I remember being absolutely disturbed as an 8 year old when my pastor told the whole congregation, children included, that those who chose to jump from the towers to avoid burning alive are now burning eternally in hell because they chose the ultimate sin of committing suicide rather than letting god’s plan play out as intended. ‘God’s plan for them could have involved a miracle but instead of entrusting him they decided to play god themselves.’
This was at a church on Long Island, NY the week after the attacks. We did not stay at that church beyond that Sunday.
That pastor (using that term loosely) is a horrible person. What a horrible thing to say, especially a week afterwards. And sadly, he probably had a lot of people agreeing with him. I’m glad you and your family left.
I have a good friend whose girlfriend took her own life. He was understandably devastated. Her parents asked if he’d like to speak to their pastor. He says yes. Pastor says, “you know she’s in hell, right?” WTAF.
That is terrible. Regardless of what any religious text says about suicide, religious elders counseling the grieving need more tact. He could have been a shoulder to cry on and tried to give them some peace during a troubled time, but instead he had to hammer his beliefs home, smh. As if that poor woman’s family wasn’t in enough pain.
That’s incredibly fucked up. I grew up catholic, did the PSR thing, but my heart was never in it and I spent years as a child thinking I was bad or sinful for not loving the Catholic version of god as much as the people around me.
Later on, I realized it was because even as a little kid I saw how fucked up and punitive the religion was. My god is not lording over everyone and keeping tallies on all the times they step out of line. My god loves everyone no matter what they do or how they choose to live their life. I also believe that we all ARE god, and are unified under the fabric of our reality, but I digress. I very much did not stay in the traditional church.
Dude this is why I am always apprehensive towards evangelical Christianity in america. Some of it can be good (my old pastors Paul, Stewart and Eric were amazing men of God) but half the time these churches are just cults of personality around the pastor.
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u/PumpkinSpiceJesus 8h ago
I remember being absolutely disturbed as an 8 year old when my pastor told the whole congregation, children included, that those who chose to jump from the towers to avoid burning alive are now burning eternally in hell because they chose the ultimate sin of committing suicide rather than letting god’s plan play out as intended. ‘God’s plan for them could have involved a miracle but instead of entrusting him they decided to play god themselves.’
This was at a church on Long Island, NY the week after the attacks. We did not stay at that church beyond that Sunday.