Can I ask hard questions without religious people assuming I'm an enemy?

Question

I don't necessarily ask questions to ruffle the feathers of people I disagree with. Sometimes, I just want to know what people honestly think. What makes them tick. The fundamentalists (who are supposed to be "loving" people) always respond like I spit in their face, or I'm a devil, or I'm specificly against their tradition.

Specificly, I can't understand the concept of God sending people to hell. The anger behind it sounds, frankly, like a human talking.

I welcome honest thoughts, if you have any. You can tell me your experience and belief. Or you can berate me, spout off cliches, and waste people's time. The choice is yours. WHATEVER YOUR OPINION - I RESPECT IT IF YOU SHOW MUTUAL RESPECT AND ACT ADULT. I don't mean any harm or hold animostiy.

Answer 1

I am a christian and I am sometimes appalled at how other christians view people who are looking for simple straightforward answers to things they dont understand I myself have also had this problem all i can say is from my own experience is that there are things of god that we cant or dont need to understand it will always be a mystery why bad things happen all i know is that god loves me and his son jesus christ died for our sins faith and belief is always the key i think you need to find some different people to ask questions to or you can do any bible studies the concept of heaven and hell is in the first book of the bible genisis hope this helped you some bye

Answer 2

This is a rather tough question to answer. The easy out would be to simply say that he doesn't. It is our choice where and how we spend eternity. As to why it is like that, well, no explanation that I'm aware of has been offered. What I can say is this. Man, before the fall, was sinless and never meant for Hell...Nor Hell for man. It was built for the rebel angels. When man sinned, Hell became our ultimate final destination, unless someone else would pay that price for us. Enter Jesus, he paid the price and now all we have to do is accept that gift and we're free of Hell. However, I don't know why it all had to be like that instead of just destroying man and starting over, or any other less complicated solution. In the end, though, God loves his creation and doesn't WANT any of us in Hell.

Answer 3

I understand what you are saying. I believe in God, and the concept of Heaven. I also have a hard time about Hell. The way it has been taught to me, and the way I believe is that Hell is not somewhere God WANTS to send anyone, but that we have our own will to choose our own path in life, and whether or not to believe in Him, and live by His teachings. If we choose not to believe, as we have the right and will to, then we cannot enter into Heaven because we are sinners that were never saved. Hope this helps. People who truly have some form of belief and faith should never judge, and always be open to talking about that belief and faith.

Answer 4

I find when I try to get a good debate people only want to preach to me. I don't want people to use the bible to refute me as I don't believe it. God is a matter of opinion, not fact. Just because someone believes in something does not make it true. People once believed the world was flat.

Answer 5

personally I don't believe God sends people to hell - I believe they choose it. Hell, in my understanding, is an absence from the presence of God for eternity. One would have to choose to reject God, to refuse to believe in Him to be prevented from being with Him.

It is not an issue of anger. God is not angry with them and nothing would make Him happier than for those people to choose Him and His ways. But if one does not choose His ways, they cannot be with Him.

Answer 6

I completely understand your point. It seems like when you ask why and say that it just doesn't make sense to you, there always has to be a bunch of responses from people who obviously can't understand that you're asking their point of view...asking to try to convince you...asking to understand their thoughts.