EchoPneuma
Well-Known Member
Jim Jones and David Koresh used the threat of an eternal hell hanging over the heads of their followers. They said that if their doctrines weren't believed and followed that people would go to an eternal hell to be punished. It was a great control device....as it is in most mainstream churches today.
"Believe us and our ways or you will die and burn in hell for all of eternity".
Fear is a great manipulation technique over the weak minded. Keep people in fear of eternal hell if they don't stay with your group and tow the party line.
It worked so well with Jim Jones that those folks were willing to drink poison rather than break free from him. They feared that if they broke away from him that they would burn in hell for eternity. That's what he taught them. So they would rather die for him than burn in hell for eternity.
Same with Koresh. Those people would rather burn with him at the Waco compound than burn in hell for eternity....which is what he taught them would happen if they left his group.
Where would all those people be today if they would have understood that hell was NOT an eternal pit of torture? Many of them might have had the courage to break free from the control of those wicked men. Why? Because they would have known that breaking free DID NOT mean that they would burn in hell for eternity.
I even see it in some baptist churches. They say that if you're not a "Christian" you will burn in hell for eternity. Then they go on to DEFINE what a TRUE "Christian" is.....and of course it's always someone who believes EXACTLY what they say to believe......even in regards to the second coming of Jesus. In some churches if you don't believe that the second coming of Jesus is yet in the future, you aren't REALLY a Christan.....therefore you will die and burn in hell for eternity.
If I was weak minded and ignorant, that technique would be able to manipulate me throught fear into believing EXACTLY what they told me to believe.....because otherwise I would die and go to hell for all of eternity.
Fortunately, I'm neither weak minded nor ignorant....so it had no effect on me. I believe whatever the Lord shows me is true.
Fear is a powerful thing. The bible says "Perfect love casts out fear, because fear has to do with punishment". The love of God in our hearts will cast out the fear of an eternal torment in hell and show us that "hell" is also a reflection of God's love for His creation. It's restorative.
"Where sin abounded....grace did MUCH MORE abound".
"Believe us and our ways or you will die and burn in hell for all of eternity".
Fear is a great manipulation technique over the weak minded. Keep people in fear of eternal hell if they don't stay with your group and tow the party line.
It worked so well with Jim Jones that those folks were willing to drink poison rather than break free from him. They feared that if they broke away from him that they would burn in hell for eternity. That's what he taught them. So they would rather die for him than burn in hell for eternity.
Same with Koresh. Those people would rather burn with him at the Waco compound than burn in hell for eternity....which is what he taught them would happen if they left his group.
Where would all those people be today if they would have understood that hell was NOT an eternal pit of torture? Many of them might have had the courage to break free from the control of those wicked men. Why? Because they would have known that breaking free DID NOT mean that they would burn in hell for eternity.
I even see it in some baptist churches. They say that if you're not a "Christian" you will burn in hell for eternity. Then they go on to DEFINE what a TRUE "Christian" is.....and of course it's always someone who believes EXACTLY what they say to believe......even in regards to the second coming of Jesus. In some churches if you don't believe that the second coming of Jesus is yet in the future, you aren't REALLY a Christan.....therefore you will die and burn in hell for eternity.
If I was weak minded and ignorant, that technique would be able to manipulate me throught fear into believing EXACTLY what they told me to believe.....because otherwise I would die and go to hell for all of eternity.
Fortunately, I'm neither weak minded nor ignorant....so it had no effect on me. I believe whatever the Lord shows me is true.
Fear is a powerful thing. The bible says "Perfect love casts out fear, because fear has to do with punishment". The love of God in our hearts will cast out the fear of an eternal torment in hell and show us that "hell" is also a reflection of God's love for His creation. It's restorative.
"Where sin abounded....grace did MUCH MORE abound".
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