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Out of curiosity, what brand of Christian are you, Catholic, Calvinist, Arminian, or Orthodox, or some other variety?

All of the denominations whose fundametal teachings come from Augustine (Catholic, Calvinist, Arminian, that is, Reformed, Lutheran, Methodist, most Baptists, etc.) believe the majority of mankind is bound for eterneal torment. "...for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat."

The Eastern traditions also hold this view, but do not follow Augustine.

So, what do you believe?

Hank

Not sure why you're so intent on putting someone else's beliefs under a microscope. Do you have some sort of over-arching issue you feel the need to discuss using someone else as your example? Let's talk a bit about the article you posted instead.

There's some profoundly shallow stuff in there, and it doesn't take a Christian perspective to arrive at that conclusion. Take this whopper line:

Pain and death are not virtues, they are the opposite of all human life is about. The purpose of life is not to pain and anguish, the purpose of life is joy and happiness.

Almost as deep as the Teletubbies, that. But at least they seem to recognize that now and then you fall down and go boom without ascribing it to evil, or wailing at the cosmos that their life's purpose is being thwarted.

It's not exactly a Christian discovery that good and virtue are frequently paired with the enduring of pain and suffering. Considering the way everyone of us comes into the world, that shouldn't come as a surprise to even the most secular minded.

So if you'd like to seriously uphold the apparent contention of this article, that suffering equals evil, you're going to have to broaden the debate well beyond Christianity, let alone whatever flavor of it I happen to practice. It's a bizarre assertion that requires a bit more to support it than comparison to various religious beliefs you find unsavory.

Of course, I don't automatically assume you agree with the article. But, if your intention was merely to spark debate, you'll have to forgive me if I don't find it a very serious launching pad into theological inquiry.

Neither the article nor the author seem to demonstrate understanding of some rather basic elements of Christian theology. Instead they pick and choose things out of context in an attempt to portray Christians in a particularly unfavorable light. It reminds me more of the ancient Roman claim that Christians were canibals, because they believed they ate the body of their man/God. It takes more work to unwind that sort of claim than it deserves. So unless you're threatening to release the lions, I'll pass.