Judaism understands that a diversity of opinions gets us closer to the truth. Certainty is not the goal; wisdom is, and wisdom is often found in the contradictions.
This way of thinking is unfamiliar to evangelicals, but letting go of the need for certainty can be liberating. We are free to continue to change our minds through our lives without the need to figure it out once and for all or land somewhere permanently. The goal is not “knowing the right thing” or even “believing the right thing.” Believing the wrong thing won’t send you to hell, so you can relax and just focus on believing the loving thing. You can focus on living in a way that reflects love for God and your neighbor and makes you feel deeply like your truest self.
Opening up to curiosity is one of my favorite things about realizing that there is no hell. God is not going to punish us for “wrong-think.” We are free not to know.
— Brian Recker, Hell Bent, p. 125
Photo: Abbaye de Royaumont, France, June 24, 2026
