"What If"

"What if" is a phrase that I have heard a lot when talking to people about religion. I do not believe in the "Christian God". I believe in Paganism. I'm not judgemental, everyone is entitled to their own beliefs and religions. However, I have talked about my beliefs to friends and family and explained why I would believe in Paganism before I would ever believe in Christianity. After explaining myself, I almost always hear how they completely agree. However they are afraid not to be a "Christian", because of the words "what if". What if they are wrong and God and Jesus are real and they go to Hell for not believing?

I can't say anything against people who are just afraid to not believe. I use to be one of those people. I tried so hard to believe the Bible and have the faith and I just never could do it. And yes I have read the entire bible, more than once and it is what helped me make my decisions on my beliefs.

So, here is my question: How many people are actually true believers and have faith in God and Jesus, and how many are just too afraid to say they don't truly believe because of the whole "Hell thing"? Do you truly believe and have the faith or do you just try to? I really look forward to reading what you guys think on this subject.

 

I tried the whole going to church, reading my bible, and all those things that were supposed to do. As I grew up I wasn't interested in those things, and it didn't resonate with me anymore. At first I was afraid to voice my views with my family and friends because they had a different outlook. Although a lot more people are coming to an understanding there is still a lot of closed minded people. I dont believe in the good people go to heaven and the bad people or non believers go to hell story. I don't think that there's a man in the sky as well. I don't need Christianity or any religion to be a better person. Religion seems as if it's there to keep you afraid and controlled. I feel free.

 

Yes, there are still some very closed minded people out there. I have been told that I was going to go to hell and many other things for my non belief. And it is those very people who I realize have obviously never even read the entire bible. If they had read their bibles that they hold so highly, they would know that it is actually never said in the bible that you will go to hell for not believing. Did you know in the older versions of the bible, such as the hebrew version and the old testament, there is no mention of hell anywhere in it. There is not even a mention of suffering after death in the older versions. The only mention of suffering for sins in the bible, is here on earth. It says that their sins will bring them death or suffering. It never says you will go to hell and burn in fire and be tortured for eternity.

Don't get me wrong, I believe in hell. But I don't believe it is some fiery place of eternal torture. That is a concept made up by men to control with fear. However, I do see hell every day all around the world. I see hell in the war our soldiers are fighting, in the eyes of the child being abused, in the eyes of the wife being beaten down by her husband, in the eyes of the lonely and the lost. Hell is real and it is here on earth. But there is no place called hell.

 

People have fixed there mouth to even call me the devil when I've never done anything in that manner towards anyone. It's just the fact that i did not attach myself to a religion caused them to call me that. I'm not going to go to hell if that's the case I've already been through it here on earth. Like you mentioned we see it on a daily basis in life through our own eyes. It's so many things that I've seen in this lifetime both evil doings and good deeds. Just looking around and seeing all the things going on can get depressing at times wars, people starving, destruction and lack of care of nature. With what we have left I always remember to snap a picture of the view of the the trees, sun, and the beautiful flowers because these things go unnoticed.