I remember at one point in my life believing that the new testament taught Love as the greatest command. For the last week I have been rereading the new testament. Mathew, and Revelation so far. I am about to give the whole book a pitch into the garbage once again. It not only says that few will be saved out of the earth, it also goes into the greatest of detail on how terrible the wicked (most people) will suffer before and then even after they are smitten by God and placed into hell. God is portrayed as a God of vengence, his kingdom is a kingdom of power, and his people and folowers even in heaven spend most of thier time on thier knees with thier faces in the ground. The poor 24 elders of revelation must have very bloody noses from all the bowing thier heads into the ground. Revelation creates the map of a God who delights in destroying, getting even, and then torturing all the supposed wicked people.
Now I ask why in the world would God create all these people just to end up torchuring and killing them. "A third of the sea became blood."
Giving all these angels all this power to squash all the worthless people on the planet.
I used to think that Jesus message was one of love, but he himself states in Mathew he did not come to bring peace to the earth but to cause brother to turn against brother, etc... Right out of Jesus own mouth he pretty much condones wars "holy wars", creates the idea of good guys and bad guys. Everyone on his side is good and everyone else is pretty much bad. Jsus himself leaves no grey area for "intentions."
Am I just missing something here, or are Mathew, and John just really caught up with power issues. You are either with us or against us, no room for "tolerance."
Anyone want to try to encourage me to continue reading the Bible? Before I just give it the old toss into the garbage, along with all it's hate, suffering, and preaching of destruction?