I mean come on, I my self am a "Scientist" and I am obsessed with Space. But what nags me is that I am told I go to hell if I don't follow the bible? But wait.. I don't beleive in a god so I dont believe in hell. So.. why bother?
The "everyone good goes to heaven when they die" policy was invented by the early Catholic Church to promote churchgoing and the policy of indulgence (pay the church for a get-out-of-hell card or, if you were wealthy enough, a ticket to heaven). They created the belief of a firey hell to enforce it. "Pay us or you will burn forever in torment" is quite an effective and persuasive sales pitch. Jesus states in the bible that people shouldn't profit from religion.
I think you should rephrase it to "Why do some Christians tell some of us we are going to hell?"
My answer is simple: Because they're silly.
I'm a Christian, i believe in Hell (Not the dark underworld chamber where i'll burn for eternity), but a Hell. I don't tell people they will go there because i don't know what merits a sentence in Hell. For all i know, i could currently be living it. The Bible teaches us not to Sin, sure. But it also teaches us not to judge so i don't believe we have the right to judge other peoples sins. Of course this is easier said than done because when you open the newspaper and see that a child of four has been sexually molested, you instantly judge the sin of the rapist, but hey.
Ahhhh... I always thought that Jesus declared if you don't read the Bible and believe it you go to hell.
The only unforgivable sin. Mark 3:28-30: "Truly I tell you, people will be forgiven all their sins and all the blasphemies they utter. But whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven, but is guilty of an eternal sin. He said this because they [the Pharisees] were saying, 'He has an evil spirit'."
Matthew 12:30-32: "Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters. And so I tell you, people will be forgiven every sin and blasphemy. But the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven. Anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but anyone who speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the age to come."
Luke 12:8-10: "I tell you, whoever acknowledges me before men, the Son of Man will also acknowledge him before the angels of God. But he who disowns me before men will be disowned before the angels of God. And everyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but anyone who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven."
The concept of hell is like creating a sickness then claiming to be the only cure for the sickness they created in the first place. This is just a means of coercion and control through fear.
lol i prefer Odinism becouse it doesn´t have so bloody history than christianity and i suggest to look a film named Da Vinci Code or read a book Letters from Earth by Mark Twain
lol i prefer Odinism becouse it doesnôt have so bloody history than christianity
again, this has nothing to do with the topic.
and i suggest to look a film named Da Vinci Code
A fictional movie (based on a fictional book)? And what kind of conclusions should I draw from this?
Like Mage said the concept of hell creates an irrational fear. This fear can convert people or make them stay in that religion. Modern (non-fundamental) Christians don't really talk much about hell or they don't even believe in it - at least in Europe. The only times I am told that I will go to hell is when I'm debating via the internet.
The only times I am told that I will go to hell is when I'm debating via the internet.
Omgzzzz, you're going to hell for saying that.
Nobutrly, modern Christianity has kind of moved on in terms of a lot of speculation we got from the Bible. There are certain things which either aren't in it or aren't explained properly.
Isn't in it: Original sin. Not explained properly: Hell.
It's fear motivation, people would rather believe in God than risk the chance of being tormented for all eternity out of simply ignorance. Most Christian's I know don't take much stock in that, simply because it would result in the vast majority of people going to hell, those who do, tend to be close minded bigots.
If you are a Christian that has read and understood the bible there should be no doubt in your mind that atheists are going to hell, it i spelled out, it is wishful thinking on the part of any Christian, you claim that God is the only one who knows his plans, why he does things, so be consistent, please tell me I'm going to hell otherwise I won't respect you. Don't ignore what is spelled out in your holy book
im christian but i dont really believe in hell/heaven ,God, i dont follow the bibles guidelines and i dont go to church so im a christian fail but ppl who say that "bad" ppl go to hell are extreme christians so the opposite of me believe me if hell exists it wont be that bad (its nice and warm i think )
The old word for Hell was Sheol meaning resting place, the common grave of everyone. Simply dead, nothing more. If it was a place of endless torture, why would Job have prayed to go there?
The old word for Hell was Sheol meaning resting place, the common grave of everyone. Simply dead, nothing more. If it was a place of endless torture, why would Job have prayed to go there?
Masochist?
But yes if the bible has been wrongly translated then fair play, most Christians aren't working under this assumption, they simply choose to ignore part of their religion they don't like, as they do with many things
