What Are Harmful Lies About God?
By Mike Edwards
I know “lies” is a strong word. There are many types of untruths. One is caught stealing via video but denies guilt. Then, there are less offenses. Christians leaders often make claims about God “according to God’s word.” They know fully well others who accept the authority of the Bible have a different interpretation of the same passages, yet they don’t openly share this. The Bible can be the main culprit for turning many away from God. A Book can’t really be held responsible for one’s actions, but certain views of the Bible proclaimed can be the problem. I don’t claim to always be right but I am admitting that. Decide for yourself what is likely true of a loving God.
A literal Hell is a lie!
I am convinced that God creating a literal Hell is a biblical myth. See here.
Women can’t be priests or preachers and should be more submissive than men is a lie
I doubt God would put men in leadership position over women, in marriage which has encouraged dominance on the man’s part leading to atrocities women face at the hands of men. Like many views about God, the Bible can also be interpreted to endorse roles according to gifts not gender. Shouldn’t the most qualified or gifted, whether male or female, be appointed CEO, preacher, or priest? That God thinks women can’t serve in the same roles as men is a myth. See here.
God condemns gays is a lie
A loving God couldn’t possibly condemn gays when they can no more choose who they are attracted to than straights can? If you are a straight man, don’t you naturally have to fight not looking at naked women than men? Ask gays their battle! Who chooses to be gay when one has to hide their sexuality because of bigotry and hostility? We claim God condemns gays according to the Bible. Another myth. See here.
God inspired, thus approved, all written in the Bible is a lie
Salvation in the Bible is about avoiding Hell and getting into Heaven is a lie
The main message of the Bible/Jesus isn’t about going to Heaven or Hell but how to live life here on earth. That is true salvation. See here.
God is all powerful and controlling, thus allows evil, is a lie
If God allows evil, that mean God can stop evil and doesn’t. God can’t be loving and controlling. See here. See here.
Jesus dying on the Cross so God didn’t have to kill you is a lie
God is not a blood-thirsty Jesus killer. Demanding the blood of an innocent party doesn’t legally resolve another person’s guilt. My going to jail for a friend’s wrongdoing doesn’t somehow clear my friend of their crime. God didn’t violate Judas’ freedom by requiring he betray Jesus. Jesus accepting death than powering over others may be the reason billions have been influenced to live unselfishly. God isn’t pissed at you for sinning. God just wants you to change for your good and those you have relationships with. See here.
You are doomed in the afterlife if not a Christian is a lie
A loving God wouldn’t only let Christians into heaven when the majority of people born into this world died without knowledge of the Bible or Jesus. One’s religion, or rebellion against a certain religion, is often based on the family born into whether it is Christian, Muslim, Buddhist, etc. Is God a God of chance? I am convinced all will meet their Creator in the afterlife and decide whether they want to live with God forever or not. See here. See here.
You can’t be a God-follower if you don’t attend an institutional church is a lie
In the Bible “Church” was not a building or a place attended once a week. Jesus referred to His followers as being the Church. Jesus did not specify where followers must gather or what they must do. Find environments to be encouraged and inspire others to love as radically as Jesus did. Paul warned against the harm of divisions, also known as Denominations, among followers. (I Cor. 1:12) Let’s seek more. Some of us grew weary of religion but not God. See here.
God is pissed and views you as scum is a lie
God is not an angry egomaniac. God doesn’t want to be feared as if that leads to inspiring relationships. If God was so worried about their ego, God would not have given us freedom to contradict their wishes. God’s unforced desire for glory is no different than a loving parent’s desire for respect. They only want what we deep down desire — loving others like we want to be loved. I only know what a loving God may be like according to how a parent should love their child. My kids weren’t always saints but I hated their behavior, not them. See here.
God isn’t moral — humanly speaking — is a lie.
Even atheists believe One claiming to be God must be perfect. We must question biblical writers’ understanding of God if interpretations are contrary to people’s ideas of a perfect, loving God. When the Bible challenges us to be perfect like God (Mt. 5:48), the assumption is we can know what perfection is. Godly and human perfect love must be one and the same. See here. See here.
God is a prayer genie is a lie
Praying doesn’t make God more caring. God is already doing all they can in a free world. Pretending God can simply heal without accounting for freedom can makes one’s suffering worse. Did I not pray or beg enough? Prayer isn’t about manipulating for gain but pursuing a relationship with our Creator for self-examination, sharing concerns, and not feeling alone in a chaotic world. God is not a Genie in a bottle who can singlehandedly all by themselves make things instantly happen without our help to change the world for good. See here. See here.
God being an end-of-the-world doomsayer is a lie
God isn’t going to destroy the world in the supposed battle of Armageddon. One might ask if the Bible teaches God is going to destroy the world in the future, why did Jesus tell his audience that supposed predictions about the world ending would happen in their lifetime (Mt. 24:34). Jesus seemed to not be speaking of a sky-opening, physical rapture, or Jesus wouldn’t have warned of the signs to not miss His coming (Mt. 24:3–4). In the first century the temple and Jerusalem were destroyed and millions of lives were lost. Biblical Judaism ceased to exist. This could have been the end of the age that Jesus warned of. See here.
An ancient Book subject to interpretation cannot be the definitive voice of what God is really like. I can use my moral intuitions and common sense to imagine what a loving God is like. I am not clueless. A perfect human and spiritual parent surely have much in common.
What Are Some Major Lies About God?
Mike Edwards has been writing for Done with Religion for some time and has been a great addition to the site. He couldn’t find enough people to discuss God openly so he started blogging years ago. Mike also has his own site where he writes that can be found at What God May Really Be Like He can be contacted by email at: medwar2@gmail.com
