I think they just got carried away with the story telling in The Bible. The basic concept is similar to other religions. Accept that you are powerless etc. Ask to be saved or lost into the ether of time and forgotten. I'm not one to say anything is or isn't bullshit for absolute 100%. It could be all in how it's been inadvertently distorted throughout the years - to the point where it tends to sound a bit unrealistic in our modern times. But, we live on a ball floating in infinite blackness. Since that fact is true then anything can technically be possible.