A ruler who willingly deprives any of his subjects the chance to ever feel happiness cannot be considered a kind or benevolent one.
"God" made us. He is aware of our deepest thoughts and feelings, and can see every one of our futures long before they play themselves out. The ball could not be more in his court, yet he chooses to create a system in which eternal misery is at the very least on the table.
Even this softer, more marketable (and please, don't try and say it's anything other than a marketing ploy) version of Hell still suggests a despicable tyrant responsible for its creation. A tyrant unable to convince us all of his innate goodness, and therefore resorts to threats to ensure the obedience of its creations. A tyrant that is never present, or seen, or heard, or felt, but has permitted the use of it's image, name, and apparent blessing by powerful men for centuries to bolster their own influence and fatten their own wallets. A tyrant who is a myth, a shadow, a phantom, an illusion, dreamed up by superstitious goat-herders thousands of years ago who both lacked the ability to explain the world and wanted a way to control large swaths of it.
What disappoints me most is the way this softly-softly repackaged cotton-wool-wrapped, cleaner, friendlier version of Christianity is introduced to otherwise intelligent, thoughtful individuals such as CL, who latch onto it and build their existence around it in a way that insulates them from almost all critical thinking and objective analysis. Whether it be indoctrination from birth that almost guarantees a lifetime of struggle to break free from, or from converts desperately looking for purpose in their lives (imbuing them with the ability to turn a blind eye to it's many shortcomings because of the promises it makes), this virus has infected and controlled the human race for centuries, and it's only now that its power is starting to wane. And thank fuck for that.
"God" made us. He is aware of our deepest thoughts and feelings, and can see every one of our futures long before they play themselves out. The ball could not be more in his court, yet he chooses to create a system in which eternal misery is at the very least on the table.
Even this softer, more marketable (and please, don't try and say it's anything other than a marketing ploy) version of Hell still suggests a despicable tyrant responsible for its creation. A tyrant unable to convince us all of his innate goodness, and therefore resorts to threats to ensure the obedience of its creations. A tyrant that is never present, or seen, or heard, or felt, but has permitted the use of it's image, name, and apparent blessing by powerful men for centuries to bolster their own influence and fatten their own wallets. A tyrant who is a myth, a shadow, a phantom, an illusion, dreamed up by superstitious goat-herders thousands of years ago who both lacked the ability to explain the world and wanted a way to control large swaths of it.
What disappoints me most is the way this softly-softly repackaged cotton-wool-wrapped, cleaner, friendlier version of Christianity is introduced to otherwise intelligent, thoughtful individuals such as CL, who latch onto it and build their existence around it in a way that insulates them from almost all critical thinking and objective analysis. Whether it be indoctrination from birth that almost guarantees a lifetime of struggle to break free from, or from converts desperately looking for purpose in their lives (imbuing them with the ability to turn a blind eye to it's many shortcomings because of the promises it makes), this virus has infected and controlled the human race for centuries, and it's only now that its power is starting to wane. And thank fuck for that.
![[Image: rySLj1k.png]](https://images.weserv.nl/?url=i.imgur.com%2FrySLj1k.png)
If you have any serious concerns, are being harassed, or just need someone to talk to, feel free to contact me via PM
