Why are Christians so unconcerned about the contradictions in their belief system?

Question

For example, most Christians believe that their God is all-loving and all-merciful. But most Christians also believe that this same God sends some people to eternal torment in the fires of Hell.

Even a four-year-old child is intelligent enough to see the contradiction between these two beliefs. But most Christians don't seem to care if two of their beliefs contradict each other. Can someone please explain this to me?
Thank you.

Answer 1

Because believing in religion requires one to be stupid. Yes, I know, Y! will delete this answer because I hurt your poor wittle feelings, boo hoo hoo. Why doesn't your God strike me down with a lightning bolt? Come on, I dare ya, God. Can't you religious idiots do better than to give me thumbs downs and go crying to the Y! police? Why not pray to your stupid God to kill me? Come on, show me you have faith in your God.

Answer 2

The answer to that particular contradiction is that eternal damnation is a potential consequence of freewill and the original sin. The original sin because it gave us knowledge and if we choose to sin in the worst of ways with freewill and knowledge then the consequence is Extreme.

Other contradictions are often explained as misinterpretations of the bible. Also they sometimes disagree that some contradictions even exist at all. If you point out something that you say is a contradiction they may say that the two things do work together in their opinion.

I agree that there are many contradictions in the bible and I don't know if the explanation provided for your example satisfies you. But if you have more examples that you consider contradictions you will have to list them. Or at least a few so that they can be addressed.

Answer 3

Well, you see, you are looking at the beliefs of some fundamentalist Protestant sects, and equating these with the beliefs of "Christians". If you really want to know what "Christians" believe, you should look at the teaching of the Christian Church that was actually founded by Jesus Christ, not the teaching of unauthorized manmade sects whose teaching conflict not only with those of pure and complete Christianity, but also with those of one another. If you look at the original Christian Church, the Catholic Church, you do not find the belief that non-members of that Church are damned. You also do not find the belief that non-Christians are automatically damned. It is of course true that many people will end up in hell for outright rejection of God and His plan for humanity. But that fact doesn't negate the fact of an all-loving and all-merciful God. God love us so much that He gave us god-like qualities like free will and moral capacity. He loves and respects us so much that He allows us to use these gifts in complete freedom, without interference froom Him, even when what we choose is in direct opposition to His own will. And, He allows every person to choose to be with Him in absolute joy, love and fulfillment for all eternity - but only if we want to. A loving God would not force someone to accept this offer against their will. If He did so, salvation would not be a gift, and we would not have freedom. The fact that many refuse God's offer of eternal bliss, and foolishly exchange it for a few years of hedonistic pleasure on earth, doesn't make God any less loving, does it? The fact that God honors the choices freely made by human beings, and allows them to live eternally separated from Him if that is their preference, doesn't make God any less loving either.

Answer 4

In the Christian system they don't. God is a loving God - but God is also a just God. If God just granted you whatever without you having to do anything for it would that make God a just God? Or even one to be respected? No.

For Christians, people chose to go to hell. God does not send them there. People chose not to believe in God or in Jesus. The reject God's gift and chose to be seperated from God. There isn't a contridiction here - although a lot of non-beleivers like to make it into one.

There are contridictions between what Paul says and what the Old Testament actually says. There are problems that exist.

Answer 5

That is because there was a bible verse that was mistranslated by recovering ex-catholics.

The doctrine of purgatory was trumped out by the papacy to raise money to build those big cathedrals.

The deal was that evey indulgence had a monetary value put on it by the church, and by paying the church for your sins you could stay out of that hot place in eternity.

However the scriptures don't contradict God's evelasting mercy.

The early reformers mistranslated the following:

REV 20V

10And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.



In the original greek text the fire burns for a day and a night. PERIOD.

The forever and ever deal were added on by corrupt church leaders to ensure the heat was applied to motivate the purchases of absolution via payment for indulgences.

God's grace and mercy are free gifts as the rest of the scriptures tell us.
EPH 2V
8For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9Not of works, lest any man should boast. 10For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.

REV 20V
4And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away. 5And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful.

Answer 6

There are numerous contradictions in the bible that Christians will excuse by saying "you haven't read it correctly". When I was a Catholic, the bible made no sense to me. I only liked the rituals like the rosary beads and holy water and statues, etc. I am now a Hindu and their scriptures make much more sense!!

Jai Ganesha!

Answer 7

That is a very understandable question. I'm sure a lot of people would like to know the answer to that as well. God is not cruel for separating people from Him if they reject Him. He has given us the chance to be with Him forever, when without Christ, there would be no possible way to be with Him. God is so powerful that he could wipe us all out in a millisecond if He wanted to. Instead He chose to send us a message of love, and a chance to be with Him forever. If we reject that gift, it is we who are choosing to be separated from Him.

Answer 8

Some Christians are blinded by bible infatuation. They don't SEE that those things are a huge contradiction.

Answer 9

even 4 year old can tell that if he says he's sorry (or she), he'll be forgiven and get rewards at a later date. and if he doesn't say he's sorry, then he'll get punished. the thing is to be as good a person as you can so you can go to Heaven. ask for forgiveness when you mess up. God is all merciful and will forgive you. if you're mean and rotten and never say you're sorry for anything, then you get sent to Hell. it makes God sad, but that's the way it goes. you have to be sorry for the wrongs you've done.

Answer 10

Yet one more question from someone who thinks its not fair that they should be rejected by God, because they rejected Him. Amazing how one-sided some of you are. Even a toddler would figure it out. A child eventually learns that if he or she reject their dad, then the dad will eventually reject them. The dad will try very hard to get thru to the thick headed kid, but eventually, if the kid keeps rejecting them, dad will have to give up. Its called free will.