Hello - this morning I read a reply to my post of 10/12 from Bruce and have been composing a followup.  Now when I return, I can't find Bruce's post but here is a copy:

Sorry about the delay….My straight answer is YES there is a "place" called “hell” in some Bible translations, “Sheol” in the original Hebrew and “Hades” in the original Greek. I appreciate the reference to Luke 16. Let's reason here:  There are 66 books comprising the entire Bible so do you think it is reasonable to pick one text to try to prove the truthfulness of a doctrine? I do not believe that the Bible contradicts itself.  The pieces must be put together to see the whole correct puzzle  Also didn’t the greatest man that ever walked the earth, the greatest teacher Jesus often, very often, use  vivid parables requiring discernment and understanding?

So again, let’s start in the beginning. I must be sure you digested my first post.  What did you gather from it? This was the  point: We read nothing about GOD'S people, from Abel to Noah to Abraham to Moses to Malachi expecting to die and go to heaven, or expecting to suffer eternal torment in hellfire if they were disapproved by GOD.  There were two alternatives:  eternal life in a paradise earth or eternal DEATH. Nonexistence.  Please refer to my post of 10/12 for the Bible references.

So GOD when he sentenced Adam and Eve, sentenced them to what?  To loss of eternal life in a paradise earth, to DEATH.  They were the first of the bad here on earth, yet were they sentenced to eternal torment in a literal hellfire? We read no such thing.,,,,We do read that they would die (cease to exist) and eventually return to dust and every time someone dies that is what happens.    Did GOD say that something invisible within them would keep on living?    Did GOD say that this invisible part of them would suffer eternal torment in hellfire?