Why I Do Not Believe in Hell

There are many reasons why the storyline about hell does not work for me. Not anymore, anyway. There was a time I tried to believe in it, afraid I might just end up there if I did not.
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There are many reasons why the storyline about hell does not work for me. Not anymore, anyway. There was a time I tried to believe in it, afraid I might just end up there if I did not. Compliments of my rigid religious upbringing and the reason why those who do believe in it still do. They're afraid not to believe in it. Of course, they assail their fears, as I did mine, by telling themselves that they are among the "saved" and so have nothing to fear.

But here's the very practical reason why I no longer believe in hell.

The more one's heart fills with compassion for all people, the more difficult it becomes to accept the reality of hell, regardless of how evil some people are or deserving of hell that some may be.

Why I Do Not Believe in Hell

This is where my thinking has taken me, nonetheless.

I am nowhere at this place quite yet, however. From time to time, for example, I still find myself wishing for a place of retribution...a convenient place in eternity to right the wrongs of this life...a place to consign the Hitlers of this world.

We need such a place, don't we?

For the most part, however, I feel the trajectory of my faith taking me to a place of compassion where there is no longer room for hell...no longer a place where I might deposit my delayed retributive hopes, where evil will once-and-for-all receive its just reward.

I think I recently saw where I'm heading in a most incomprehensible display of compassion...compassion among the members of the congregation in Charleston, South Carolina. The manner in which they responded to the most horrific tragedy imaginable - a blood-bath of hatred by a white racist who entered the Charleston Church and in between the study of scripture and evening prayers unleashed his own inner terror and destruction on innocent souls - and yet, instead of responding with the desire for revenge or punishment, either of which almost any of us would understand and even encourage, they responded instead with love.

With forgiveness.
With compassion.

Talk about a reversal of expectations!

Their actions remind me of Jesus' death by crucifixion. Or, what Saint Paul called the "scandal." (1 Cor 1:18-21).

Furthermore, according to the Gospel of John, Jesus willingly laid down his life (John 10:18). It was not taken from him, as earlier Gospels writers seem to say. Instead, Jesus, in what was an ultimate embracement of everyone's hatred...everyone's hell...laid down his life.

Which, in a surprising reversal of expectation, transformed his own death into the most compelling symbol of love, grace, and forgiveness imaginable. In this regard, therefore, Jesus' death (which likely explains why the symbol of the Cross is so compelling) becomes life eternal...for all.

Grace immeasurable...for all.
Even heaven, available...to all.

Yes, even to evildoers. Maybe, mostly evildoers.

Do you see why Saint Paul called Jesus' death "scandalous?"
Who can understand such compassion?
Not even some people in the Church.
Except, every now and then, as in the Charleston congregation, there are those who seem to get it.

Now, let me take this a step further.

I do not know what heaven is. I do not know whether heaven is.
I'm pretty certain you don't either.

Nobody knows what lies beyond this life, except perhaps those whose fear of death is so overwhelming, they seek stories of Near Death Experiences, or invent their own, or seek stories of those who claim to have gone "beyond-and-back," and all to prove to "someone" there is a heaven. The "someone" they're trying to convince is themselves. But then, they would not be aware of this.

But my point is this: Whatever heaven may be - it is for me a merging with God. I cannot say anymore than this. And, I cannot say this with any certainty. This just makes the most sense to me.

Which is why heaven is for me as much a possibility in this life - and maybe more so - as it is a possibility in the next.

Which is also why hell no longer works for me because, if people go there just because they have not believed "correctly" or have mistakenly believed the wrong thing, I cannot imagine how heaven would be heaven to me, or to anyone else except perhaps those with the biggest ego and the most repugnant arrogance, knowing hell is that place where others are suffering.

And, all because they didn't believe the right thing. Or, didn't believe as we believe. And, of course, what we believe is "right."

Right.

No need to object with the flimsy but oft-quoted line from some Christians, "Oh, well, God would just remove the memory of those sufferers from you."

Bullshit.

If in heaven we lose memory, isn't that just another kind of hell? Ask the caregiver of a beloved family member who suffers from late-stage Alzheimer's disease.

Admittedly, I don't know about the Hitlers of this world and the evil people like those ISIS soldiers who can mercilessly cut the throat of an innocent citizen.

But then, neither do I know about evil Christian Priests and evil Bishops who turned their heads while the former administered the sacraments on Sunday and molested altar boys on Wednesdays.

Which evil is worse? Or, more deserving of eternal punishment?

Evil is evil. And, I can no more answer this than you can.

But there is one thing I do know and that I have experienced and that is this growing compassion and grace and love inside my heart or, better still, is displayed in the actions and reactions of people like the congregants in Charleston.

So, I ask it again: "If spending eternity in a place called heaven means I am there and supposed to be happy knowing you, or anyone else, is suffering in hell...especially when, for all I know, you or they have just believed something different from what I have believed..."

Then, my friend, for me Jesus' death on a cross was utterly meaningless.

What was the point of his death?

Well, all I've got to say is this: If Jesus does not want to go through it again, I understand. But I am here-and-now declaring, and I don't think I would be alone in this:

"God, allow me to exchange places, please, because, if You're expecting me to be happy floating around in heaven on a cloud singing hymns about your compassion and grace and love all day long, knowing some of my friends and others are suffering in hell...You're wrong. You're dead wrong. In fact, Your heaven has just become my hell!"

"Surprised are you, God?"

"Well, don't be!"

"Isn't this what compassion did to you, God? Isn't this the storyline the Church has been preaching for centuries? That it was Your compassion, God, that led You to send Your Son to lay down His life for others?"

"Don't be surprised, then, to see me, or others, volunteering to do the same?"

"Or, is 'limited atonement' really 'limited love'?"

"Even in eternity?"

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