Do you fear Hell?

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Quote: mean, if only Christians are given life's reward has God condemned Asians, Aborigines, Muslims and Jews to hell, just because they weren't the right race at the right time knowing of the right faithIf you really look at most faiths, when it comes down to the principle of meaning they really are all very similar, if not in some cases pretty identical. I think its how God chose to show himself to that race at that time. It’s all about faith that gets us to heaven, not what religion we adhere to. My best friend’s father was literally a genius; absolutely he was one of the smartest men I ever met. He was from India and was raised Muslim. Through his life he researched basically every religion and culture (I.E. Native American culture) and he said himself that when you break down the religions/cultures down to their basic beliefs, they are all very much the same.

I was on a spirituality forum and someone posted a comment (I can't find it, but I'll try later) about people in remote places not being able to know of Christianity. The comment was something like people even in the remote places has some idea of God or a god and have Christian-like teachings...at least that what I took it to mean. I need to find the comment.

Mr. U/Eddie/Tangle - Are all these reasonings supported by text or are the simply human reason? If they're supported by text whats the point of all the dogma?

Originally Posted By: TangledWebThe comment was something like people even in the remote places has some idea of God or a god and have Christian-like teachings...at least that what I took it to mean. I need to find the comment. I always see things like this as having two known possibilities. Either (a) there is some sort of god figure that teaches his morals to the world in different ways, or (b) these morals are inherent in our nature.I obviously lean towards the latter as it requires no supernatural origin and is explained as simply being a part of nature.

Originally Posted By: OldFolksAs I was driving home yesterday ...There is a huge difference between a God who sends people to hell (something I don't believe) and a person making a choice to deny God, which results in eternal separation (something I do believe).

Originally Posted By: TangledWebI was on a spirituality forum and someone posted a comment (I can't find it, but I'll try later) about people in remote places not being able to know of Christianity. The comment was something like people even in the remote places has some idea of God or a god and have Christian-like teachings...at least that what I took it to mean. I need to find the comment. Yeah, I think it's Paul in Romans who says that God will reveal Himself to all men, and they will be held to the standard they know. So if Willie Nubu in Blinkakotania has never ever even heard the word "Jesus", he's not out of the loop.

Originally Posted By: damienThere is a huge difference between a God who sends people to hell (something I don't believe) and a person making a choice to deny God, which results in eternal separation (something I do believe). So someone who has never heard of God does not suffer from eternal separation, but someone who has but rejects Him does. Is the decision permanent? I've often heard of atheists who later in life have become Christians, but had previously denied God. Is this denial revoked? What about people from other religions who openly say that your God is a false one. Will they suffer the eternal separation or do you believe, as Eddie does, that all of the different religions are really worshipping the same God but in a different manifestation, therefore they are not technically denying God but are simply unaware of his various forms?

The standard view is that it is how you are at your death that matters.I suspect (along with many Christian writers) that Hell contains only those who choose it in some way over Heaven. But I fear that may be all too easy.

Originally Posted By: IneligibleBut I fear that may be all too easy. It does have the flaw of having a 'Get Out of Jail Free' card. If at the moment before death, Hitler honestly asked God for forgiveness, would he get into Heaven?

Probably yes. But it would have to be honest. Repentance as a 'Get Out of Jail Free' card wouldn't be true repentance.Remember, Christianity teaches that no-one is good enough on his own merits to get into heaven. If it were a question of a test, everyone would fail utterly. Heaven can be reached only through grace, and is therefore available to any sinner.By 'all too easy', I meant choosing hell over heaven.

But someone could be honestly sorry for what they've done simply because they know that they'll be sent to Hell. They may not be repenting to try to get out of it, but instead are sorry that what they've done will cause them to suffer rather than because they know it was wrong to do.Does that make sense?

I take great joy in the ultimate irony of faith. You won't know for sure until it's too late!I can imagine all the people that align them selves with the likes of the Taliban, KKK, etc etc receiving a horrible surprise when they expect to waltz into heaven after all their "great deeds". I can also envision the look on thor's face when he's met at the pearly gates by a little brown man in a turban or a big Rasta, smokin' a heavenly splif

Originally Posted By: unsupervisedYou won't know for sure until it's too late!It's only "too late" if you make the wrong choice. Quote:I can also envision the look on thor's face when he's met at the pearly gates by a little brown man in a turban or a big Rasta, smokin' a heavenly splif Figure the odds.

Quote:Figure the odds. now THAT sounds like fun! Upon what shall we base our calculations?If we go by the global distribution of religion and systems of belief, I'd say Christians only have a 1 in 3 chance of being right

Originally Posted By: unsupervisedIf we go by the global distribution of religion and systems of belief, I'd say Christians only have a 1 in 3 chance of being right If only reality was Democratic, it would sort everything out!

Yes, but repentance is much more than regret or feeling sorry. It requires acknowledgement of wrongdoing. It would also not be repentance if the person, on finding they had recovered, didn't try to live life differently.

Originally Posted By: bobaliciousIf only reality was Democratic, it would sort everything out! naw, that wouldn't work because the "why's everybody always pickin on me" Christian majority would run the place (Oh wait, never mind)What would be nice is if we could all just do our own thing after we die. God knows we're forced to do every-body-else's thing while we're alive

Originally Posted By: bobaliciousSo someone who has never heard of God does not suffer from eternal separation,I never said that. Quote:but someone who has but rejects Him does.yes  Quote:Is the decision permanent? I've often heard of atheists who later in life have become Christians, but had previously denied God. Is this denial revoked?Of course it's not permanent. God wants us to accept Him. At whatever point it happens. Remember the story of Saul/Paul? He not only denied Jesus was the Messiah, he killed those who accepted him. He then went on to do some pretty amazing things.  Quote:What about people from other religions who openly say that your God is a false one. Will they suffer the eternal separation or do you believe, as Eddie does, that all of the different religions are really worshipping the same God but in a different manifestation, therefore they are not technically denying God but are simply unaware of his various forms? If they deny that Jesus Christ is the son of God and refuse to accept him, they are without hope.

Quote:If they deny that Jesus Christ is the son of God and refuse to accept him, they are without hope. and therein lies the problem.I respect your conviction to faith as I respect thor's (though the two of you disagree at times)So I wonder, would you give your life for your faith? Would you take a life for your faith?Dare I ask the same questions of thor?

Originally Posted By: unsupervisedand therein lies the problem.I respect your conviction to faith as I respect thor's (though the two of you disagree at times)So I wonder, would you give your life for your faith? Would you take a life for your faith?Dare I ask the same questions of thor? I'm not sure what's behind your questions, but I'll answer anyway.Yes, I like to think I would give my life for Christ, if that's what you mean. I can't know for certain. It's never been tested. But I would like to think I would.As for taking a life for my faith? No. I can't see where that would ever even be necessary. Why do you ask?Sometimes I think living for Christ is more difficult than dying for him. But, like I said, I've only ever made an attempt at the former.