Richard Rohr wrote recently about the church's paradigm of reward and punishment. He told this story-
“The Angel with the Torch and the Pail.”
An angel was walking down the streets of the world carrying a torch in one hand and a pail of water in the other. A person asked the angel, “What are you doing with that torch and pail?”
The angel said, “With the torch I am burning down the mansions of heaven, and with the pail I am putting out the fires of hell. Then, and only then, will we see who truly loves God.”
And I add... only then will we come to know and believe in a God that loves us. Just plain loves us.
Most Christians believe that we will be punished if we are bad and we will be rewarded if we are good. This is why so many people live and die in fear. It is also why many people live their lives feeling that they are not good enough.
I no longer believe that God will torture people forever in a hell. Isn't it time to come to believe in a God that truly loves us?
Let's rid our lives of the carrot and the stick.
It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.
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