Many Christians who do not take the time to study the scriptures they so diligently believe to be true, don't realize that the bible teaches that hell is not only for the wicked. You hear them say it all the time regarding murderers, rapist, pedophiles, dictators, etc. "I hope he rots in hell!" But upon closer examination of the scriptures could it be possible that even a good person could go to hell? If this is true then what are the conditions that would lead him there in the first place?
According to Ephesians 2:8,9 you are saved by faith: '8 Because it is by grace that you have been saved, through faith; not by anything of your own, but by a gift from God;9 not by anything that you have done, so that nobody can claim the credit.'(NJB) But it takes a combination of both works and faith for you to earn your place in the kingdom of God. James 2:14,17,18,24 '14 How does it help, my brothers, when someone who has never done a single good act claims to have faith? Will that faith bring salvation?17 In the same way faith, if good deeds do not go with it, is quite dead.18 But someone may say: So you have faith and I have good deeds? Show me this faith of yours without deeds, then! It is by my deeds that I will show you my faith.24 You see now that it is by deeds, and not only by believing, that someone is justified.' (NJB)
According to the above cited scriptures faith/belief is a prerequisite to salvation. If this is true that means that anyone who does not believe in God is on the highway to hell so to speak. This would include atheist, agnostics, those that have different religious beliefs, etc. You can be the best person in your lifetime in the eyes of your family, children, wife, friends, and neighbors, but if you are an atheist you are going to hell.
Christianity is a religion that is based on coercion, obedience, and fear. 7 'The fear of Yahweh is the beginning of knowledge; fools spurn wisdom and discipline.' Proverbs 1:7 makes this quite clear and so does Luke 12:4,5 4 'To you my friends I say: Do not be afraid of those who kill the body and after that can do no more.5 I will tell you whom to fear: fear him who, after he has killed, has the power to cast into hell. Yes, I tell you, he is the one to fear.'(NJB)
So based on the scriptures hell is for all those that do not believe regardless of his/her works. Submission through repentance is the main requirement and without it no matter what good deeds you have done in this life you are going to hell. If you're one of those hypocritical Christians that have faith but don't have works then you will also be joining me in your fictional hell as well. Tough break huh?
This article and the bibles own admission proves beyond a shadow of a doubt that the biblical God is a tyrant and a prick who deserves to be executed for his crimes against humanity. Even if he did exist, I would not worship a tyrant so hell would be awaiting my entry with open arms.
The concept of hell is like being sentenced to a firing squad over a $5.00 parking ticket.
ReplyDeletePersonally, I REJOICE over the teaching of Hell that I received in the church. It was the depravity of that doctrine that first drove me to deeper study of the Bible....which eventually caused the scales to fall from my eyes.
I'm an atheist today because of the hell doctrine.
"Thanks, Jesus!"
I agree Billy. Hell is even too extreme for those that have done vile things in life. I became an atheist after reading all of the horrific acts perpetrated by God in the Old Testament. By the time I reached the New Testament I was already having second thoughts about being a Christian. I also found the church history quite embarrassing as well.
ReplyDelete"The God of the Old Testament is arguably the most unpleasant character in all fiction: jealous and proud of it; a petty, unjust, unforgiving control-freak; a vindictive, bloodthirsty ethnic cleanser; a misogynistic, homophobic, racist, infanticidal, genocidal, filicidal, pestilential, megalomaniacal, sadomasochistic, capriciously malevolent bully."
ReplyDeleteRichard Dawkins