atheists and christians what do I do ?

Question

I asked in my previous question something but NO CHRISTIAN ANSWERED!
Why am I the only Christian that thinks that hell taught us by our religion is not fair? I do not think that God sends anybody to be tortured. Please , what should I do. I want to stay christian but I do not like the hell doctrine, it is not JUST.WHAT DO I DO?

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PLEASE READ THE OTHER QUESTION, AND ANSWER THAT.THANK YOU.

Answer 1

What should you do?
Keep thinking for yourself. Keep asking questions.

Above all, do not be afraid.

Whether from your innate sense of moral rightness, or from the pragmatic rationality of atheism, it is easy to see that hell is an evil concept invented by men, not god.

If you truly believe in a gentle, kind and loving god, then you cannot possibly believe he would create a person with foreknowledge of torturing him eternally.

If you believe in a fair god, then you cannot believe he would torture eternally for a single lifetime of sin. That punishment does not fit the crime.

It is curious that fundamentalist Christians foster a lopsided legal system where murderers and rapists go free but a kid who smokes a joint can go to jail indefinitely. (zero tolerance)

It is also interesting that Islamic fundamentalists want to murder innocent humans they have never met, simply because of the location of their birth. (terrorism)

In both of these prime examples, we see the irrationality and disproportionate punishment for sins, either real or imagined. In both cases, it is the religious indoctrination that causes such insane punishments.

So, if you must, have belief. But at least use the mind you believe god gave you. If he exists, he couldn't possibly punish you forever.

No matter how you look at it, the conclusion is the same: Hell does not and cannot exist. Be NOT afraid.

Answer 2

You don't have to go by all of the rules of being a Christian. Make up your own rules, this is your life. If you want to believe everything about Christianity then that's fine, but don't force yourself to believe in hell if you don't. And please, do not feel guilty about it.

Be a good person and help others. If there is a god I'm sure that that's all he expects from you.

I am right with you, I think that if there IS a god up there that there is not hell. It just doesn't make sense. If he is so forgiving then why does he send people to hell to burn and be tortured for eternity? That's not very compassionate.

Answer 3

You're certainly not alone. I am a christian who also does not believe in hell. Of course, I'm often told by fundamentalists that that alone proves that I'm not a christian. I disagree. Doctrine is approved by a vote taken by humans. There is absolutely no guarantee that what the church sanctifies as the truth is actually God's truth. Some christians believe that purgatory exists. Some Jewish religions believe that She'ol exists. The concept of both Purgatory and She'ol are derived from the same scriptures. It is a temporary holding place for those who are not yet worthy to enter Heaven. She'ol lasts for one year (hence the one year mourning period). Purgatory's duration is not set. Hell is eternal torment.

I've experienced God, and I cannot imagine that God would allow one of his children to experience eternal torment simply because they didn't accept the christian doctrine. Faith is faith. We accept whichever (if any) doctrine that makes the most sense to us and corresponds with what we've learned personally from God. Then, hopefully, we live out that faith.

I think that sometimes religions use scare tactics to frighten people into accepting their religion. I believe that "Hell" is one of those scare tactics.

I encourage you not to lose faith. It's not essential to accept everything that man teaches about God. Pray often and let God be your teacher, and your faith will be grounded in actual truth.

Answer 4

Why am I the only Christian that thinks that hell taught us by our religion is not fair?

You are not the only one. Many Christians struggle with the idea that God who is love could send people to an eternity of suffering. One man who in his earlier days spent his time as an evangelist with Billy Graham fell away from his faith over this doctrine.

But God doesn't send people to Hell. People chose to spend their whole lives apart from God and in rebellion against his commands. Then when they die God honors their choice and they don't have to spend eternity with the God whom they rejected.

What Hell is actually like is not clear. In some passages it is described as a place of darkness where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth. Since God is light as well as love, one thing is fairly certain. People who see God on judgment day and who are then removed from His presence for all of eternity regret the decisions that they made in this life.

Instead of worrying about God being "fair" you should do your part to spread the gospel message and pray for God to convert your listeners so that the people whom you meet don't have to go to Hell.

John 3:16 "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. 18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God. 19 And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their deeds were evil. 20 For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed. 21 But whoever does what is true comes to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that his deeds have been carried out in God."

Answer 5

Sorry, I missed your first question. Hell does exist. Just as a parent punishes a child for being disobedient, so will God punish those who have heard and not accepted Him. If you have accepted Christ and have a relationship with Him, you don't have anything to be concerned about. All will be given the opportunity to hear the gospel and make that decision. The Bible tells us that the Jews will come to realize that Christ is the Son of God. God is a fair and just judge. No one will be sent to Hell unless they truly deserve it.

Answer 6

I'm with you. It feels too human and ungodly. For what its worth, here's what I think...

There are some truly evil people in the world. When they die, they simply cease to exist.

I believe in what Jesus taught, but I also believe that the Bible was put together by men anxious to control a large body of believers. The threat of "Hell" was a good way to do that...

Religion is a personal matter. No other person or book or church or government can control what you believe in your heart. I think God appears to each of us in the way he thinks we will understand best. I believe the afterlife, if we attain it, will be a surprise to everyone and I'm looking forward to it. If its not there...its not like I will be able to complain.

Answer 7

According to the Bible. hell was created for the devil and his angels.......NOT mankind!! Each person has a choice to make......and if they choose not to follow God then they are following the devil. God does not send anyone to hell.........people send themselves to hell by rejecting His love and forgiveness. Read the first chapter of Romans.......mankind has a bent for sin and rebellion.....while God freely offers forgiveness and restoration and safety. CHOICE is what we are given ! We choose life or death! Even those who have not heard about God will be judged by their response to (1) their conscience, and (2) the creation around them. Read Romans, chapter 1 again. I hope this helps you, friend....may the Lord answer your questions!

Answer 8

it's going to be hard to get away from the hell doctrine and remain a christian. I'd advise just investigating some other religions and spiritual paths. Or upgrade to studying the mystical branch of christianity: gnosticism. None of the mystical branches of religion: gnostics, sufis, zen buddhists, yogis, none of them believe that hell is somewhere other than right here and now. Hell is a state of mind and if you are honest with yourself and pay attention you will notice that you wander in and out of hellish states of mind all the time. same with heavenly states of mind.

Answer 9

Not accepting the just punishment of a choice away from God is not sound doctrine.
We can not pick and choose who God is and what God wants.
Being God, he is just and fair. He gives every opportunity for EVERYONE to escape the "torments" (not torture) of hell.

Answer 10

People are not tortured in hell they are separated from gods love, that could be considered a form of torture but its not like the movies like to make it out