The Door of the Closet.

The main reason why closeted Christians are not able to come out is that they unconsciously or consciously think that everything below the waist, meaning sexual activity of any kind, especially homosexual activity, is of the devil and hell.

This fear has been drummed into them by terrified parents and father figures, i.e. ministers and priests.

Coincidentally this is the main reason why hippies and baby-boomers rejected the Church.  Which means that most of them don't think that sex is a sin.
This is a good thing.

By the same token this is also the main reason that rock musicians and stars sell their souls and worship the devil - because they believe that everything below the belt is of the devil and hell.

Neither of them is right.

The devil does not exist.
He is part of an explanation of life which is based on dualism.
Dualism is a primitive mental construct not entirely based in fact.

Hell does not exist.
It relates to a concept of God as a judging, punishing deity who watches all our actions and writes them in a big book, balancing and tallying the ledger.
This is simply not true.
My experience of God is that He is never angry or judgmental but always mild, helpful, and loving towards His children.  I have never known Him to punish or harm anyone or anything.
So the concept of hell is totally out of character and impossible.

The time for these concepts is up!
Mankind will no longer stand for such destructive and negative ideation.  Our intuitive understanding of God  will not stand for it!
Like blood sacrifice and an eye for an eye these concepts will disappear from the world and we will all be better for it.

Once these concepts are gone the door of the closet will be open and men and women will no longer live in fear.

The concept of sin is attached to these concepts of the devil and hell.
Fear of sinning is what stops people acting on their sexual impulses.  They think that if they sin they will go to hell, and all temptation is of the devil.
This is why Muslims wear the burqa - so that they will not be tempted and go to hell.
This is why women are portrayed as evil - see Eve and the devil in Genesis.

Homosexuality is even more terrifying.
The Koran talks constantly about the sin of Lot and the punishment reserved for those who practice it.
This is why gay rights are so bad  in Muslim countries.

But the Koran, like the Bible, is not literally true.
It needs to be deconstructed as the Bible has and understood more fully before any progress can be made on these issues.

The progress of our concepts cannot be stopped and at some point they will become self-evident.
So as long as we address the issues with integrity we are progressing towards a new understanding.

Likewise evil is a dualistic concept.  It only exists in the world as a reactionary mental concept.  It has no reality.  Anyone who is embracing evil as a reaction to hypocritical religion is only harming themselves and others.  There is no profit from evil.  There is no devil to reward them.  So when they realize what has happened they will stop.

'Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire."  Revelation 20:14a (NRSV)

These concepts will exist no more.

What will exist is a new holistic understanding of God.

God is everywhere and everything.
Immanent and panentheistic.
God's nature is entirely benevolent.
God does not judge or punish.
God loves us like a father loves his children.
There is no fear in God.
Everyone is forgiven.
Whatever we have done out of ignorance or fear is forgiven.
Those on the left will not be damned they will be reconciled.
"Satan" is God's prodigal son.
No one will perish.

What is real is God's Love.
Universal, unconditional Love.


(Scripture quotations (marked NRSV) are taken from the New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the U.S.A., and are used by permission.  All rights reserved.)

Photo Credit: Doug Kline Flickr via Compfight cc