Better treatment?

[nobspeople]

Scenario:
Tammy is not a christian. She's what one could call a sinner/unrighteous (whatever term to which you subscribe).
Mike is a christan. He's what one would call saved/righteous (whatever term to which you subscribe).

Both above people are sick with XYZ in the same hospital, admitted the same day. Both pray to god for help getting over XYZ.
For sake of discussion, everything else about their lives are the same, save for what's been mentioned previously.

For discussion:
Would god favor Mike over Tammy simply because Mike is a saved, righteous person? Or would they get the same treatment from god?
Would and should a believer/christian/righteous person rightfully expect better treatment from god?
Why or why not?

[benchwarmer]

[Replying to nobspeople in post #1]

Many studies have been done on this. The following paper is a kind of summary paper:

Prayer and healing: A medical and scientific perspective on randomized controlled trials
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2802370/

Short answer is that results are not clear cut either way. Given the promises in the Bible, that should be a red flag.

To the OP question, I can only answer: "Who knows?" since God is not currently available for a direct answer (to me at least).

[brunumb]

... There appear to be three outcomes. Eternal life, eternal punishment, death. As it is described, eternal punishment is not equivalent to death. ...

I think there is only two outcomes, eternal life or death. And in this case death means person is utterly destroyed, as said here:

And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.
Matt. 10:28

Please explain why do you think eternal punishment is something more?

When you read about torment "for ever and ever", that doesn't sound like death.
https://reformedwiki.com/verses/hell/kjv

[1213]

...
When you read about torment "for ever and ever", that doesn't sound like death.
...

Because Bible tells the punishment is dead, I think the tormenting fire means only that what is left of those people, burn forever. Tormenting fire means just that it burns them forever. But, because they are destroyed, I don’t believe they feel or do anything there.

[brunumb]

...
When you read about torment "for ever and ever", that doesn't sound like death.
...

Because Bible tells the punishment is dead, I think the tormenting fire means only that what is left of those people, burn forever. Tormenting fire means just that it burns them forever. But, because they are destroyed, I don’t believe they feel or do anything there.

Huh? How on earth can one make any sense of a tormenting fire that burns the remains of dead people forever and they feel nothing?

[cms]

I call heaven and earth to witness against you today, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and curse. Therefore choose life, that you and your offspring may live,

Tam, the choice between life and death doesn't mention life after we leave here. It's only concerns life on earth. ( Deut. chapters 28-30)

Huh? How on earth can one make any sense of a tormenting fire that burns the remains of dead people forever and they feel nothing?

The fire they're talking about concerns life on earth as described in Deut. 29:23 "And that the whole land is brimstone and salt,and burning, that is not sown, nor bears fruit,nor grass, like the over throw of Sodom and Gomorrah that the Lord overthrew in His anger and wrath.

As for the two people in the scenario, I don't know what will happen to them. It's up to God to decide.

[2ndpillar2]

...
When you read about torment "for ever and ever", that doesn't sound like death.
...

Because Bible tells the punishment is dead, I think the tormenting fire means only that what is left of those people, burn forever. Tormenting fire means just that it burns them forever. But, because they are destroyed, I don’t believe they feel or do anything there.

Huh? How on earth can one make any sense of a tormenting fire that burns the remains of dead people forever and they feel nothing?

When a person is thrown into a lake of fire which burns eternally, the person thrown in does not live eternally, and I suppose they will be in a great deal of discomfort at the initiation of the being thrown into the lake of fire. The ones who already have eternal life, the false prophet, the beast, and the devil, however, apparently will not die (Revelation 20:10). On that point, I don't think you have much to be wary of. The initial fire that you are possibly looking at, is the furnace of fire of Matthew 13:42, in which the lawless are tossed, which would be the "great tribulation", which occurs at the "end of the age", much like the age we are presently in. It will apparently include fire, famine, war, and pestilence (Revelation 6). At that time, you may wish to die, but death will evade you (Revelation 9:6).

[2ndpillar2]

...
When you read about torment "for ever and ever", that doesn't sound like death.
...

Because Bible tells the punishment is dead, I think the tormenting fire means only that what is left of those people, burn forever. Tormenting fire means just that it burns them forever. But, because they are destroyed, I don’t believe they feel or do anything there.

Your thoughts might pertain to Joe Blow, but for the false prophet, the beast, and the devil, that is not true (Revelation 20:10).

[1213]

...
When you read about torment "for ever and ever", that doesn't sound like death.
...

Because Bible tells the punishment is dead, I think the tormenting fire means only that what is left of those people, burn forever. Tormenting fire means just that it burns them forever. But, because they are destroyed, I don’t believe they feel or do anything there.

Huh? How on earth can one make any sense of a tormenting fire that burns the remains of dead people forever and they feel nothing?

The word “torment” means normally “cause to experience severe mental or physical suffering”. This means, they can physically suffer, but not necessary mentally. Because Bible tells eternal life is for righteous, I think those who go to hell are not alive when they are there, otherwise all would have eternal life.

And even if you would put wood to the fire, it could be said that the fire torments the wood, it would not mean the wood is alive and suffering. I believe the same is with people who end up to hell.

[1213]

...
When you read about torment "for ever and ever", that doesn't sound like death.
...

Because Bible tells the punishment is dead, I think the tormenting fire means only that what is left of those people, burn forever. Tormenting fire means just that it burns them forever. But, because they are destroyed, I don’t believe they feel or do anything there.

Your thoughts might pertain to Joe Blow, but for the false prophet, the beast, and the devil, that is not true (Revelation 20:10).

I believe that also in their case the meaning is, the fire burns them forever. but, it does not necessary mean they are alive when the fire burns them.

[brunumb]

The word “torment” means normally “cause to experience severe mental or physical suffering”. This means, they can physically suffer, but not necessary mentally. Because Bible tells eternal life is for righteous, I think those who go to hell are not alive when they are there, otherwise all would have eternal life.

And even if you would put wood to the fire, it could be said that the fire torments the wood, it would not mean the wood is alive and suffering. I believe the same is with people who end up to hell.

I'll give you credit for trying, but that is just an incredibly ridiculous explanation that makes no sense at all. I'm sure the authors describing torment in hell would not have had anything like that in mind. It all just highlights the contradictions and disharmony found within the Bible and the desperate measures required to try and salvage its credibility.