Has the doctrine of Everlasting Hell turned people from Christianity?

[Universalist Catholic]

In todays day, many people want nothing to do with Jesus and the bible, based on the way many Christian Churches behave, and the doctrines they hold to.  Today, it seems like Christianity and Islam are the two most hated world religions.  Plus, many people are turning atheists due to their strong dislike for Catholicism and Protestantism.  But I was wondering if the doctrine of hell is the lead cause of so much dislike towards Christianity. 

[WhiteWings]

UC,

I think that only part of the truth.
Surely they don't like the doctrine of hell. Neither they like all the bad things church did in the past. The current pedosexual scandal doesn't doe any good either (to put it very midly)
But it think people are not prepared to give up their worldly life and becom e Christians.
Not even if all church leaders are as pure as Jesus Himself.

Plus, many people are turning atheists due to their strong dislike for Catholicism and Protestantism

Assuming you mean their ET doctrines....
It a bit contradicting if you look more closely at it.
They lost their faith in God (any god). That's the defenition of atheism. (and I agree with you on that)
But if we concider wjy they turned away from God we see they basicly didn't do so because they chose so. They turned away out of love because they feel sick of torture stories. And they can't even imagine someone (God) exists that continues to torture for eternity in the most cruel way imagineble.
And because such cruelty can not exist God does not exist and they become atheists
I wouldn't dare to defend atheism on this forum :winkgrin: but lets just say such people at least have a good reason to become atheists....
If UR was mainstream many possibly stayed in church.

[Universalist Catholic]

UC,
But it think people are not prepared to give up their worldly life and becom e Christians.
Not even if all church leaders are as pure as Jesus Himself.
If UR was mainstream many possibly stayed in church.

But it seems like most of the Churches today are pretty worldly.  All the manmade dogma they make, tithes they collect, the way they take political sides.  It seems like some of those churches are more worldly than most people.  But then they want everyone to submit to their organization, and not so much to God.  One Hindu said "organized religion prohibits worship to God, but worship to the leaders".  In a way, he is right despite the fact he did not believe in Jesus. 

I think about it, and all worldly stuff does is just imprison us in horrible nonsense dogmas, unnecessary cultural demands, political regulations, and corporate "gospel" of greed. 

[SteveW]

I sure have seen it do so in my own personal experience with friends, family, classmates, etc.

[WhiteWings]

But it seems like most of the Churches today are pretty worldly.

Not worldly enough. They are against homosexuality, abortion, sex outside marriage.
That are the most known things. Plus hell ofcourse. That's enough for most to turn their back on religion.

I think about it, and all worldly stuff does is just imprison us in horrible nonsense dogmas, unnecessary cultural demands, political regulations, and corporate "gospel" of greed.

You just gave a few more reasons...

[Universalist Catholic]

Im just saying that todays churches seem worldly due to experiences I have had, along with some research I have done.  In the worldly matters, people seem to always compete to be on top, whether it be who's country is better, who's a better cook, better athlete, better sports team, better house, better job, better race, seems no different than Churches.  Every denomination, or theological system seems to strive to make the claim that God favors them over all other peoples, but have done a pretty good job at covering it all up, claiming that they are interested in getting the truth out.  I remember when I was in Fundamentalist Catholicism, I felt like I could only consult Catholics for answers, since I was still under the impression that St. Peter was the first pope ordained by Christ.  But I would often worry that just because some of the figures I had looked up to, Mother Angelica, my Pastor, other strict Catholics, the Medjudgorge seers, and the pope all believed in eternal misery to the unrepentant sinner.  I was still seeking to support annihilation.  But I know that many people, like myself could not leave behind worldly stuff, more out of fear of being hated.  But like the societal systems where one concerns themselves with going with the crowd to avoid being rejected is really no different than Church systems.  If one were to possibly even attempt to bring up the possibility of Universal salvation, they would be rebuked.