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Ive noted alot in my life that some Christians, people, use hell as a weapon if you will to try and "make" someone accept Christ, by scare, or other tactics...
I am NOT one of those Christians...IMHO its all about a relationship with our creator..the one that made the universe, the stars, the moon...one that wants to be our friend, our protector, our guidance couselor, and IS our redeemer all rolled into one..its about having peace when the world in in tormoil..how can I have peace that surpasses all understanding? because I know who holds tomorrow..even when today is upside down..
Ive noted alot in my life that some Christians, people, use hell as a weapon if you will to try and "make" someone accept Christ, by scare, or other tactics...
I am NOT one of those Christians...IMHO its all about a relationship with our creator..the one that made the universe, the stars, the moon...one that wants to be our friend, our protector, our guidance couselor, and IS our redeemer all rolled into one..its about having peace when the world in in tormoil..how can I have peace that surpasses all understanding? because I know who holds tomorrow..even when today is upside down..
"Think of Jonathan Edwards who thundered the terrors of God and what Hell was like until men grasped their seats and hung on to them, fearing they were falling into Hell itself. Men were moved by fear to escape damnation. That was believed to be Christianity. Why any coward wanted to keep out of Hell. He might not have had one idea in his soul of what was the real true earmark of Christianity." –John G. Lake
If you have to scare someone into believing, then they are believing for the wrong reasons. This is a wonderful relationship that you can enjoy! Without feelings of guilt or fear.
Ive noted alot in my life that some Christians, people, use hell as a weapon if you will to try and "make" someone accept Christ, by scare, or other tactics...
I am NOT one of those Christians...IMHO its all about a relationship with our creator..the one that made the universe, the stars, the moon...one that wants to be our friend, our protector, our guidance couselor, and IS our redeemer all rolled into one..its about having peace when the world in in tormoil..how can I have peace that surpasses all understanding? because I know who holds tomorrow..even when today is upside down..
IMO, we need to have a healthy respect for God’s judgment on sin, however that should not be the driving force behind our Christian walk. Often when people first hear God’s call, they feel burdened under the weight of sin, with God’s judgment pressing upon them. That is God’s work, not ours. I don’t think it is up to us to use scare tactics, rather inform the seeking soul that Jesus is waiting to forgive and there is a plan for our salvation. When I heard the Lord’s call at a young age, I remember feeling lost and fearing an eternity without Him, (I think some teaching about eternal consequences is necessary) however as you mature as a Christian, your walk isn’t motivated by fear, rather by love.
Old saying in this area.."Teach em hell, then show em heaven
Some christians seem to look for any opportunity to let someone know they are headed ..Here are a few heard through my little corner of the bible belt.
1. Think you're hot today? Hmmp, you ain't seen nothin yet.
2. Yeah, some day you will remember that in hell.
3. Don't you lie to me youun', or you will wind up in hell
4 . This church needs a good ole hellfire and damnatin serman to set them
straight.
Ive noted alot in my life that some Christians, people, use hell as a weapon if you will to try and "make" someone accept Christ, by scare, or other tactics...
I am NOT one of those Christians...IMHO its all about a relationship with our creator..the one that made the universe, the stars, the moon...one that wants to be our friend, our protector, our guidance couselor, and IS our redeemer all rolled into one..its about having peace when the world in in tormoil..how can I have peace that surpasses all understanding? because I know who holds tomorrow..even when today is upside down..
Great post, Jesus is much MORE than insurance from hell. You are so right, I have a relationship with the Lord and that gives a peace that you cannot get from ANYTHING this world has to offer. After all Jesus never used scare tactics.
If you have to scare someone into believing, then they are believing for the wrong reasons. This is a wonderful relationship that you can enjoy! Without feelings of guilt or fear.
You hit the nail on the head. That's one reason I rarely, if ever, talk about the "horrors." We should all know by now people go to the person who shows the most compassion and kindness. Who wants to learn about something from someone who scares the crud out of ya? There's a reason Pat Robertson and the late Jerry Falwell are disliked by most in the world. They turned more people away than they saved, I'd wager.
Although having pushy religious people encounter me on quite an ordinary basis with the "believe or perish in a burning hell" doctrine, that is not the only thing that made me turn from religion. I think I've said this before, but my belief was approaching nil before the first encounter and by the second encounter I was gone. Every time I am accosted by one of the fundies it just drives it home for me why I'm so happy I got away from the religious scene.
Even if I were to attend a church where this was not the case I'm sure I would have to listen to the same diatribe by the same fundies explaining why my religion wasn't good enough and theirs was. I also realize that regardless of how many hours I could sit in a church, I don't think I could actually rationalize a God, especially one as is in the bible. So, I could call myself a Christian, a Jew, a Muslim or a Hindu, and I'd still feel the same way: That God does not exist.
The prospect of a heaven or hell type scenario does not bother me in the least. I have no qualms whatsoever over it and I don't lose sleep at night over it either. I think the Bible was a well written storybook and nothing more. I do respect that some people have much deeper faith than I do in God, and I am willing not to accost them in public as to why they are wrong, and I think I deserve the same amount of respect in return.
Of course, the majority of the people on this board probably feel the same way I do (in regards to pushy people) so I don't know how deeply felt my feelings will be.
I think it's impossible to make yourself believe something. I think you can try and talk yourself into it, and you can profess it from your mouth a lot, and "act" like you believe in it.
But a true heartfelt belief is one that comes from an individual's true feelings.
I think it's impossible to threaten someone with hell and "make" them believe in any God.
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Old saying in this area.."Teach em hell, then show em heaven
