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Without the o
Intriguing little book with lots to say. Teems with humor more than I’m able to convey here.
Ray Divine comes across as someone who used to be a Christian, but then changed his mind. Or acquired new information. He’d probably say “became enlightened”.
While he seems too flippant about such a serious topic as eternal destiny, and quite a bit vengeful against those who tout such beliefs, he makes several valid points negating the possibility of a place where people suffer for eternity.
As the subtitle of the books says, Ray presents: “How the Concept of Eternal Torment Isn’t Supported by Scripture or Reason”.
I’ll skip the scriptural reasons; and let you buy the book for those.
Some of the logical reasons resonate well with me.
Ray writes: “Since justice is when the punishment fits the crime, how can eternal torture be fair for a lifetime, no matter how long or wicked that life may be? Especially the life of beings who never asked to be created! That doesn’t make God look too good either. And God, if anything, likes to look good.
“If you’re sentenced forever, there’s no room for rehabilitation or parole, so it’s just vengeance. Merciless vengeance! And that from a Supreme Being whose online dating profile clearly touts love and mercy as being His finest features.”
Ray also pokes fun at how Christians believe that those who get spared the horrors of Hell will sing God’s praises for eternity:
“Let’s say you’re an attractive Jewish woman during the Nazi regime. While most everyone you know and love is being tortured and killed, Hitler himself finds you attractive, or he secretly likes the way you butter your bagels, if you know what I mean, so he spares your life. Now are you really going to love Hitler for sparing your life?”
Mr. Divine also includes the line: “Who wants to believe in a Deity where people can say that Hitler was a lot nicer?”
Another excellent point that Ray makes:
“One of the biggest paradoxes of Christianity is if you really believed someone will spend eternity in either Heaven or Hell, why would you have children and risk their spending eternity in torment?
“With such beliefs, if it’s best not to have children, the species will die off after one generation. So how can such a belief system possibly benefit humanity?”
Ray Divine makes a lot more points too, from both the Bible and logic, to prove how Hell can’t exist. At least not an eternal Hell.
“Worst case scenario: We get obliterated. Which, obviously, can ultimately prove to be highly inconvenient. But that’s still better than being tortured forever. Or having to sit in a confined space with a politician. Or a network marketer.”
Ray Divine:
To be “politically correct”,
we should stop calling it Hell;
and instead, call it
“a place that’s eternally
pleasure-challenged”.
Ray Divine:
If Jesus saves me from Hell,
who saves me from His followers?
Ray Divine:
They say Hell’s hot this time of year,
but at least it’s a dry heat.”
Ray Divine:
It’s not the heat in Hell that’s the problem.
It’s the humidity.
And the stench of burning brimstone.
Ray Divine:
Heaven and Hell both have shopping malls,
but the sales in Hell aren’t as good.
Which is ironic,
because you’d think that every day in Hell,
they’d have a fire sale.
