I can't help think of some really creepy suspense thriller... or that one friend I used to have...
But did you know, a lot of people think this is God? That God is some psychotic selfish killer?
We must love God or we'll go to Hell. We must obey God, or His wrath will rain down upon us. We must embrace all that is the Lord, or He will cause torment and pain in our lives.
If things go badly for us - our spouse dies, our home burns to the ground, our child becomes very ill - it's because we aren't praying hard enough. Or it's because it's God's plan. Or it's because we don't have enough faith in the Lord.
People say we are to fear God - but that this fear means to respect and honor Him. But then go on to discuss his wrath, and the deadly consequences of not obeying Him. This isn't a respect based fear. This is definitely not a love based fear. This is a "You will obey, or you will die!" fear.
And then, after telling us all of this... they tell us God loves us and we should love Him....
.......
uhhh... ummmm.....
.....
My parents used to beat me. As they were kicking me in the ribs, or punching me in the face, or throwing me against a wall, or pulling me down the stairs by my hair, or... (well, you get the point)... they'd be telling me "I'm only doing this because I love you."
And, if we didn't utter the phrase "I love you, too"... well, let's just say it was never very pretty.
So basically, when you say everything I listed above in regards to God - that He causes us pain because we aren't praying enough or don't have enough faith... that His wrath will rain down on us if we don't obey... that we MUST love him or die....
You're telling me that God is nothing more than an abusive father.
I'm sorry if this upsets anyone... but if this is your definition of love... then I truly do pray for you. If this is your definition of love... I pray for your children and spouses and loved ones. If this is your definition of love... then I beg you - please do NOT love me.
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Thank you Lord for loving me for who and what I am - a sinner who follows you out of deep love and respect, not out of fear of your wrath.
You bring up a valid point. Most often people have schizophrenic view of God. They see him as some sky god that must be obeyed or fire will come down from heaven. Contrary, to the modern understanding of hell some of the Fathers of the Byzantine tradition have offered a different picture. For instance, St Gregory the Theologian said,” God Himself is Paradise and punishment for man, since each man tastes God's energies according to the condition of his soul.” Eternal punishment in this instance is not some place that God has made to hurt people but rather how a person experiences God in the life to come. God does not hide himself from us and as an ultimate act of mercy is present to us even if we eternally reject him. The torments of hell described in scripture are nothing less than our own eternal isolation and reject of the fire of God’s love. Hell being something based on our own experience puts the wrath of God in different light.
ReplyDeleteI think you are right Brandi! God wants our love, but he does not punish us if we do not love him or if we fail to to do the right things.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the comment. I am eternally grateful that He loves me without punishment, and when I truly don't deserve that love. This is partially why I return that love... how can I not?
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