Recently I read a Christian post stating that we consider these words to be "trigger words".
Aside from being dogmatically condescending, I'd have to say that personally, I agree with this person. The words and phrases sin and hell come hand in hand with other words
that make my eyes twitch. Like molestation. Rape. Murder. Women belong in the kitchen. Women should be silent. Women submit to your husbands.
All of these words bear a negative connotation not in their meanings, but in their applications within my memories as a prior Christian. For instance my Dad, holding the bible in his hand bending his finger back painfully as he angrily pointed it onto the bible and told mom that god says she should submit to him and to "shut her fucking mouth", etc. Was he wrong? Not inherently although I highly doubt any Christian would rationalize such behavior. Hear no evil say no evil see no evil, right? Wrong. I saw. I heard. I'm speaking out, and yes it's a tad bit of a "trigger" to be reminded of the tenents that were the basis of the most fervent and distasteful memories in my mind.
If you talk about rape in front of a rape victim, and say "oh sorry I understand that the word 'rape' is a trigger word for you, but it's real and just part of life so you must accept it," --is that not unconsiderate and offensive? I suppose it's non sequiter, since in this instance "rape" isn't a deterrant or reasoning for eternal spiritual punishment. I would think that because of this, the words "sin" amd "hell" to the ears of someone who spent most of their lives believing in such things only to conclude that they were false fears, is worse than the word rape to a rape victim.
So atheists do you consider the words sin and hell to be "trigger words", and also could you state whether or not you were a prior believer in sich beliefs?
If I were to create self aware beings knowing fully what they would do in their lifetimes, I sure wouldn't create a HELL for the majority of them to live in infinitely! That's not Love, that's sadistic. Therefore a truly loving god does not exist!
Dead wrong. The actions of a finite being measured against an infinite one are infinitesimal and therefore merit infinitesimal punishment.
I say again: No exceptions. Punishment should be equal to the crime, not in excess of it. As soon as the punishment is greater than the crime, the punisher is in the wrong.
Quote:The sin is against an infinite being (God) unforgiven infinitely, therefore the punishment is infinite.
Dead wrong. The actions of a finite being measured against an infinite one are infinitesimal and therefore merit infinitesimal punishment.
Quote:Some people deserve hell.
I say again: No exceptions. Punishment should be equal to the crime, not in excess of it. As soon as the punishment is greater than the crime, the punisher is in the wrong.