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There's a certain percentage of professed "Christians" (of various denominations) who are kooky "control freaks" obsessed with punishment. A psychological disorder of some type. Sadistic tendencies. Unfortunate, but, like with unbalanced types who beat their wives or children, such things happen. Has little to do with authentic Christian witness, obviously.

Yep, there are control freaks of all varying degrees within religious circles. That chaps my Republican a$$ when somebody gets up and goes on some big ol' ego trip-- cause that's all it is, plain and simple-- and gets hundreds, maybe thousands, to devote their lives to his teachings and interpretations.

Somebody said above that this is what happens when Christians don't interpret the Holy Scriptures for themselves, when they rely entirely on whoever is in the pulpit... Folks should think before signing their lives away to a mere mortal... I guess it's alot less mental work just to take somebody's word for it, that THIS is how you get yer happy a$$ through the pearly gates.

I don't buy. I think the road to Hell is paved with the carcasses of "Christians". I also think that there are many, many different paths to Heaven, and everybody takes his own trip...

Unfortunately (and keep in mind, I am a professing "Christian") some people get the idea that the Bible is a license or weapon to vent all of their frustrations and anger at other people, however trivial the issue involved.

The emphasis on Hell and damnation that some people get obsessed with (and it does trigger a variety of neurotic or psychotic reactions in the mentally unbalanced) gives some kooky types the idea that they have an opportunity to begin the punishment (permitted to God for the great beyond) here and now. Strange phenomenon, but it does exist among unbalanced types, certain control freaks, sadists, etc. You find similar phenomena among Communists,Nazis, and members of other non-Christian cults or ideologies. It's a psychological syndrome. I can't stand when people present this in a Christian context.