Turning Hell into Heaven

I've long believed selfishness is the root of all problems--but the very essence of Hell?
Well, yes. This makes sense, if you compare Scripture with what experience has taught us. Dr. Timothy Keller's writing on The Importance of Hell explains why he often says, "Everybody who's in Hell wants to be there."

"The desire of the sinful human heart is for independence. We want to choose and go our own way (Isaiah 53:6.)..."

Demanding our "own way" results in the many things I enjoy writing about--from marital arguments, to sexual promiscuity, to children who are willful and wayward from day one.  Selfishness plagues us all.
 

"As Jeremiah puts it, 'No one repents . . . each pursues his own course like a horse charging into battle. (8:6)' We want to get away from God--but, as we have seen, this is the very thing that is most destructive to us.  ...It destroys your ability to choose, love, and enjoy. Sin also brings blindness. The more you reject the truth about God, the more incapable you are of perceiving any truth about yourself or the world (Isaiah 29:9-10; Romans 1:21.)"

Thus, Dr. Keller defines Hell like this: "God actively giving us up to what we have freely chosen--to go our own way...to get away from him and his control...Even in this world it is clear that self-centeredness rather than God-centeredness makes you miserable and blind. The more self-centered, self-absorbed, self-pitying, and self-justifying people are, the more breakdowns occur, relationally, psychologically, and even physically. They also go deeper into denial about the source of their problems..."

Yeah, that sounds like Hell to me. 

"On the other hand, a soul that has decided to center its life on God and his glory moves toward increasing joy and wholeness. We can see both of these 'trajectories' even in this life. But if, as the Bible teaches, our souls will go on forever, then just imagine where these two kinds of souls will be in a billion years. Hell is simply one's freely chosen path going on forever. We wanted to get away from God."

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Many times, I've heard people (both Christian and non) express doubt about whether God would "banish" His children to a jail-type place called "Hell," where they scrape the bars and beg for mercy. But, what if damnation doesn't look that way at all? Perhaps Hell isn't a concrete area full of literal fire and prisoners planning their escape.  Maybe it's a shapeless void--a lonely place--where the sinner's soul consumes itself just as it always has. And maybe the people there are even more blind than they were on earth, still denying the source of their problems and, by extension, still completely uninterested in the Holy Solution...

What do you think?

Debate, 2212

Spin: Welcome to the Presidential Debate Coverage of 2212. I'm Spin Boughton, and this is my co-host...whom we all know as, "The Uterus."

Uterus: (*winning smile*) It's a compliment, Spin. My uterus is the only thing that matters about me. And whichever candidate references it the most will get my vote. Bonus points if he says "vagina."

Spin:  Well, I definitely support a woman's right to choose... Anyway, as the viewers at home can see, the President and his Challenger are entering the auditorium at this moment. Let's quickly meet our Moderator for the evening. She is not only the Vice President of the National Association for the Preferential Treatment of Women (NAPTOW), but also--of course--the Mother of our President, Miss Moderator.

(Cut to auditorium)

Moderator: Hi, Sweetie!

President: That's 'Mr President' today, Mom.

(Cut to newsroom)

Uterus: We're honored to have such an accomplished lady among us today, especially one who has done so much for women. Or, as the Federal Committee of Nice Words prefers, "People without Y-Chromosomes."

Spin: Gotta be careful not to objectify people with generic descriptors, Uterus!

Uterus: Let's go to the floor.

(Cut to auditorium)

Moderator: Thank you for being here today, Swee--uh--Mr. President and Mr. Challenger. Let's begin with a question from college student Brian Wash, regarding education. You will respond first, Mr. President.

Brian: I want to know which of you plans to give me a degree for free?

Mr. President:  I will, Brian. I know it's important that every young person have the opportunity to learn about Greek letters and how to use any group of statistics as proof of racism. So, luckily for you, I plan to spend trillions of dollars to make sure you are rewarded with a diploma, regardless of your effort and character. Also, I believe that teachers play an indispensable role in making sure my party gets votes from the next generation, so I will throw a couple billion or trillion at them as well. The way I see it, you can never funnel too much money into the system. Remember: if your Federal Government does its job right, it can make up for the fact that your kids live in broken homes and spend an average of six hours a day on their iPhone107.     ...In short, Brian, don't worry. I gotchu.

Moderator: Okay, Mr. Challenger, it's your chance to attempt a better answer.

Challenger: Well, first of all, everything the President said is a lie. And second, my plan is waaaaaay better. I've arranged for the American people to get all the same goodies promised by the President--but we won't have to spend any money for it. Many people believe part of the value of higher education is figuring out a way to earn it for oneself. They will be happy to know I'm not giving degrees away for free. But people like Brian, who want free stuff, should note that I'll be giving away degrees for free. There has been some rumor that I'm interested in cutting funds to various programs which are important to the middle class, but this is just a bunch of stuff. The child-tax credit, free pizza on Sundays, and subsidies to have dead pets cloned will not be changing--except to be strengthened. But don't worry, Conservatives. I'm going to cut needless programs and not spend a dime.

Moderator: Back to you, Sweetie. You were saying something about progress and change, right?

Mr. President:  Progress. Change. Fairness....and Uteruses.  Vote for me.

Moderator: Let's move on to a question from Mrs. Bertha Clark in the front row, an undecided Domestic Engineer.

Bertha: Mr. President and Mr. Challenger, as the CEO of my house, I know how important it is to operate with a balanced budget. Our country, like any household, cannot continue to live beyond its means indefinitely.  Since the national debt has now reached 700 Trillion, what will you do to bring it down to zero?

Challenger: I'm glad you asked that, Bertha. I'm very excited about my plan for getting America's finances under control because I have succeeded in balancing budgets many times. However, if I get too specific, people will realize "teamwork" and "sacrifice" might demand something of them personally. And then they might pout, which totally puts a damper on a good campaign. So, I think it's best if I just talk vaguely about overcoming obstacles with my last few seconds. (*winning smile*) Believe me: through a team effort, we can get America back in the black.

Moderator: Please respond, Mr. President.

Mr. President:  Is he allowed to say black on the air?...
Look, everybody knows you can't balance a budget unless you either raise taxes or make extensive cuts. But my opponent refuses to tell you which he plans. This secrecy ought to concern you. On the other hand, just consider what he DOES admit--tackling the debt problem takes sacrifice.  That came from his very mouth! Thus, I promise I won't even TRY to balance the budget....

Challenger: Okay, let me give you a few specifics, then. My manager is going to have a cow, but let's be real...  I'm just not sure it's the federal government's job to fund Big Bird. Also, there is still a percentage of the population that believes the government shouldn't pay to help People without Y-Chromosomes abort their toddlers. And yes, I'm a radical. I believe a toddler has the right to live EVEN if the mother feels she is unable to care for it. Let's see....  Oh, and is it really necessary to deliver free groceries directly to the homes of every citizen?

Mr. President: --My opponent is out-of-touch--

Challenger: --Please don't interrupt me, Mr. Pres--

Mr. President: --He's out of touch with--

Challenger: --I wasn't through speak--

Mr. President: --He's a millionaire who obviously can't relate with the majority of society.

Challenger: Don't you make 7 figures too, Jack?

Moderator: Now, boys, play nice...

Challenger: Indeed, I apologize. Now, as I was saying--

Moderator: Wait, Mr. Challenger. It's the President's turn.

Challenger: I believe he interrupted me in the middle of my rebuttal.

Moderator: Even if it seems unfair, you have to trust me. Our time keepers are doing their job, and it's my baby's turn.

Mr. President: Thanks, Mom. Friends, you've heard my opponent say his plan includes a decision to STOP FEEDING YOU. He has displayed over and over that he doesn't get what matters to the poor and middle class. Look, I spoke with a single mom in Connecticut the other day, and she told me, "Mr. President, I depend upon the Groceries on Your Doorstep service. As a struggling mom of two, I don't have time to go to the store; I don't even know how to get there!"

Challenger: Oh, this is ridiculous. I'm not talking about starving single mothers and their kids. I'm just asking whether we need to grow, package, and deliver food to the doorstep of more than half our citizens. People used to shop for themselves with little trouble.

Mr. President: (sigh) You're always trying to bring back the policies of another era...

Moderator: That makes a nice segue to our final questioner, Daniel Miller, with some concerns about the future.

Daniel: Gentlemen, it is an exciting time to be alive. In just a couple months, it will be 2313, and it promises to be full of never-before-seen issues. With all that's *different* in our modern world, we need inventive policies to guide us. How will you prepare America for advancement?

Mr. President: Folks, history almost never repeats itself. Our best bet is to shoot in the dark toward a target I call "progress." Even if we miss and send the country into economic turmoil, at least we were thinking out of the box. Not only does my opponent hold the outdated notion that people "should" provide for themselves, but he thinks they actually can! But, after hearing personal testimonies coast to coast, I know better. And--rather than taking away programs that make life a little easier for strategic members of my voting block--I plan to expand programs like Groceries on Your Doorstep. America's working people have enough to battle without dealing with spoons that make their wrists ache. Thus I plan to launch the Groceries In Your Mouth plan.

Moderator: I'm afraid we're just about out of time. Closing arguments, please!

Challenger: Right, um... Well, since I won't get the last word, I think it's important to reiterate that everything the President says is untrue.  But I also want to stress that anything you like about his economic plan will be included in mine, too. ...only, if you heard something that sounded fishy, that won't be included. Uh... I agree, we need to do more for those struggling in this country. Ease burdens. Agreed. Agreed. Move forward, etc.  And, of course, I have to mention Teamwork and Sacrifice one more time...unless those words make you uncomfortable. In which case, just remember my plan won't cost you anything.

Moderator:  Mr. President?

Mr. President:  Uterus.

(Cut to newsroom)

Spin: Well, that was certainly a lively exchange. My co-host and I will spend the next 3 hours analyzing the footage in a reasonable and unbiased fashion. But, I think it's pretty obvious who won. 

Keeping my Mouth Closed

Since I started this blog, I've never missed an entire month of posting before.  Part of me will be irritated forever by the fact that August 2012 is missing from my blog archive! But, I needed to stop preaching about what God wants "all of us" to do, long enough to discover what He wanted from me.  

His theme the last few weeks has been: Close Your Mouth!

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You've heard of the proverbial Negative Nancy?  Well, (*waves hand*) here I am. And I have more than 150 posts on this blog to condemn me.  Not everything I've shared has been doom and gloom. But my words are unpleasant often enough that I admitted recently: I Stink.

Then, I found an article which got me wondering, "Am I really helping myself and others here? Or am I just allowing my tongue to go unchecked?" When I say/write things in anger, am I preaching or venting...and what does the Bible say about it?

Suzanne Hadley Gosselin, author of this post, shares the following story:
 A couple weeks ago, I found myself in a depressing cycle. It started with dissatisfaction with a certain relationship... Disappointment led to anger, which led to grumpiness. Feeling the need to "process," I vented my frustration to my exercise buddy [which] caused my self-righteousness to rise and made me even grumpier. Over the next few days, I stewed over the situation and "vented" to several other people. [Eventually] I found myself not only being frustrated with the initial relationship but being critical of others as well. Soon it seemed as if everyone was letting me down. My dissatisfaction grew until I reached a breaking point... Instead of helping my situation, venting had blown it out of proportion.

I resonate with this example whole-hardheartedly.
At first, writing a piece with a negative spin feels relieving--as if I got something off my chest.  (Or, as I like to believe, I've "spoken the words of the Lord.")

But, once I start noticing what's wrong with the culture, the Church, the WORLD, it's hard to find anything good. 

Miss Gosselin closes with this paragraph:
I'm learning that as a fallen human being, my tendency is to complain. But my goal is to have the attitude of Christ, rich in contentment, love and humility. That will require keeping the vent closed. After all, Jesus has given so much for me. I really can't complain.

****
Thus, that's what I've been doing this month... learning to focus on the happy side of things instead of running to the computer with a list of problems needing fixed.  And, what do you know, removing the "vent" hasn't caused me to implode.  In fact, God has provided me with several extremely satisfying opportunities to use my gift of teaching, through my volunteer times at the pregnancy center.

Wow, that last sentence was so very consistent with new, positive frame of mind that I'm going to say it again:  I  loooove counseling young women at the pregnancy center. God has allowed me to interact with many girls who actually ask for my help. And the lift my spirit gets from being with them is starkly different from the sense of burden I often felt after unleashing Negative Nancy on this blog.

Now I understand better why Proverbs 10:19 says: "When words are many, sin is not absent. But he who holds his tongue is wise." If I can't be sure that every, single word is "helpful for building others up"and "benefits those who listen," I'd just as soon keep my mouth shut.

Osteen vs. Washer

Just a video today, Kiddies.

Despite the title, this isn't about who wins some preaching competition. These are contrasting philosophies, both claiming to be Christian and fundamentally disagreeing.

 Some say Osteen and Washer simply use different packaging. But don't be fooled. Today's Christians must choose between the feel-goodies of "self esteem" and cold-water Truth.

Wills Clash, Tears Fall

My (15-month-old) daughter doesn't plan to sleep past 5:00am anymore. For over a week, she has woken well before the sun--disoriented and cranky--but demanding to get out of her bed.  (She actually signs "help.")

If she acts ill or we're staying in a strange place, I nurse her until she calms down.  But, I don't want to make a habit of early waking. 

So, I decided last night she needed to sleep 10 hours before she could get up; then I crossed my fingers she wouldn't test me.  She began fussing at 5:00, on the dot. 

At 6:00, while my toddler alternated between angry shrieks and pathetic wails, I updated my Facebook status: 

"I'm sorry, Little One. But you haven't slept properly for almost ten days now, and there will be no bending to your demands this morning...
I tucked you back in and closed the nursery door--so you might think you're alone. But, I'm still here, listening to every sob.
Yours isn't the only broken heart.
(I feel there's a metaphor here somewhere.)"

----

Later today, (after baby gave in to a couple more hours of sleep) I found a blog post which nicely packages the metaphor to which I referred.    What Breaks God's Heart? Disobedient Children.   

I know we don't think of babies as "disobeying" when they cry. But, consider the author's definition.

Kids disobey when they believe themselves wiser than their parents.  They think their plan makes more sense than their mother's. They like their way better than their father's.  If the child's tears come from losing a battle-of-wills with Mom and Dad, it's disobedience...

But, it hurts Mom and Dad, too.  

We don't want to see our babies suffer. I would prefer to explain the physical necessity of rest to my baby and have her just trust me. But, she only learned to say her own name two days ago. She doesn't understand. 

As she cried, I told her, "it will be okay." 

I said, "You need to sleep."  

And I whispered "I love you." Multiple times.   

But she doesn't understand.    

Thus, I could do nothing but wait nearby, aware of (and hating) every tear...

...and to rejoice in the fact that someday she will know what I know.

(P.S.  Another excellent article: When God is Silent)

To Dunk or Not to Dunk?

When Luke and I first started dating, there were several doctrinal differences we needed to address.

Early on, a book by Charles Capps sparked a memorable argument.  Also, Luke's background in the pentecostal church demanded a frank discussion about the Word-Faith movement.

But, it was my church which placed a heavy emphasis on baptism.  For all my conservative upbringing, I've discovered those (like me) who "dunk" new converts actually represent the radical side of this particular Church controversy...

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What does the Bible say about baptism? This author calls it the elephant in the room; but he goes on to discuss his views in a refreshingly simple way. I agree with him all around.

I like this line, because I think all of us can agree to start here: "Sometimes what we think makes sense needs to be less important to us than what scripture says - even if we think our way is better."

So, what do you make of all the scriptures referring to baptism, dear reader?

Playing With Paint

The last time I goofed around with Paint, I illustrated my post about how sweet Luke was during the early stages of my pregnancy.


Here's what came of playtime today.  (Don't judge my graphic art skills!!!!)  :)

If this offends you (or if you're just plain confused), check out this post I wrote last December for an explanation. ("Christian Oppression")


...And here's the other way I suggested altering this chart...