Why is hellfire and damnation still being taught in many churches in North America - more so than it is in Europe especially as North America is a democracy? Are there more liberal churches in the Americas where you don't have to believe in hell?
I'm not in the church system anymore, sis, but I think it's because the "hell" doctrine is basic doctrine of the church which is the remnant of the religious arm of the Roman Empire that ruled by fear, even if you're in the Protestant Church, because that doctrine is so basic to the foundation of the church that it wasn't purged during The Reformation. So they can't deny it, and they have to keep teaching it.
I think the important thing is to realize that you don't have to be in the church to be in the ecclesia, the body of Christ. You can actually get out of church and into God.
A very simple answer[other than being the Lord's purpose] is MONEY and CONTROL. I've said this before and say it again, if churches and TV ministries were taxed, churches and TV ministries would be few and far between. :2c:
It's definitely a business that doesn't have to pay taxes just like some other big businesses.
I think it's been taught since a lot of people are believing it seriously. If you believe in hell, the most logical thing to do is to warn people.
Like you, I'm in Europe, and I never heard it preach. I've been raised in a Calvinist church (yes, the ones believing even babies go to hell) and when God gave me new life I attended evangelical churches. Both do believe in hell, but it's never preached. I think a lot of christians kind of 'formally' believe in hell, but they have never really thought it through. I was faced with what I formally believed, when I heard an American sermon on hell (titled 'the Gospel'). It left me deeply depressed for several weeks, after which God convinced me of UR and I was instantly free of that depression and fear. Though it was the most horrible time in my life, I'm kind of thankful for having gone through this. It helped me to get free from conditionallity in my relationship with God, from fear of abandonment and from worry about my children's fate.
I feel like a lot of Europeans believe in a soft kind of hell, that is, living forever in the state people without God are now (that is, in sin, without God's life and spirit in your life, without hope). OK, that's also terrible if you think THAT through (I did when I was in depression), but I think it makes hell look less horrible than an endless stake. Therefore, it's probably easier to forget about it.
I believe there are many people who love God and have his life in them, yet do not see the truth of UR.
I cannot understand how people stand it to hear the more American fire & brimstone sermons :flamebreath: without going insane though.
I think they just try to block it out of their minds and hope it doesn't happen to them or their families. It's sad that most believers think it is the truth. That's why we can't hesitate to expose it for the lie that it is.
Quote from: Abigail on May 12, 2015, 11:03:29 PM
I think it's been taught since a lot of people are believing it seriously. If you believe in hell, the most logical thing to do is to warn people.
Like you, I'm in Europe, and I never heard it preach. I've been raised in a Calvinist church (yes, the ones believing even babies go to hell) and when God gave me new life I attended evangelical churches. Both do believe in hell, but it's never preached. I think a lot of christians kind of 'formally' believe in hell, but they have never really thought it through. I was faced with what I formally believed, when I heard an American sermon on hell (titled 'the Gospel'). It left me deeply depressed for several weeks, after which God convinced me of UR and I was instantly free of that depression and fear. Though it was the most horrible time in my life, I'm kind of thankful for having gone through this. It helped me to get free from conditionallity in my relationship with God, from fear of abandonment and from worry about my children's fate.
I feel like a lot of Europeans believe in a soft kind of hell, that is, living forever in the state people without God are now (that is, in sin, without God's life and spirit in your life, without hope). OK, that's also terrible if you think THAT through (I did when I was in depression), but I think it makes hell look less horrible than an endless stake. Therefore, it's probably easier to forget about it.
I believe there are many people who love God and have his life in them, yet do not see the truth of UR.
I cannot understand how people stand it to hear the more American fire & brimstone sermons :flamebreath: without going insane though.
Most of those who listen to those sermons and draw satisfaction out of them, and see God in them- are insane. They just don't kno it. Something to pray for, their release. :Pray:
Jesus said that a tree is judged by it's fruit.
In a way eternal torment HAD brought a lot of good into the church. It has BROUGHT people into the church to begin with!
So it has done some good things. But...
in the long run it just doesent work :thumbdown:
I mean...i know this doctorine IS dissapearing from the church do the god blessing with us both electricity, the vacuum tube, transistors, computers and finally the internet...but...maybe it was not all bad...i mean, it did produce some really great preachers, teachers and teachings...but YEAH! The Kings James bible really does SUCK doesnt it :sigh:
Quote from: JonesHenry on May 13, 2015, 04:39:52 AM
Jesus said that a tree is judged by it's fruit.
In a way eternal torment HAD brought a lot of good into the church. It has BROUGHT people into the church to begin with!
So it has done some good things. But...
in the long run it just doesent work :thumbdown:
I mean...i know this doctorine IS dissapearing from the church do the god blessing with us both electricity, the vacuum tube, transistors, computers and finally the internet...but...maybe it was not all bad...i mean, it did produce some really great preachers, teachers and teachings...but YEAH! The Kings James bible really does SUCK doesnt it :sigh:
I believe it is the English language that sucks
NOT THE WORD OF GOD One of the hardest languages to make ''sense '' of ever .
Bibles were not available back in the dark ''ages '' to everyone .
You had to take some ones
Word for it who had one in their possession.
Not only that , but their understanding of it too :sigh:
Geez , if that does not cause divisions and warring what else would ?
Now,, that old saying spoken in in Micah 4;4 , everyone is eating under their own vine and fig tree ''
Is of a Truth ,Everyone has several types they treasure .
Just hope that it is
not cursed , passed over .. when Jesus comes to inspect its lack '' barren of fruit '' Or doing some good .
Because I'm British, the hell I'm most familiar with is not the hot fiery kind but the kind being a cold miserable place where people are cut off from God forever and I thought that was bad enough.
I am shocked and appalled that there are churches in the world today which still teach that people burn in hell. The Christian religion has been tainted with this vile doctrine for centuries and it really upsets me and undermines my faith.
The truth of scripture is so called "hell" is simply the unseen state of dead souls. Don't let the commonly believed lie undermine your faith in God, sis, just because the church doesn't preach the truth because the church doesn't really represent God. It's just the institution that most of us have grown up with assuming it represented God because we didn't know any better, but the truth is that you can get out of church and into God simply by reading an accurate translation of the inspired written word of God, and get your fellowship right here on the forum. You don't have to participate with the institution that slanders the Father with the lie of torture in fire forever. That institution is Satan's counterfeit for the ecclesia, the body of Christ, that you're in, and it's not bound by time or space. The World Wide Web gives you access to your brothers and sisters all over the world anytime day or night because the ecclesia, the body of Christ, is a global spiritual body of believers, some who still need to hear the truth of scripture that God is the savior of all mankind, and all on the earth and in the heavens will be reconciled to God through Christ's blood on the cross so that God may be all in all. So have compassion for those brothers and sisters that are still trapped by the deception, but don't let it cause you to doubt your faith because our faith is in God not the church.
I cling to the idea of a true God of love and true justice and that is the basis of my faith. The more I can trust God and see his true nature the less concerned I am about the hell thing.
...I think...some are of little faith.... Why else..when I AM the RESURRECTION come..would they keep preaching condemnation and death
...instead of LIFE!!!! Of coarse..you can depend on the adversary[accusor that constantly accuses in heaven] to not be happy
about losing his position in heaven/grace over the law covenant ministry of death..kind of pulled his teeth........so...when..the
dragon was cast unto the earth..he become wrathful[demonic madness] and spewed out a flood of water to cause the 'woman' to
be washed away....and went to wage war with the remnant of her seed...those who have the testimony of JESUS! LIFE/MERCY
FORGIVENESS/GRACE/HEALING/RESTORATION UNTO ALL MEN.
Jesus come to inspect after He brought me out of the religious sytem...and told me I had 'dragonbreath!" one morning!!!
when you push the doctrines of eternal annhilation/condemnation as your gospel..you get dragonbreath!!!
now..I have breath that smells like apples! that all men are the sons of God![though we have been as prodigals bearing the image
of the corrupt one] and we're all coming home!! soon!!!! where we will be welcomed with open arms!!!
You got me chucklin with that dragon breath stuff, sis. Tradition is hard to give up, but it really is an exhilarating experience to get free from church doctrine and be consoled with the truth of scripture that God is love, and God is the savior of all mankind.
ps the earth 'helps' the woman..by opening it's mouth and swallowing the dragon's flood. Cursed is the earth for thy sake Adam.
of coarse sin[briars and thorns/messengers of satan] in the flesh is condemned/cursed. BUT THE FLESH[earth vessel] COUNTS
FOR NOTHING.! For we shall have a NEW EARTH..with no more curse!!!!!!!!! I MAKE ALL THINGS NEW!
:laugh: I can laugh now...but I wasn't laughing then! sound asleep..on my side..then become aware of a presence close in front of my face
[didn't dare open my eyes] when He knew I was aware of Him...He said ' youv'e got dragonbreath" just matter-of-factly as you please.
I didn't even know what dragonbreath was at the time :dontknow: that was revealed shortly later. what a way to wake up!
Funny stuff...some Spring Mint from Walmart will slay the dragon.
Quote from: sheila on May 13, 2015, 06:28:56 PM
...I think...some are of little faith.... Why else..when I AM the RESURRECTION come..would they keep preaching condemnation and death
...instead of LIFE!!!! Of coarse..you can depend on the adversary[accusor that constantly accuses in heaven] to not be happy
about losing his position in heaven/grace over the law covenant ministry of death..kind of pulled his teeth........so...when..the
dragon was cast unto the earth..he become wrathful[demonic madness] and spewed out a flood of water to cause the 'woman' to
be washed away....and went to wage war with the remnant of her seed...those who have the testimony of JESUS! LIFE/MERCY
FORGIVENESS/GRACE/HEALING/RESTORATION UNTO ALL MEN.
Jesus come to inspect after He brought me out of the religious sytem...and told me I had 'dragonbreath!" one morning!!!
when you push the doctrines of eternal annhilation/condemnation as your gospel..you get dragonbreath!!!
now..I have breath that smells like apples! that all men are the sons of God![though we have been as prodigals bearing the image
of the corrupt one] and we're all coming home!! soon!!!! where we will be welcomed with open arms!!!
:dsunny:
Hey Tom...He always grazes His lambs on spearmint.
Yeah, I used to pick that stuff wild out in the mountains.