Certain Christians believe God allows his children to be burned forever in hellfire, in eternal torment with no chance of redemption, learning, growing...just existing to be tormented. They actually believe this is FOR REAL!
I know as a mother, I would NEVER, if my child decided to still go against my warning and touch a burning stove and get burnt, just watch my child screaming in pain to me until they burn to a crisp. I almost gave my LIFE to have my last kid (difficult childbirth) yet there have been times my kids have yelled, "I hate you Mommy!" and it never occured to me to pour gasoline on them and set them on fire.
Even after severe punishment, I eventually come and comfort my child and ALWAYS, the punishment fits the crime. They get to know better and so can grow to be better. Being punished forever serves NO PURPOSE and is a waste of human potential.
If the Christian God as not as merciful and just as I am how could I possibly love let alone serve such a God?
2007-09-13 04:22:31 · 18 answers · asked by pixie_pagan 4 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
When I am asked, how come I am not Christian despite my knowledge of the bible and doctrine and my respect for many of the good universal truths found in that scripture and in Jesus' teachings, THIS is my major contention with Christian doctrine. Eternal hellfire.
I cannot reconcile my feelings with a God who does that no matter how hard I try or how hard I demonize people who do bad things.
2007-09-13 04:26:12 · update #1
Would you expect God to have people in Heaven Who hate Him? Would you expect Him to reward people who want no part of Him, with eternal happiness? The devil wants you to believe there is no hell because he hates you and wants you to go there. Do not be decieved. Hell is real and people go there daily by their own choice. God will not send you there if you do not want to go there. That's what free will is all about. Believe it or not, people choose to go to hell, because they cannot stand to be in the presence of God.
2007-09-13 04:36:11 · answer #1 · answered by carmel 4 · 1⤊ 2⤋
All. To nurture and protect is the basic instinct and job description of a Mother.
We do not punish out of retribution. We punish to teach. And if it were an end point, where there was no future to go on to, the only conceivable choice for any of us would be the peace and happiness of our children. None of us would ever deliberately arrange suffering for our children, no matter what.
Someone said once that a deity worth worshipping ought to be at least as good as the best of us, and of course that isn't true of the Christian deity. Those who say different, think the deity should not be held accountable for anything. They worship power, not goodness. The two are NOT the same thing.
2007-09-13 04:33:58 · answer #2 · answered by KC 7 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Which GOD? The Bible states that Jesus is the sole door to GOD! all the different doors are robbers and thieves. the actual question is the place do you go with to spend eternity? The time is coming while there heavily isn't anymore time... There are over 3 hundred prophecies in the previous testomony that factors to the 1st coming of Jesus (being the messiah) and a million in each and every 25 prophecies in the hot testomony that factor to the 2d coming of Jesus Christ. Are you waiting? Revelation 3:20 says “seem! I stand on the door and knock. in case you pay attention my voice and open the door, i will are available, and we are able to share a meal at the same time as acquaintances.
2016-12-13 08:03:11 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I've never believed in a God of negative reinforcement. God is merciful, I believe. Not in the way lots of Christians believe...
Based on your points, Pixie, and my own experience, I believe the paradigm in which we've put God (as if...) is wrong. The spiritual "pointers" (if you will) tell me that there is WAYYYY more that we are not getting.
God has no use for conventional wisdom... I am convinced. There is a living God connected to us all. He's not just in the Bible, or the Qu'ran, or any other holy text. He moves among us. And in my life, that experience takes precedence over all other touchstones of faith... including the Bible.
I apologize for the babble. Basically, I believe the paradigm of Christian religion is seriously flawed, not God. I'm really trying to let God show me the way; not what other people say or do.
With Regards
2007-09-13 05:06:58 · answer #4 · answered by Green is my Favorite Color 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋
I'm glad that you know about the others truths in the bible but your knowledge of God's mercy and doctrine on hellfire are quite mistaken.
Consider this description of heaven. Heaven is a fiery place, because God's love is like an all consuming fire that burns hot for his beloved creation. The difference between heaven and hell is not the location, it's us. (Besides, some describe hell as the absence of God, but it is a logically impossible to be removed from God). The person in heaven is like a mirror, perfectly clean, that reflects God's love when it hits them. The person in purgatory is a mirror, but has some imperfections or dark spots that need to be fixed. When the fire hits those spots it burns, but eventually they are purified. For those in hell, they have no reflective surface and are therefore consumed by God's love in flame because they are incapable of love.
I do believe this description is supported biblically, but whether it's true or not, it does communicate a profound truth. That is that God does not condemn us to hell. We condemn ourselves. God loves us, far far more than any parent ever could, and because of that He wants to be with us. Experiencing hell is not a function of a vindictive punishing God, but rather of our own ability to "reflect" God's love for us. I think you would agree that love is not worth anything if you can't share it.
The church does say that saints are in heaven, but it has never defined who is in hell. So who knows, only God. If you are someone concerned with God and spirituality, then you shouldn't have to spend too much time worrying about hell.
If you care to discuss the subject further feel free to email me.
2007-09-13 04:32:50 · answer #5 · answered by Thom 5 · 1⤊ 1⤋
The commonly accepted doctrine of hell is about 1% Bible and 99% "Here's what some guy thinks..."
I don't think anybody really knows what will happen to us when we die.
When my children disobey, I make sure they understand why what they did was wrong, and I hope that they do better next time. So, maybe we do get reincarnated. We won't know until we die.
If this is the only thing keeping you away from God, don't let it--it is possible to follow the Truth that you feel about him and decide to let some of these things that you don't agree with or wonder about remain unsolved.
2007-09-13 04:31:08 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 3⤋
I cannot reconcile this either. It is the irony of how Christianity has misconstrued God to be so unloving, yet loving. The reality is they are wrong. God doesn't throw anyone into eternal fire. He loves us because we are His children. He wishes for none to perish. A soul who rejects Christ, even after death, will be deleted from the records. Death of the soul is "hell".
2007-09-13 04:40:56 · answer #7 · answered by Soul Shaper 5 · 1⤊ 1⤋
You are making one serious misjudgment. You are absolutely right about how God should deal wih His children, but you are in error when you think that everyone is a child of God. God is a spirit and to be a child of God you must have a spiriual birth. If you do not have have a spiriual birth you are not a child of God and you are under the wrath of God because of your sins. God is merciful above anyhing you can imagine, and He makes the offer to come to Him and you turn it down.
2007-09-13 04:34:24 · answer #8 · answered by oldguy63 7 · 2⤊ 2⤋
many mother do think like you .
i know of a christian guy , who told me if he's son is condemned to hell , he would go to hell with he's son even if he is allowed into heaven . i am touched by what he said.
anyway , 2 types of mum ,
the 1st type will never see your point because as far as they can see, their husband , parents and childrens and their grandchildrens are all christians. they are assured that their family are more or less assured a spot in heaven even if they don't wanna admit it.
either that or they just avoid this topic.
2nd type is your type =P
and hey i am a boy too , boys also will have childen one day ok !!!!!!! *ROAR* dad also care about their child !!! lol
2007-09-13 04:30:39 · answer #9 · answered by Curious 3 · 3⤊ 1⤋
I'm going to say all of them.
No mother would punish her child with temporary hellfire, much less eternal hellfire.
2007-09-13 04:28:23 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 4⤊ 0⤋