Absolutely NO offense taken!
It was these same issues that got me started asking questions, too!
And, was I ever *relieved* to find out the Bible's OWN answers!
Let me share them with you:
The teaching of hellfire / 'eternal torment' is of *pagan* (rather than Scriptural) origin:
“Much confusion and misunderstanding has been caused through the early translators of the Bible persistently rendering the Hebrew Sheol and the Greek Hades and Gehenna by the word hell. The simple transliteration of these words by the translators of the revised editions of the Bible has not sufficed to appreciably clear up this confusion and misconception.”—The Encyclopedia Americana (1942), Vol. XIV, p. 81.
The word 'hell' was coined long after the Bible canon had been closed . . .
Webster’s Third New International Dictionary, unabridged, under “Hell” says:
“fr[om] . . . helan to conceal.” The word “hell” thus originally conveyed no thought of heat or torment but simply of a ‘covered over or concealed place.’ In the old English dialect the expression “helling potatoes” meant, not to roast them, but simply to place the potatoes in the ground or in a cellar.
So, in actuality, both 'Sheol' and 'Hades' simply mean 'the common grave of mankind',
which you might find more easily understood by reading the 'Hell' articles in 'Sources'.
Q #2.
God did NOT create sin, as noted at John 8:44 . . .
". . . The Devil . . . was a man-slayer when he began, and he did not stand fast in the truth, because *truth is not in him*. When he speaks the lie, he speaks *according to his own disposition*, because *he is a liar and the father of the lie*.
When a parent tells a child not to steal, and provides everything the child needs, yet the child goes ahead & steals, it is *not* the parent's fault. When the owner of a company is honest, but some employees are dishonest, and lie & cheat---either for or against the company---without the owner's knowledge . . . the owner is *not* a sharer in the dishonesty off those employees. Likewise, our Creator does *not* share the blame for any sin!
The Devil began when he decided to rebel against God.
Before that he had been one of God's perfect angelic creations.
('Satan' means 'resister'; 'Devil' means 'slanderer')
Q #3.
There are actual legal issues involved. The issues must be taken care of in such a way that the issues are *perfectly & absolutely* settled, in order for the effects to be absolutely permanent and prevent the problems we see today from ever happening again: (see 'Sources')
We must align ourselves with God's everlasting purpose,
in order to live as he originally intended, as perfect creatures in a perfect environment:
"As regards the heavens, to Jehovah the heavens belong,
But *the earth* he has given to the sons of men." ---Psalms 115:16
". . . The meek . . . as heirs shall obtain possession of *the earth*."---Matthew 5:5
". . . And they will find exquisite delight in the abundance of peace."---Psalms 37:9-11
"The earth itself will certainly give its produce; God, our God, will bless us."---Psalms 67:6
"And they will certainly build houses and have occupancy; and they will certainly plant vineyards and eat their fruitage. They will not toil for nothing, nor will they bring to birth for disturbance . . ."---Isaiah 65:21, 23
"The righteous themselves will possess the earth,
And they will reside *forever* upon it."---Psalm 37:28,29
Yes, *some* are reassigned to live in heaven, but only those who will rule alongside Christ over the earth & mankind, to bring them to perfection. This is explained with related Scriptures in the 2cnd 'Soure' article.
Q #4.
When Jesus first returns, that is when the sign that he gave his followers starts to occur. It continues throughout his presence, a time period before Armageddon, during which time he gathers people out of the nations by having his followers search out those who want to learn about God & how to serve him, & they then teach them. ALSO, after Armageddon will occur the resurrection of all those in the memorial tombs, the vast majority of whom will need to learn these same things. These will be given opportunity to learn during the 1,000 year reign of God's kingdom over the earth. THE---after everyone is fully educated---will occur the Judgment Day:
"Judgment Day---What Is It?"
http://watchtower.org/e/bh/appendix_09.htm
The churches teach their various church beliefs. However, only what the Bible itself teaches is what you will find in the publications whose links are in my answer above. They are full of links to the very Bible verses where the teachings are found in God's Word. I invite you to research them well, because your friend will likely not agree with many---if any---of them. . .
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