In Part 1, we asked if our modern view of hell is just Christian fan fiction. Now, it’s time to look at the actual text. What did Jesus really say about the bad place?

This week on The Easy Approach, Nate, Tony, and special guest Michael return for Part 2 of our deep dive into one of the most difficult and controversial topics in faith. If you've ever felt uneasy about traditional views of hell, or wondered why the English Bible flattens four entirely different ancient words all into the word "hell," this conversation is for you.

We are leaving the heresy-hunting at the door to explore the three major historical views held by early church leaders, debunk the famous "burning garbage dump" myth, and unpack the shocking historical reality of Gehenna.

What if hell isn't just a future destination you're trying to avoid, but a present power we are actively dealing with right now?

In this episode, we cover:

• The Job Principle: Why God isn't intimidated by our honest questions and theological doubts.

• The 3 Historical Views: Unpacking Eternal Conscious Torment, Annihilationism, and Universalism.

• The YouTube Heresy Hunters: Why the Christian culture of immediate condemnation misses the way of Jesus (and a look back at the Rob Bell controversy).

• Lost in Translation: The crucial differences between Sheol, Hades, Tartarus, and Gehenna.

• The Garbage Dump Myth: Why that popular Gehenna sermon illustration is completely historically false - and the darker truth behind it.

• A Present Reality: How human evil unleashes hell on earth, and why Jesus ultimately wants to "get the hell out of you."

Make sure to follow the podcast so you don't miss Part 3 dropping next week, where we react to quotes from modern thinkers and early church fathers!

Pitchforks, red spandex, and torture chambers. We all know the images, but are they actually in the Bible? Or are they just medieval fan fiction we’ve mistaken for theology?

In this episode, Nate and Tony are joined by Michael Slender to tackle one of the heaviest topics in the faith: Hell. We’re peeling back centuries of cultural baggage - from Dante’s Inferno to the "Hell Houses" of our youth groups - to find out what scripture actually says (and what it doesn’t).

We discuss:

• The "Scared Straight" Era: Why fear-based evangelism and "Hell Houses" might have missed the point.

• Dante vs. The Bible: How much of our view of the afterlife comes from a 14th-century poem?

• Pascal’s Wager: Is "fire insurance" really a foundation for a relationship with God?

• Heaven on Earth: Why the biblical narrative is less about escaping the "Bad Place" and more about restoring this one.

Note: This is Part 1 of a series. In the next episode, we will dive into the specific biblical words for Hell (Gehenna, Sheol, Hades) and what they actually mean.

🎙️ About The EZ Approach:We tackle the questions you’re afraid to ask in church, with a focus on deconstructing cultural Christianity to reconstruct a genuine faith.

We’ve all heard the cliché "forgive and forget." But what happens when the memory doesn't fade? Does that mean you haven't actually forgiven?

In this episode, Nate and Tony challenge the idea that forgiveness requires amnesia. We break down why waiting to "forget" is a trap that leads to bitterness, and why true forgiveness is less about letting someone else off the hook and more about setting yourself free.

We discuss:

• The Myth of "Forgive and Forget": Why forgiveness is an act of the will, while forgetting is just a biological process.

• Forgiveness vs. Reconciliation: How to forgive someone without letting them back into your life (and why boundaries are necessary).

• Memory as a Teacher: How to stop your memories from becoming tormentors.

• The Prisoner Metaphor: Unpacking the reality that holding a grudge only imprisons you.

• Nate's Personal Story: Dealing with slander and the daily choice to release the hurt.

If you are stuck waiting for the pain to disappear before you forgive, this episode offers a new way forward.

Quotes from the episode:

"To forgive is to set a prisoner free and discover that the prisoner was you."

"Memory without forgiveness leads to bitterness; forgiveness without memory leads to foolishness."

Share this episode with a friend who needs to hear it!