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Hell does not existmusic.amazon.com/podcasts/0d5aba47-f682-4008-8991-26c67a3505c0/episodes/36e1a752-8567-4e6f-bb7a-666dd09b204b/this-american-life-304-heretics?ref=dm_sh_uUMsIAnVErkDqyCqYAnobwPwi
230 sats \ 3 comments \ @WetBandit 2 Apr mostly_harmless
I came across the story of Reverend Carlton Pearson while driving across a few states. This episode of "This American Life" (304: Heretics) does a wonderful job summarizing his story. Apparently there is also a film on Netflix about Reverend Pearson called "Come Sunday" which I have yet to see.
Reverand Pearson was a theology scholar who understood that the Bible was a compilation of books put together by a council of men not the actual words of God. After many years of building a huge following and congregation God spoke to Pearson and told him the Bible got it wrong and the only hell that exists is this hell on earth. After that he started preaching what he called the gospel of inclusion. He was labeled a heretic and he lost the majority of his congregation. He continued to preach the gospel of inclusion until he died.
As someone who grew up in Christian schools and the church I found this episode especially interesting. I am definitely not a Christian now and have zero desire to ever go back but I think if I had known men like Reverend Pearson I may have never left. Hard to say when your indoctrinated from birth.
Do you know his story? What are your thoughts?
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50 sats \ 0 replies \ @elvismercury 2 Apr
Never heard of the guy, though that's not surprising, as I'm not religious. But it's always interesting when there's some visionary religious figure type of person. From an atheist point of view, it all seems pretty arbitrary -- one person appears on the scene, making certain claims and doing certain things, and becomes venerated as a living god, after some time. Another person does basically the same, and is thrown in the loony bin, or stoned to death. A high-stakes game, for sure.
I don't believe in hell either, and agree w/ Pearson, apparently, that the physical world has all I require on that account.
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0 sats \ 0 replies \ @DesertDave 7 Apr
In my opinion, both heaven and hell are something we create for ourselves here on earth, right now.
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0 sats \ 0 replies \ @WetBandit OP 2 Apr
From the prologue
Carlton Pearson's church, Higher Dimensions, was once one of the biggest in the city, drawing crowds of 5,000 people every Sunday. But several years ago, scandal engulfed the reverend. He didn't have an affair. He didn't embezzle lots of money. His sin was something that to a lot of people is far worse: He stopped believing in hell.
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