Christians, I need your help with my Christian mom...?

Question

Okay...my mom is a kinda'/quasi Christian. I'm atheist. She knows that I'm atheist.

She goes to church regularly, it seems (she went tonight, in fact), and while I can't speak certainly about her own personal beliefs and interpretations of Bible doctrine, I believe she believes in the classic (or at least prevalent) idea of Hell being a place of eternal torment for those that don't believe in Jesus/YHVH/thewholepackage and repent. While you and I know Hell is actually the grave (or Sheol in Hebrew), and despite the many Christians that actually know this, many Christians still believe in eternal torment. After all, Rev 14:9-11 and Jesus' parable of Lazarus and the rich man seem to indicate such a possibility.

Ultimately, however, she believes it, and I think she may be worried about me. I love my mom and even though I don't agree with her beliefs, she's happy, so I wouldn't want to change that. But I don't want her to spend the next 10, 20, 30, etc. years of her life worrying.

Q:

So I'll address my questions to those of you who do not believe in an eternal torment:

Can you suggest any ways that I might be able to show my mom that the doctrine of eternal torment is not (necessarily) scripturally based? How can I show my mom that the only worry she needs to have is not seeing me in Heaven?

I really appreciate your help. Thanks.

(I know somebody is going to be tempted to use this as an opportunity to make a weak attempt to proselytize me. Please don't. It would be really uncouth of you to do so. Besides, you should understand that I've heard it before and if I haven't converted already, I'm not going to now. Please don't be so crass)

Answer 1

Hmmmm....

So you say she's quasi-Christian? That's a good start.
How is she when discussing other issues? Does she argue logically? Does she listen to what you have to say? Or does she get all emotional and/or start jumping to conclusions/becoming a broken record?

Maybe you could base a discussion around Galileo's quote: "I do not feel obligated to believe that the same God who has endowed us with sense, reason, and intellect has intended us to forgo their use."
Even if you are an atheist it is often a reasonable middle ground to meet a relgious person at. You're giving them (at least briefly!) the benefit of the doubt that a god could exist. They would have to accept that that god gave us reason and logic (ie your own questioning, curious brain). So why would god send you to hell for using what he gave you? Maybe your atheism is part of his plan... And then if you are a good person in every other way (kind, "moral", blah blah) god would have no reason to keep you out of heaven.

It might at least set her mind at ease. Better to do it now before she becomes hardcore Christian...

Answer 2

I am no longer that conversant in fb like I am with myspace. IMHO, thirteen is just a little younger, however that is simply me. The handiest "professionals" I can feel of is that you'll set protection settings to wherein handiest peers and household would see the profile and make touch, proportion portraits, and so forth... Cons... Your youngster would emerge as having peers on there that you would not approve of, conversations and/or planning with peers that you simply by no means suggestion your baby might do. Teens are sneaky repeatedly, and our Christian formative years aren't immune to creating errors or pushing the limitations once they feel mother & dad don't seem to be watching. If you make a decision to allow your younger one have an account, be certain you get one too and be at the peers record. I might even be a well inspiration to have his/her password simply to hold your youngster in determine. I for my part have a myspace account for that very intent. Our youngest is a Senior in top institution this 12 months, and sure, I nonetheless hold tabs on her. Been there, performed that. From a Christian mother & grandma

Answer 3

Sorry but Hell being eternal torment is the only Biblical interpretation. Those who say otherwise often base it upon refusing to believe God would punish someone eternally. There beliefs are in contradiction to scripture solely because they refuse to believe. They are wrong. Hell is real. It is eternal torment. And there is no need for anyone to go there. God made a simple escape plan. Serve Jesus. It is easy. The rules are not hard and if you fail He forgives you. I really think the simplicity of it is what confuses people.

Answer 4

I can tell that you love your mama. I will tell you as a mama of five, and a Christian mama, that she, like I, dearly love our children, and as a Christian mama, the very worst worry is that one of our precious children will not be in Heaven with us.

But know this, as a Christian mama who also believes in Jesus Christ & eternal torment for the unsaved, I know there is nothing that will make her or me change our beliefs, much less stop our prayers for our child/children.

She will just continue to love you, and pray for you, and ask Jesus Christ not to give up on you and to save you, so that she will not have to be in Heaven without you.

Answer 5

I'm not trying to 'proselytize' you, hell IS a real place.
By thinking hell is not a real place of eternal torment, a person removes himself from the need to repent, thereby thinking he won't have to answer for the deeds of this life.
However, that is simply not true. There is going to be a time of answering for the choices made while alive and there are only two to choose from.

Your mother, being your MOTHER, is going to worry about you regardless. She loves you the most of any person in her life (other than any other children she has). You are very important to her. She wants the best for you and sees heaven at the best possible choice.

Just try to remember, her concern for you is based in the best kind of love.

Answer 6

Your mom will probably never stop worring about you, it is what us moms do. I am a Christian, and I have a son who was raised in church but no longer attends. I could use the old stand by, "as long as you live in my house..." but if he decides to be in church I want it to be his choice. That is the problem with many Christians, they try to force their beliefs on people, and it just doesn't work. Agree to disagree with your mom, but know that she will still worry.

Answer 7

i'm a christian and i do believe in an eternal heaven and an eternal hell and i can state for sure that if i had a family member who was an athiest i would definitely worry and pray for them. your mom will likely never stop worrying until you accept Jesus as your personal saviour.

it's sweet that you are concerned about her concern for you.

Answer 8

I also face the same dilemma with my distant relatives. Personally, I fake it, just to put their minds at ease. I would tell white lies like when I would go to the movies, I would say that I was going to pray with chums in a nearby church.

This is your mom we're talking about though, so it would take more work to sell that lie. Good luck xD

Answer 9

Hell is actually a condition on earth you might live. Maybe your a drug addict, an alcoholic, living of the streets alone, etc. When we die our souls will live on. We all have lived before and we will probably choose different life paths again once we are finished with this life.
Love and God Bless

Answer 10

you're better off letting her follow her faith, I have a similar problem with my mother, but I've found the best way to deal with it and keep her from worrying so much over it is to distract her from the subject if it ever comes up....