I'm troubled by God's love.?

Question

I’ve not been a Christian for many a year nor have I converted to another faith, but religion haunts me still. I am not normally bothered by people being religious, but it seems strange when they could or would consider me an immoral person as opposed to them. I must consider the moral implications of their faiths, mainly that of the Jews, the Christians and the Muslims whose religions are interrelated and ones that I know more about. What seems exceedingly strange to me is how these faiths consider that eternal damnation as a justified punishment for either not knowing God or knowing and not obeying. Does this god love his children as they profess? I would have to say that this god is not one of love, but of cruel vengeance. They follow for fear of damnation, but claim love for the father. I couldn’t burn my worst enemy for an eternity and say that is just, but this triad of faiths sees that as acceptable punishment. It makes me wonder if these believers truly know what love is if their loving father would do this to them if they are disobedient children. If our god can do this to us what are we capable of doing onto others?

I don’t go around and try to disprove God and there may well be one, but I doubt he, she or it, is anything like what Humans claim. At least I hope not. A believer cannot say the inverse that maybe there is not a god for that type of claim is against the teachings. They will not question God’s moral platform, but feel free to do so to any other faith. I’m caught in the middle of these religious disputes and it sickens me in the knowledge that each one believes the other is Hell bound and that it is just regardless of their devotedness to God. This is truly horrible. A man could spend his whole life praying to God and would do anything in the service to God, but would go to Hell because he didn’t do it correctly. I just can’t figure that out. A god of love ought to be understanding and if he not then he is uncompassionate and generally evil. I would want to believe in a god that is good and compassionate and would not burn people for an eternity and would not meddle in our lives, but would reward those in the Hereafter and leave the remainder to dissipate as if they never were.

Answer 1

Your concern is a correct one to have.

But those teachings you are referring to of eternal damnation are not biblical. They are not supported in the Bible.

The heaven and hell doctrines are false. The Bible does not teach all good people go to heaven and all bad people will burn in hell forever. It is also not what Jesus taught (who is not God by the way).

The truth is out there, but it is small compared to the much greater and more frequent lies that are being taught in churches across the world.

Jehovah God is a loving god and he does not burn people forever. When mainstream Christianity falsely teaches about hell, they are referring to what in the hebrew scriptures is called "Gehenna." Gehenna was nothing more than a landfill outside of Jerusalem where people could burn their garbage. The Bible uses this as a metaphor to symbolize eternal destruction, much as one would eternally destroy an object once it was thrown into the burning landfill.

Jehovah does not burn people for eternity. He will however, destroy those who side with Satan - but that does not amount to eternal torture, rather, it means eternal destruction or non-existence.

Again, go out and seek the Truth, but it is not found in a church...

Answer 2

I believe Jesus had explained the way to love God.. You can read it in the bible, all you need to do is doing the thing that He asked you to do, start with all the people around you. Whether it's helping your sister, or trying to spare your time to solve other problems, and don't forget to go to church everyday. Then you will understand that in this world, there are things which is bigger than a kindness, it's called love. That way I hope you could love God. GBU.

Answer 3

You stated, "...these faiths consider that eternal damnation as a justified punishment for either not knowing God or knowing and not obeying".

As a Christian, I believe in the New Testament which teaches that Jesus Christ covered our sins (with His blood). I don't always obey God's commandments, and I sin. I thank God that He gave us Jesus to die on the cross for my sins so that I may go to Heaven instead of Hell (even though I don't obey God most of the time).

Now, that's what I call a loving God!

Answer 4

Before I say anything I need to address this. So forgive me, please.... but you have mispoken. I am not an expert.... but I know this to be true:

1. The Jewish people do not believe in eternal damnation and hell. I think the belief is in a purgatory that purifies the soul of its spiritual blemishes prior to its return to God.

2. The Jewish God is a forgiving God.

3. Being Jewish is biological through the maternal line. So technically speaking, you don't have to believe in God to be Jewish.

We are ever changing. Our needs change as we grow. Read and think.. then read some more. It is good to question that which we're unsure of. But always remember... you are unique! Your real goal should be finding peace within yourself.... then you can spread it around:) I wish you the best!

Answer 5

There is fanatic within all religions, I seam this is your cause, to make clear, the problem let say, that Humanity was, God decision and architecture of life, and I doubt very much that we can consider our self's Humans without knowing of HIM(God). God hasn't done anything to us, other than giving, us, life, we have done and we have accomplish what is wrong in the World to day.
because we have grown apart from God. This was God own experience, in the Old testament?, and now in the new testament?, is wrong for God to take revenge on those who Kill his Son?, for no reason, Jesus didn't has to die, to prove he was, from the linage of David, and as well as a good King and politician than Solomon. But jesus was also Spiritual, and his masage was for the spiritual, which is the only way to achieved heaven. Solomon, was the premises of power's and wealth, for the material world, but Jesus was the Spiritual power's and wealth for us to defit Satan in our lives, just as HIM(Jesus), did it.
what kill Jesus was the greed of the Jew's, will this put the Jew's behind in there becoming Humans. This answer has an answer only if you can see, that the death of Jesus was to save many living energies, loosing spirituality, been again trap by Satan.
because his opposition to accept God, as the debeloper of the Human race, and for the purpuses the one that will needed to conquest the matter, and the substances of matter, which is where we where create. God morals platforms, for what if satan will continue puishing substances, elements and energies to achieved changes fo rmutation and nothing else, God gave our self, worlds and universes and trhe universla intelligence among others, to be and become Humans. has he stop giving us, or is Satan the one opposed to human learning, grow, and expancion.

Answer 6

Hell, by definition, is the place where God has withdrawn himself from. Because God is the source of all good things, Hell has nothing good to offer.
When one is sent to Hell, it is because one has, in effect, told God "I don't want to be near you." God obliges by sending you to the place where he is not.

What must be realized, however, is that God is not required to save anyone. Imagine, for instance, a king. This king rules his land with justice, but a power hungry lord stirs up the people. There is war, and during that war the king issues a proclamation to the people in the rebel army. "Any who are willing to return to me and serve me, they may return to me and will go unpunished. Any who choose not to return to me will be exiled."
Now at the end of the war, the king wins. Is he not justified, then, in accepting those who chose to accept him, and turning away those who turned away from Him?

Now, perhaps there is a case for the redemption of a "virtuous heathen." But you must first show me someone who has fully obeyed what they know of God from nature, both within their hearts and from what they see in the world. No one has done this, and thus all fall into the rebel camp.

Answer 7

You have taken an important step in your own search for meaning. GOD is not bound by our definitions, or our understanding. Think of your relationship with a loved mentor. Sometimes you thought that mentor was the kindest individual you ever knew. Sometimes you thought he or she was just mean, and sometimes you even hated that individual. The person did not change at all, just your perception of them. God, or whatever you choose to call your spiritual mentor, is like that. Your perception might change, your understanding might increase, but the thing that really changes is you.

Answer 8

Thank you for sharing this with all of us who have read. I believe the same way you do. But I also believe that God is all, it's infinity and there is no rule to what is good or what is bad. We are the creators of our own destiny, and we are part of God. Those who believe in negative things is because they see the dark side of all. Those who always see the good in all, only see the light. Blessings.

Answer 9

First off, I think that today's man doesn't really know too much about the God that they worship. Second, just based on the Bible, God judges us based on our hearts, not our actions. So if someone is devoting their life to God, but is following the wrong "rituals" God will know their hearts. He's righteous, and one person might say that another is going to hell for whatever reasons, but God is the only one can judge them. Thirdly, the Bible says that if you don't believe or know God/Jesus that you will go to hell. It's not saying that God is sending you to hell, but that he is saving you from it. Basically saying that we're all doomed to hell, but if we believe in God we'll be free from that damnation. He's giving us a positive alternative to our doomed fate. This brings the question that if God is in control why doesn't he just prevent all of us from going to hell? Then this leads to the question of why do we have freedom of choice and it just goes on and on in a never ending cycle that we will never know for sure the answers until we die...and hopefully we'll discover it then...Whatever you choose to believe or not believe is going to be almost complete faith...You just have to find out for yourself and hopefully you make the right choice

Answer 10

Mr. D,

Obviously this is a question that plays strongly on your mind. First of all, God IS a loving God. He wants everyone to receive Him and go to Heaven. I know without a doubt that I am going to Heaven and I "don't do it correctly" all the time. Just this morning I snapped at my husband for an insignificant reason. No one can do it all right. God knows this. That is why He wants us to come to Him. When we accept that we fall short and that we all sin, and we repent of those sins, accept Christ as our Savior and allow him in our hearts, and we become saved, then we have Him on our side to guide, comfort and protect us. When we have him on our side, He helps us have the wisdom, the physical and moral strength and the desire to do what is right and to continue trying and never giving up. I was physically and sexually abused growing up, my brothers and extended family have kicked me out of the family because I openly spoke of these things, and my husband's family doesn't like me, I have been sick for about 10 years, my daughter chose not to have a relationship with me, my son is in a special boarding school for troubled teens and financially, I am ruined in order to pay for his program because it costs $54,000 per year and my husband makes about 60K per year. I have no friends nor family to support me, except my husband and he is upset because I can't contribute to the family due to my illness. Even my church acquaintances think that it is all in my head and that I simply need anti-depressants. But I am really sick and I am not depressed. Without Christ in my life, I could easily give up and wonder why in the heck I am in this world, but with Him in my life, I have hope that all will be taken care of. I have hope that He will heal my body, hope that He will work on my daughter's heart, hope that my son will come to love himself enough to work his program and move on to be a productive and happy person, hope that my finances will turn around and I will become prosperous, hope that my brothers will see the light and hope that all will be well. He wants all of us to have true happiness. We will go to Hell because we don't have Christ in us to give us what we need to make it to Heaven, not because God would be punishing us. We cannot reside with God without Christ because he is pure and perfect. We would perish at the mere sight of Him because of our sin. But through Christ our sin is washed away and we are able to withstand being in the presence of God. Going to Hell is not a punishment, it is a consequence. When we don't go to Heaven, Satan pulls us down to Hell. Satan wants us there. He puts doubts in our mind about God's love, because He wants us to go to Hell, where He reigns. But he is the one who punishes, not God. I hope that Christ has led me in the right words so that you understand and I hope that I have not pushed you further away. If I have, I apologize because I, too, want all to have the peace throuh Christ that I have.