This post follows on from Why I am a Christian.
For those of who have never read the Bible, it’s not just a story of how Jesus did nice things for people. Actually the topic Jesus talked about most often was the coming judgement for those who are outside him, and his imagery was pretty intense. The Bible is not about punishment though; it is about redemption. It’s a letter from God explaining his plan to fix everything back to how he first intended it because he loves you so much. The image of God as harsh and cruel is an old Gnostic lie that we see throughout our culture. That’s not accidental.