Subject

I’m sorry that this is late. My work schedule is stupid currently.

This week, I want to discuss the fear of Hell, which I suspect a lot of people that come from a Christian (or Muslim) background have.

You heard it many times: “Believe in Jesus, or you’re going to Hell.” “There’s no salvation without Jesus.” Maybe even “If you do/are [insert target here], you’re going to Hell. Doesn’t even matter if you suffered greatly before dying. Raped and murdered. Tortured to death. Shot in a war zone. Gassed in a concentration camp. Makes no difference. God’s tossing you into Hell as soon as you take your last breath.”

This is fear mongering. It’s also hateful and divisive.

The very idea of Hell is divisive for a lot of people. It’s based on the idea that “If you’re not like us, you will pay the price.” In this case, the price is burning in agony for all eternity (torture might or might not be involved, depending on who you ask).

But let’s back up and look at how Hell developed. In the early books of the Old Testament, there’s no mention of a resurrection from the dead. At all. Later, there’s the idea that everyone went to Sheol, which is not so much a place as a state of being – that state being, well, bleak and dull. You existed as what’s called a “shade“. Basically, you are, but there’s no development for you in any way.

Later came Second Temple Judaism and then Jesus with, according to the New Testament, afterlife for all, whether in the “Bosom of Abraham” or the “netherworld”, a bit of a modification of then-current Jewish belief.

The Christian Church has made it clear that those that don’t accept Jesus go to Hell, and their basic argument is “Why would you take such a risk?”

But all that we have is what’s written in the New Testament and the say-so of those in power in the religion that happens to claim a plurality of the world’s population.

So what do Wiccans believe? Different things. A lot of us believe in reincarnation. There’s also the belief that we go to be with the Goddess in a place called the Summerland. Perhaps some combination of the two. But none of the beliefs are as horrendous as “It’s either Heaven or Hell forever, and you have only a short time to make up your mind whether a Jewish guy died for your sins halfway around the world 2,000 years ago. If you don’t, you’re going to Hell, and you’ve got no one to blame but yourself.”

Christians say “God loves you and wants you to be saved but doesn’t force you to accept his gift. You make the choice.”

But why wouldn’t a loving, caring God just save everyone, no questions asked?

Christian belief basically amounts to “God sacrificed himself to save us from his own wrath.”

Wiccan/Neopagan belief basically goes like “The Goddess loves you and wants to help you along your journey, and She will receive you with open arms when this phase of your journey is done.”

Who would you rather follow?

Let’s look at some passages from the Bible:

Numbers 31:1-18: “And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, Avenge the children of Israel of the Midianites: afterward shalt thou be gathered unto thy people. And Moses spake unto the people, saying, Arm some of yourselves unto the war, and let them go against the Midianites, and avenge the Lord of Midian. Of every tribe a thousand, throughout all the tribes of Israel, shall ye send to the war. So there were delivered out of the thousands of Israel, a thousand of every tribe, twelve thousand armed for war. And Moses sent them to the war, a thousand of every tribe, them and Phinehas the son of Eleazar the priest, to the war, with the holy instruments, and the trumpets to blow in his hand. And they warred against the Midianites, as the Lord commanded Moses; and they slew all the males. And they slew the kings of Midian, beside the rest of them that were slain; namely, Evi, and Rekem, and Zur, and Hur, and Reba, five kings of Midian: Balaam also the son of Beor they slew with the sword. And the children of Israel took all the women of Midian captives, and their little ones, and took the spoil of all their cattle, and all their flocks, and all their goods. And they burnt all their cities wherein they dwelt, and all their goodly castles, with fire. And they took all the spoil, and all the prey, both of men and of beasts. And they brought the captives, and the prey, and the spoil, unto Moses, and Eleazar the priest, and unto the congregation of the children of Israel, unto the camp at the plains of Moab, which are by Jordan near Jericho. And Moses, and Eleazar the priest, and all the princes of the congregation, went forth to meet them without the camp. And Moses was wroth with the officers of the host, with the captains over thousands, and captains over hundreds, which came from the battle. And Moses said unto them, Have ye saved all the women alive? Behold, these caused the children of Israel, through the counsel of Balaam, to commit trespass against the Lord in the matter of Peor, and there was a plague among the congregation of the Lord. Now therefore kill every male among the little ones, and kill every woman that hath known man by lying with him. But all the women children, that have not known a man by lying with him, keep alive for yourselves.”

Luke 19:11-27: “And as they heard these things, he added and spake a parable, because he was nigh to Jerusalem, and because they thought that the kingdom of God should immediately appear. He said therefore, A certain nobleman went into a far country to receive for himself a kingdom, and to return. And he called his ten servants, and delivered them ten pounds, and said unto them, Occupy till I come. But his citizens hated him, and sent a message after him, saying, We will not have this man to reign over us. And it came to pass, that when he was returned, having received the kingdom, then he commanded these servants to be called unto him, to whom he had given the money, that he might know how much every man had gained by trading. Then came the first, saying, Lord, thy pound hath gained ten pounds. And he said unto him, Well, thou good servant: because thou hast been faithful in a very little, have thou authority over ten cities. And the second came, saying, Lord, thy pound hath gained five pounds. And he said likewise to him, Be thou also over five cities. And another came, saying, Lord, behold, here is thy pound, which I have kept laid up in a napkin: For I feared thee, because thou art an austere man: thou takest up that thou layedst not down, and reapest that thou didst not sow. And he saith unto him, Out of thine own mouth will I judge thee, thou wicked servant. Thou knewest that I was an austere man, taking up that I laid not down, and reaping that I did not sow: Wherefore then gavest not thou my money into the bank, that at my coming I might have required mine own with usury? And he said unto them that stood by, Take from him the pound, and give it to him that hath ten pounds. (And they said unto him, Lord, he hath ten pounds.) For I say unto you, That unto every one which hath shall be given; and from him that hath not, even that he hath shall be taken away from him. But those mine enemies, which would not that I should reign over them, bring hither, and slay them before me.”

Who would you rather follow?

I can’t promise anything. I can’t even promise you won’t go to Hell. Hell, I might go to Hell. I certainly will from the Christian viewpoint.

But it’s not what I choose to believe.

The fear might never totally fade away. There might always be some lingering worry. The best advice that I can give you is to follow your heart and decide for yourself whether you’re exclusive or inclusive.

So is it possible for a person to be a “Christian Wiccan”? Certainly, some people say yes. Also, I do like a lot of the stuff that’s attributed to Jesus in the New Testament (but not all of it, obviously).

As for me, I don’t consider myself a “Christian Wiccan” or a “Goddess Catholic”, because that reinforces the idea that “I can’t make it without Jesus.” I consider myself to be a Wiccan that’s also a fan of Jesus.

Oh, and I don’t worship Mary either.

Song of the Week

My song recommendation this week is “Pray to God” by Calvin Harris, featuring the rock band Haim. I haven’t listened to anything else by Haim yet, but these women sound seriously awesome.

Why am I recommending a song called “Pray to God”, you ask? Well, the song doesn’t make it clear that it’s the Christian God – or even a male god. Also, the music video is downright neopagan. Seriously. Watch it. Nature. Three women standing in a “Triple Goddess” pose. One of them is even wearing a crescent moon pendant! (I used an image of this as this blog’s banner; just scroll to the top, and you’ll see it.)

Even some of the lyrics seem witchy: “Ooh, when the Moon was shining bright before morning, I made a deal with the stars to keep holding, shining bright to come and bring me back home.”

Enjoy the music video:

Next week, I’ll discuss how to be a witch in secret and how to have a little “oasis” of witchery in a largely monotheistic society.

Blessed Be! )O(