The doctrine of Eternal Conscious Torment (ECT) in Hellfire has long been a cornerstone of many fundamentalist Catholic and Protestant traditions. It posits that those who fail to meet specific religious or moral standards will face perpetual, conscious torment in hell. While this doctrine has been used as a motivator …
Deconstruct Fundamentalism
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#Christianity #Jesus #Bible
How 1st-Century Jews Understood Jesus’ Teachings on “Hellfire”
by Dr. Eitan Bar 6 minutes readWhen you hear phrases like “financial meltdown,” do you picture Wall Street skyscrapers literally dissolving into puddles? Or consider a “political battlefield” — does it bring to mind politicians wearing armor and dueling with swords? How about the “corporate jungle”? Perhaps you visualize business managers hunting junior employees as if …
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10 Beliefs Most Christians Think Are True But Are Not
by Dr. Eitan Bar 3 minutes read1. “The Word of God” is not the Bible; it’s Jesus (John 1:1; Revelation 19:13) Spending 20 years with fundamentalists, I’ve probably heard the term “the Word of God” being used to refer to the Bible at least 9,340,589 times. However, the term “Word of God” in Scripture refers only …
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#Christianity #Jesus #Bible
What If Christians Deconstruct Fundamentalism, Not Jesus?
by Dr. Eitan Bar 3 minutes readIn recent years, a significant wave of Christians has begun to “deconstruct” their faith. While some observers dismiss this trend as abandoning faith or pursuing worldly pleasures, a closer look reveals a more nuanced reality. Most individuals undergoing this process are not rejecting Christianity itself but are instead deconstructing Fundamentalism. …
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Fundamentalism and the Absence of Empathy: A Case of “Bad Fruit”
by Dr. Eitan Bar 3 minutes readOne of the most troubling phenomena observed in many individuals who grew up in religious-fundamentalist families is their often-marked lack of empathy. This is not an isolated observation but a pattern that raises serious questions about the theological frameworks and character assumptions that underpin such environments. Additionally, the severe legalism …
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#Christianity #Jesus #Bible
The Meaning of “Inherit the kingdom of God” (1 Corinthians 6:9-11)
by Dr. Eitan Bar 2 minutes readJesus never said “if you sin no more then you are good to go”; he said “go, and sin no more.” Jesus didn’t set the woman caught in adultery free from punishment because she promised never again to sin. He hoped she would stop sinning because she had been freely …
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Is the Story of Lazarus and the Rich Man (Luke 16) Really About Hell?
by Dr. Eitan Bar 10 minutes readIn the Bible, the term “Abraham’s Bosom” (sometimes translated as “Abraham’s side”) is a unique expression found only once. In Jewish tradition, however, “Abraham’s Bosom” is a well-known metaphor (e.g., Apocalypse of Zephaniah 11:1-2; Kiddushin 72b; Genesis Rabba 67), not regarded as a literal place or as a historical account of …

