Has the doctrine of fiery torment created a negative mindset within Christianity?

Question

I can remember countless times when the preacher would do his thing at the end of the service where he creates fear within the heart of people. "Where will you go when you walk out these doors and then you die all of a sudden?"

I know they mean well but does the fear of hell produce disciples that will walk in the steps of Jesus?

On the flip side you have this mindset where people delight that their enemies will get to burn in an eternal fire. Our early church fathers were guilty of these comments.

I also read where some acknowledged that hell was a useful tool for conversion since people of other religions had a similiar concept they could associate it with.

Then another mindset emerges of judgement during our life. When disaster strikes some will say God is judging mankind for their sins.

If that were so then where is the great white throne?

Answer 1

This is something that, as a Christian, I am still grappling with.

I can't believe that a god worth worshiping would conceive of anything like hellfire. But as you say, the church fathers believed it as far back as you can trace it. I've tried to find where the doctrine "entered into" Christianity, but it seems to have always been there, inherited from the Jews who had come to accept the Greek idea of eternal torment before the birth of Jesus.

And although I have considered what Line Dancer says that such a thing never entered into God's mind, I can't forget that He asked Abraham to burn his son in the fire as a sacrifice to Him. I think that's the first mention of such a thing in the Bible, and it pains and puzzles me greatly that the idea was first suggested by our own God, and not some pagan god like Baal.

As I say, I am still grappling with this, so I don't have any good answers. I'm sure that the threat of eternal torment will keep some people in line. Others will simply abandon Christianity because it is such a disagreeable belief. As for myself, I try to be a good person - hellfire or not - and the rest of it is out of my hands.

Answer 2

The push for the "decision" that is so prevalent in Billy Graham type preachers actually has an interesting story behind it.

Dwight Moody preached a message in October 1871 in Chicago, where he ended it by saying, "I wish you would take this text home with you and turn it over in your minds during the week, and next Sabbath we will come to Calvary and the Cross, and we will decide what to do with Jesus of Nazareth."

That evening the Great Chicago Fire broke out, and thousands who heard Moody preach died. This changed his preaching style for the rest of his life, giving him a sense of urgency to call for a decision ("Instantaneous Salvation") after each message he preached. Evangelists followed this example for more than a century, including Billy Graham, who even used the title "The Hour of Decision" for his magazine. "To many, salvation was a decision (an exercise of the will) to follow God, with less or no emphasis on emotional expression and only minimal understanding of the content of the gospel required."

Of course, there have always been hellfire and brimstone preachers. But as far as the modern age, it's hard to judge just how much this one man's sense of guilt and urgency affected preachers in the past century.

Some people even jokingly call salvation "fire insurance." I don't think you get any true followers by scaring them into acquiescence, personally.

Answer 3

there is no hell in my religion...and i have seen postings here where the person seems thrilled with the thought that everyone not like themselves is going to burn.

i have also seen true compassion here. it's not christianity, but christians that give their religion a bad name.

there were many postings yesterday about how the fires in cal. were a judgment from god. why would anyone want to follow such a horrible deity as the one they show us?

it's very sad, because i know there are christians that are nothing like that. they aren't the ones that people think of though when they think of christians. it's the hate filled rant that people think of.

christian = christ like. ((hugs)) and blessings to those who actually follow christ.

Answer 4

Not in true Christianity. What would you think of parents who kept their children imprisoned day after day, or even tortured them? If you would be disgusted by such acts, should you not also be disgusted by a god who would cause his children to be tormented forever in fire?

The fact that the true God is not like that is seen from the reproofs he addressed to the Israelites who had ‘burned their sons and their daughters in the fire.’ Jehovah insisted that this was ‘a thing that he had not commanded and that had not come up into his heart.’ (Jeremiah 7:31) Since God had never thought of such things, how could we imagine that he would create a hellfire for his creatures? Yes, if cruelty and torture disgust us, how much more must they disgust God, who is love? 1 John 4:8.

The doctrine of hellfire also goes against justice. In his letter to the Romans, the apostle Paul explains: “The wages sin pays is death.” (Romans 6:23) Moreover, he tells us: “He who has died has been acquitted from his sin.” If death completely removes a person’s indebtedness, why should he then suffer eternally for only a lifetime of sin? Romans 6:7.

Thus, the Bible shows that hellfire, as it is generally understood, does not exist. And this knowledge allows us to form a relationship with God that is based on love and not on terror.

Answer 5

Using guilt and fear to get people to convert to Christianity or stay in Christianity can be destructive. The reason to be a Christian should not just be to stay out of hell. It should consist of love, joy, compassion, and a desire to be like Christ and help others.

Gloating over the idea that our adversaries are going to burn in hell certainly has very little resemblance to treating others as you want to be treated.

Answer 6

Yes, it has pushed me away from my religion, I think they should concentrate on love, not hell fire and brimstone. You attract more flies with honey than you do with vinegar. We need to know about the fire but don't bang it in our head every week, love and understanding and forgiveness by our maker is reason enough to change your life.

Answer 7

I seriously lost any respect I had for catholic crusader with his answer. That is an outright lie.

Answer 8

Hell, yeah!

Answer 9

I have never met one person at church in all my life as a Catholic who delight in someone's damnation. I think you have issues. You need help.

But hell IS real. Please do not find out the hard way