Nine Myths of Christianity Debunked

For a system that has been around for over two millennia, the religion known as Christianity has accumulated a number of beliefs that have no basis in the recognized source of Christian knowledge, the Bible. 

Yet these beliefs are now deeply ingrained in Christian lore, to the point that some will find it shocking that they should be challenged.

Before beginning this trip down the rabbit hole, it bears acknowledging that there is a multitude of 'churches' that pose as Christian, representing a bewildering range of dogma that goes from pure orthodoxy to purely weird. However, the great majority of them share a core of basic beliefs-- of which, sad to say, almost all are erroneous! Such is the shabby state of the organized, nominal Christian church today, that the Bible warns its readers to 'come out of her, my people!' (Rev 18:4).

The following look at the common myths of the Christian religion is necessarily brief. Bible references will be supplied, and the reader is urged to do the reading and research that will verify the refutation of the erroneous beliefs. The myths are presented in no special order. Bible scripture is used as the determinant of truth.

Myth #1: When we die, we (our souls) spend eternity in heaven if we are 'saved,' or in hell, if we are 'lost.'

What; you mean this isn't true? No; it's not! First, let's look at the fate of those who gain 'salvation.' Where does it say they will spend eternity in 'heaven' (wherever that is)? Instead, we read in Rev 21 that 'God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them' (vs 3). And where will He dwell with humans? 'I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven...' (vs 2) to rest on the 'new Earth' (vs 1). So, you can forget about the grim prospect of spending eternity floating on a cloud, strumming a harp... which seems to be the folkloric image of the afterlife.

Now, what about the damned; what happens to them? Don't they spend forever burning in hell, as the pastors love to threaten? This dogma is harder to dislodge; yet this is what Rev 20 tells us: '[14] The lake of fire is the second death. [15] Anyone whose name was not found written in the book of life was thrown into the lake of fire.' We also read that '[10] And the devil, who deceived them, was thrown into the lake of burning sulfur, where ... [he] will be tormented day and night for ever and ever.' It clearly states that the devilwill be tormented forever, but it does not include the lost humans.

Remember Jesus' words in the famous John 3:16 passage: 'For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.' Now, read carefully. Jesus compares and contrasts two classes of people: 1) believers, who shall have eternal life, and 2) by inference, the non-believers, who shall 'perish.' Note that perish means to die, as opposed to having eternal life. This is a critical point! God is not the inhumane monster that unthinking Christians and non-believers have painted for centuries. The unrepentant, sinning humans will perishin the Lake of Fire; they will not 'burn forever.'

Myth #2: immediately after death, we are assigned to heaven or to hell.

This concept is repeated at virtually every funeral service you've ever attended, and of course, the 'loved one' is always 'in heaven, looking down' on the assembly as the preacher speaks. No matter how dissolute a life he/she had, the deceased is never presumed to go to the other place after death. But, is this what the Bible states?

John 11 relates the story of Lazarus, the friend of Jesus, who died while Jesus tarried. Upon finally arriving at their house, Lazarus' sister, Martha, greets Jesus and laments that he wasn't there earlier. He tells her matter-of-factly that Lazarus will rise again. She replies, yes, I know Lazarus will rise again on the 'Last Day.' Jesus went on to resurrect Lazarus at that time, but he evidently agreed with Martha's perception.

He told her, 'whoever lives by believing in me will never die.' Yet, we all die-- physically; Jesus was talking about the spirit. If 'believers' will never 'die,' then, logically, non-believers willdie-- not live in hell.

Jesus stated clearly, (John 6:40) 'For my Father’s will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day.'

Paul reflected a similar belief in a final resurrection when he wrote in 1 Cor 15: '[22] For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will bemade alive. [23] But each in turn: Christ, the firstfruits; then, when he comes, those who belong to him.' (See also 1 Thess 4:13-17; and Rev 20:11-15, the 'great white throne judgement).

So, if the dead are raised to life on the 'last day' to face final judgement, what are they doing for the interval, possibly centuries, between death and judgement? The true response is, we don't know for certain! But there's no evidence to support two judgements, one at death, and another on the last day. Scripture states that the dead 'sleep in the grave' until resurrected. For all we know, their souls may exist in a suspended state, outside of time, until the judgement day.

Yes, I'm aware of 'near death experiences' reported by various individuals, and I don't claim that these are false. NDEs appear to be genuine psychological experiences; but we don't know enough about consciousness and life energy to really comprehend what is happening. We must await our turn before it will become clear.

Myth #3: Christians must obey the Ten Commandments to retain their salvation.

What!-- we don't have to obey the Commandments? That's exactly what I'm saying the Bible (New Testament) states. Let's examine it logically.

Q: When and to whom were the Commandments given? A: To the Israelites, via Moses, at Mt. Sinai during the exodus from Egypt. (They were never given to gentiles!)

Q: What did the Commandments signify? A: The Commandments were the core of the Old Covenant-- the covenant specifically made between God and Israel. This covenant is also referred to as the Old Testament, and is fully analyzed in the Book of Hebrews in the 'New Testament' scriptures. I don't want to spoon-feed the reader (and use many words) in re-hashing the detailed study provided by the writer of Hebrews. Go and study it yourself! Note, especially, chapters 7 thru 10, which explain why the New Covenant supersedes the Old.

Q: You mean we can do whatever we want, then? A: No, not at all! The point Jesus tried to convey in his day is that living as a child of God is NOT about keeping a bunch of rules. People can always find ways around rules-- the Pharisees were experts at it! Here's how Paul tried to explain it to the believers in Rome: 'The commandments, “You shall not commit adultery,” “You shall not murder,” “You shall not steal,” “You shall not covet,” and whatever other command there may be, are summed up in this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” Love does no harm to a neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.' (Romans 13:9-10 NIV)

It's really about love, dear readers. See also Matt 7:12; Galatians 3, especially vs 11; James 1:27, 2:8; and recall Jesus' dialog with the lawyer regarding 'the most important commandment,' in Mark 12:28-34, Matt 22:36-40, and Luke 10:26-28. The notion that Christians are 'under the Ten Commandments' is completely wrong, was argued against by the disciples, but was nonetheless accepted by most mainstream churches because they don't want to grant their members freedom to be led by the Holy Spirit without their 'guidance' (i.e. control). Since its origins, the Christian church has been preaching the NewTestament with an Old Testament mind-set (see Matt 9:16-17). It's an aberration that has led to the failure of Christianity that we now see.

Myth #4: Abraham was a Jew.

Now this is one of those real 'forehead slappers!' The Jews love to foster the belief that because they descended from Abraham, he must have been a Jew. Preachers who subscribe to the 'Judeo-Christian' outlook, also promote this impression. However, a few moments of reflection will obliterate this fallacy.

Abraham had a son called Ishmael, regarded as the patriarch of the Arab people. Years later, he had another son, Isaac, who later had twin sons, Jacob and Esau. When Jacob was a man, he had a strange, night encounter with 'an angel' (God?) who told him his name would be Israel. Jacob had twelve sons who were the patriarchs of 12 tribes of their descendants ('the Children of Israel'). One of these sons was called Judah, and his off-spring became known as Jews. Thus, the Jews are descended from a great-grandson of Abraham, therefore, it's impossible for Abraham to be a Jew!

But, some might still argue that nonetheless, Abraham was a 'Jew' by religion. Again, this is false. The religion observed by the Jews is based on the Torah (i.e. 'the Law') and the Talmud. The Torah encompasses the 'Sinai Covenant,' the package of legal, ceremonial, and health laws inscribed in the books of Moses, that were given 430 years after Abraham. The Talmud was written by rabbis during the Jews' captivity in Babylon centuries later, and is said to represent inspired commentary. By contrast, Abraham was living under direct instructions from God, and was given a covenant based on his faithin God (Gen 15:6; Rom 1:17, 4:3; Gal 3:6, 11).

It's a vital distinction-- the Jews (in terms of religion) live under a legalistic system wherein their standing with God is considered to be based on keeping the rules. The faith of Abraham, in contrast, was purely based on faith in God.

Myth #5: Christianity is an 'off-shoot' of Judaism.

This is another of those 'facts' that is 'so obvious' that it's never questioned. After all, Jesus was a Jew, right? Well, yes; but that's purely incidental. The full explanation requires more space than we want to take here, so I am providing a link to an essay with the details: http://truthquestors.blogspot.ca/2013/01/one-man-one-faith.html.

What we can state in summary is actually implicit in the discussion of myth no. 4. The astute Christian reader would have had a light illuminate on noting the distinction between the simple faith of Abraham and the legalistic religion of Judaism. Abraham's covenant of faith was inaugurated in Genesis 15 (read it!) but it was not confirmed until (almost two millennia later) Jesus stated at the last supper, 'This is My blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many.' (See Matt 26:28, Mark 14:24, Luke 22:20, and Dan 9:27). Every Christian is supposed to know that his salvation rests entirely on the gift of God's grace, provided by Jesus, and appropriated by the believer's faith that it is so. See Rom 1:17, 3:26-28, ch. 4 (esp. 16), 5:1; Gal 2:16, ch. 3 (esp. 7-9); Eph 2:8; Phil 3:9.

Spiritually speaking then, the Christian faith is the logical extension of the faith of Abraham. Jesus, the Messiah (lit. 'anointed one') came as a descendant of David, of the 'House of Judah,' in fulfilment of prophecy, and to 'confirm' the Abrahamic covenant. It is that covenant that is referred to as the New Testament, one that is available to 'the many,' i.e. all people, anywhere.

Myth #6: At the 'end of the Age,' Christians will be magically whisked off the Earth and spared from going thru seven years of terrible 'tribulation.'

This is probably the only myth that did not exist until about the 20^thcentury, and that is not accepted by a majority of denominations. Only certain 'evangelical,' generally conservative, American churches adhere to this doctrine.

The problem is that this doctrine is wrong on two counts-- 1) there is noseven year tribulation in scripture, and 2) there is no'secret, pre-tribulation rapture. Both beliefs are based on flawed exegesis (Bible study) that originated in the Scofield Reference Bible, which was published in the late 19^th century. This Bible contained copious footnotes, supplied by Cyrus Scofield, a dubious scholar at best, and a scoundrel at worst. His commentary was largely influenced by a Bible translator named John Darby, who formalized a belief system known as premillennial dispensationalism, revolving around the future fate of the Jews and Jerusalem.

Taking a misconception of Daniel's visions, especially vs 9:27, the Evangelicals see a future period of seven years of 'Jacob's trouble,' they refer to as 'the tribulation.' Pandering to ingrained, American 'exceptionalism,' the Evangelicals have conjured a convenient escape route for their adherents, called 'the rapture.' The word rapture doesn't even appear in scripture, tho Paul does refer to a bodily raising of the 'saints' (believers) at the final, dramatic (far from secret) appearing of Christ. (See 1 Cor 15, and 1 Thess 4, for details.)

Neither Jesus, nor Paul, nor any other Bible source refers to a 'pre-tribulation, secret rapture' of believers. In fact, Jesus warns his listeners that, at the end of the Age, people would be subjected to deception so powerful 'as to deceive the very elect.' Why would he issue such a stern warning if Christians were to be snatched from the Earth before the troubles begin? Was Jesus mistaken?

For a fuller exposition of the 'rapture delusion,' please study this essay:

http://truthquestors.blogspot.ca/2013/01/delusions-of-rapture.html.

Myth #7: Christians will be 'saved' (gain eternal life) because they belong to a Church.

One hopes that not all Christians believe this assumption, yet if you talk to members of any particular denomination, especially the smaller or more eccentric ones, this is basically what they claim. Each break-out group from 'generic Christianity' thinks that only they have 'the truth;' and furthermore, that their truth will merit eternal life ('heaven,' in most circles).

For centuries prior to Jesus, the Jews were convinced they are saved because of genetic inheritance, being Israelites, and off-spring of Abraham. But Jesus told them that the kingdom of God has nothing to do with ethnicity, and is open to all people (those who trust in God). See John 1:12-13, 3:16, 8:31-47; Acts 13:47; Rom 3:29; 1 Cor 12:13; Gal 3:8, 3:28; 2 Tim 4:3-4; Titus 1:13-15; Heb 5:11-14; 1 Jn 1:6.

Today's Christians, likewise, have that pharisaic attitude that 'belonging' to a particular church, that boasts it alone possesses 'truth,' will be their magic ticket to eternal bliss. Those church-goers who will be saved by the mercy of God will be surprised to see who else will be sharing eternity with them! Jesus said the kingdom of God will not belong to the likes of the learned, arrogant pharisees, but to the down-trodden of society who turn to him (see Matthew 21:31; Mark 10:15; James 2:5). Apostle John wrote that 'love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God.' (1 Jn 4:7; see also 1 Cor 8:3).

It doesn't matter if you are a church member, or which church you attend, or what doctrines it proclaims. None of that will grant you salvation... 'sorry!

Myth #8: At the end of this age, there will follow a thousand years of peace on Earth, after which Jesus returns to defeat Satan at last, and set up his kingdom.

Many, if not most denominations, both mainstream and otherwise, subscribe to the 'Millennium' theory. The problem is that it is referred to in only one place in all of scripture, and that one place is in the book full of symbols, Revelation (ch. 20). It's a simple rule of Bible study-- if something is important it is mentioned several times. To build a doctrine on a single occurrence, is risky, if not plain wrong.

If the Millennium were valid, Jesus would have to return twice-- once at the Rapture, and a second time at the conclusion of the thousand years. But the rest of scripture only refers to one, final return of Christ, at 'the end of the Age.'

You'd expect that Jesus and his disciples would have talked about the Millennium; but they don't even hint at it. The Book of Revelation uses a unique, non-linear structure, wherein the visions are presented in cycles. They cover the same period of history, referred to as '42 months,' '1260 days,' and 'time, times, and half a time.' These periods are all symbolic of three and a half years, the length of Jesus' ministry on Earth, but in prophetic context, refer to the 'Church Age,' the time from Jesus' resurrection until his return at the end of this Age.

Similarly, astute writers have postulated that the thousand years is also a symbolic reference to the same span of time. The scenes described by John in chapter 20 have to be understood as allegorical, not literal (as in fact, the entire Revelation, in like manner). There are some good books available that expound on a secure understanding of the Millennium, if the reader wants more detail.

(See, for ex., A Case for Amillennialism: Understanding the End Times, by Dr. Kim Riddlebarger.)

Myth #9: The Catholic Church is 'Mystery Babylon,' the harlot of Revelation 17.

This is one of those myths that the website snopes.com would label as partially true. In Bible prophecy, a woman usually symbolizes a church (or 'faith community,' as OT Samaria and Jerusalem were likened to sisters, Ezek 23). So a prostitute stands for a fallen church. Since a beast symbolizes a kingdom, the woman riding the beast represents religion directing government. Such a situation prevailed for many centuries when the 'Roman Church' basically oversaw the various kingdoms of old Europe.

However, protestants would do well to note verse 5, which states that Babylon is the 'mother of (all) prostitutes.' This means that all the denominations that spun off of Catholicism are, like their mother church, harlots! The fall (corruption) of Babylon was already warned of in Rev 14:8, but the warning is repeated in Rev 18:2, along with the admonition to 'come out of her, my people (vs 4).

Sadly, scripture itself warns us that the churches are fallen, have become corrupt and that true believers should leave them. Is it any wonder that Christianity is in such a perilous state at this time?

Conclusion:

The religious system that sprang from Jesus' incarnation 20 centuries ago was, historically, the philosophical underpinning of European/Western society thru-out most of that period. Jesus' simple teachings were codified into doctrines by a hierarchical organization patterned on the governance model of the empire (Rome) that first opposed, then adopted the new faith as the state religion. Once ensconced in an official structure, the original faith was subject to influences such as political expediency; power struggles between doctrinal schools, and with competing pagan traditions; heresies; cultural biases, and so on.

Spiritually speaking, satanic forces undermined the pure teachings of Christ, and in their place, instituted a system, called 'church,' that was amenable to adopting as orthodoxy, doctrines that are not even supported by proper understanding of the scriptures. Given that the churches are separated into 'clergy' and 'lay-persons,' once the 'paid staff' are educated in the dogmas, it is easy to keep the sheep in line. Tradition trumps truth... at least for a while.

Final note: the good news for all people of faith is that we are not saved by having so-called truth; we are saved by the grace of God!