January | 2024 | Done with Religion

Archive for January, 2024

12 Reasons To Believe Hell Is A Myth!

Posted in Bible, christian living, Love of God, religion, tagged Bible, christian living, Christianity, gehenna, hell, New Testament, Revelation, sheol on January 28, 2024|

By Mike Edwards

No one knows definitively what awaits us after death. Not all scholars agree the English word “Hell” translated from Greek in the Bible suggested a fiery, torturous afterlife. It is wisest to assume a fiery, tortuous afterlife doesn’t await many. It can only traumatize young people. It leads many to atheism. Who wants to follow a God that tortures unbelievers? It is important we speak out against this theology of Hell when so much uncertainty exist. A Pew Poll suggests 58% believe in Hell as a place of everlasting torture. Many more evangelical Christians believe and they are encouraged to evangelize their friends.

Hell was never mentioned as a consequence during warnings of Global punishments

Set aside whether you believe Genesis should be read literally as opposed to metaphorically to convey a spiritual truth. Adam and Eve were warned of death if ate from the Tree of knowledge of good and evil. This decision supposedly set up billions after them to fall into the same sin. No warning of Hell! Noah warned of a global destructive flood for evil behaviors. No warning of Hell! Old Testaments prophets warned their people to stop destructive actions but never mentioned Hell. It seems cruel by God not warning if such serious consequences really existed.

Hell is never mentioned in all of the Old Testament

Hell is never mentioned once in the OT as a place for infidels. The Hebrew word “Sheol” is only mentioned as an abode for all the dead, believers or unbelievers, and was not mentioned as a place of judgment. There is not one mention about punishment being eternal in the OT.

The word for Hell in the New Testament doesn’t suggest eternal punishment

A literal Hell in the afterlife is nowhere to be found in the Bible. The English word “Hell” is a translation of the Greek word Gehenna. Jesus spoke of a place called Valley of Hinnom (Gehenna) outside of Jerusalem. Corpse were burned not kept alive. This is how you know interpretations have gone to hell. A metaphor, illustrating the destructiveness of sin, is used to push fear to obey or you are lit on fire and kept alive.

Jesus told the woman who had committed adultery: “go now, and leave your life of sin” (John 8). Where was Jesus’ evangelical spiel if he didn’t see this woman again? Jesus was asked by a religious expert how to have eternal life. Jesus spoke of how to start living here on earth not what awaited in the afterlife. He simply said to love God and your neighbor (Lk.10:25-37). Jesus spoke of loving God not to get into heaven but to receive help in loving others as you love yourself. You don’t have to drop to your knees and say a prayer to get “in” with God. You only have to want God’s help. Jesus’ salvation was about living a meaningful life here on earth with God’s help.

Writers Paul and John never mentioned Hell

The Apostles Paul and John recorded much of the New Testament. They didn’t even mention Hell once, much less punishment being eternal. James used a word other than Gehenna once; otherwise only Jesus referred to Hell (Gehenna).

The Lake of Fire in Revelation doesn’t even suggest a fiery, torturous punishment

Fire in the Bible is used more metaphorically than a literal fire where people are tortured forever after death. If dragons with seven heads are considered figuratively in Revelation, why wouldn’t the Lake of Fire be a metaphor? Revelation only suggests believers and unbelievers will face some kind of judgment after death. Fire is used in the New Testament for judgment and discipline but not to destroy or burn forever in flames (I Cor 3:14-15; 12:7-11).

The threat of Hell is relationally ludicrous

God’s continual encouragement and mercy, not the fear of Hell or gloomy uncertainty of God’s favor, is our necessary nourishment for lasting changes of the heart. How real is faith if only to avoid Hell? Genuine changes result when knowing you are deeply loved by a parent or God empowering you to reflect such love to others. The Cross reveals our ugly nature not God’s anger for appeasement. Who kills a man simply for claiming to be God? Go ahead and live like Hell while on earth! Careful the regrets you, your family, and friends will feel at the end of your life.

Heaven can’t be a place of happiness if loved ones are living a torturous existence

Unless God denies us freedom, how can we truly be happy when millions, including loved ones, are being burned forever. If God has such power/control over happiness, why not use the same power over rebelliousness.

Hell is neither just or necessary

Hitler is condemned for torturing millions of Jews for a time; God is said to condemn billions and torture forever. This makes God immoral. Torture doesn’t bring back a victim’s robbed memories of the future due to the murder of a loved one. Real justice is understanding your victim’s pain and accepting the harmfulness of your actions. After death God may bring to memory every unrepented action of betrayal and how it felt to their victims. The cleansing and educative effect may take longer for some than others. We can have less concerns about justice in the future by accepting God’s influence in our life here on earth.

Hell doesn’t solve evil

It is claimed God will eventually conquer evil. If evildoers live a torturous existence forever, how exactly did God solve evil?

Hell is an impossible free choice

For a minute forget about the Hitler example and think of family and friends who don’t believe in God or follow Jesus the way you do. They may score higher on the morality scale than you. It is possible that God gives one ultimately freedom to choose their destiny after life here on earth. See here. It isn’t rationally possible in the afterlife to choose hell/torture in one’s right mind over Heaven. No one puts their hand in a fire and leaves it there. We would call them insane, not truly free. If Hell was true, a loving God would be obligated to make sure one understood this reality.

God can’t be all-knowing and there be a Hell

Many who argue for the reality of Hell, because of the Bible, suggest that same Bible reveals God is all-knowing including knowing the future. I have claimed that God’s can’t know the future if freedom is genuine. See here. If God somehow knew the future, that means God created knowing millions would burn in Hell forever. It may be suggested that is one’s choice, but I argued above no one would freely choose Hell. You can’t convince me that God would ever create a human being if Hell was a reality. I wouldn’t have children if I knew their destination was Hell.

God giving up isn’t conceivable

Can God really stop being forgiving? Human parents can’t despite their imperfections. There are consequences in this life and there may be painful reckonings in the life to come, but God can’t stop showing grace. Why would God have a complete character lobotomy after we take our last breath here on earth? Is a thief going to enter Paradise but not others with lesser sins because they weren’t next to Jesus hanging on Cross right before their last breath? God’s grace doesn’t depend on whether one has more opportunities to respond to God than others.

God creating a literal Hell where people are tortured for billions of years for beliefs held a short time here on earth isn’t biblical much less morally possible!

12 Reasons To Believe Hell Is A Myth!

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Mike Edwards has been writing for Done with Religion for some time and has been a great addition to the site. He couldn’t find enough people to discuss God openly so he started blogging years ago. Mike also has his own site where he writes that can be found at What God May Really Be Like He can be contacted by email at: medwar2@gmail.com

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We are No Longer Sinners Saved by Grace —–We are the Righteousness of God

Posted in Acceptance, christian living, Jesus follower, Love of God, tagged christian living, Christianity, grace, Holy Spirit, Love of God, Old Covenant, righteousness, sinners on January 24, 2024|

by Jim Gordon

Can you even imagine it? We, you and me, saved by grace and now considered to be the righteousness of God.

Funny, it almost feels sinful to think that way, but God said it and it is true. Because of Jesus, we are now God’s righteousness.

A lot of pastors want to tell us that we are poor sinners saved by Grace. True, we are saved by Grace, but we are no longer considered poor sinners. Stop letting religion tell you that you are not good enough. Through Jesus, we have been restored to fellowship with God. Through the grace of God, we are now the righteousness of God. We are now the temple of the Holy Spirit.

Stop condemning yourself. ‘There is now therefore, no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death. For what the Law could not do, weak as it was through the flesh, God did: sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and as an offering for sin, He condemned sin in the flesh, so that the requirement of the Law might be fulfilled in us, who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. (Romans 8:1-4 NASV).

Stop trying to do things to earn God’s love and grace. We are now the righteousness of God because of Jesus. No matter what we do, or do not do, God has provided us with salvation, forgiveness of sins (past, present and future), and has restored us as perfect sons and daughters because of Jesus.

The Law was given to point out our sin and prove to us that we could not live a perfect life. Thanks be to God who provided Jesus who fulfilled the Law and restored our fellowship with God. We no longer must live by the Law of the Old Covenant. We are now free from sin, and no longer need the Law.

Let’s start enjoying the freedom we have in Christ, and start living through love for God and love for others. Do not let someone tell you that you are anything less than the righteousness of God.

Jim Gordon and his wife left the institutional church after spending over fifty years within the system. Jim wanted a way to express his thoughts and concerns about the religious system and why he and his wife decided to leave the institution but not their faith in God. Jim can be contacted by email at: jimgordon731@gmail.com

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God’s Message In The Bible Isn’t Go To Hell But What ?

Posted in Bible, christian living, Love of God, religion, The church, tagged Bible, christian living, Christianity, ff0000, Love of God, spirituality on January 21, 2024|

By Mike Edwards

Church folks have been told forever, who then tell others, that Jesus’ life and death on the Cross was to spare us from going to Hell to appease God’s anger about our sins. This isn’t how Jesus interacted with others. Relationships with humans or God can’t be built on fear and anger rather than love and grace. Christians often try to save others from a fiery afterlife rather than discussing how God’s presence in our life can help become more the person we desire to become deep down. Godly living in this world leads to a meaningful life with less regrets.

Has God’s message (Gospel) been hijacked?

Jesus’ message couldn’t be about avoiding Hell. Common understandings of Hell aren’t necessarily biblical. See here. Jesus was asked by a religious expert how to have eternal life. Jesus spoke of how to start living here on earth not what awaited in the afterlife. He simply said to love God and your neighbor (Lk.10:25-37). I am convinced Jesus spoke of loving God not to get into heaven but to receive help in loving others as you love yourself. You don’t have to drop to your knees and say a prayer to get “in” with God. You only have to want God’s help. Jesus’ salvation was about living a meaningful life here on earth with God’s help.

How did Jesus interact with others in the Gospels?

Most Christians believe to understand Jesus is to understand God. I read through the Gospel of Mark to see what Jesus’ message was to others. Mark’s Gospel is considered the earliest written from which Matthew and Luke cited. In all the Gospels Jesus never advises to preach to the masses to save them from Hell in the afterlife. Jesus sought to help others avoid hell here on earth. Sin is destructive. It has natural consequences.

When Jesus met his disciples, he only said “follow me.” (Mark 1: 16:17, 2:14) A set of beliefs wasn’t required. I don’t see any message to the disciples other than living a life worth living.
Jesus said “Whoever does God’s will is my brother and sister and mother.” (Mark 3:35) Being close to God or Jesus isn’t claiming certain beliefs or traditions; Jesus simply encouraged actions that lead to loving others as yourself. “Anyone who wants to be first must be the very last, and the servant of all.” (Mark 9:35)
People were bringing children to Jesus and he said “anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.” (Mark 10:15) The kingdom of God was not a future home but a current reality. Jesus has just said “some who are standing here will not taste death before they see that the kingdom of God has come with power.” (Mark 9:1)
A rich person asked how to have eternal life. Jesus said sell everything and follow me. (Mark 10: 17-31) Surely Jesus’ point was to love people more than possessions. What does following Jesus mean? When asked what was the greatest commandments, Jesus only said to love God and your neighbors (Mark 12:30-31). What! Not drop to your knees and say a prayer!
The above interactions are similar to when Jesus dealt with the women caught in adultery. (Jn. 7:53-8:11) Jesus only encouraged the woman to go and sin no more. Where was his evangelical spiel. He might never see her again! Apparently, Jesus came to encourage living a loving life toward others and yourself. That’s the way a loving God does.

God seeks to help avoid a life full of regrets

We are often told the main message of the Bible is Jesus coming to give you salvation to save you from Hell so you could enter Heaven. I am convinced Jesus spoke of loving God not to get into heaven but to receive help in loving others as you love yourself. There are no beliefs necessary. You only have to want God’s help in pursuing a life not full of regrets. Try it! It’s on God to come through for you if you choose to follow. Jesus when leaving this earth spoke of having God’s spirit within us. The Cross is about our violence, not God requiring violence to forgive us. Killing a man simply for claiming to be God reveals our ugly violent nature not God’s. Personally, following God has inspired and encouraged me to be the person I desire to be. I haven’t arrived but I’m on that journey.

What Really Is God’s Message To Us According To The Bible?

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Is God An Egotistical, Glory-Demanding Fanatic?

Posted in Bible, christian living, Love of God, tagged Bible, christian living, Christianity, egotistical, Love of God, spirituality on January 14, 2024|

By Mike Edwards

A loving God can’t be egotistical or want it to be all about them. Perfect love doesn’t possess such qualities. It matters how you perceive God. If you are inclined to believe a Supreme Being may exist, what you think of God can determine the closeness of the relationship. The theme of many Christian praise songs seem to be that God expects your praise and demands your obedience rather than wishes for your love. God only wants for us the thing we really want for ourselves – that is to be a loving person toward others. God created to have a relationship, not be worshipped.

How can we know what God wants?

Many suggest we must turn toward the Bible to know what God is like. Many born today don’t have a Bible and the entire Bible didn’t exist as we know it until around the third century. We can know what God is like because it seems we have an idea of what a loving God should be like. The parent/child relationship comes to mind what perfect love must be like. Loving parents are other-directed not self-consumed. God may desire respect because they know they always have our best interest in mind. But parents and God are less concerned with their honor than desiring a relationship to encourage and empower.

What about the Bible though?

Hundreds of passages could be used to defend God’s desire for respect. Passages also suggest that God is more concerned with a desire for relationship than concerned with restoring their honor. Many religions today imply their god expects certain beliefs or face immediate extinction. Not the God of the Bible! And what kind of all-powerful God wants to be friends? Abraham (Jm. 2:23) and Moses (Ex. 33:11) are called God’s friend, and Jesus called the disciples His friends (Jn. 15:15). God is our Creator and Friend. We can use our moral intuitions of what a loving parental God wants. I believe a loving God desires more a chosen relationship than blind allegiance.

Why would an egotistical God give us freedom?

If God was so worried about their ego, God certainly would not have given us freedom. God staked their reputation in individuals and the nation of Israel in the beginning. God created us in their image so we might represent God to others. Why does the God of the Bible not interfere with evil in the world unless God isn’t controlling. Controlling love is an oxymoron. The ancient gods demanded sacrifice to satisfy the god’s thirst. Are we going to suggest the God of Creation is the same as the other gods? The Old Testament writers sought to convey differences than commonalities with the other gods.

What is parental or godly love?

Perfect parent and godly love are surely one in the same. What kind of parent wants to be alone in their glory? Jesus says in John 17:22 after speaking on fulfilling his mission with his disciples and then turning his attentions to all who believe: “I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one.” We cannot be God, but we can strive to be like God. God surely doesn’t want to be feared as if that leads to inspiring relationships. God’s unforced desire for glory is no different than a loving parent’s desire for respect. Such respect can lead to what we deep down desire – loving others like we want to be loved.

Is God An Egotistical Glory Demanding Fanatic?

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Why Is It Best To Assume The Bible Isn’t Inspired By God?

Posted in Acceptance, Bible, christian living, tagged Bible, christian living, Christianity, Holy Spirit, LGBTQ, Love of God, women on January 7, 2024|

By Mike Edwards

I have written here concerns about the Bible. We should always question interpretations since biblical scholars interpret differently the same passages, especially since few acknowledge their interpretation could be wrong. The challenge is many interpret their inspired Book as God being violent or advocating violence. This has led to imitating or justifying violence in the name of a perfect loving God. We should then also question if the Bible is inspired by God. We can’t prove God controlled the writers’ thoughts to always understand God perfectly. Anyway, even if all agree on interpretation, which is rare, we should still question if God really inspired the writers’ thoughts if contradictory of a loving God.

How an inspired Book can lead to violence

Many interpret the Quran or the Bible advocating killing Jews or condemning gays respectively, because Allah or God supposedly approves such actions. Most, especially extremists, don’t acknowledge their interpretation could be wrong. God supposedly orders Israel to commit hundreds of atrocities in the OT – “… put to death men and women, children and infants, cattle and sheep, camels and donkeys” (I Sam. 15:3). God’s possible justification of violence can lead to imitation of violent solutions such as capital punishment, blowing up abortion clinics, or unnecessary wars in the name of God. I believe it is more critical to question if the Bible is inspired by God, making one’s interpretation the lesser debate since most believe their interpretation is correct.

Debatable interpretations are often assumed to perfectly represent God

The truth is biblical scholars who have a deep respect for Scriptures don’t agree what the Bible says about gays, women, hell, and other moral issues. See here. See here. See here. Gays are often condemned, women’s leadership roles are limited despite their gifts, and it is suggested a fiery torturous afterlife awaits infidels in God’s name. Extremists often will advocate killing infidels in this life according to their interpretation of an inspired Book. If we can question if writers always understood God perfectly, we can naturally wonder if God’s actions would ever violate our moral intuitions of a loving God regardless of one’s interpretation.

Moral truths aren’t hidden in a Book

Even the Bible suggests we aren’t morally clueless. We are encouraged to be perfect like God (Mt. 5:48) or follow God’s example (Eph 5:1). Such statements make no sense if presumptuous to imagine what a loving God is like though our moral consciences. See here. Consider a Book’s writer or editor didn’t understand God fully if your interpretation of a passage is contrary to your moral intuition of a loving God. I am of course talking to rational people who understand we ought to treat others like we want to be treated.

How can we view the Bible?

The Bible can be viewed as God’s story beginning with Israel and culminating with the life of Jesus that we don’t possess in any other document. God didn’t necessarily inspire or approve of everything written about God. When reading the Bible, question and contemplate what a loving God is really like. Imagine if extremists had to consider that God didn’t inspire every word in their Book, and we had to openly discuss what a loving God is like. Interpretations about God’s love toward others, that don’t match how you and most know you ought to love your neighbor, may be amiss. A Book must not replace our relationship with God and common moral sense.

Why Is It Best To Assume The Bible Isn’t Inspired By God?

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