In between the lines of the question is, "Are you going to hell or heaven?"
A great philosopher once said religion is largely based upon human fear, especially on the fear of death. I think he was right.
Unfortunately, "the gospel" or "good news" has been understood and taught by the historic Church as Jesus who comes to save us from the wrath of God, or some form of that. So salvation, from that particular understanding, only makes sense if their is something to be saved from: God's wrath and eternal salvation for "not believing in Jesus."
And we older folk wonder why our younger generations are not going to church! Seems rather simple to me. How do we expect them to believe in such non-sense?
Couldn't agree more. Actually, so-called "vicarious substitutionary atonement" doesn't save us from sin so much as it (supposedly) saves us from God. God hates us, but beat up on Jesus instead, and somehow felt better.
In between the lines of the question is, "Are you going to hell or heaven?"
A great philosopher once said religion is largely based upon human fear, especially on the fear of death. I think he was right.
Unfortunately, "the gospel" or "good news" has been understood and taught by the historic Church as Jesus who comes to save us from the wrath of God, or some form of that. So salvation, from that particular understanding, only makes sense if their is something to be saved from: God's wrath and eternal salvation for "not believing in Jesus."
And we older folk wonder why our younger generations are not going to church! Seems rather simple to me. How do we expect them to believe in such non-sense?
Posted by: Allsaintslutheran Church | February 07, 2012 at 11:43 AM
Couldn't agree more. Actually, so-called "vicarious substitutionary atonement" doesn't save us from sin so much as it (supposedly) saves us from God. God hates us, but beat up on Jesus instead, and somehow felt better.
Posted by: John Petty | February 08, 2012 at 11:12 AM