Looking at god: Finding a lie

The Christian church say that if you do not believe in the Christian god, in Jesus, and in the crucifixion and Resurrection, then a just, merciful god will send you to a place of eternal torture. Now, most of those outside the church (and many within) would ask: how could a merciful god send a normal person to eternal torture? Is it a contradiction at Christianity's core?

Those of us prone to debate, usually sharpen our teeth on such topics. When we debate--in ourhigh schools, colleges and offices--we quickly find how easily Christians provide responses. Like a revolver of ready made answers, Christians quickly shoot down every objection to their doctrines.

So when they are asked how god, the God of Love, can allow child molestation, murder, rape and even genocide--and then send those victims to hell because they didn't believe-- they answer with ease. Christians say, " we must trust God's mercy, and know that his ways are higher than our ways". To which, we might respond: How could a merciful god send people to hell that have never heard his message. They've got this one covered, as well. They respond, "God's is made clear in nature, so we are without excuse".

The first response might suggest that Christians just trust despite what their eyes see, but the second says that god is very clear. So, we ask, if a merciful god (and Jesus?) is clear in nature, then, again, how does so much murder, war, rape and disease display the god they claim to serve--a god of mercy?

These objections seem clear, but these aren't the most damning. The fact that there are questions, at all, is. God, in the christian faith, holds us accountable for not following his way. But, There is no clear, easy, non-long drawn out answers that make god apparent to a common person. How does god hold these people, victims from birth, accountable, and not just accountable, but accountable to Hell.

The fact that a god would condemn simple, earth born people to eternal torture for not accepting a questionable believe, is not merciful in any world. It's not just, it's not anything good. Hitler did less atrocious things than god does daily. At least he killed people and they died; God takes them and sends them to eternal torture because they're Jews.

I don't think Christians should scrap their faith (a lie?), but I do think they should reevaluate their dogmatism and confront the inconsistencies head on, rather than attempting to convert and defend. They should steel the best and trash worst. But, even then, it will take a complete reworking of Christianity. So maybe it should be scraped.