Does anyone NOT believe in hell? (ritual, punishment, Earth, paradise)

[mostly harmless]

I do not believe in hell, or the devil, or in a God that punishes and judges...I think God is too perfect for that. Too awesome.
I get some looks and attitudes from people, especially the ones close to me. None of them can seems to resist telling me I'm wrong and that I am going to hell for my beliefs. I have to wonder who gave them the right to judge. How do I make people understand that just because I don't agree with a lot of what organized religion teaches or the example that some religions set (which is completely opposite of what they teach)-that I think the Holy Books are important for the lessons they teach, for the history and that I can be a spiritual person and get to know God without subjecting myself to all kinds of dogma and guilt?
I want to teach my daughter to love God but even my boyfriend tells me that I am teaching her the wrong thing and that she might suffer for it. He is religious but I honestly don't know what Christian faith he is because he never goes to church..and doesn't seem interested...and yet I am wrong to teach my daughter about a God who is so awesome and powerful that He has no need to judge the people who are a part of Him. He has no need to torture people for eternity for making bad choices. He is those people too. We are here to learn. How can we learn if everything is dictated to us? What is free will if you are then commanded to behave a certain way?
God gave us free will for a reason, and everyone and everything in our lives is as it is. Good or bad. I always wish that I could tell people that their path home is not necessarily the right path for everyone and that no path is more right than the other...some just take longer.
I prefer to cut out the middlemen and all the drama and go right to the source.
How can that be bad?

Sorry, I get long-winded sometimes..but I have a lot on my mind in regards to dealing with people who judge me (especially family)..I try to do what I think God would do...accept it as it is and try to teach with love and without judgement.
I understand that a lot of people say things because they fear the unknown. The unknown being what happens after death. They project their fears onto me because they worry that if I don't follow one WAY I will be lost. So I recognize that the things they say come from love for me. However, I have no fear. The only worry I have about dying is how the people left behind will be. Death, to me, is a 'door' through which we pass to go on to really live. This life is for learning and growing spiritually. I really wish I could help others to understand where I am coming from. It does hurt when the people love condemn me for not believing the same things as them.

I want to start going to a Unitarian church near where I live, but I am always uncomfortable just walking in (does that make sense)..and the group is so small it would increase my discomfort because I couldn't just walk in and sit in the back and get comfy...
They have a really good child education program. Really diverse.. only my ex has our daughter for most weekends so she would miss class...but some is better than none right?!

[angellous_evangellous]

I'll leave it up to God. I hope that God does judge us - some people never are judged in this life for their dispicable crimes. Perhaps also God is the only Being that can judge fairly - knowing all hearts and circumstances, motives and consequences.

IMHO, I think and hope that hell is reserved for a chosen few: like Jerry Falwell and other Christian leaders who try to oppress others in the name of Christ and world leaders who commit genocide.

Perhaps God is wise enough to judge people without sending them to hell.

[doppelgänger]

Originally Posted by mostly harmless

I do not believe in hell, or the devil, or in a God that punishes and judges...I think God is too perfect for that. Too awesome.

I agree with your sentiment. It is my experience that the only judgment to be had is our own.

Originally Posted by mostly harmless

I get some looks and attitudes from people, especially the ones close to me. None of them can seems to resist telling me I'm wrong and that I am going to hell for my beliefs.

That is a reflection of what they experience of "God" though, right? There is no changing the reality of someone else's experience with mere words just like their words won't change the reality, to me, of what I experience.

Originally Posted by mostly harmless

How do I make people understand that just because I don't agree with a lot of what organized religion teaches or the example that some religions set (which is completely opposite of what they teach)-that I think the Holy Books are important for the lessons they teach, for the history and that I can be a spiritual person and get to know God without subjecting myself to all kinds of dogma and guilt?

I can't make someone understand something. I can be true to myself and see what others say about it for what it is - their own personal opinion.

Originally Posted by mostly harmless

I want to teach my daughter to love God but even my boyfriend tells me that I am teaching her the wrong thing and that she might suffer for it.

On matters of faith, religion, philosophy and identity, our goal with our children is to love them regardless of what they choose, model critical thinking but tolerance for them, and help them to understand that ultimately it's their decision, not ours.

Originally Posted by mostly harmless

and yet I am wrong to teach my daughter about a God who is so awesome and powerful that He has no need to judge the people who are a part of Him.

You are wrong to do so only if you think you are wrong.

Originally Posted by mostly harmless

I always wish that I could tell people that their path home is not necessarily the right path for everyone and that no path is more right than the other...some just take longer.

We can. People may or may not be able to hear it. We have to accept that, too.

Originally Posted by mostly harmless

I prefer to cut out the middlemen and all the drama and go right to the source.
How can that be bad?

Sorry, I get long-winded sometimes..but I have a lot on my mind in regards to dealing with people who judge me (especially family)..I try to do what I think God would do...accept it as it is and try to teach with love and without judgement.
I understand that a lot of people say things because they fear the unknown. The unknown being what happens after death. They project their fears onto me because they worry that if I don't follow one WAY I will be lost. So I recognize that the things they say come from love for me. However, I have no fear. The only worry I have about dying is how the people left behind will be. Death, to me, is a 'door' through which we pass to go on to really live. This life is for learning and growing spiritually. I really wish I could help others to understand where I am coming from. It does hurt when the people love condemn me for not believing the same things as them.

This really resonates with me. I often feel very much like what you describe here. Thanks. This is an excellent post. Also, kudos on the choice of quotes for your signature line.

Welcome to the forum. I look forward to reading more of your posts.

[Booko]

No, my religion (Baha'i) teaches there is no place called hell. This life is about acquiring spiritual qualities, just as the life in the womb is about acquiring physical ones. If something goes haywire in utero, the child may be born into this life impaired. If something goes haywire, spiritually, in this life, we will be born into the next life...sorta impaired, and further from God. But God is merciful, and through eternity we all grow closer to him. No fire and brimstone.

Originally Posted by mostly harmless

I want to start going to a Unitarian church near where I live, but I am always uncomfortable just walking in (does that make sense)..and the group is so small it would increase my discomfort because I couldn't just walk in and sit in the back and get comfy...

Oh, you couldn't find a more accepting group that the Unitarians. If you like coffee, then you're all set!

Pop into the Unitarian area here -- we have several UU users.

They have a really good child education program. Really diverse.. only my ex has our daughter for most weekends so she would miss class...but some is better than none right?!

Oh yes, some is definitely better than none. The foundation we lay for our children stays with them in many ways later in life. In this world, our children need as much training in tolerance, acceptance, love and diversity as they can get, eh?

[jewscout]

i don't believe in Hell or the concept of eternal damnation.

[Green Gaia]

Originally Posted by mostly harmless

I want to start going to a Unitarian church near where I live, but I am always uncomfortable just walking in (does that make sense)..and the group is so small it would increase my discomfort because I couldn't just walk in and sit in the back and get comfy...

Makes perfect sense. I am uncomfortable walking into new places too. I can tell you that you would be welcomed at the Unitarian (or is it UU?) church. Churches are use to people visiting and understand those who need to take their time getting aclimated. Take a friend with you if you think that would make you more comfortable.

There's some great threads in the Unitarian Universalist forum. Please feel free come ask anything you'd like to know more about.

Originally Posted by mostly harmless

They have a really good child education program. Really diverse.. only my ex has our daughter for most weekends so she would miss class...but some is better than none right?!

I think religious education is essential to children, but yes some is better than none. If it's something you feel strongly about too, get involved with the RE program and then the classes she misses you can maybe make up with her at home.

[michel]

I am banking on there being no hell.....because if there is, I will be one of the first to go.........

Seriously, I don't believe in Hell. I believe that we will all end up in paradise, though it may take some of us a little longer to get there....my, I am tired........

[HopefulNikki]

Heaven and Hell exist right here on this Earth, in my opinion. I doubt there is a literal place where people get bar-b-qued for all eternity.

[mostly harmless]

I think kind of like Doppelganger-that the only judgement is our own, for ourselves, so that we can grow spiritually.

I find the whole concept of a God that judges discomfitting because I feel that God is too perfect to act the way we humans do. God has no ego and can not, therefore, be offended. God is love. Unconditional love. We can all run to Him or away from Him, but He is always there. Waiting for us to 'see the light', and when the ones who have gone astray 'see it'-he welcomes them with open arms..

See, I think that 'bad' people are here to teach us something about ourselves just as much as a 'good' person.

A man rapes and murders a woman. This is wrong by our society standards, we don't want people like that running free because they disturb the peace and safety of the community. Did the family learn something about themselves by experiencing the death of a loved in such a horrible way? Maybe some learned that they have great strength and courage where they thought they had none. Maybe another learned that they could find it in themselves to forgive the perpetrator of the crime. Maybe another found a voice with which to fight for harsher punishment for people who commit these crimes.
As a society we punish criminals and lock them away to maintain peace and order, and to keep people safe. On a spiritual level though don't we all try to learn something from the negative experiences in our lives?

Remember God tells us "I have sent you nothing but angels"

Some of those angels are in disguise.


(edited to add: Oh, and, Booko-I am the coffee drinkin' queen!)

[ayani]

Originally Posted by mostly harmless

I do not believe in hell, or the devil, or in a God that punishes and judges...I think God is too perfect for that. Too awesome.

my feelings exactly.

an argument i've always used is that "if God loves everyone and wants to save everyone, why should He in His greatness and unlimited power and mercy be prevented from saving everyone by a doctrinal roadblock?"

answer: he wouldn't.