Inclusive Christianity?

[Peguy]

So many liberal Christians here. Guess I'm the only traditionalist here.

[EffEmDoubleyou]

Originally Posted by Anja

With what's been posted in mind, the first thought that came as I read was something a friend quoted to me to the effect that if one isn't a liberal in youth one has no heart; and if one is not a conservative in later life one has no brain. Hee. As so many aphorism do, it seems to play true. You can translate that into, "The older Anja gets, the more she sounds like an old phart!"

It's funny, I've heard this aphorism many times as well, but it played out exactly the opposite for me. As a young man I was very conservative and even held a leadership role in the Young Republicans chapter of my college. Over the years I've mellowed though, and now I'd call myself a centrist who is a social liberal and a fiscal conservative. I've even voted Democrat in 3 of the 5 presidential elections I have been eligible to vote in.

[The_Liquid_Laser]

Originally Posted by Anja

I don't see that. There's no where in the Bible that I can remember it referencing bunnies and eggs. But I do recall casting sinners down into a lake of fire. And something about perpetual gnashing of teeth. Wherever it came from it's in there.

There are three Greek words in the New Testament that get translated into hell. One is only used once (referring to a place of darkness). Another word is "Hades" which means "the grave", and the last is "Gehenna" which literally refers to a large area where they would burn garbage. In all but one case the word "Gehenna" is used when associating hell with fire.

My point though is that the Bible doesn't depict hell as eternal torture. It depicts it as death or destruction, i.e. being destroyed by fire.

"Do not fear those who kill the body, but are unable to kill the soul; but rather fear Him who is able to destroy both body and soul in hell." Matt. 10:28 (emphasis mine)

Consider also these two well known passages:
"...whoever believes in him shall not perish, but have eternal life." John 3:16
"For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." Romans 6:23 (again empasis mine)

Preachers often portray the choice as being between heaven and hell. However the Bible portrays the choice as being between life and death. The alternative to life is not torture. It's death. Some people reinterpret death to mean torture. I don't. I believe death literally means death.

[Owl]

Originally Posted by The_Liquid_Laser

I believe death literally means death.

Physical death?