Originally Posted by
Alter2Ego
Smitty:
Sorry to burst your bubble in which you insist the rich man was a real person and not part of a parable, but in fact, the story of the rich man and Lazarus was nothing more than a parable. I will explain to you why it was a parable after I quote the scriptural account below:
"{19} "There was a rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and who feasted sumptuously every day. {20} And at his gate was laid a poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores, {21} who desired to be fed with what fell from the rich man's table. Moreover, even the dogs came and licked his sores. {22} The poor man died and was carried by the angels to Abraham's side. The rich man also died and was buried, {23} and in Hades, being in torment, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham far off and Lazarus at his side. {24} And he called out, 'Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus to dip the end of his finger in water and cool my tongue, for I am in anguish in this flame.' {25} But Abraham said, 'Child, remember that you in your lifetime received your good things, and Lazarus in like manner bad things; but now he is comforted here, and you are in anguish. {26} And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been fixed, in order that those who would pass from here to you may not be able, and none may cross from there to us.' {27} 'Then I beg you, father,' he said, 'send Lazarus to my father's house, {28} for I have five brothers—so that he may warn them, lest they also come into this place of torment.' {29} But Abraham said, 'They have Moses and the Prophets; let them hear them.' {30} And he said, 'No, father Abraham, but if someone goes to them from the dead, they will repent.'" (Luke 16:19-30 -- English Standard Version)
Here are the clues that this is merely a parable aka illustration:
The truth of the story relies on whether or not the "Rich Man" and "Lazarus" actually existed. You claim that the rich man actually lived at a time in history. He did not. Since neither of them existed in real life, then neither of them could have literally gone to heaven or hell. You can search the Internet, and you will find website after website--including religious websites--acknowledging that the story of the Rich Man and Lazarus is nothing more than a parable. But since you believe it is not a parable, below are three questions for you, Smitty.
QUESTION #1 TO SMITTY: The rich man asked for a drop of water to be applied to his tongue, despite the fact he was supposedly burning up in literal flames. What good is a drop of water to someone whose body is burning up?
QUESTION #2 TO SMITTY: How is a drop of water supposed to survive evaporation from the heat of the flames and manage to reach the Rich Man from heaven all the way to the opposite location of hell (here on earth)?
QUESTION #3 TO SMITTY: Are we to believe that hell and heaven are within talking distance, so as to accommodate the conversation between the Rich Man (who was in hell/hades on earth) and Abraham (who was in heaven)?