Child Abuse

[Danmark]

Does the threat of eternal damnation for improper behavior constitute child abuse?
Example:
Is it psychologically damaging to a child to tell her (or him) "You're going to Hell" if the child told a lie?" Is the purported damage nullified if the child is taught repentance and faith in Jesus as the son of God will extinguish the treat of eternal damnation?

[Jagella]

Does the threat of eternal damnation for improper behavior constitute child abuse?
Example:
Is it psychologically damaging to a child to tell her (or him) "You're going to Hell" if the child told a lie?" Is the purported damage nullified if the child is taught repentance and faith in Jesus as the son of God will extinguish the treat of eternal damnation?

Teaching that supposed sin will result in eternal damnation is emotional abuse, and it's abuse of adults as well as children. A person of any age can develop mental illness as a result of the Christian dogmas of an angry god and eternal hellfire. I did when I was a Christian. Teaching the person she will be forgiven does not completely remove the damage because "sin" is normal human behavior, and it is inevitable that the person will sin again.

[marco]

Does the threat of eternal damnation for improper behavior constitute child abuse?
Example:
Is it psychologically damaging to a child to tell her (or him) "You're going to Hell" if the child told a lie?" Is the purported damage nullified if the child is taught repentance and faith in Jesus as the son of God will extinguish the treat of eternal damnation?

Ruling by the use of terror threats is effective, but damaging in many cases. Regarding people as "sinners" who must prostrate themselves before the Invisible is certainly abusing them. Adolescents brought up to feel their approaching interest in sexuality is evil might as well have had their hands cut off. When we take a few steps back we can ask: What possible reason could there be for the builder of the Milky Way to be interested in such activities? We see they are of prurient interest to those that want to control.

[1213]

Does the threat of eternal damnation for improper behavior constitute child abuse?
Example:
Is it psychologically damaging to a child to tell her (or him) "You're going to Hell" if the child told a lie?" Is the purported damage nullified if the child is taught repentance and faith in Jesus as the son of God will extinguish the treat of eternal damnation?

If it is child abuse to tell that your hand will burn, if you put it on to fire, then yes.

[The Tanager]

Does the threat of eternal damnation for improper behavior constitute child abuse?
Example:
Is it psychologically damaging to a child to tell her (or him) "You're going to Hell" if the child told a lie?" Is the purported damage nullified if the child is taught repentance and faith in Jesus as the son of God will extinguish the treat of eternal damnation?

While I believe in Hell, I do not think Christian parents should be trying to manipulate their child's behavior by threatening Hell. I don't think that is a natural result of the Christian doctrine. That would seem to say that we get Heaven by doing all the right things, which is not Christianity. Still, I think it is okay to guide your children away from immoral actions and tell them they are wrong. I think Christians should see themselves in a battle against wrong actions with their child, ultimately pointing them to the source of goodness, God.

[The Tanager]

Teaching that supposed sin will result in eternal damnation is emotional abuse, and it's abuse of adults as well as children. A person of any age can develop mental illness as a result of the Christian dogmas of an angry god and eternal hellfire. I did when I was a Christian. Teaching the person she will be forgiven does not completely remove the damage because "sin" is normal human behavior, and it is inevitable that the person will sin again.

I agree sin is normal behavior for humans, but we should still strive to rid our lives of it.

When we take a few steps back we can ask: What possible reason could there be for the builder of the Milky Way to be interested in such activities? We see they are of prurient interest to those that want to control.

If the builder loves humans, it makes sense to me that it would want what is for their greatest happiness.

[Danmark]

While I believe in Hell, I do not think Christian parents should be trying to manipulate their child's behavior by threatening Hell. I don't think that is a natural result of the Christian doctrine. That would seem to say that we get Heaven by doing all the right things, which is not Christianity. Still, I think it is okay to guide your children away from immoral actions and tell them they are wrong. I think Christians should see themselves in a battle against wrong actions with their child, ultimately pointing them to the source of goodness, God.

I agree with this critique; however historically the church has used the doctrine of Hell in exactly this coercive manner. More recently Christendom has, in many quarters, tried to deemphasize the doctrine because it is both embarrassingly anthropomorphic and inconsistent with the concept of a loving God.

HELL ISN’T AS popular as it used to be.

Over the last 20 years, the number of Americans who believe in the fiery down under has dropped from 71 percent to 58 percent. Heaven, by contrast, fares much better and, among Christians, remains an almost universally accepted concept.

Underlying these statistics is a conundrum that continues to tug at the conscience of some Christians, who find it difficult to reconcile the existence of a just, loving God with a doctrine that dooms billions of people to eternal punishment.
https://news.nationalgeographic.com/201 ... istianity/

[The Tanager]

[Replying to post 7 by Danmark]

I agree that many in the church have used (I would say "twisted") doctrines to control and abuse others. Others reject the doctrines outright rather than untwisting it. I think the truth is in the middle. I do not think there is a logical difficulty in reconciling the existence of a just, loving God with a doctrine of Hell, although I do think some concepts of Hell may succumb to that difficulty.

[Danmark]

[Replying to post 7 by Danmark]

I agree that many in the church have used (I would say "twisted") doctrines to control and abuse others. Others reject the doctrines outright rather than untwisting it. I think the truth is in the middle. I do not think there is a logical difficulty in reconciling the existence of a just, loving God with a doctrine of Hell, although I do think some concepts of Hell may succumb to that difficulty.

Please explain how you reconcile "the existence of a just, loving God with a doctrine of Hell." How does a 'just, loving God' create a punishment of absolute agony that lasts an eternity for what may be a single unforgiven transgression during a 70 year life span?

Adolf Hitler is cited frequently as the person most deserving painful punishment, but does even he deserve to have his body on fire, with every nerve laid bare while burning in unendurable agony 24 hours a day, every day for an eternity of trillions of years x trillions of years and more? What ghastly fiend could even imagine such a fate?

[The Tanager]

[Replying to post 9 by Danmark]

You noted one concept of Hell which is held (often, but not always, without Biblical reflection), which I (and many other Christians) do not hold. Other concepts would include annihilationism and an eternal existence where one becomes more and more alone (like CS Lewis' "The Great Divorce"). I think both of those can be reconciled with a just, loving God. I am willing to explore those views deeper, if you still question whether these views can be reconciled.