It's not enough to superficially 'be nice'. You have to also do what's right. And sometimes that involves acts that are not easy or cheery. But Annette's Story is for those who think they have it all figured out for themselves and that they don't need God. Most assuredly, those people are doing things that are not right. Pursuit of wordly gain automatically entails doing some things which are not virtuous.
Justice and consequences exist in all facets of life, so why do you think they suddenly should NOT exist in the afterlife? That would violate the natural order of things as well as common sense. Always remember, those in hell sent themselves there. They had free will. So that's perfectly just. Why do you think it should be otherwise?
Actually I don't worry about hell. I have my sights set too high.
I don't care about some woman's break with reality. I do care about preachers using the threat of Hell to keep the flock obedient and generous. When one finally frees themselves of the fear of damnation then life is so much sweeter. I really feel bad for the people who have been tricked into onerous religious servitude just to keep on the good side of a god that seems to really want to punish you forever for minor inequities.
Yes. If you tell your child to not go to the road, and they disobey you, you punish them in order to teach them something to keep them safe. But the punishment from your god is not designed to teach anything. It's pain for nothing but the sake of pain. You think this legendary cesspool of eternal misery and torture is the product of a loving being? Tell me, what part of divine love requires torture for appeasement? When did you determine that pain, blood, fear, and torture is the currency of choice of this god in his dealings with us.
You're talking about two different things. I, too, have a problem with preachers who are all about money all the time. That's the opposite of how the Catholic Church is. In my entire life, I have never personally been asked for a contribution from the Catholic Church I was attending. If you never give to your Catholic church, you will never be asked about it.
I'll ask you again. If you have free will and you intentionally mess up, whose fault is it, yours or God's? If you commit bad acts on earth and get punished for them on earth, again, whose fault is it? So tell me again why natural consequences shouldn't also apply to how you lived your life?
The Catholic church invented the concept of Hell as we know it to keep the people in line. Just because they have softened up on the fire and brimstone it does not mean the coercive threat is not there. There's also the observation that if you need the threat of hell to be a good person then you are not really a good person.
I'm not motivated by the threat of hell, but I am motivated by the hope of Heaven.
Giving your money to a preacher gets you out hell?,,,,,,who knew....,,,we all start out doomed so tho speak
That's nonsense.
You're saying that this god of yours benefits from inflicting horrible pain onto its own creation when that creation is deemed insincere when they die. Correct?
just the facts
No, I'm saying a person who lived a bad life inflicted horrible pain on themselves. Like Annette.
