You don't need to pound the pulpit

My parents were atheists, both having grown up in strict Christian households. For them, the message of Christianity was not that of a loving God who sent his own son to suffer and die as just and final punishment for the sins of all, but that of a judgmental God who'll condemn them to eternal torture if they step out of line. No one mentioned the word "God" in our house, and I was largely ignorant of the subject.

I came to be a Christian in a far less confrontational way. Many people in our high school track team belonged to an off campus Christian group, after reluctantly agreeing to attend, I was pleasantly surprised at what I experienced. We sang a few light hearted Christian songs, the theme of which was kindness and accepting of others as God is accepting of us. Afterward we ate a few cookies, chatted for about 30 min. and that was all - - but it was more than enough to kindle my interest. In the years that followed I purchased a bible, attended church on an intermittent basis, and asked lots of questions. That's all it took.

Christians' - I admire your willingness to spread the word far and wide, but please be careful how you do it. There's a vast difference between introducing one to the concept of Christianity, and pushing it at them too hard, just as there is a vast difference between obeying God's law because you want to, and obeying it because you fear eternal damnation. Jesus taught the masses in a non - confrontational way, using a combination of plain language and parables, and let them decide the issue for themselves. No roaring sermons, no fire and brimstone, no pounding the pulpit - - and it worked!

@mchill said
My parents were atheists, both having grown up in strict Christian households. For them, the message of Christianity was not that of a loving God who sent his own son to suffer and die as just and final punishment for the sins of all, but that of a judgmental God who'll condemn them to eternal torture if they step out of line. No one mentioned the word "God" in our house, and ...[text shortened]... for themselves. No roaring sermons, no fire and brimstone, no pounding the pulpit - - and it worked!

Yes, exactly. I totally agree with this.

@mchill said
My parents were atheists, both having grown up in strict Christian households. For them, the message of Christianity was not that of a loving God who sent his own son to suffer and die as just and final punishment for the sins of all, but that of a judgmental God who'll condemn them to eternal torture if they step out of line. No one mentioned the word "God" in our house, and ...[text shortened]... for themselves. No roaring sermons, no fire and brimstone, no pounding the pulpit - - and it worked!

Joseph Prince is a tremendous pastor who preaches the Gospel of Grace. I highly recommend him and his app, website and YouTube videos.

@mchill said
Jesus taught the masses in a non - confrontational way, using a combination of plain language and parables, and let them decide the issue for themselves.

Do you not count the Book of Revelation as being part of Jesus' teaching?

@mchill said
No roaring sermons, no fire and brimstone, no pounding the pulpit - - and it worked!

"Fire and brimstone" retail-religion Christianity is both a very lucrative business and it gives an extraordinary number of Christians inspiration and solace.

@fmf said
"Fire and brimstone" retail-religion Christianity is both a very lucrative business and it gives an extraordinary number of Christians inspiration and solace.

I totally and completely disagree.

Fire and brimstone preaching negates the work of Jesus Christ on the cross and makes Christians feel condemned and unworthy of God’s love.

Fire and brimstone preaching is the opposite of what Jesus accomplished on the cross.

But I’m not surprised an atheist and liar would try to disparage and negate Jesus’ glorious and beautiful work.

Shame on you, FMF.

@mchill said
Christians' - I admire your willingness to spread the word far and wide, but please be careful how you do it.

The Christian in this community who most obviously casts himself as a preacher is sonship. I don't think he has the interpersonal skills to be an effective teacher.

I do wonder sometimes if his efforts are counterproductive. This was pointed out by several posters on a thread he started asking people to evaluate him which rather backfired.

People with good teaching skills and suitable interpersonal skills should perhaps be the ones who teach, while others should maybe spread their religious messages in other ways.

sonship, for example, could have channeled his enthusiasm into a substantial blog all labelled and cross referenced. He could have perhaps reached more people that way.

Suzianne, for example does not pose as a self-appointed preacher but I gather she is involved in all manner of Christian outreach activities. Not everyone is cut out to be a teacher.

@pb1022 said
Fire and brimstone preaching is the opposite of what Jesus accomplished on the cross.

You'd be better off taking this up with the millions and millions of Christians whose faith in Jesus is reaffirmed or strengthened by fire and brimstone style of evangelism. I'll leave the theology of it to Christians.

@mchill said
My parents were atheists, both having grown up in strict Christian households. For them, the message of Christianity was not that of a loving God who sent his own son to suffer and die as just and final punishment for the sins of all, but that of a judgmental God who'll condemn them to eternal torture if they step out of line. No one mentioned the word "God" in our house, and ...[text shortened]... for themselves. No roaring sermons, no fire and brimstone, no pounding the pulpit - - and it worked!

Relax, there is no hell, fire or brimstone.

@suzianne said
Yes, exactly. I totally agree with this.

So you don’t believe that billions of non Christians will be cast into a lake of fire and brimstone?

@fmf said
You'd be better off taking this up with the millions and millions of Christians whose faith in Jesus is reaffirmed or strengthened by fire and brimstone style of evangelism. I'll leave the theology of it to Christians.

Yes, it is true that the old way of "fire and brimstone" is still popular, most notably in the Baptist churches. This has fallen away somewhat and the number of churches who do not preach in this manner are growing.

So just as there are, indeed, "millions and millions" of Christians who respond to this style of preaching, there are also "millions and millions" who do not.

@divegeester said
So you don’t believe that billions of non Christians will be cast into a lake of fire and brimstone?

Those who are found lacking at Judgement are indeed snuffed out in the "Lake of Fire", but their bodies and souls are destroyed. There is no "eternal damnation" or torture of souls.

As scripture says, "This is the second death."

@suzianne said
Those who are found lacking at Judgement are indeed snuffed out in the "Lake of Fire", but their bodies and souls are destroyed. There is no "eternal damnation" or torture of souls.

As scripture says, "This is the second death."

Jospehw will be along shortly to berate you for “wilfully misinterpreting scripture”.

Or maybe not, as he quite likes you.

@suzianne said
Those who are found lacking at Judgement are indeed snuffed out in the "Lake of Fire", but their bodies and souls are destroyed. There is no "eternal damnation" or torture of souls.

As scripture says, "This is the second death."

Anyway, I find it odd that if you believe that billions of souls will be, as you put it, “snuffed out in a lake of fire”, that you would not want to be “banging the pulpit” about it.

Seems strange to me.

@suzianne said
Those who are found lacking at Judgement are indeed snuffed out in the "Lake of Fire", but their bodies and souls are destroyed. There is no "eternal damnation" or torture of souls.As scripture says, "This is the second death."

I wonder how many millions of the world's Christians are annihilationists like you?