I have every excuse for not believing in God

[Satans_Serrated_Edge]

Sound to me that you are mixing the teachings of Christendom with the first-century teachings of Christ.
Especially when the Jews began mixing with the Greeks they adopted their theories and philosophies about hell.

The 'Bible's hell' is just mankind's temporary grave for the sleeping dead:
Does anyone righteous go to hell ?______
The day righteous Jesus' died according to Scripture Jesus went to 'hell' - Acts of the Apostles 2:27
If biblical hell was a permanent place then Jesus would still be in hell.
Since Jesus taught unconscious ' sleep ' in death - John 11:11-14 - then the dead are Not in pain.
They are Not aware of the passing of time as we are Not aware of the passing of time while asleep..
Please note: Psalms 6:5; Psalms 13:3; Psalms 115:17; Psalms 146:4; Daniel 12:2,13; Ecclesiastes 9:5

There is a difference between the ' afterlife ' teaching (more alive at death than before death), and the teaching about the resurrection hope (coming back to life at a future time). That is why the ' future tense ' is used at Acts of the Apostles 24:15 that there ' is going to be ' a resurrection.....
That future resurrection (restoring back to life) takes place during Jesus' coming 1,000-year governmental rulership over Earth begins.

It is good to read the Bible, but since the Bible is Not written ABC as a dictionary is, then we need to study or research the Scriptures by one subject, or one topic, at a time to see what the Bible really teaches.
Trying to make the false teaching of Christendom match Scripture will never line up with Jesus' teachings.

I could come up with a bazillion reasons to not buy into any given religion, but I only need one;

No evidence.

 

[Reggie Miller II]

I am open to the possibility of the Christian God and hell being real things. What I am trying to do here is point out how it would truly be unfair, unloving, and unjust for me to go to hell in my predicament. The best I can ever do is research with an open mind. My open mind has lead me to be undecided. So for me to go to hell over some disbelief that I was genuine and honest about would be cruel and unfair.



I am happy with uncertainty.

Thank you for your kind answer, Matt.

 

[Thehoodedmonk]

The preachers who know nothing, and never tell the truth, say that in order to believe in God one must have blind faith. The reason they say this is because they know no great truths of the Bible, because if they did they would no longer have blind faith, but supported faith. The truth reveals God, and those who do not have the truth God is not revealed. The King James
Bible holds many great truths, but those truths are revealed only to those who God chooses to reveal them to. Of course the next question is "well tell us what those truths are?", no that doesn't work, because if God doesn't want you to know those truths he also does not want you to understand those truths. Here is an example: "And great multitudes were gathered together unto him, so that he went into a ship, and sat; and the whole multitude stood on the shore. And he spake many things unto them in parables......" And the disciples came, and said unto him, Why speakest thou unto them in parables? He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the king of heaven, but unto them it is not given..... Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand. And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Esaias, which saith, By hearing ye shall hear, and not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive: For this PEOPLE'S HEART IS WAXED GROSS, AND THEIR EARS ARE DULL OF HEARING, AND THEIR EYES THEY HAVE CLOSED; LEAST AT ANY TIME THEY SHOULD SEE WITH THEIR EYES AND HEAR WITH THEIR EARS. AND SHOULD UNDERSTAND WITH THEIR HEART, AND SHOULD BE CONVERTED, AND I SHOULD HEAL THEM. But blessed are your eyes, for they see: and your ears, for they hear." Saint Matthew 13: 2, 3, ;10, 11, 13, 14, 15, and 16.

It seems to me that something has changed, and that is even if you speak plainly to people in these days they still will not get it. And so much for "We hold these truths to be self evident that all men are created equal." No they're not.

 

[lewisnotmiller]

I would like to speak on behalf of not only myself, but on the behalf of all other nonbelievers out there.

Sorry, but you can't.

 

[Fool]

I would like to speak on behalf of not only myself, but on the behalf of all other nonbelievers out there. First off, Christianity says that the law has been written in our hearts so that we instinctively know that God is real. I think this is nonsense. I have never felt God was real and have never considered the concept of a God until much later on when I stumbled upon the bible and Christianity. The same thing applies to people in other areas of the world who have never heard of a God.

If it were embedded in them as some sort of instinctive divine knowledge, then they would feel it and be aware of it. Christianity would say that it is our blind and sinful nature that makes us blind and unaware of this knowledge. But this is just a claim. It is a claim no different than the tooth fairy, Santa Claus, etc. So how do you expect me or anyone else to take your word for it?

I am, however, a very open minded person. I am very open minded to what skeptics have to say and also to what believers in the afterlife, God, and the paranormal have to say. The only way to arrive at the truth is through an honest open minded mindset. That is the only right way to do it because any other way would be close minded/irrational.

Christians expect me to believe in the gospel after I have read it. Now that would be close minded to do so. Even if I felt God's presence in my life, that would also be close minded for me to just believe God is real because feelings do not dictate what is true and not true. Feelings are irrational and do not tell you what is true and not true.

I have read the gospel and I don't believe it because there are so many things out there to be open minded to besides just some story in a book of a holy man being crucified on the cross. We have all the claimed evidence out there that is claimed to support Christianity and we also have the claimed evidence on the skeptics' side as well.

I have researched online time and time again with an open mind towards skeptics who claim the paranormal/God evidence to be nonsense and towards believers who claim that the evidence is authentic and that the skeptics are talking nonsense. I see nothing more than an ongoing debate back and forth that just leads nowhere. It is no different than those philosophical debates that go on and on between sides of a debate, but lead to no conclusion.

The concept of God and life after death has been a topic debated by scientists and philosophers for ages. I just think it is a bit unrealistic here to expect me to dedicate my entire life into researching into virtually everything that has been debated for ages in order for me to come to the right conclusion when such a conclusion might not even exist. I have researched all I could and I just have to stop here. I have lost interest and I just have to remain undecided on the existence of God and the afterlife.

Also, just because many things seem to all add up to the existence of God and the afterlife and just because these things sound very compelling, that does not make it so. There are plenty of things that add up and sound very compelling to support any other claim out there, but that does not make that claim plausible or true. As a matter of fact, such claims have been proven false despite the fact that they sounded very compelling at the time.

Therefore, I cannot conclude that God and the afterlife exist on this basis either. In other words, you can present to me all the claimed evidence out there that makes a compelling case for Christianity, but that will not convince me either since I have a very open mind and I already realize that just because something sounds compelling does not make it so.

Lastly, many Christians would tell me that I am blinding myself from God's presence and that I am sinning by doing this open minded research. First off, this presupposes that Christianity is true to being with. How do you expect me to be convinced of that when I have already done all the research I could and am still not convinced? Secondly, doing open minded research is the only way to come to the right conclusion because all other ways are close minded/irrational.

So with all of this being said, if Christianity is true and the Christian God is real, then we are clearly talking an unfair God here. You can clearly see the predicament I am in and not only is it a hopeless predicament where there is no way to convince me God is real, but is also a completely understandable predicament that should be sympathized with. I see absolutely no reason at all to see such a predicament as being worthy of punishment in hell. To think so would be asinine, absurd, cruel, unfair, and daft.

Therefore, the only way God can be all loving and all just would be if I weren't to go to hell and that God would introduce himself to me after I die and give me the choice as to whether I want to serve him or not. I should not just automatically go to hell simply because I did not believe and did not dedicate my life to someone I did not believe existed in the first place.

The Law of Love is Impressed upon the heart

 

[The Transcended Omniverse]

The preachers who know nothing, and never tell the truth, say that in order to believe in God one must have blind faith. The reason they say this is because they know no great truths of the Bible, because if they did they would no longer have blind faith, but supported faith. The truth reveals God, and those who do not have the truth God is not revealed. The King James
Bible holds many great truths, but those truths are revealed only to those who God chooses to reveal them to. Of course the next question is "well tell us what those truths are?", no that doesn't work, because if God doesn't want you to know those truths he also does not want you to understand those truths. Here is an example: "And great multitudes were gathered together unto him, so that he went into a ship, and sat; and the whole multitude stood on the shore. And he spake many things unto them in parables......" And the disciples came, and said unto him, Why speakest thou unto them in parables? He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the king of heaven, but unto them it is not given..... Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand. And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Esaias, which saith, By hearing ye shall hear, and not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive: For this PEOPLE'S HEART IS WAXED GROSS, AND THEIR EARS ARE DULL OF HEARING, AND THEIR EYES THEY HAVE CLOSED; LEAST AT ANY TIME THEY SHOULD SEE WITH THEIR EYES AND HEAR WITH THEIR EARS. AND SHOULD UNDERSTAND WITH THEIR HEART, AND SHOULD BE CONVERTED, AND I SHOULD HEAL THEM. But blessed are your eyes, for they see: and your ears, for they hear." Saint Matthew 13: 2, 3, ;10, 11, 13, 14, 15, and 16.

It seems to me that something has changed, and that is even if you speak plainly to people in these days they still will not get it. And so much for "We hold these truths to be self evident that all men are created equal." No they're not.

I am not lying when I said that I have looked into everything I possibly could with an honest open mind and heart. I am still undecided on the existence of God and the afterlife. So why wouldn't God reveal himself to me and his truth for someone like me who does indeed have an honest open mind and heart? It makes no sense to me unless God is uncaring, unloving, etc. and he doesn't really care that I go to hell for not believing and not serving him.

 

[whirlingmerc]

I would like to speak on behalf of not only myself, but on the behalf of all other nonbelievers out there. First off, Christianity says that the law has been written in our hearts so that we instinctively know that God is real. I think this is nonsense. I have never felt God was real and have never considered the concept of a God until much later on when I stumbled upon the bible and Christianity. The same thing applies to people in other areas of the world who have never heard of a God.

If it were embedded in them as some sort of instinctive divine knowledge, then they would feel it and be aware of it. Christianity would say that it is our blind and sinful nature that makes us blind and unaware of this knowledge. But this is just a claim. It is a claim no different than the tooth fairy, Santa Claus, etc. So how do you expect me or anyone else to take your word for it?

I am, however, a very open minded person. I am very open minded to what skeptics have to say and also to what believers in the afterlife, God, and the paranormal have to say. The only way to arrive at the truth is through an honest open minded mindset. That is the only right way to do it because any other way would be close minded/irrational.

Christians expect me to believe in the gospel after I have read it. Now that would be close minded to do so. Even if I felt God's presence in my life, that would also be close minded for me to just believe God is real because feelings do not dictate what is true and not true. Feelings are irrational and do not tell you what is true and not true.

I have read the gospel and I don't believe it because there are so many things out there to be open minded to besides just some story in a book of a holy man being crucified on the cross. We have all the claimed evidence out there that is claimed to support Christianity and we also have the claimed evidence on the skeptics' side as well.

I have researched online time and time again with an open mind towards skeptics who claim the paranormal/God evidence to be nonsense and towards believers who claim that the evidence is authentic and that the skeptics are talking nonsense. I see nothing more than an ongoing debate back and forth that just leads nowhere. It is no different than those philosophical debates that go on and on between sides of a debate, but lead to no conclusion.

The concept of God and life after death has been a topic debated by scientists and philosophers for ages. I just think it is a bit unrealistic here to expect me to dedicate my entire life into researching into virtually everything that has been debated for ages in order for me to come to the right conclusion when such a conclusion might not even exist. I have researched all I could and I just have to stop here. I have lost interest and I just have to remain undecided on the existence of God and the afterlife.

Also, just because many things seem to all add up to the existence of God and the afterlife and just because these things sound very compelling, that does not make it so. There are plenty of things that add up and sound very compelling to support any other claim out there, but that does not make that claim plausible or true. As a matter of fact, such claims have been proven false despite the fact that they sounded very compelling at the time.

Therefore, I cannot conclude that God and the afterlife exist on this basis either. In other words, you can present to me all the claimed evidence out there that makes a compelling case for Christianity, but that will not convince me either since I have a very open mind and I already realize that just because something sounds compelling does not make it so.

Lastly, many Christians would tell me that I am blinding myself from God's presence and that I am sinning by doing this open minded research. First off, this presupposes that Christianity is true to being with. How do you expect me to be convinced of that when I have already done all the research I could and am still not convinced? Secondly, doing open minded research is the only way to come to the right conclusion because all other ways are close minded/irrational.

So with all of this being said, if Christianity is true and the Christian God is real, then we are clearly talking an unfair God here. You can clearly see the predicament I am in and not only is it a hopeless predicament where there is no way to convince me God is real, but is also a completely understandable predicament that should be sympathized with. I see absolutely no reason at all to see such a predicament as being worthy of punishment in hell. To think so would be asinine, absurd, cruel, unfair, and daft.

Therefore, the only way God can be all loving and all just would be if I weren't to go to hell and that God would introduce himself to me after I die and give me the choice as to whether I want to serve him or not. I should not just automatically go to hell simply because I did not believe and did not dedicate my life to someone I did not believe existed in the first place.

It feels like you seem to be fighting awfully hard against a God you don't believe in.... just saying.

But you aren't the center of the universe, so I don't think it's only about what's loving to you although many an atheist has come to believe love and trust Jesus. The world is here to give glory to God, by showing mercy and showing justice and showing what God has done. Not only about you and not mainly about you.

 

[Etritonakin]

I would like to speak on behalf of not only myself, but on the behalf of all other nonbelievers out there. First off, Christianity says that the law has been written in our hearts so that we instinctively know that God is real. I think this is nonsense. I have never felt God was real and have never considered the concept of a God until much later on when I stumbled upon the bible and Christianity. The same thing applies to people in other areas of the world who have never heard of a God.

If it were embedded in them as some sort of instinctive divine knowledge, then they would feel it and be aware of it. Christianity would say that it is our blind and sinful nature that makes us blind and unaware of this knowledge. But this is just a claim. It is a claim no different than the tooth fairy, Santa Claus, etc. So how do you expect me or anyone else to take your word for it?

I am, however, a very open minded person. I am very open minded to what skeptics have to say and also to what believers in the afterlife, God, and the paranormal have to say. The only way to arrive at the truth is through an honest open minded mindset. That is the only right way to do it because any other way would be close minded/irrational.

Christians expect me to believe in the gospel after I have read it. Now that would be close minded to do so. Even if I felt God's presence in my life, that would also be close minded for me to just believe God is real because feelings do not dictate what is true and not true. Feelings are irrational and do not tell you what is true and not true.

I have read the gospel and I don't believe it because there are so many things out there to be open minded to besides just some story in a book of a holy man being crucified on the cross. We have all the claimed evidence out there that is claimed to support Christianity and we also have the claimed evidence on the skeptics' side as well.

I have researched online time and time again with an open mind towards skeptics who claim the paranormal/God evidence to be nonsense and towards believers who claim that the evidence is authentic and that the skeptics are talking nonsense. I see nothing more than an ongoing debate back and forth that just leads nowhere. It is no different than those philosophical debates that go on and on between sides of a debate, but lead to no conclusion.

The concept of God and life after death has been a topic debated by scientists and philosophers for ages. I just think it is a bit unrealistic here to expect me to dedicate my entire life into researching into virtually everything that has been debated for ages in order for me to come to the right conclusion when such a conclusion might not even exist. I have researched all I could and I just have to stop here. I have lost interest and I just have to remain undecided on the existence of God and the afterlife.

Also, just because many things seem to all add up to the existence of God and the afterlife and just because these things sound very compelling, that does not make it so. There are plenty of things that add up and sound very compelling to support any other claim out there, but that does not make that claim plausible or true. As a matter of fact, such claims have been proven false despite the fact that they sounded very compelling at the time.

Therefore, I cannot conclude that God and the afterlife exist on this basis either. In other words, you can present to me all the claimed evidence out there that makes a compelling case for Christianity, but that will not convince me either since I have a very open mind and I already realize that just because something sounds compelling does not make it so.

Lastly, many Christians would tell me that I am blinding myself from God's presence and that I am sinning by doing this open minded research. First off, this presupposes that Christianity is true to being with. How do you expect me to be convinced of that when I have already done all the research I could and am still not convinced? Secondly, doing open minded research is the only way to come to the right conclusion because all other ways are close minded/irrational.

So with all of this being said, if Christianity is true and the Christian God is real, then we are clearly talking an unfair God here. You can clearly see the predicament I am in and not only is it a hopeless predicament where there is no way to convince me God is real, but is also a completely understandable predicament that should be sympathized with. I see absolutely no reason at all to see such a predicament as being worthy of punishment in hell. To think so would be asinine, absurd, cruel, unfair, and daft.

Therefore, the only way God can be all loving and all just would be if I weren't to go to hell and that God would introduce himself to me after I die and give me the choice as to whether I want to serve him or not. I should not just automatically go to hell simply because I did not believe and did not dedicate my life to someone I did not believe existed in the first place.

Actually, you are correct. You cannot believe what you cannot believe -until you can.

John 6:44No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day

1 Corinthians 15:21For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. 22For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. 23But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ's at his coming. 24Then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power. 25For he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet. 26The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death

The following is written more about God's NATURE -and the fact that good and evil are generally apparent -NOT so much about whether or not God EXISTS -except when some DID know he existed, but HELD THE TRUTH in unrighteousness.

Romans 1:18For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness; 19Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them. 20For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:

God is even described in the bible as one who hides himself -and keeps the truth hidden from people until it is time for them to be called...

Isaiah 45:15Verily thou art a God that hidest thyself, O God of Israel, the Saviour.

1Co 2:7 But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory:
1Co 2:8 Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.

Mar 4:11 And he said unto them, Unto you it is given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God: but unto them that are without, all these things are done in parables:

Those in the first resurrection are called firstfruits, and they will all have been called to believe -the rest of the dead are resurrected a thousand years later, and judged according to their WORKS -not specific beliefs -though seeing God then will make it rather easy to believe (seeing him as he represents himself to us and interacts with us -as, technically, everything -including ourselves -is part of "God". Everything we see and are is part of "God" -but we often can't see the forest for the trees, as it were.

 

[HonestJoe]

I would like to speak on behalf of not only myself, but on the behalf of all other nonbelievers out there.

With respect and on behalf of only myself, I’d rather you didn’t.

Your post is really aimed at a strawman built up of a relatively small subset of Christian statements, views and opinions. I’m not convinced it really achieves anything, especially outside the context of any actual Christians saying these things.

The simple fact is that you don’t need an “excuse” for not believing in the Christian god (or any other gods), you just don’t. You would need reasons to believe in a god.

 

[Tabu]

@MattMVS7
You , just need to do good deeds , to get good outcomes.
Have mercy on your self and learn the techniques of putting a full stop to all those flooding thoughts of negativity ,pain and hurt.
Learn to be positive , happiness will follow and you wont be scared of Hell and a merciless God of your imagination.
You are creating this present and eternal Hell for yourself with your thoughts, get out of them and take charge and with positivity change your mind set and your present Hell will change to Heaven.
One's prediction of the future largely depends on one's present mindset.
If interested I can suggest you some meditations which will help replace your negativity with positivity.
With Good wishes for your happiness

 

[A Vestigial Mote]

@MattMVS7
Well it is best to go undecided if you truly are. Then the question becomes how to be a happy person with no metaphysical positions.

I don't know that having "metaphysical positions" gives one an edge over someone who doesn't. Perhaps certain personality types - people with predisposition to superstition, or with an affinity for ideas of the supernatural. But overall there are very likely just as many theists as atheists who would classify themselves as happy/unhappy.

 

[A Vestigial Mote]

I would like to speak on behalf of not only myself, but on the behalf of all other nonbelievers out there.

As have others, I would respectfully request that you also leave me out of the "speaking on the behalf of" group. In too many of your threads, your position is laid strongly against the religious, and yet you never fail to follow up statements dripping with passive-aggressive vitriol by saying things like "I am a very open minded person", and "I just have to remain undecided". There's just something "off" in your position for me, and I'd really rather you not try and represent me.

 

[George-ananda]

I don't know that having "metaphysical positions" gives one an edge over someone who doesn't.

This was my 100th conversation with Matt and the question I was referring to was the Afterlife. This has been an issue of concern to him in past conversations. Could he be happy with no position on that issue. He hasn't responded yet to that question.

Perhaps certain personality types - people with predisposition to superstition, or with an affinity for ideas of the supernatural. But overall there are very likely just as many theists as atheists who would classify themselves as happy/unhappy.

I somewhat agree with the last part as I think the theist/atheist question is kind of overrated in importance. To me, the big divide is the question of what we truly are; material or spirit?

 

[URAVIP2ME]

I could come up with a bazillion reasons to not buy into any given religion, but I only need one;
No evidence.

To me, the Bible itself is evidence, in that it is still in existence even though throughout the many centuries people within and without have tried to ban and destroy it. The Bible's message remains the same since Jesus' day.
Also, Not only are Bible people still in existence, their presence is known earth wide. Nothing, nor anyone, has been able to stop the international spreading about the good news message about God's kingdom government being the government that will bring Peace on Earth among people of goodwill. The Bible is in more languages than any other book. Today the Bible's message is spread globally just as the Bible says it would be at Matthew 24:14; Acts 1:8.

 

[URAVIP2ME]

I somewhat agree with the last part as I think the theist/atheist question is kind of overrated in importance. To me, the big divide is the question of what we truly are; material or spirit?

To me, we are 'material' (fleshly/physical) because angelic spirit creation was created first before Adam (mankind).
Adam was never a spirit creation, and was only offered everlasting life on a paradisical Earth.
At death, Adam ' returned ' to where he started which was the dust of the Earth - Genesis 3:19
So, Adam went from non-life, to life, and ' returned ' back to non-life.
A person can Not return to a place he never was before.

Because we are innocent of what father Adam brought upon us is why the resurrection hope is offered to us.
Resurrected back to happy-and-healthy 'physical' (material) life on Earth during Jesus' coming reign over Earth.
That is why the 'future tense ' is used at Acts of the Apostles 24:15 that there ' is going to be ' a resurrection.....
We can be part of God's original purpose to have 'material' ( fleshly/physical ) people inhabit Earth forever.
Just as Jesus' promised that the humble meek will inherit (Not heaven) but inherit the Earth at Matthew 5:5

 

[URAVIP2ME]

The Law of Love is Impressed upon the heart

To me, the royal or kingly Law of Love 'can be' impressed upon the heart.
However, since the heart is treacherous, then it can deceive us:
As having a traitor within us, we can be urged to do something, and after we do it we have all the reasons why in the first place we should Not have done what we did.
For example, out of the mouth can come wicked reasonings, murders, immorality, thefts, false witness, blasphemies.

 

[Satans_Serrated_Edge]

To me, the Bible itself is evidence, in that it is still in existence even though throughout the many centuries people within and without have tried to ban and destroy it. The Bible's message remains the same since Jesus' day.
Also, Not only are Bible people still in existence, their presence is known earth wide. Nothing, nor anyone, has been able to stop the international spreading about the good news message about God's kingdom government being the government that will bring Peace on Earth among people of goodwill. The Bible is in more languages than any other book. Today the Bible's message is spread globally just as the Bible says it would be at Matthew 24:14; Acts 1:8.

It's not that amazing. Religion has historically been a tool for keeping the populace scared and under control, and spread and enforced by the sword. What is left now is what wasn't burned for being inconvenient or dangerous to the narrative, both in the form of other religions and even a good chunk of what could have been part of yours had Constantine willed it at Nicea.

And really, it isn't like your brand is the only one, or even the best at what it does(Islam)

 

[URAVIP2ME]

It's not that amazing. Religion has historically been a tool for keeping the populace scared and under control, and spread and enforced by the sword. What is left now is what wasn't burned for being inconvenient or dangerous to the narrative, both in the form of other religions and even a good chunk of what could have been part of yours had Constantine willed it at Nicea.
And really, it isn't like your brand is the only one, or even the best at what it does(Islam)

Yes, agree that religion has been an historic tool (fire for example) to scare and control the flock of God.
'Corrupted religion' even existed in Jesus' day according to Matthew 15:9
We are forewarned at Acts of the Apostles 20:29-30 that false shepherds dressed in sheep's clothing are really wolves fleecing the flock of God. None of which makes the Bible as wrong, but makes them as wrong.

As we know Constantine was Not part of 1st-century Christianity but set up Christendom.
Christendom which is mostly Christian ' in name only' . A mixture or fusion of Scripture with non-scripture.
Or, as Jesus said that MANY would come ' in his name ' but prove false at Matthew 7:21-23.
According to Jesus his brand is the only one. The brand according to the 1st-century teachings of Jesus.

I don't want to get lengthy, but for example Jesus taught unconscious sleep in death - John 11:11-14
Jesus was well educated in the old Hebrew Scriptures which also teach sleep ( not pain ) in death.
Such as at: Psalms 115:17; Psalms 146:4; Daniel 12:2; Daniel 12:13; Ecclesiastes 9:5
So, ' biblical hell ' is just mankind's temporary grave for the sleeping dead.