After Donald Trump’s conviction in his Manhattan trial, he said, “Our whole country is being rigged” and “has gone to hell.” Then he added, “We’re a nation in decline, serious decline. Millions and millions of people, pouring into our country…
It’s (past) time to raze hell
A few weeks ago, a friend texted me a satirical religious “advertisement.” The ad featured an image of a kind and loving Jesus with a big red heart on his chest. The title of the ad read: “TRADE OFFER.” The…
Will Christian Trump supporters exchange their humanity for ignorance or for violent delights?
“MAY THEY ROT IN HELL,” Donald Trump posted in all caps on Truth Social Christmas Day. “AGAIN, MERRY CHRISTMAS!” Although this message was par for the course when it comes to Trump, it also offered a moment that caught many…
Gallup finds belief in five ‘spiritual entities’ on the decline
It’s been a rough couple of decades for belief in God, angels, Satan and other key spiritual principalities, new research shows. “Compared with 2001, belief in God and heaven is down the most (16 points each), while belief in hell…
If Jesus wants us to forgive everybody, why is he always talking about hell?
I recently highlighted the Jesus-Joshua problem: Jesus wants us to love our enemies. Joshua wants us to slaughter them. Both can’t be right. But what about the demand for justice that reverberates throughout Scripture, from Genesis to Revelation? If we…
Heaven and hell: Trick or treat?
Mallory Challis’ recent analysis — “Most Americans believe in heaven or hell, but their ideas aren’t always biblical”— of what people believe about the afterlife begs a question: Which works better to incentivize behavior, heaven or hell? It’s a variation…
Most Americans believe in heaven or hell, but their ideas aren’t always biblical
What do you believe about the afterlife? According to the Pew Research Center, most adults in the United States believe in heaven or hell. Specifically, 73% believe in heaven and a few less, 62%, believe in hell. Three religious categories…
Evangelicals’ hypocrisy is sending their neighbors to hell — and they don’t care
American evangelicals’ most besetting — and most damning — sin is hypocrisy. “Evangelical” has taken on a political connotation, of course. But at their core, modern-day evangelicals are Christians who actively pursue the conversion of sinners, believe the Bible is…
The tangled web of evangelical opposition to abortion while believing in original sin, eternal conscious torment and the mysterious age of accountability
Few topics enflame conservative evangelicalism’s self-righteous ire like the topic of abortion. We’ve all seen social media posts from friends that depict or describe abortion procedures in the most graphically violent ways in order to shock us. Who could possibly…