Struggling with my Christian belief

*gave

Actually, isn't hell from more ancient writings than the New Testament? So not really Christian anyway.

I think Luckygirl has expressed my feelings much better than i could.
Heaven and hell are simply ideas from men. We can never know what awaits us after death.

When I was a child, I used to be terrified of hell. I thought that God was watching me, and reading my thoughts, all the time, and recording them all on one huge balance sheet (I went to Sunday School - I must have got these ideas there). Then I heard a sermon which told me that 'hell' was a human-made concept, and it was more 'accurate' to imagine the 'absence of God' after death,rather than eternal punishment. Well, I thought, I can cope with that

As an adult, I stopped believing - I recognised all religions as an attempt (at best) to make sense of life and death and (at worst) a means to keep control of people.

hapgran, someone in your church should be able to talk to you. The idea of hell=absence of God is not a new concept at all (I heard it over 50 years ago, after all!). The writings of Don Cupitt - an atheist Christian - are interesting on all this.

I used to be a practising RC and that really bothered me too even though the RC church invented Purgatory which I always thought of as a sort of re-education camp run by SS type angels (but I may have been wrong there ). Anyway finally I broke it down to the all forgiving bit. If I die and find that God exists I'm going to be sorry aren't I and God always forgives the truly penitent so Bob's your uncle, I'm in.

Being a Christian isn't about Church teachings. Most of them are man made. It's about going back to what Christ actually said. Even if you don't believe the God bit some of his teachings still stand. Love others as you would love yourself....wouldn't the world be a better place.

I may have left the Church but I didn't throw the baby out with the bath water.

Christ said - Love God and love others

I know that, Anniebach. My point was that even if you can't do the God bit, he actually had a good point about treating others and how much better the world would be if we'd listened.

I may disrespect sects and what was written about him after the event but I never disrespect the man himself.

Yes Vampirequeen , but a Christian cannot pick and choose which of Christ's teachings to practice and which to ignore

Anniebach....why not?

If a Christian one has chosen to follow Christ, it cannot be I will do thst but because it's easy but not that but because it doesn't suit me .

Anniebach is correct. There are a lot of lip service Christians cherry picking the words of the bible, but they are not true Christians. A good analogy is that you can't be slightly pregnant. You either are pregnant or you're not.
You can't read the NT then interpret it to suit yourself. How it's written is how it is.

Wow - what a lot of really thoughtful posts. I knew I would find help here! Lots to think about but many of you have really shown me how to get these thoughts in perspective - they well up periodically and yesterday were initiated by a comment from my very devout but childless sister in law!

hapgran, the core of Christ's teachings is love not retribution.

Do you read the old testament and "interpret it to suit yourself" annie? - or has that been rejected?

All Christians do the pick and choose bit. It is called free will.

Luckygirl, Christians are NT, not OT although some of the OT still applies but only in reflection.

The pick and choose in any religion is what creates sects. And of course every sect thinks they are the ones that have got it right. As they said of Olver Cromwell, "He was a man who would always do God's will and it was amazing how often God's will coincided with his own."

Ravi Zacharias explains it all very well.

www.amazon.co.uk/JESUS-AMONG-OTHER-GODS-Christian/dp/0849943272?tag=gransnetforum-21

Hell as anything other than separation from God was dreamt up by man. Separation from God would be hell to a Christian, but probably not much of a concern to those of no faith.

Our Dean suggested the book "The Great Divorce" by C S Lewis, do read it, it is only short, but gives a whole new insight.

"There are only two kinds of people in the end: those who say to God, "Thy will be done," and those to whom God says, in the end, "Thy will be done." .

Luckygirl, I read the psalms , they are poetry. I follow the teachings of Christ, sometimes fail but try again, these are to be found in the New Testament not the old.

I don't feel Christianity is the only true religion I feel the true religion is trying to act by your conscience and that can be covered by any religion and any god but at the end of the day if you have done things you aren't proud of and change to try and do them a different way isn't that better than going to church and saying a few prayers of contrition I just think it's best not to think 'yes there's an after life' or 'no there isn't' as we will never know until it's too late, treat others as you want to be treated is really the only mantra I feel I need to follow
Dont forget, so much in the various Holy books/laws can be interpreted differently by each person, for instance I ve been told in no uncertain terms by religious folks that same sex partnership/marriage is a major sin and heaven would never open its gates for them then why would God create people with those hormones or needs surely he doesn't make mistakes so why can't they be accepted, from what I ve read there is same sex interest in many animals too so not a man made condition

I would totally enjoy your grandkids whilst you are here and don't worry about what happens afterwards it may be nothing and you ve wasted all those tears and happy moments... grab them whilst you can

If the OT is now a no go area, then I am puzzled as to why bits of it are read out at church services. The current rejection of the OT is a prime example of the lick and mix religion, where folk cherry pick the bits they like and chuck out those they do not.

I do feel that the OP needs to hone in on the central theme of Christ's teaching as annie has chosen to do. It is beyond credence that any god worth her salt would rain down eternal retribution on people who have led good lives. The doctrine of love is where you need to be OP; and ignore the fripperies that have accrued over generations of interpretation. Your GC will I am sure be fine - they will lead good lives, under your influence and that of their parents, and will reach the end of their lives with nothing to reproach themselves for. If you believe in a god of love, then that is the central theme to hang on to.

....lick??! - pick!

I do not reject the Old Testament , I respect it as part of the Jewish faith. I never did follow the teachings in Leviticus , slept in the same bed as my husband when I had a period. Do not accept the eye for an eye because it has come to mean revenge, it was a law made to prevent revenge .

When I was a child there were several methodist chapels in our town. My friend and I used to do the rounds, and in one the minister was preaching about hellfire - never went back. In the one I liked best there was a balcony where a large lady used to stand and warble religious songs. And they had a special sermon for children. No hellfire there.