Kwirth said, "If you knew the Black Plague was killing people just 10 miles down the road, would you take the time to explain to everyone you met what this disease does, no matter how awful it was, if doing so would cause many to flee and thus save their lives? In fact, wouldn't you make SURE everyone understood what the consequences of staying put would be before you told them about the quickest and surest road to safety?"
_______

The important word here is 'surest'. Many of the above testimonials on this thread emphasized that their mental and emotional torture was because they could never be SURE what they had to do to escape Hell.

I remember my mother saying to me when I was around 12, that her parish prient advised her to read the Bible to help her deal with a serious problem she was having with my father. She told me that the biblical passages that he recommended made no sense, and was not applicable to her particular problem, and that they actually appeared immoral to her. And she had no intention of following the suggestion. So of course she had to worry that she would wind up in hell.


This insightful and generous post by NoLongerHaveBelief on another discussion thread here echos my point very well:

"I remember as a kid, reading that Gideon Bible claptrap I was given from school. At the front, it had passages to turn to, when in times of trouble/ anger/ loneliness etc., Try and understand it! PURE contradictory and confusing text. The Bible makes as much sense to myself as does a chocolate teapot! Infact, a chocolate teapot would be MORE use than the Bible. Certainly would be entertaining... :-)"