The road to Hell is paved with good intention - the Christian message?
This morning celebrity cook Delia Smith put down her wooden spoon, switched off her Magimix, and turned her attention to another area of expertise - Christianity in Britain.
Yes - it was a new one on me too, but coming from the woman who can drag making two slices of toast out into a half-hour cookery demonstration, anything is possible.
Delia is mounting a campaign against “militant neo-atheists” and devout secularists who are “driving Christians off the radar” and “trying to convince us that we don’t exist”.
“But Christians are alive and kicking,” she insists.
“I probably will be saying more on this subject. I am concerned about it.”
Now, I don’t know about you, but if you have ever had a visit from a Jehovah’s Witness, or been collared by a Bible-basher in the street, you will know that trying to get one of these people to believe they don’t exist is a pretty tall order.
In fact, trying to get one to acknowledge anything you believe has any creadence or relevance is the tricky bit.
Once again, the religiously superior faction of society has raised its self-righteous head to spout evangelical gospel at the Hell-bound lesser members of society such as myself.
On the issue of my place in Hell warming nicely, I was reminded of this fact this morning.
Before I go any further, I should probably run through my typical heathen day.
I go to work, mainly to provide for myself, but also so I can give to the charities I support and because I love my job.
I am conscious that my words and actions have a consequence, so I am careful to make them kind and constructive.
At Monument Station the City AM newspaper man always hands me a paper, I never want one but I smile and say “Good morning, no thank-you”. I am always glad to see his happy face in the morning, he is never miserable standing out in the rain handing out papers.
I work hard. This is one of my absolute fundamental beliefs, to constantly strive to improve, to rightfully earn my salary, and provide a good service to my employers.
I am grateful for the opportunities they give me and for each day of employment I have with them.
I try to be polite. I don’t become impatient with people I deal with. I am firm, and in my job have to be demanding and push for results, but I am never malicious.
I have always found this takes me further than slamming down phones and shouting abuse.
If I ended the day knowing my words or actions had hurt or upset someone uneccesarily, I would regret that.
If anyone needs my help during the day I will give it, however busy I am, willingly and thankful I am able to help.
I have a few basic rules of thumb; I don't steal, willingly hurt anything or anyone, fornicate, turn my back on those in need, or do anything that may cause offence or upset.
Every day of my life I want to achieve the maximum I am capable of, be kind and helpful to others, and I want to die knowing I was a good, decent, moral person.
And for this I know I am going to Hell.
I am, day by day, minute by minute, inciting the fury of a God who, when it comes to my day of judgement, will deliver his punishment by way of “burning torment for all eternity”.
How do I know this? A Christian told me, well several actually.
My sin - not renouncing my secular lifestyle to follow, to the letter, the code that is laid down in the Bible and call myself a Christian.
The answer has always been a resolute “yes”.
This morning I was reminded again by Evangelical Christian Mark Mullins (right), from Christian Concern.
He appeared on the BBC debate show The Big Questions.
He said the Bible was based on “absolute truth” with no scope for interpretation and absolute belief was the only way to escape Hell.
“Jesus said ‘no-one comes to the father except through me’,” he quoted.
He added: “Jesus believed that there was only one way to his father through him, any other way, however good it may seem, is the wrong way.”
Delia, I would love to bring you in at this point because I doubt you would find an atheist who would put their name to such a statement.
To decree that anyone who doesn’t live according to their principles and beliefs is destined to such a violent, merciless fate.
Mr Mullins went on: “Every sinner who does not put their faith in Jesus Christ will be judged by their sin, and the Bible does say there is a Heaven and Hell.
“We are all born sinners and Jesus came to cure our condition, human nature is sinful, it is natural to be sinful.”
Now correct me if I am wrong, but I am noticing a distinct difference between Mr Mullins’s outlook on life and mine. Throw the first stone if you like, but I think mine is nicer.
He continued: “The law of the Bible says if people reject the message of Jesus Christ they will answer.
“All sinners will be judged by God and will go to Hell, a place of eternal, conscious torment.”
Yep, I think I’ll stick to my way Mr Mullins. Even if I do not believe God is as warped and violent as you make out.
If he is, then thank you very much for the offer of joining him in Heaven as reward for a Christian life, but no thanks. I’ll take my chances if it’s all the same.
In fact, anyone who can even consider burning someone, or subjecting them to "endless torment" is, in my book, albeit not the Bible, the one who needs to look closely at their own moral values.
Of course, I have no idea what lies out there any more than Mr Mullins has.
But I am as sure as I can be of this, you do not need to sign up to religion to lead a good, successful and decent life. And unless I have got it very wrong, I will not go to Hell as a result of the one I am leading.
My belief - religion is nothing more than an ancient form of social control.
What better way of getting people to do what you want than by, literally, putting the fear of God into them.
A man-made set of rules governing lifestyle and morality with the instruction to follow it to the letter or endure pain and suffering like you could never imagine from a higher power that is watching and judging your every move.
Mr Mullins, Delia, you may find comfort in believing this, I don’t.
But unlike the single-minded representatives of religion I have met in my time, I respect your right to choose.
Comments
Post a Comment