Has Hell Disappeared? - Page 12

coadie · #**111** 09-21-2010, 09:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by geekette

Erm, no. This is bringing up very bad memories. It's not always how you say, and I'll be blunt, most of the time, it's fear, fear, fear over the pulpit, and scant love.

Fear can push an already-depressed person to (or over) the edge. I think preachers assume that everyone sitting before them is in reasonably good mental health and, to be blunt, that's not the case. Some people can be irreparably harmed by such preaching.

God can heal. God wants to heal and restore.

Truthseeker · #**112** 09-21-2010, 09:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DAII

Someone on FB remarked ... that thousands ... including himself ... came to Christ through the "threat of hell"

Some even came through prophecy teaching even though false. Amazing.

Truthseeker · #**113** 09-21-2010, 09:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Michael The Disciple

Amazing how anyone could say its not profitable to teach the foundation doctrine of eternal judgment. If it were not of God and unprofitable Yeshua would not have taught it. He felt it was essential to warn people to flee from it. A Christian would not want to insult Jesus by saying his teaching was not good. If we ourselves dont teach it we are ashamed of his words.

Let me add that being ashamed of his words is not the issue but do we really have the true understanding of his words is the crux of the matter.

Truthseeker · #**114** 09-21-2010, 09:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by geekette

They don't care. Really, they don't. The doctrine of hell is just too useful a cudgel to give up just because there might be people with mental illnesses in the congregation. And, on top of that, to so many of these preachers, mental illness is not an "illness," just something to pray through, and so it's minimized.

Even the nicest, most well-regarded preachers can have a blind spot when it comes to this. Last week I made the mistake of listening to a sermon podcast by a preacher who got his religious start in the UPCI back in the 1970s, and forty minutes into the sermon, he started going on about "grave danger" and "destruction." There were no out and out threats of hellfire, but it was enough to really depress me and made me cry for a few hours. I worked through the depression by writing my concerns to the preacher in an e-mail, and I did send it to him. I rather doubt I'll ever hear back, as he's quite popular, but I honestly do think he needed to know his sermon had rather a different effect than he no doubt intended.

No offense but listening to that made you cry for hours and depressed? Just from a tape?

Truthseeker · #**115** 09-21-2010, 09:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by crakjak

Some actually believe Jesus was teaching to mutilate our bodies to improve our possibly of entering heaven!!!

And also that God actually wanted Abraham to murder his son of promise. God was actually insulted that Abraham did not argue with Him, instead of heading to the mountain with his jaw set to kill his son.

Did you notice I didn't get an answer?

rgcraig · #**116** 09-21-2010, 09:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Truthseeker

No offense but listening to that made you cry for hours and depressed? Just from a tape?

Why would you question this? You've heard of "triggers" haven't you? Something in the sermon apparently triggered memories/feelings from something that had happened to her.

coadie · #**117** 09-21-2010, 09:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rgcraig

Why would you question this? You've heard of "triggers" haven't you? Something in the sermon apparently triggered memories/feelings from something that had happened to her.

You just triggered my memory. Roy Rogers named his horse Trigger.

rgcraig · #**118** 09-21-2010, 09:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by coadie

You just triggered my memory. Roy Rogers named his horse Trigger.

There ya go!

geekette · #**119** 09-21-2010, 09:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Truthseeker

No offense but listening to that made you cry for hours and depressed? Just from a tape?

Yes. *shrug* I have a diagnosis of chronic major depression and some things just set it off. Telling people that if they don't accept Jesus, even in the nicest of ways, that they're staring down at grave danger and destruction, is just about guaranteed to cause a problem. No, I had NO idea this guy did this when I started listening to his sermon. He's funny and engaging. I can see why he's very popular. The changeover was something of a surprise.

Truthseeker · #**120** 09-21-2010, 09:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by geekette

Yes. *shrug* I have a diagnosis of chronic major depression and some things just set it off. Telling people that if they don't accept Jesus, even in the nicest of ways, that they're staring down at grave danger and destruction, is just about guaranteed to cause a problem. No, I had NO idea this guy did this when I started listening to his sermon. He's funny and engaging. I can see why he's very popular. The changeover was something of a surprise.

What do you think happens to one if they don't accept Jesus?