The Atonement Myth

The Logic of Divine Violence

Jesus taught that God forgives freely, immediately, and without conditions. The parable of the prodigal son shows a father who doesn't require payment or punishment—just the son's return home.

The Prodigal Son Revelation

Jesus' parable of the prodigal son reveals the true nature of divine forgiveness. The father doesn't require the son to suffer, pay, or be punished by someone else. He simply welcomes him home with joy and celebration.

This parable directly contradicts atonement theology. If God is like the father in the story, then divine forgiveness is immediate, free, and based on love rather than satisfied justice.

The Violence Problem

Atonement theology makes God the author of the very violence Jesus consistently opposed. It suggests that divine love requires divine violence—a contradiction that has justified centuries of human violence "in God's name."

When we understand that Jesus' death was humanity's violence against God's love—not God's violence against humanity—we can see the crucifixion as revelation rather than transaction.

Liberation from Transactional Spirituality

Understanding that atonement theology misrepresents both God and Jesus liberates us from transactional spirituality. We don't need to "pay" for forgiveness, earn salvation, or satisfy divine justice—we simply need to accept the love that's already freely given.

This isn't about minimizing Jesus' death but about understanding it correctly—as the ultimate revelation of love, not the ultimate expression of divine violence.