Customer Reviews

Hell: Separate Truth from Fiction and Get Your Toughest Questions Answered

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3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(8)

 

 

Excellent Read

I met Bill Wiese last winter in Denver Colorado during a conference we both attended during which he mentioned that he was working on a new book. I discovered to my surprise that his book has just been released. After reading his book, I must say it is well worth the read.

For those not sure how to answer anyone with objections to the orthodox teachings on Hell, Mr. Wiese's book has answers to such objections as "How can a Loving God send people to Hell? (Chapter 2)," Don't all roads lead to God (Chapter 3), Why did God create such a horrible place (Chapter 7), Does the crime fit the Punishment? (Chapter 8) If you are looking for such answers to these questions and more, I recommend reading `Hell' by Bill Wiese!

Why does a Christian need to know about Hell? Read and find out! And I may add, Why does a non-Christian need to know about Hell? Bill Wiese will give you an answer you will not forget in this his latest book.


B. W. Melvin
Author of A Land Unknown: Hell's Dominion

At first glance this book almost looks like it was written by another author due to it's size, formatting and voluminous words per page when compared to the first book which was in essence a testimonial with some references. This book is essentially an expanded edition of the first with explanations, testimonials from the first book's influence, lengthly pages of excerpts from commentaries and resources supporting the author's views, and Question & Answer chapters. The Q&A chapters are in my opinion lacking in depth. But once you dig inside this book it becomes evident the same familiar material is there but with more research. The sincerity of the author is evident which redeems the book in a way. Conspicuously missing are references from Ryrie and Dake's Bible which speak to much of the topics covered. I would have also liked to have seen an endorsement letter from his Church/Church leadership or denomination to add endorsement/bio to the book. The subject matter of this book is almost incomprehensible humanly speaking except for the fact that once one gets a glimpse of the true spiritual world beyond our senses [by God's actions in our life--not by our own efforts] this book will make more sense. A bit one-dimensional at points but comes through. I liked the author's point of contrasting salvation and doctrine, i.e. one is saved by sincere belief in Jesus Christ and doctrine follows. The two are not to be confused or held as equal. Familiar reasoning and references as it appears the author is not theologically trained but does not claim to be. A good effort given he and his wife's busy travelling schedule. I would suggest reading I Believe in Visions (Faith Library Publications), Life Isn't Fair but God Is-One Man's Battle to Stay in the Ministry and/or Visions Beyond the Veil: Visions of Heaven, Angels, Satan, Hell and the End of the Age to round out the subject more completely.

Wow! I could not put it down! A real wake up call. This book explains what most want to know & dont ask.

New York Times best-selling author of "23 Minutes in Hell" Bill Wiese has written this follow up book titled simply "Hell." In this second book he provides answers to the most frequently asked questions on hell and the afterlife. He goes on to expound on some of the things he personally experienced in light of the scriptures.

Wiese describes hell as more than separation from God. He describes the weakness he felt, the extreme difficulty breathing, the stench of sulfur and brimstone, the torment of demons, and more of the ongoing torments.

I enjoyed the true stories and testimonies of how lives were dramatically and eternally touched and changed while reading Bill's earlier book.

Wiese's work is thoroughly researched and well documented. His writing is strong and convincing. This is an amazing compilation of material on the subject of hell. The range of quotes from Biblical scholars, expository preachers, and devotional writers is impressive.

A very comprehensive appendix is included with a complete list of all scriptural references to hell and destruction. This will be a valuable resource tool for Bible teachers, pastors, and laymen for further study and future reference.

Bill Wiese's book "Hell" should be required reading for every ordained minister. This would bring the message of heaven and hell back into the pulpit ministry in churches worldwide.

This book is a repeat of the earlier book, which I did not appreciate either. I'm looking for answers after the death of my father, but it seems like the goal of this book is to capitalize on people who don't know or understand the Bible well. This book is written with much sensationalism and is sorely lacking in solid truths. I don't recommend this book to any reader.

It has been said that what people believe about hell reveals what they believe about God. That being the case, it can be said with certainty that Bill Wiese has an absolutely morbid conception of God! Rather than being the loving heavenly Father the Bible proclaims God to be, Wiese's sequel, "Hell," to his hugely popular book, "23 Minutes in Hell," is his proof-text study of the Bible to affirm his reported experience of actually being in hell. Since Wiese confessed to believing that the physical descriptions of both heaven and hell must be interpreted literally, not surprisingly, he found verses in the Bible to support his literal view of hell. His literalism definitely depicts God as the cosmic sadist, not as the loving heavenly Father God claims to be.

Yes, Wiese says that God is love and that He hates to have to burn sinners in hell forever, but, in essence, sinners force Him to do that. This is a pathetic excuse for God torturing people forever in literal or, in Wiese's opinion, worse than literal fire. It also exposes God as the biggest hypocrite in the universe because He, in Christ, commands humans to forgive 70x70 which means to forgive and keep on forgiving, but God will stop forgiving and condemned sinners to hell for eternity! There are numerous inherent contradictions in this book such as stating that God is infinitely merciful, but if people, including those who have never heard the Gospel, do not accept Christ as their Savior, God will torture them forever in the lake of fire and brimstone. Infinite mercy and eternal torment is an oxymoron--a blatant contradiction!

In regard to hell, Wiese stated, "There are no words to adequately describe hell's horror." He quoted John MacArthur's creative writing about his conception of hell although MacArthur reported no personal experience of actually having been in hell as Wiese claims to have been. "There is no way to describe hell. Nothing on earth can compare with it. No living person has any real idea of it. No madman in wildest flights of insanity ever beheld its horror. No man in delirium ever pictured a place so utterly terrible as this. No nightmare racing across a fevered mind ever produces a terror to match that of the mildest hell....Let the most gifted writer exhaust his skill in describing this roaring cavern of unending flame, and he would not even brush in fancy the nearest edge of hell."

If MacArthur ever decides to leave the pastorate, he very likely has a great future as a writer of horror stories. What Wiese reveals in quoting MacArthur's descriptions of hell is his conception of God. God, thus, must be a "madman" to have created such a place as this kind of hell knowing that billions of people whom He created and loves will be tortured forever! God must also be "insane" in order to have designed and created such an insane place of such indescribable horror. God must also be "The Ultimate Terrorist" in that "no nightmare racing across a fevered mind has ever produced such a terror" to match that of the "mildest hell." Actually, in this crazy, unbiblical conception of hell, that is a misstatement since there are no degrees of hell, so, therefore, there can be no "mild, milder, or mildest hell." Such a conception, it is all horrific spiritual terrorism--spiritual abuse in its more extreme form!

This book, "Hell," preys on people's worst fear. Phobia is from the Greek word "phobos"--fear. Humans have at least one phobia. Many have more than one, and some people have multiple phobias. Some of the more common phobias are: acrophobia (fear of heights), agoraphobia (fear of public places), algophobia (fear of pain), claustrophobia (fear of closed spaces), hemophobia (fear of blood), mysophobia (fear of dirt/germs), pathophobia (fear of disease), xenophobia (fear of strangers), and panophobia (fear of everything). Some clinicians have postulated that all phobias are just different manifestations of one primary phobia--the mother of all phobias.

Irvin D. Yalom, M.D., Professor of Psychiatry Emeritus, at Stanford University, in 2008, wrote a fascinating book, Staring at the Sun: Overcoming the Terror of Death. Based on his lifetime work of studying fear of death and helping people deal with their phobias, it appears that there is One Great Phobia--FEAR OF DEATH! The fact that Yalom is an atheist does not invalidate his medical research, insights, and expertise. Atheism is often a reaction to and a defense against the God of fear-based religion.

According to Yalom, "Death anxiety is omnipresent in the unconscious as an intrinsic component of the human condition; the absence of evident death anxiety at a conscious level does not mean that the individual is without death anxiety; death anxiety is easily aroused." He explained that for some people, death anxiety is in the background--corralled in the unconscious mind. "But for other people, the anxiety is louder, unruly, tending to erupt at three in the morning, leaving them gasping at the specter of death. They are besieged by the thought that they, too, will soon be dead--as will everyone around them...Thoughts of death may seep into and permeate your dreams no matter how hidden from your conscious mind. Every nightmare is a dream in which death anxiety has escaped its corral and menaces the dreamer."

Of utmost interest, Yalom stated that death anxiety tends to erupt at three o'clock in the morning. It may be far more than coincidence that Wiese, who, in 2006, wrote the New York Times best-seller book, 23 Minutes in Hell, reported his experience of being in hell occurred from 3:00-3:23 a.m. Assuming that Wiese's reported experience of being in hell is not a complete hoax, in order to sell a lot of books to gullible people, especially literal-minded Christians, the most likely explanation is that Wiese's death anxiety escaped its corral and combined with his literal images of hell to menace him with a very-real hellish nightmare.

Omnipresent-death anxiety is immeasurably exacerbated by morbid fear of God and eternal damnation in literal hell fire by reading such books as, "23 Minutes in Hell" and the sequel, "Hell." For a totally-loving conception of God and a sane, sensible explanation of hell in the Holy Bible and other Holy Books, read books which expose the false doctrine of eternal punishment in literal, or worse than literal, hell fire as spiritual terrorism. Understanding of Christian Universalism is the cure for spiritual terrorism. Christian Universalism is life-transforming and heals rather than worsening The One Great Phobia!

Boyd C. Purcell, Ph.D., Author of
"Spiritual Terrorism: Spiritual Abuse from the Womb to the Tomb"
Website: HealingSpiritualTerrorism.com
Spiritual Terrorism: Spiritual Abuse from the Womb to the Tomb

If you read 23 Minutes in Hell & were moved by Bill's experience, you owe it to yourself to get this one.

I am still reading this, Wiese backs up what he is written with MUCH scripture, which I appreciate that. I think it is important to read his first book "23 minutes in hell" FIRST before reading this one. I am very pleased that I bought both books.

The best part of 23 Minutes in Hell is the first 4 chapters where Wiese talks about his vision of Hell which of I don't having any reason not to believe and was somewhat motivated by it when it came to reaching out to nonbelieves. I skimmed through this book before I bought it and was intrigued by some of the titles of the chapters. It looked like he really would have some good answers to some tough questions.

After buying and reading it I was exremely disappointed and even mad. He doesn't talk too much about his experience. His chapters are mostly field with quotes of what other famous Christians have said about the topics he is covering. Then when he does talk about some of the theological things, his ignorance in these matters is evidence. He lets his judgmental mindset of what others believe keep him from actually researching why it is there are different views. It is obvious he did not do much research of the Greek or of the cultural context of the New Testament regarding views on Hell when all of these different views came about. Instead, you get a heavy dose of judgmentalism based in ignorance. Isn't that what turns nonchristians off?

Every home needs to have this book available to read and share with loved ones and as many as possible!