[Wondergirl]

My point was how easy it is to punish children instead of loving them and teaching them a better way. I spanked my older son once because he was about three and ran heedlessly into the street. I never spanked him again. I found loving ways to teach. I'm sure that's Jesus' way too.

[jlisenbe]

I'm sure that's Jesus' way too

.Why? Because Jesus would have to be just like you? Are you the example of righteous conduct now? I think you have it backwards.

You believe one thing. The writers of the NT, and Jesus as well, believed something else. I'm going with them.

[Wondergirl]

Hell (perpetual fire like in the garbage dump, Gehenna) was the threat for better behavior..."If you don't believe and do good to others, you're going to hell." Like parents say to their kids, "If you don't do [X], [Y] will happen to you."

[jlisenbe]

."If you don't believe and do good to others, you're going to hell."

You are beginning to catch on.

[Wondergirl]

You are beginning to catch on.

That's the threat. Not at all Christlike.

[jlisenbe]

Not Christlike? The words came from Jesus. How much more Christlike could that be? I think you meant that the words are not Wondergirl-like.

[Wondergirl]

How do you know Jesus actually said that? Those words definitely aren't His style.

[jlisenbe]

If you don't know what Jesus said, then how could you possibly know what his "style" is? What you really mean is that those words are not YOUR style.

[Wondergirl]

Jesus' style is love, not punishment in hell.

My younger (preschooler) son was grocery shopping with me. While waiting in the checkout line with me, he removed a candy bar off the adjacent display rack and slid the candy into his pants pocket. At home, I happened to see him pull out the candy bar and asked him where it came from. He told me what he had done. I stayed calm and told him that he'd have to pay for the candy because I hadn't paid for it when we were shopping. We immediately drove back to the grocery store and found the owner. My son explained what he had done. I then gave my son money for the candy bar, my son gave the money to the owner, the owner shook my son's hand and thanked him for his honesty. My son and I returned home. He never stole again because he understood that basic principle of shopping -- merchandise and money exchange.

Of course, I could have stayed home, spanked my son for his theft, then let him eat his ill-gotten gain. Would he have learned anything?

[jlisenbe]

Jesus' style is love, not punishment in hell.

But how do you know that? As you put it, "How do you know Jesus actually said that?"

[Wondergirl]

Hell and threats of sending sinful humans there is the scare tactic by equally sinful humans who hope (and say) other humans are more sinful than they are.

Did Jesus actually say "Send the wicked humans to hell!"?

[jlisenbe]

But you avoided the question. How do you know what his "style" was? As you put it, "How do you know Jesus actually said that?" How do you know what he said?

Hell and threats of sending sinful humans there is the scare tactic by equally sinful humans who hope (and say) other humans are more sinful than they are.

So that was true of Jesus? After all, he was certainly warning us.

41 “Then He will also say to those on His left, ‘Depart from Me, accursed ones, into the eternal fire which has been prepared for the devil and his angels; 42 for I was hungry, and you gave Me nothing to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me nothing to drink; 43 I was a stranger, and you did not invite Me in; naked, and you did not clothe Me; sick, and in prison, and you did not visit Me.’ 44 Then they themselves also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry, or thirsty, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not [e]take care of You?’ 45 Then He will answer them, ‘Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me.’ 46 These will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”

It just amazes me how far you will go to admit that your views do not align with what Jesus said. Wouldn't it be better to simply say you accept anything he said as long as it lines up with what you already believe?

[Wondergirl]

How do you know Jesus said any of that?

But jesus = love. In John 13:34, Jesus mentions this phrase specifically, stating “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.” He continues, “By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another” (13:35)

[jlisenbe]

How do you know Jesus said that?

[Wondergirl]

Faith.

Plus, He knows the human heart. He knows humans don't want to love and be loved out of fear of hellfire, because it's required.

[jlisenbe]

How do you know that?

[Wondergirl]

He's shown me all my life that it's true.

[jlisenbe]

You’ve been guiding yourself. You accept what you like and reject the rest. Jesus certainly has not taught you to ignore his many statements which don’t suit you.

[Wondergirl]

And you ignore my many statements that don't suit you. Yet, I'm right.

[jlisenbe]

And you ignore my many statements that don't suit you.

Uhm...you're not Jesus, so I can easily ignore your many statements that don't agree with his and are thus flat wrong.