch of back-woods toothless moonshiners discussing astrophysics in August.
Report Post »“Man, that sun shur is hot t’day!”
“Yup.”
Secret Squirrel
Posted on April 20, 2011 at 9:43am……..
Report Post »If there’s no Hell?
Then Chris Matthews gets away with it!