if God is love?

Question

why do Christians need to use threats of Hell and Damnation and pray on peoples fears to get the message across.
Not to mention lies, misinterpretation and myths.......
if God is the truth and the light tell me the Truth....

I see so many religionists rant and rave about how Atheists are “not tolerant of believers and have no respect for their faith”. To non believers this claim is absurd. For intolerance of various religions is the foundation of Judaism, Christianity, Muslim and many other orthodox communities. Matter of fact, the Bible and Pentateuch commands religious intolerance in MANY verses, even to the point of KILLING people for their beliefs. Here then, are a few choice verses that show just how intolerant these religionists are of other believers and nonbelievers. We shall start with the two verses that helped to inflict one of the biggest mass murders in history, the Inquisition.

Woman with “familiar spirits” must be stoned to death. Leviticus 20:27

“Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live.” Exodus 22:18

Kill those who are not Christian or Jewish:

You must kill those who worship another god. Exodus 22:20

Kill any friends or family that worship a god that is different than your own. Deuteronomy 13:6-10

Kill all the inhabitants of any city where you find people that worship differently than you. Deuteronomy 13:12-16

Kill everyone who has religious views that are different than your own. Deuteronomy 17:2-7

Kill anyone who refuses to listen to a priest. Deuteronomy 17:12-13

Kill any false prophets. Deuteronomy 18:20

Any city that doesn’t receive the followers of Jesus will be destroyed in a manner even more savage than that of Sodom and Gomorrah. Mark 6:11

Jude reminds us that God destroys those who don’t believe in him. Jude 5

Chosen by Grace - Eternian**
have i touched a nerve?

westwood**
I do live in England and have attended the Alpha course.
It did nothing to convince me.
I'm glad you found comfort in your faith.

Answer 1

God may, indeed, personify love. However, clearly the God of the Bible doesn't.

Hell? A fallacy. Used to strongarm the population into giving power, money, and devoted labor to the Church - and has been carried through to our current day as a continuingly useful fear-tool. The truth is that no God of love would torture anyone at all. The Bible teaches that the wages sin pays is death, not Hell. Death is to be done away with, also, and the word translated 'hell' with it. No eternal torment there. There are a few places people try to use to say that the Bible teaches a burning hell, and one is a blatant mistranslation, while the other is talking about a long time of anguish, not an eternity, and not after death of any sort.

You want truth? Live in love, for others, yourself, your environment, and even any God you hail as true. You will reward yourself with a richer life for it - no matter the name you place on it. Never live in fear of anything bad, for we create all the bad we can handle for ourselves daily. Like Jesus once said, "Sufficient for each day is its own badness." Never let someone else help you on your way to stress, as it is a debilitating killer - and not very loving at all.

In love,
Your well-read Pagan Priest of the Moment Krodin

Answer 2

I do not threaten people with hell. It is just a fact. You do not have to prey on peoples fears to get the message across. But to leave out the fact that Jesus is the only way to heaven would be irresponsible.
If you were on a plane and the stewardess would tell you need to put on a parachute you probably wouldd. But after time it woul d get uncomfortable and people would point and you would take it off.
Now if they were to give you a parachute and tell you at sometime during this flight you will have to jump. You would gladly wear the parachute no matter how uncomfortable it got or how people saw you.
The something goes in believing in salvation. if you have no reason to be saved why bother.

Answer 3

Catholics believe that there is a hell. There is no hell! We will not be damned. We will not suffer forever and ever. Do you think that such a loving God would permit this to his own creation? The father of the lie is satan. The bible even says that the ruler of this world is satan. Therefor there are many false religions to mislead people. He turns people away from God. He does not want mankind to follow him. God did not cause death, and sin, and lies. satan did. We have to live in harmony with God's word for us to recieve eternal life. He sees all of our hearts. He knows everything. And all the evil doers will be destroyed. They WILL NOT SUFFER. They will be destroyed. Cut off from the earth. I suggest you start reading the bible. You will learnmany many things.

Answer 4

The entire bible is written in parables, and only can be understood with spiritual eyes and ears. What did the prodigal son's father say when his son returned? My son that was DEAD is alive. His son wasn't dead in a natural state, but was dead to his father's house. The violence and killing are symbols for something else entirely. Killed by the sword, is being killed by the word of God, because God's word is a sword. The death is as the prodigal son had died.
Revelation 2:23, "I will kill her children with death". How else can one be killed? This is speaking of the same death that had killed the prodigal son, separation from their parent's household & blessings or cursings of it.

Also, God's fire is a refining fire, not one that torments. It cleanses away only the imperfections within all of us.

As for hell, that is the grave. Jesus even spent 3 days in hell, the grave. Look at Ezek 32:21-32:

21) "The strong among the mighty shall speak to him out of the mids of HELL with them that help him: they are gone down..."

22) "...his GRAVES are about him:"

23) "Whose GRAVES are set in the sides of the pit"

24) "Elam & all her multitude round about her grave"

Notice verse 21 says they are in the midst of hell, and the following verses all say they are in their graves.

God's word says perfect love casteth out fear, because fear hath torment. God is perfect love, but too many of God's children don't see with spiritual eyes.

Answer 5

God is love, I think some people may come across to agressive but there is a narrow and a broad road. The narrow raod many find it but it leads to everlasting life but the broad road many enter into it and that is the road to death. Life is about choices and only you can choose to live or die. So my only advice to you would be live a good life, treating others like you want to be treated, having a pure heart and being the best person you know to be and believeing that Jesus died for your sins. He know's that we are not perfect that's why he gave his life for us. Just continue to pray and reprent. Because Hell is for real!

Answer 6

God calls on everyone through his love, wisdom and power, and most believer come to God out of gratitude. Hell is only a warning for those who still refuse God, maybe even a last argument. Still, even hell is preached, with the hope of that the outcome will be salvation. Peace.

Answer 7

The problem with selecting things out of context, is that you can say anything and distort the truth to be whatever you wish.
The OT law, social system and taxation system is just that. It is a system which was devised for the use of a bronze age community.

The NT references are very sparse, but the one in Mark is something God might do, (not something we are supposed to do!). I will leave you to argue that one with him. But since he has visited us, lived and died and risen for us, what hope is left if we reject his kindness?

Answer 8

first of all my brother not all christians are stereo types like you lable us,i have not been a christian for long i am reborn,i used and sold drugs,i drank huge amounts and stole from family and friends to fuel my habits,but in just 90mins in the house of the Lord i was saved,the bible is not full of lies or myths it is the way you interpret it,open your heart my friend read and listen to others,acts of war and vengence are human made just as we destroy ourselves and Gods good earth that was gifted to us to care for,we are the ones who use religions to bomb,kill murder and rape the earth,yes in the old testement there was many wars and much death some people would term it now as ethnic cleansing but it was not,God wanted us to live in harmony with love in our hearts for others as well as ourselves sadly greed rose it's ugly head as did jealousy and lust,eventually God destroyed the world in a great flood to make in clean for,after many years the earth was again repopulated,and God was ashamed of what he had done and promised never to destroy the earth again which he has not,he even sent his only son,to teach and guide us so we could live in harmony, Jesus was to be our brother,friend and teacher,he did this because he loved us so much he called us his children,then at a young age because we still didn't understand he let us humans murder his only son so that we may understand and be forgiven all our sins,humans labled the people who betrayed Jesus--- God didn't,he gave us the gift of prayer also,i wish you could believe as i do,that he is the only one we can rely on he is the only one that always listens and answers us even if the answer is not the way want but always with what we need,not always when we want it it but always when we need it,the bible is a living book and progresses and grows as we do but not everyone listens,so let me tell you brother,WE ARE THE MURDERS AND WAR MONGERS,WE ARE THE LIES THIEVES AND CHEATS WE ARE THE ONES THAT TWISTS HIS WORDS TO OUR GAINS,all God wants is for us to live in peace harmony and love,God says knock and the door will be opened,ask and you shall be given,so i pray my friend for God to open your heart and enable you to understand the great things he gives us without payment or question,to me i don't care what name he is given be it Jehovah,the Messiah the Prophit or whatever name we give him,in all religions he teaches life not death,he teaches love not hate i pray that all who read this will pick up a bible, the koran etc,that you find the great one in your life be blessed and open your heart love not war it's us humans that use religion to legally murder........ not him,i don't know where you are but in england we have a course that promotes understanding and the love of Christ it's called an Alpha course i feel this will be of great benifit to you

Answer 9

Christians are supposed to hate what God hates and love what he loves. And like God, his people desire none to be destroyed...
"However, let this one fact not be escaping YOUR notice, beloved ones, that one day is with Jehovah as a thousand years and a thousand years as one day. 9 Jehovah is not slow respecting his promise, as some people consider slowness, but he is patient with YOU because he does not desire any to be destroyed but desires all to attain to repentance. " -- 2 Peter 3:8, 9

But each of us are free moral agents. We cannot make anyone serve God with true motives.
The future paradise earth will be filled with people who worship God. Anyone who doesn't wont be part of it and why would they want to be? It could be seen as an act of love on Jehovah's part when he "cuts off" such people from the earth.
He does NOT torture people in hellfire, he simply allows them to die and remain dead with no thoughts, emotions, or "ghostly" life.

God is truth and life- for people who obey him.

***Edit

Death was indeed the punishment for much wrong-doing. Israel was God's COVENANT nation. He told them SPECIFICS for worshipping him and they agreed. He also told them what would happen when they failed to listen.
You can hardly blame God for the punishment when his people failed to listen?

Answer 10

The Truth is there is a HEAVEN and a HELL

There is a Blessing and a Curse

God said this day i lay before you a blessing and a curse
A blessing if you do my will
A curse if you do not

One chooses what they will do..in that , its your choice to believe it or not....doesnt change the fact it does exist...
and it also says he who does not believe is condemned already........
So , by it is TRUTH..whether you believe it or not it still remains the TRUTH..........

And it is upto the Beliver to tell you the TRUTH...whther you believe it or not........doesnt change it from being the TRUTH...and just changes us if we fail to tell you and warn you of the Wrath to come.........

If we didnt tell you we ourselves will be condemned of it..for your blood will be required at our hand !!!!!!

And i for one,have already seen its results....and i for one...dont want to see it agian nor wish anyone else to either !!!