My reasoning in rejecting eternal torture/hell...

[radorth]

From perspective of evolution, we come to believe in things that work to enhance our species.

Unfortunately half the world believed Hitler, Mao and Stalin had the answer for the species, and 100 million innocent people and soldiers died an early death in a single century, more than all the religious wars combined. They latter 2 atheists killed or starved to death 70 million innocent people who were, ironically, the skeptics. (Hitler was a pagan who thought he was the Messiah and is responsible for about 30 million deaths).

What Jefferson called "the most sublime and benevolent code of morals ever recorded" led to the end of religious persecution, slavery and the rise of democratic thinking through the preaching of the Word. (See Professor Nancy Rutenberg's work on the political fallout from George Whitefield's preaching)

Yes indeed, what people believe makes all the difference, and ironically it doesn't matter much whether you think the Bible is true. Christians (albeit not many) have always been the salt of the earth, setting the highest examples for the rest of us to follow. They were reponsible for the rise of democracy, the end of religious persecution of heretics, the abolition of slavery, the exposure of the evils and injustices of Communism, the fall of same, the freedoms minorities enjoy and even the overthrow of one major African government in modern times.