The church teaches:
- the only way to be saved is through Jesus
- Jesus is God (most commonly taught as part of a trinity of one god yet three separate people, not three separate parts; if that seems illogical or confusing, its because it’s a mystery)
- if you’re not saved by believing in Jesus then you’re going to hell
- hell is where Satan and demons are, some believe it is their dominion under their rulership
- Satan is a being that is lord over demons, who are in opposition to God over the eternal souls of humankind
- some believe that Satan has been given rulership over creation
- hell is a place of constant torment (either in and of itself or because the demons torment residents)
- Satan and God are in a battle (though God has won outside of time, the effects are being felt within time)
- one day Jesus (that part/person of God) will return to put everything right through a battle with Satan
- the purpose of being saved is to gain eternal life and to go to heaven instead of hell, which is where humankind is going if they’re not saved from it
The Bible on the other hand, doesn’t teach any of this! Yes, you can find some verses that seem to be
referring to it, though not if they’re read without bias and/or in context
and/or by examining the words and their use in the original language.
The Torah contains the instructions of God as close as they
come. He is said to have written His ‘ten
words’ with His own ‘finger’, and the rulings on those words were given to and
recorded by Moses. The prophets
consistently uphold this Torah and warn of punishment for turning away from it
and blessing for observing it.
The Torah contains NO teaching on:
- Jesus (at least as taught by the church)
- heaven
- hell
- Satan (as a specific named being)
- demons
- future eternal life (the way its taught by the church)
There are some verses that seem to be referring to some of
these words, which can be understood when read in context, without bias and/or by
examining the use of key words throughout the text.
The Prophets also don’t contain teaching on any of these
things.
There are a few places where it may be seen that the ‘New
Testament’ may teach about these things, but again, they are understood when
read without bias, in context and sometimes by referring to the original meanings
of key words. The book of John contains
most if not all the references used to support divinity of Jesus. Yet this book isn't written in a literal, factual style like the others, which means it shouldn't be understood that way either.
If God, who teaches us with compassion and mercy, wanting us
to know all the things He considers important, and not desiring any to perish, didn’t
teach these things; and if the rest of the christian bible doesn’t really contain
teaching on these (not references, but teaching) then where did these ideas
come from and how did they get so firmly entrenched in modern day religious
doctrine among christians?
That’s a good question.
A better one is why would you base your entire faith on things that aren’t
taught by God?
