I finally got to explain about 'hell' not being a literal place at church today.

[Cat]

Hi guys, thought I'd share this little 'event'.  I go to a mainstream evangelical church.  It does bother me greatly that they teach a literal hell (plus other stuff that I believe is dodgy e.g falling over, tongues that sound like two syllables alternating, tithes, other stuff).  I've scanned the web to try to find a gathering of Christians who don't teach these things, but I'm only left with the JWs and the Christadelphians and I don't think they've got it quite right.   :mshock:  Anyhow, outside my church, there's a bill board with a sign that says 'Eternity - how are you going to spend it, smoking or non smoking".  As you can imagine, every time I looked at it, I'd shudder and think how bad it was.  I was watching my toddler grandson during the service this morning so I went out the front with him and noticed to my great delight that it was gone.  After a while one of the elders came out and lent on the rail near to me.  I mentioned the sign being gone and he said it was old.  I then said how happy I was it was gone, as I didn't believe in a literal hell etc etc.  We had a really good discussion for about half an hour.  He said all the usual stuff 'if there's a heaven, there's a hell', 'God doesn't send you to hell, you send yourself', but I did get lots of stuff over to him.  He said that Jesus spoke the most about hell, and I took great delight in saying that actually, Jesus only mentioned 'Gehenna' about 12 or 13 times (I hope I was right there) and that was the local garbage dump etc etc.  It was good to get it out in the open and as he is one of the 'leaders' I was glad to be able to discuss this at last.  He was gracious and said he'd pray for me that I'd come to know the truth.  Maybe we'll chat again and he'll come to know the truth.   I almost wonder if that sign 'going' is a 'gift' from God to me and my family (they don't believe in hell either) as He knew how much it bothered us.   :bgdance:

Oh yes, and I even mentioned I was looking into the possibility that Jesus will save everyone eventually, and he didn't react shocked or anything.  So I'm sure I'll get a chance to 'test' the UR verses with him.... :winkgrin:

[Paul Hazelwood]

Good deal Cat,


I did have a chuckle at your description of tongues,  I have had the opinion that speaking in tongues in the modern church is overcoming the feeling of embarassment at babbling incoherently knowing that's all your really doing.