What happened to Jesus' sacrifice?
Suffer the Little Children to believe that they and their loved ones are at risk of eternal punishment in the fires of hell. Why would parents insist that their children be terrified by such images?
In the Western world, where love of children does not seem to be an anti-religious indulgence, fundamentalists believe that they are warning their children when they teach them to fear the admittedly vicious god of their literalist bible. (In Islam, parents seem to be more delighted by children who blow themselves and others to smithereens for Allah.) In Christianity, loving parents warn that, "behave and god will love you, disobey or disbelieve and your'e headed for hell, Jesus' sacrifice or no."
But, scare tactics don't necessarily help. Even though the media is probably more likely to report dalliances by hypocritical ministers and televangelists than those of the average parishioner, such reports come thick and fast.
So what about Jesus' supposed sacrifice to save us from our sins? In essence, from some sins, but not the sin of employing our reason. Why should this sacrifice apply only to those who agree to believe in god, a virgin birth, a crucifixion, and a resurrection? Why would god send his son to die to save a murderer yet not to save a disbeliever?
Why would anyone believe in, still less, worship such a god?
In the Western world, where love of children does not seem to be an anti-religious indulgence, fundamentalists believe that they are warning their children when they teach them to fear the admittedly vicious god of their literalist bible. (In Islam, parents seem to be more delighted by children who blow themselves and others to smithereens for Allah.) In Christianity, loving parents warn that, "behave and god will love you, disobey or disbelieve and your'e headed for hell, Jesus' sacrifice or no."
But, scare tactics don't necessarily help. Even though the media is probably more likely to report dalliances by hypocritical ministers and televangelists than those of the average parishioner, such reports come thick and fast.
So what about Jesus' supposed sacrifice to save us from our sins? In essence, from some sins, but not the sin of employing our reason. Why should this sacrifice apply only to those who agree to believe in god, a virgin birth, a crucifixion, and a resurrection? Why would god send his son to die to save a murderer yet not to save a disbeliever?
Why would anyone believe in, still less, worship such a god?
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