Isn’t Christianity a bit dismal in that it defines humans as basically being failures?

Question

I keep hearing that we can’t measure up to god’s standards. Or, we deserve eternal punishment. Or that everybody is a sinner and deserves god’s wrath.

Is it healthy to hold onto a big old sky daddy who, we’re told, basically thinks, “You suck!”?

But he'll torture me forever if I don't grovel to him. That is hardly love.

Answer 1

Absolutely.. what has always bothered me is this "omnipotent/omniscient" thing too.. what this says is that God knew what he was doing.. set his creation up for failure then blamed it all on them and forced them to grovel to him for what HE screwed up. It makes no sense whatsoever.

Answer 2

As a Christian, I have to say I literally got a good laugh out of the the way you phrased your question. I think it really expresses the sentiment of a lot of people in a rather blunt, humorous, and open manner.

If God said, "you suck" and left it at that, who would want to be a part of that? Christianity would be dismal if God did not offer an opportunity for escape. If you are only hearing that we can't measure of to God's standards and that we deserve eternal punishment then you are only hearing half of the story.

The Big Old Sky Daddy (God) does not basically think, "you suck". According to the Bible, He thinks that because you are of His design, you are loved and valued, enough so that He would redeem you through the blood of Jesus Christ.

If God loves based on the merits of the individual then God could also hate based on the merits of the individual. But, if God loves, "even though", then the love is unconditional.

According to the Bible there are only two places of eternal destination; Heaven and Hell. Heaven is a place of bliss and paradise in the presence of God. Hell, which by virtue of the absence of God would be punishment, is reserved for those who reject God. Of course, the question you have to ask is, why would God force someone into Heaven when they didn't want to be there? He doesn't. However that only leaves one alternative, Hell.

Everybody is a sinner. Everybody is free to choose to accepts God's grace and forgiveness. Everybody will reap the consequences of the choice they make.

Answer 3

I've thought the same thing at times. I once heard a Christian say that there was "nothing good inside me but the Holy Spirit." The self hate that I hear from some of these people is disturbing. To think that humans are inherently wicked is the epitome of cynicism.

Answer 4

There's a difference between someone having failed and being a failure.

And don't you think it odd that if God really believed we sucked, that He would have sent His only Son to die for us on the cross? You're only portraying half of the story. Sure, we mucked it all up, but God provided a way for us to regain the relationship we had with Him.

Answer 5

Humanity does suck.
Look at all the people who are killed everyday in wars, famines, etc. Look ate the billionares who hoard their wealth while people are dying of famines. Humans have persecuted poeple for things so trivial as having a different color skin.

Answer 6

It devalues people and gives people unnecessary guilt for their own humanity. Some Christians say a humanitarian who works for charitable groups but does not worship Jesus has good works like a filthy rag. I strongly disagree. His actions would mean more since he is not working toward earning a spot in heaven.

Answer 7

Well, they're basically saying we all sin, and fall short of the Glory of God. It's not really all gloom and doom.

Belief in God will save you. Worship, prayer, this helps to make a person become closer to God.

Answer 8

That's not theology. That's not even common sense. That's popular opinion, kind of like how popular opinion used to think that Zeus caused lightning bolts.

Answer 9

And an all loving , perfect god made this imperfect genre to be failures and punishes it for failing.....

Answer 10

try to prove otherwise. Everyone i've met has been a failure in one way or another.