The Preacher Who Sent Himself to Hell

He stood in front of the room filled with 50 teens like he owned them. Strutting like a peacock back and forth had a hypnotic effect on everyone, including me. His voice was soft and slow but with each word it increased in both speed and volume. I couldn’t believe what he told them. And yet, I said to myself, I’m not surprised.

He told the story of returning home from vacation. He glanced down and noticed the speedometer read 60 MPH. As he looked up the road sign said “Speed Limit 55 MPH.” He gave a dramatic pause and announced, “But I didn’t slow down.” He stopped. Stared at them like a stern father, and asked, “If I had gotten in a car wreck that moment would I have gone to heaven or hell?”

The teens held their breath. Several had a look of panic on their face. After a pause that went on too long, he announced in an angry voice, “I would’ve went straight to hell because the Bible says we should obey the laws of man.”

Teens let the air out of their lungs. Some shifted nervously in their seat. The  blond headed guy in front of me dropped his head and looked at the floor. Two girls turned and looked at each other as though trying to imagine what life in hell would be like. 

There it is. This is the kind of spiritually legalistic abuse many in the church grew up with. And it wasn’t just directed at teens but adults as well. 

Not everyone had this experience but far too many who read this know exactly what I’m talking about.

What if God isn’t like that at all? What if Jesus was right when He announced that God is love?

That kind of God and the fear it generates is at the core of my new book. If you are interested feel free to click on the banner above to discover more about my soon to be released book called A God Awful God: A Memoir of Fear, Faith, and Learning God is Love.