I don't understand this?

Question

Ok, so supposedly, god loves us all. But if we do something bad and not say "sorry" or whatever it is, we will all go to hell and burn and suffer? Is that what you call love? Is that what you call forgiving? I think that it's harsh.
Also, if you believe in aliens, vampires, ghosts ect. you're insane but if you believe in a man in the sky that's watching your every move, you're normal and blessed?
I really don't understand this. I'm really sorry if this offends you in any way, but I'm just wondering why. Please no mean or rude answers.

The 10 commandments were copied word by word from the Egyptians. The Egyptians "wrote" it about about 5-15 centuries before.

Ok, I am not going to church, and I am an Atheist. I want just want to understand this. My whole family is Christian and they talk to me about the bible all the time, so don't think that I don't know about Christianity.
I just want to know why he loves everyone and why he will supposedly throw you into a firey pit for an eternity.
I'm not asking for "bible quotes" because I get them enough.

Answer 1

I believe in fifth dimensions, spirits, transcendentalism, aliens(we can't be the only life), and God. I believe in all sorts of things. What I have come to learn is that you accept god for all of his contradictions, because it didn't come from the horses mouth, so to speak. Who knows what God really wants if men wrote it. Without going into a rampage, because this subject could keep me going FOREVER, I believe that he views the human race with tough love. He must teach those with no remorse that there are consequences to thier actions.

God is in you. With your love and respectful treatment toward others is where he lays. Apologizing for wrongs is what any god would want, just as if he were the parent. Do you not punish your children to teach them a lesson? This is how I feel in a nut shell.

Answer 2

What you have been taught love is is man's teaching. When you try to reconcile that with what God has done and will do, can seem contradictory. The problem is not with God's unconditional love for us, so much so that He sent His only Son, Jesus Christ, to live a sinless life and die a sin-bearing death for us all. What was fair about that? We all deserve eternal torment in hell -- that would have been righteous and just. Rather, through love, God showed grace and mercy -- that is anything but harsh.
On the other hand, the real problem is how we see love. That leads us into confusion when we see God kill via the Flood, or take the life of all the Egyptian 1st born, etc. We need to get into His Word even more, and try to understand through prayer, the nature of God. As He reveals Himself, then our understanding of right and wrong, harsh and timid, righteouss and unrighteouss become much clearer. God is perfect and righteouss; it is us that must try to emulate.

Answer 3

I believe that you are on the right track. You should question beliefs. You should delve in and investigate and find your own answers.
I do believe in a superior being. I have found my proof and my answers, which may not necessarily be the ones that you find.
I know that there is an existance after this one, I have been with many people when they passed, and I have delved into each religion to try to better understand the beliefs.
I cant say that I totally agree with any one religion. But, I have sure knowlege that, this....this life now is not all that there is.
I urge you not to give in to anyones opinion, and to keep an open mind, to be receptive and to begin to really take notice of things....not just the negative but, the positive too.
I dont think that we are punished eternally for our sins, I wouldnt punish my children eternally, so why would God?
However , I love them so I do punish them. Its the same with God I think.
Religion can be very confusing, but I believe that if you look to find the answers, that you will find what you are looking for.
I wish you only the very best, keep seeking!

Answer 4

Unconditional love is what? God loves no matter what I dunno who or what told you that if you don't say "sorry" then they burn in hell and live out their after life in torment. Well if a person doesn't ask for forgiveness you ask to be "forgiven" please forgive me is a bit more sincere then a I'm sorry Joe I ate all your cheerios. The bible tells of spirits amongst the living ;) nice try to anyone that tells me other wise. As for Aliens and Vampires hell they could exsist. You need to read the script not believe what one "stupid" Believer has said to you. But if you read the Bible you'll realize how forgiving God is. But are you interpretating this yourself? Or you heard that from someone? But let me ask you this a man kills another person someone totally unaware his life was at it end to the hands of a murderer the murderer is caught put on trial found guilty sentenced to death about to be hung to death then is hung now he's dead all that while he wasn't remorseful he didn't take the time to let God in to his life even as his execution date was near do you think the gates of heaven would open up to him?

Answer 5

Dan, you are quite right that God indeed loves us all but punishing bad people in a place called hell "to burn and suffer" is not the act of a loving God. (John 3:16; 1 Timothy 2:3, 4)

In 1 John 4:8, the Bible says that "God is love" and a loving God has promised a happy future for obedient mankind. At Psalm 37: 9-11, the Scriptures says that the wicked will be destroyed not tormented and the meek or righteous will remain on the earth to live in peace.

So you have to learn more about God. Perhaps you have been given wrong information about him. But you can learn more about God and what he has in store for us.—Revelation 21:4, 5.

Please read this article for more information. http://www.watchtower.org/e/20041001/article_02.htm

Answer 6

There is nothing in the bible that says that if you dont ask for forgiveness for every sin that you will go to hell! It says that there is only one unforgivable sin and that is never accepting the free gift of salvation as just that. Too many legalistic churches out there try to add so much crap like woman cant cut their hair or wear pants its all bull. The bible has many things like the old testament that we are no longer under. To cut to the chase it says believe in the lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved there is nothing in there that says you can lose your savation it acutally says that everything is permissable just not everything is benificial and that NOTHING can pluck you from my (GOD) hand! To most of the world we Christians are the insane ones not the ones who believe in those other things. Its the things they do that make them "crazy" like biting and killing people because they think that they are vampires! If we cannot use the bible to back up our beliefs then what? The fact that you want to say we cannot use what we believe in to make our point tells me that you are trying to say what we can and cannot have faith in or what we can use to back up our beliefs

Answer 7

Come on girl, should we do something bad, is it that hard to say sorry? Isn't that the easiest thing to do. If you cannot do a simple thing like that, then you shouldn't blame Him. The request is so simple.

Furthermore those aliens, vampires, ghosts etc has nothing to do with your life. Believing in all those thing is not the same as believing in God. Don't get confuse. Calm down. Look around you, close your eyes and open your mind, you will understand.

Answer 8

Nobody knows for sure about who gets into heaven or hell, or if either exist. I think if you follow most of the principles of the Bible and the Ten Commandments you will be a better person though.

Edit...my answer was pretty similar to an Atheists answer, but they got 3 thumbs up, versus my 1 up 2 down. It seems that the Atheists are being the judgemental ones in this one...not that Christians aren't ever judgemental.

Answer 9

to the first part of your question, the bible uses fire as a metaphor for total annihilation. The Hebrew word "Sheol" mistranslated as meaning a fire and brimstone place of torture is more accurately rendered as "the grave" the common grave of all mankind who await a resurrection to life and judgment at judgment day.
Second part: God does not watch our every move. He gave us free will...a mixed blessing to be sure, but He no longer takes an active role in the day to day lives of humans, it is His "rest day", but the Bible does mention angels, powerful spirit creature that may or may not step in on certain occasions on orders from God.
Misguided "spiritual" "Christians" perpetuate the hellfire myth mostly as the Catholic church did...as a mean to control people, or at least try to, for hundreds of years. Eternal torment in "hell" is a totally man made doctrine with very questionable support from the Bible itself. Most entirely miss the metaphor aspect. The Bible often uses metaphors and symbols, for better or for worse, as it allows taking things out of context to support any given doctrine. For example, the word "trinity" is not found even ONCE, but is an amalgamate of several unrelated texts, and again, totally man made and not in the Bible. I hope this helps you understand that "God is Love" and would never torment his children, right or wrong, to a horrible eternal flame no more than we would purposely put our childs hand on a hot stove (unless of course we were seriously mentally ill.)
Although I don't accept all of their teachings, Jehovah's Witnesses have a pretty good take on these issues you have raised. If you are sincere, the answers will be made available to you.

Answer 10

Though I am not an atheist, you make an excellent point. I get bashed quite often for my spiritual/metaphysical beliefs, which I see as no more "out there" than mainstream Christian beliefs. Fortunately for me, I am able to stand in my own power and don't feel the need to defend my own truth.

And you are not being rude or offensive in any way. There is nothing wrong when you seek to understand. Ultimately, I credit ego and insecurity for any "attacks". One rarely gets offended when someone disagrees with the things they are certain about.