A quick glance at the religious, political and socioeconomic landscapes of the United States easily reveals steeply increasing divisions and polarizations. Is your state blue or red? Do you identify yourself as "right" or "left," Republican or Democrat? Are you earning more than $1,000,000 or less than $200,000? Do you value more or less government regulation in health, finance, environment, and security?
In American Christianity, the trend of dichotomies is equally prevalent. Are you pro-gay or anti-gay, pro-life or pro-choice, conservative or progressive? Do you view science through the lens of evolution or creation? Are you more inclined to watch "Life of Brian" or "The Passion of the Christ"? Do you long for a Christian nation or for the separation of church and state? And so on.
Myself, I've come to believe that the differences among American Christians can be boiled down to one fundamental theological difference -- about hell. Specifically, do you believe that hell is a matter of the afterlife, or do you believe that hell is a reality in the earthly life? (Some of us believe in both, yet one or the other consistently takes precedence in our outlook on life.)
Those who believe that hell is a place or state of being in the afterlife tend to prioritize the spiritual salvation of souls (meaning the escape from eternal damnation) -- for one's own soul first and foremost, as well as the souls of one's family, and then for the poor unfortunate souls of the world who need Jesus. The practical implication of an eternal hell is the earthly responsibility to manage and mandate life according to moral codes that ensure one's acceptance into heaven rather than hell.
Those who believe that hell is already a reality on earth tend to value and pursue the physical salvation (meaning the salving or relieving) of persons who are "going through hell" -- sympathetic first to those in similar situations of hell as oneself, and then developing an understanding of other hells by inference. The practical implication of an earthly hell is the conviction to prevent or resolve tangible hellish circumstances.
So for example: by those Christians who believe in an eternal hell, homosexuality is viewed as an immoral activity that threatens one's eternal situation -- but by those Christians who believe in an earthly hell, homosexuality is understood to be a distinct identity that has been targeted and tormented by the real-life hell of discrimination.
The belief in hell on earth (or not) is especially evident in the platforms of politicians who reference faith among their significant influences. The instantly infamous Todd Akin, for example, whose professional and spiritual development includes a Master of Divinity degree, asserted that the earthly hell of rape should not take priority over the eternal status of a fetus' soul. Likewise Paul Ryan appears not to believe in the experience of hell on earth, as his "Path to Prosperity" budget proposal would aggravate the vicious hell of poverty. But with his belief in eternal hell -- and presumably his own salvation -- well settled, Ryan's primary moral task per his faith is to responsibly manage life (hence his focus on the national debt).
To be fair, there are many who believe in hell on earth who prioritize the relief of their own circumstances rather than engaging anyone else's hell. There are many who affirm an eternal hell who believe that easing another's affliction will be salvific to that person's soul in the afterlife. This dichotomy over hell can blur the boundaries of other theological and political dichotomies.
More importantly, both perspectives on hell hold the potential for challenging us to engage others. The Christian who believes fundamentally in eternal hell is prompted to see and consider an "other" to be a real person who is to be genuinely valued -- not only for having a soul but also for having a life. The Christian who believes in hell on earth is compelled to understand the systemic intricacies of earth's hells, to look truthfully at another's wounds, and to contribute wholeheartedly to the lessening of hell on earth.
In any case, I find myself wishing that more people would believe in hell.
Follow Rachel G. Hackenberg on Twitter: www.twitter.com/RHackenberg
Kevin Miller: Talking to Christians About Hell: It's Not as Easy as You'd Think
Eliza Wood: 'Hellbound?': How Will Christians React?
John Shore: Chad Holtz: Pastor Fired for Doubting Hell Now Believes in Hell Again
Additionally, I offer this bit from 1 John 4:20:
“If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, HE IS A LIAR: for he that loveth not his brother whom he HATH SEEN, how can he love God whom he HATH NOT SEEN”?
Jesus, as stated in the gospel according to Matthew, makes the same point of binding together the love of God and the love of mankind when questioned about the “great commandment in the law”. He responds:
“…Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is LIKE UNTO IT, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. ON THESE TWO HANG ALL THE LAW AND THE PROPHETS.” (Matt 22: 37-40) (Also restated in Mk 12:29-31)
So clearly loving the assumed creation is equal to loving a possible creator by proxy – even if we aren’t sure that such a creator exists.
There's one for Christians, Muslims, Jewish, Hindu, Blackpeople, Whitepeople, gay, straight, rich and poor.
Everyone cheer up. After you leave this 'hell on earth' you will be rewarded in your very own heaven.
-An Honest-hearted bible student
The teaching that God allows for a place of torment is not compatible his personality. God IS love.
It boggles the mind how many fall hook, line and sinker for this manmade doctrine.
P.S.......There are many doctrinal differences between TRUE Christians and those who profess to be Christian. Hell is just a starting point.
Hell, in all its various rationales are the parasitic pope, pastor and imams guarantee of food on the table and a roof over their head.
Were it not for the perception that a clergy person could keep poor old uncle Charles from the lake of fire and the worm that never dies no clergy would exist.
In Christianity heaven is a mystery, we have no touchstones other then the promise of a mansion, but lets be honest in heaven as on earth, location, location, location.
But hell, oh baby we know tons about that place, fire, torture, pain, devils, demons, imps, lakes of fire, gnashing teeth, thirst, hunger, yes almost as bad as Texas.
But we have our pastors and ministers, priests and popes who for a nominal weekly donation and a tax free status, will keep us from the result of gods eternal love
They are worse than the crazy fundamentalists, in warping and twisting the bible for their own edification. At least the fundies actually read the bible, rather than, like moderate muslim imams, twisting everything to say something other than what it plainly says.
Next they will do as a lot of imams do, and discourage people from reading their "holy" texts, saying it is too complex for mere people to comprehend.
The major difference between Christians is those who believe in creating hell for their fellow Americans and those who try to make life better for everyone. Control tends to be the big issue for the first group, Service for the latter.
If your faith isn't telling you to serve then you are part of creating hell on Earth.
Coming to a location near you, soon.
“long for a Christian nation”
In a Moon colony? Ironically that would require science.
“boiled down to one fundamental theological difference -- about hell.”
Would it still exist if, from this point on, no one was told about it?
“do you believe that hell is a matter of the afterlife, or do you believe that hell is a reality in the earthly life?”
If each was written down in detail. How many details would prove different? A bit like the image of a deity on toast. What authentic real actual appearance, is any observer comparing it to?
“Those who believe that hell is a place or state of being in the afterlife”
need to ask where that information's come from.
“unfortunate souls of the world who need Jesus”
Yet oddly, are oblivious to that which permeates the very fabric of the Universe.
“moral codes”
A penny, for the precise definition of each individual’s.
“the eternal status of a fetus' soul.”
If an impregnated cell is sacrosanct. Is it less sacrosanct by virtue of its method of fertilization?
“many who believe”
dare not question their beliefs. Yet correct beliefs are only strengthened by testing that proves and reproves them correct. While beliefs that dare not be questioned, preserve their own falsehood in perpetuity.
“I find myself wishing that more people would believe in hell.”
Or finding out more, about the flaws inherent in all forms of human belief.
Retroactive mind-readers, I suppose.
That there is no fiery, burning hell to punish us for all eternity is true and simple to understand. In the book of Jeremiah, the thought of burning children (which, effectively, we are) NEVER came into God's mind. That the Hebrew scriptures tell us that the dead know nothing (and therefore cannot feel pain or suffering) is incredibly significant. That the resurrected Lazarus never spoke of visiting hell OR heaven is also incredibly revealing. However, the most damaging evidence against a fiery, burning hell is Romans 6:7, where it states that when we die, we have been acquitted of our sins.
Acquitted, for Christians unfamiliar with the term, means "free from a criminal charge by a verdict of not guilty."
If you believe the Bible to be the inspired word of God, and the Bible tells us that when we die we are no longer guilty, then the concept of punishment after death is wrong.
For example : Matthew 10: 28
"Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell."
How can you possibly read Matthew chapter 25 or Luke chapter 16 and come to the conclusion that Jesus is talking about something other than real eternal punishment?
What is your answer to that? And please... try using the ENTIRE Bible in your answer.
But then again I don't suffer from the strange psychological disorder that inhabits all these folks who will literally do anything but accept their humanity, mortality and all. No, like all smart scams, regardless of denomination, they MUST (through one dogma or another) promise GODHOOD! and eternal life.
How utterly childish. Cherish this one life baby, it's all ya get.
Fundamentalist Christian worship of the KJV Bible, and consequent re-writing of history to accommodate it's supposed "holiness and divine origin" is very nearly as mind-blowing as the Roman Catholic deification of Mary.