Heard it all before

[cryforhelp]

OK, you've probably come across this question many times before, but rather than look for the answers in the myriad threads on this forum, i'll ask it again (apologies for my laziness).

Before I ask it, I want to let you know something. A lot of the Non-Christians here seem to be determined to pick holes in your religion. I think that there is a good chance that you're right, but before I join you, I need to cover some of the holes up, so please forgive me if i come across as negative. If I was to become a Christian I know that I'd have to put my whole life into it, so I need to know that it's true. Even more so after reading the following C.S Lewis quote, "Christianity is a statement which, if false, is of no importance, and if true, of infinite importance. The one thing it cannot be is moderately important"

Anyway, I'll get to the point.

I have many doubts about Christianity, but the one that is on my mind right now is concerning other religions.

Does Christianity have any scope that other religions may be right? Does the Christian doctrine mean that all Muslims, Jews, Hindus, Buddhists, Sikhs and all the believers of other religions are going to Hell?
If so, why would the all loving, compassionate God that you believe in, condemn a person to everlasting Hell, just because they were brought up to believe that they should worship Allah, rather than God (I know that Allah means God, but you know what I mean).
For arguements sake, if you were born in a Muslim family/city/country, and you were brought up to believe that the Koran is right, in the same way we're brought up to believe that 1+1=2, and you live a moral life, what justice is there that you will be eternally damned because of the misfortune of being born in the wrong place?

Is there a possibility that all religion is ok, as long as you believe in something, or is there a set in stone right and wrong? To be honest it hurts my head just thinking about it, so any help would be amazing.

Thanks.

 

[ephraimanesti]

A lot of the Non-Christians here seem to be determined to pick holes in your religion. I think that there is a good chance that you're right, but before I join you, I need to cover some of the holes up, so please forgive me if i come across as negative. If I was to become a Christian I know that I'd have to put my whole life into it, so I need to know that it's true.

MY DEAR SEEKING FRIEND,

Might i point out that the only way you will KNOW that Christianity is true is through personal experience. That is the main problem with those who attempt to pick holes in Christianity--Christian beliefs cannot be proven except through personal experience. Things in the Spiritual realm are the exact oppositve of what they are in the material realm. In the material realm, "What you see is what you believe;" in the Spiritual realm, "What you believe is what you see." So, trying to prove the existence of God to an atheist, for example, is like trying to prove the beauty of a sunset to a blind man. Can't be done!

Sooooo . . . what you perhaps need to do is read the New Testament through prayerfully--confessing your doubts and asking God to open your heart and mind to the truth--and see what you feel about our Lord Jesus--the claims He made for Himself and the claims of those who followed Him after seeing the proofs He offered to substantiate those claims. Listen to your heart and you will find your answer there.

It addition, i would recommend you perhaps read (assuming you have already read "MERE CHRISTIANITY" by C.S. Lewis, as i think your quote was from there) "THE CASE FOR CHRIST" and "THE CASE FOR FAITH" by Lee Strobel, an atheistic investigative reporter who investigated the claims of Christianity by consulting a wide array of experts in different fields and, in the course of his investigation, was converted to Christianity. FOOD FOR THOUGHT!

Is there a possibility that all religion is ok, as long as you believe in something, or is there a set in stone right and wrong? To be honest it hurts my head just thinking about it, so any help would be amazing.

That question cannot be answered with my feeble human understand and the light i have been given. As Christians, we know that Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God, is the one and only Savior of the World and the only way to reach the Father. We also know that God is an infinitely Loving and Compassionate, and Scripture states that He is not willing that any should perish (2 Peter 3:9). How this all balances out, i can't honestly say, and i hesitate to give my personal opinion because it may be wrong--so i won't. i trust that in God's Love and Mercy, all will be well.

MAY YOU BE BLESSED AND FIND THE TRUTH YOU ARE SEEKING--WHICH IS, IN FACT, JESUS CHRIST OUR LORD.

IN CHRIST'S LOVE,
ephraim

 

[Rafael]

The punishment for sin is death. Jesus overcame sin and death for us, but not so that people or the devil would be tortured for eternity... There are words and idioms of the old culture and languages that have been misinterpreted. The Greek word "eon" is one of them. It is an unspecified time, and hell has already been emptied by Jesus leading captivity captive in eternity where a timeline does not exist - having no future or past....?? Eternity is mysterious to us although we can actually calculate timelessness using the theoretical formula for relativity... We just do not perceive all the dimensions that the universe was made with, as "all things are made of the unseen" and it takes faith to know that, although we need less now that we have seen atoms and molecules through devices and experiment. Science is just now discovering more dimensions mathematically, so what do we know that could restrict God in His good will towards men?
Don't worry about God ever being unjust. He cannot and will never be unjust to any being.
Islam came over 600 years after the death and resurrection of Jesus, and it is only natural for a fallen world under the control of satan to have many counterfeits to the truth of God's light. We have to decide if God really has the power or not to relate the real and full truth to us. If we think He does not have the power to preserve His truth for us through time, although it may take a little extra effort to dig it out by understanding the differences in culture, then why would we believe Him to have the power to resurrect us from the dead and give us new life??? Yes, God does have the power, and the only misunderstanding is our ignorance to His light of truth by the very nature of death we are all born with, inherited from Adam. Until we are transformed by the new spiritual birth and ask for it, we cannot understand the spiritual things of this life and remain very blind to them. His truth and light are always as near as our asking, though. All we need do is ask from a contrite heart that is willing to wait and see what God says with the greatest language there is - life. How much He says to us that we fail to listen to with life itself! We see life's stories unfold like parables of the Bible each day, but do we even pay attention to the one we live out ourselves??
Seek with all your heart and ask God for His help. Doubts and fears are always present because of our old nature to embrace the negative, expecting the bad, while faith expects the good things - that God will honor our requests as we submit ourselves to His provision and guidance. He has provided us with His Son and His Holy Spirit. The blood of the lamb washes us from all unrighteousness before God, and His Holy Spirit guides us into all truth. Ask and receive, as God is our loving Father and Creator.

Mt 7:7 ¶ "Keep on asking, and you will be given what you ask for. Keep on looking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened.

 

[Sketcher]

If any of those other religions were right, Jesus wouldn't have had to die and rise again. He just would have taught those religions, or pointed to them.

The Bible does say that Jesus preached to the "spirits in prison." What this is commonly interpreted to mean is that when He was dead, He preached to those who died before He even came to earth. Since it is commonly accepted that God exists outside of time, and the Bible says that His sacrifice was once for all - past, present, and future - it is possible that this incident took place outside of time as well. If it did, then it wouldn't be unreasonable to believe that anyone for all time, no matter where they were born, would have been included when He preached to the spirits in prison. Therefore, the Hindu who never heard of Jesus growing up may have had Jesus speak to him after death and before judgment.

However, you also need to keep in mind that humanity is not the good guy here. Humanity is evil. Humanity does not deserve Heaven. Everyone, you and me, all deserves Hell. No amount of love or compassion reverses this truth. This is why Jesus had to come and die in our place, to take the punishment that we deserve. For this to take effect, we obviously need to believe on Him. So then, God isn't some malevolent dictator in the sky damning people for jollies. No, in His compassion, He made an amnesty program. Even with its limitations, it is far more than you or I deserve. I would take it. And as C.S. Lewis said, the rational thing to do if you care about all those unbelievers on the other side of the world is to first become a Christian so you can give the message to them, and then go to them as a missionary and tell them the Good News. Your unbelief won't help them one bit.

 

[BonnieBee]

Does Christianity have any scope that other religions may be right? Does the Christian doctrine mean that all Muslims, Jews, Hindus, Buddhists, Sikhs and all the believers of other religions are going to Hell?

There will be many people who will be in heaven who will never have had a personal walk with the lord - same as those who have never even seen or heard a white person or missionary, let alone know that there is a Saviour. We will be judged on the light that we have been given, and how we have lived up to that light (ie. if you were shown the real truth, but you turned away from it as your own choice....)

For arguements sake, if you were born in a Muslim family/city/country, and you were brought up to believe that the Koran is right, in the same way we're brought up to believe that 1+1=2, and you live a moral life, what justice is there that you will be eternally damned because of the misfortune of being born in the wrong place?

If you never knew that God lived and died for you, then no, you are not judged for following your faith.

BTW, I'm not saying I know exactly how the Lord will judge us - this is up to the Lord, not any human, I am just stating what I believe (from studying the bible about it) how it will be.

Is there a possibility that all religion is ok, as long as you believe in something, or is there a set in stone right and wrong? To be honest it hurts my head just thinking about it, so any help would be amazing.

Everyone has a different oppinion about this, as there are some who don't believe in the Bible, so for me to tell them that what the bible says is right, isn't much use, as you have to believe in what you take your beliefs from.... Does that make sense?

Anyway, I hope that could make things clearer... feel free to ask more questions! Every question is worth asking

 

[Adstar]

I have many doubts about Christianity, but the one that is on my mind right now is concerning other religions.

Does Christianity have any scope that other religions may be right?

Many religions have got doctrines that are right. You can find many good teachings in nearly every religion you care to mention. But are the completely right? And do they agree with teach the entire will of God?

God has one will for humanity. Now you can have 10 different religions claiming to reveal the will of the One true God to all of humanity. Problem is if they have conflicting advice to humanity as to the will of God then that means only one can possibly have the will of God correct. You cannot have 10 or 20 or 100 faiths stating that they reveal the will of God when God has a will for humanity as a whole.

Does the Christian doctrine mean that all Muslims, Jews, Hindus, Buddhists, Sikhs and all the believers of other religions are going to Hell?

I believe that anyone who rejects Jesus as the Messiah and Redeemer will spend eternity in the Lake of Fire. As for those who never hear the Gospel i do not know what their eternal destination will be. I will leave that in the hands of God.

If so, why would the all loving, compassionate God that you believe in, condemn a person to everlasting Hell, just because they were brought up to believe that they should worship Allah, rather than God (I know that Allah means God, but you know what I mean).
For arguements sake, if you were born in a Muslim family/city/country, and you were brought up to believe that the Koran is right, in the same way we're brought up to believe that 1+1=2, and you live a moral life, what justice is there that you will be eternally damned because of the misfortune of being born in the wrong place?

It does not matter what one had been brought up to accept. There comes a time when a person might hear about the Messiah Jesus and when they do they must decide to accept Jesus or reject Jesus.

Is there a possibility that all religion is ok, as long as you believe in something, or is there a set in stone right and wrong? To be honest it hurts my head just thinking about it, so any help would be amazing.

Thanks.

I do not believe there is a possibility that all religion is ok. 90% truth and 10% lies still makes a Religion false and it falls short of the will of God. Same with 90%truth and 10% missing.


All Praise The Ancient Of Days

 

[EmbracingHim]

OK, you've probably come across this question many times before, but rather than look for the answers in the myriad threads on this forum, i'll ask it again (apologies for my laziness).

Before I ask it, I want to let you know something. A lot of the Non-Christians here seem to be determined to pick holes in your religion. I think that there is a good chance that you're right, but before I join you, I need to cover some of the holes up, so please forgive me if i come across as negative. If I was to become a Christian I know that I'd have to put my whole life into it, so I need to know that it's true. Even more so after reading the following C.S Lewis quote, "Christianity is a statement which, if false, is of no importance, and if true, of infinite importance. The one thing it cannot be is moderately important"

Anyway, I'll get to the point.

I have many doubts about Christianity, but the one that is on my mind right now is concerning other religions.

Does Christianity have any scope that other religions may be right? Does the Christian doctrine mean that all Muslims, Jews, Hindus, Buddhists, Sikhs and all the believers of other religions are going to Hell?
If so, why would the all loving, compassionate God that you believe in, condemn a person to everlasting Hell, just because they were brought up to believe that they should worship Allah, rather than God (I know that Allah means God, but you know what I mean).
For arguements sake, if you were born in a Muslim family/city/country, and you were brought up to believe that the Koran is right, in the same way we're brought up to believe that 1+1=2, and you live a moral life, what justice is there that you will be eternally damned because of the misfortune of being born in the wrong place?

Is there a possibility that all religion is ok, as long as you believe in something, or is there a set in stone right and wrong? To be honest it hurts my head just thinking about it, so any help would be amazing.

Thanks.

Cryforhelp,

Wow, such a wonderfully worded question and post. (indeed questions I've held in the past and resorted to scripture and deep prayer to have any solidified answer as well as hearing wise counsel from others).

The scriptures tell us that 'all' knees shall bow to Christ and that we must accept Christ to obtain acceptance from the Father.

Does that mean we know the eternal decision on other's souls...'NO' -- it is only Christ that has this honor and authority (our dominion stops in the flesh...with the flesh and our decisions upon this earth in the flesh. Salvation or not is a Spiritual decision to be made by our King and not by those in the flesh).

The scriptures tell us to be as wise as a serpent, but as gentle as a dove...as well as giving us the right to judge 'righteously' and in this the 'fruits' of others for our sake here on this earth. No where does scripture tell us that we have any stake or right to judge another's soul and where they will spend eternity. That's Christ's reign -- not ours.

I personally don't even guess although I've witnessed Christians doing so and a matter of fact it seems to be of common place, unfortunately. **sigh. I do however see and condemn bad fruits as the scriptures clearly tell us we have inherited that authority through Christ and His guidance in scripture to tell 'wrong from right' (going back to the garden and satan's first lie to us about 'having eyes like gods...and failing to assert into this picture our limitations in the flesh when it comes to handling the knowledge of good and evil and identifying both correctly and performing 'good' instead of destruction). (Yikes! just look at the earth's state currently...humans in truth might have eyes that are open...but they fail in everyway to discern righteousness without God's guidance).

No longer separated from God we hold advantage of knowing His love and in all things...serving this love. Imitating Christ does not mean taking on His authority to judge the eternal state of another of His creation's souls. This is His authority...the One Who laid the foundation of this earth -- not human beings.

Accepting this has set me free from the misunderstanding that I am somehow capable of reading another's heart and hidden motives. Indeed, the scriptures say we see only 'partially' today, but when the perfect returns...we shall see fully (it is then when all will be revealed...all that is dark, all that is hidden will come to the light and every knee shall bow to Christ [whether knowing previously that He is our King or not]. Christ then will judge the condition of other's hearts -- not us. (Wheww!! as I personally wouldn't be up for the task).

Believing and knowing what the Bible says is our task on this earth versus thinking we know the hearts of others and what God's plans in other's life might unfold. Can a muslim receive eternal life? Let this decision rest with our King. We know only that we must accept Christ for the Father to accept us. Has Christ in scripture shown compassion for unbelievers. Yippers...and let us all thank Him for His amazing Grace that extends our compassion as human beings.

Knowledge guides our lives and makes us healthy -- it does not save us. We are all saved by grace through Faith alone. Our 'Faith' is in the 'righteousness' of God -- not just in knowing Him as no man is righteous or sees all...no man. There is only one that is righteous. Without God's grace...not a single man would be saved or receive the eternal blessings promised in scripture. Accepting this sets us free from questioning others...and trusting in our prayers and God's Awesome Grace and Love for those we love as well.

I hope to see you posting more as I apprecriate your intelligence and questions. May the Lord reveal to you...your gifts in and through Christ and His wonderous plan for you in His life.

 

[dvd_holc]

Ok, so already my voice in the midst of many...so listen here:
Romans 2 (working off of all of the pervious bible) says that God will render onto each person who was ever made according intent of the heart which made to his deeds. Those who worked good will recieve honor, glory, peace, and ever lasting life, but to those who do not obey the truth but unrighteousness those will receive wrath, condemnation, and indigation. It is through Jesus who judges all men. Jesus is the only way of life...the life after this (for eternity) is through the final judgment of God. (Romans 1) God has made Himself known to all of creation through the creation and the behaviors of humans. Goodness and Evilness, prosperity and destitution, truth and lies, love and hatred, life and death are cleary seen. All of humanty choose does not do the intended good and also not all intend to do good. We are all become unworthy of the glory that will be revealed. However, it is God who demenstrates His love for us in that we were unworthy to merit and work for the glory, honor, peace, and everlasting life God gave it to us as a free gift so that we could reveal the glorious liberty as sons and daughters of God. But we all live in our own sins which is hell in the present. The outworking of the free gift is conformation into the likeness of Jesus Christ. Into this, God created us to be unified in Christ to bring wholelistic salvation. God takes the wild olive trees (the form of doctrine to which given to all the nations) and grabs not the complete trees but those particular branches who were searching after the meaning of life, creation, and God and engrafts them into the olive tree of Christ. Not all religions worships God, but in the middle of that God knows who wants to love others and He takes them and plants them into the family of Christ. The purpose of Christians are to grab those branches so that they are completed in Christ, conforming to the image of Jesus. The end result is the full stature of Christ; living the way we were created for, bringing harmony of exist between God and the creation, and building up and producing life. (Romans 8, 9, Eph 3-4)

 

[BigNorsk]

OK, you've probably come across this question many times before, but rather than look for the answers in the myriad threads on this forum, i'll ask it again (apologies for my laziness).

Before I ask it, I want to let you know something. A lot of the Non-Christians here seem to be determined to pick holes in your religion. I think that there is a good chance that you're right, but before I join you, I need to cover some of the holes up, so please forgive me if i come across as negative. If I was to become a Christian I know that I'd have to put my whole life into it, so I need to know that it's true. Even more so after reading the following C.S Lewis quote, "Christianity is a statement which, if false, is of no importance, and if true, of infinite importance. The one thing it cannot be is moderately important"

Anyway, I'll get to the point.

I have many doubts about Christianity, but the one that is on my mind right now is concerning other religions.

Does Christianity have any scope that other religions may be right? Does the Christian doctrine mean that all Muslims, Jews, Hindus, Buddhists, Sikhs and all the believers of other religions are going to Hell?
If so, why would the all loving, compassionate God that you believe in, condemn a person to everlasting Hell, just because they were brought up to believe that they should worship Allah, rather than God (I know that Allah means God, but you know what I mean).
For arguements sake, if you were born in a Muslim family/city/country, and you were brought up to believe that the Koran is right, in the same way we're brought up to believe that 1+1=2, and you live a moral life, what justice is there that you will be eternally damned because of the misfortune of being born in the wrong place?

Is there a possibility that all religion is ok, as long as you believe in something, or is there a set in stone right and wrong? To be honest it hurts my head just thinking about it, so any help would be amazing.

Thanks.

Well to understand this you need to know a few things. First, that man can and does see the law and responds to it even if he doesn't have the scriptures, that would be what we would call general revelation. The basic problem with that is that the law convicts us of our sinfulness and causes us to be sorry, but the law cannot save us. People end up working to try and be good enough or do enough to be saved but the basic problem is that you can never undo what has been done. Everyone falls short and only perfection can be in the presence of God.

Now God loves us so much, he figured out a way to save us. He died for us and takes the punishment on himself that whomsover believes this will be saved. We aren't saved by being perfect, we are saved because God is perfect and he took the penalty of our imperfecton for us.

Thing is, he doesn't force us. It wouldn't glorify God to force us like robots to believe. I don't understand it all, God didn't tell us everything, but he made it so everyone, and that means everyone can be saved through faith.

The thing is, general revelation does not reveal the saving gospel. That is done through scripture. So you can sit on some mountain forever and you aren't going to get saving faith, you have to hear it and not reject it.

Other religions are systems of laws, works if you will, trying to work their way to salvation. Judaism isn't if understood properly, but that isn't too common. The gospel is in not just the new testament, but the old as well. So snce Jews do have the gospel, just not as completely revealed, it would be possible for them to have saving faith.

Other religions that do not have scripture, have only law to go on, law doesn't save it condemns, so there is no basis to think one can be good enough to be saved in other religions. Only God is good enough on his own.

Even Christians are not saved because they are sin free or good enough, they are saved totally because of the work of Jesus. We are united with him and his perfection is what we will be judged by when we stand in front of our maker.

The original question tries to make everything a moral system and think that if one is good enough they should be saved, but that is works based salvation and is contrary to God's revelation through scripture.

Oh, and your parents figure in it in that it is of course helpful if you hear the gospel in order to be saved. People don't necessarily believe something because their parents believe it. If that was the case, your questions are moot, you just need to turn to your parents and ask them what they believe. It is true that not everyone gets an equal exposure to the gospel. However, I believe you actually would be hard pressed to find very many people who have never heard the gospel at all. They might not remember it, they might not have recognized it, but to some degree, people hear it. How many people would actually have not a clue whom Jesus Christ is? And I don't mean as far as believing but never ever heard. Note that we are coming into Christmas, and throughout the world, people are involved some way, manufacturing, transport etc. And while an awful lot are focused on it as a time of sales. Somewhere in all that, there is the story of what Christmas is really about. Many will reject the truth of it, but they do hear it.

Hope that helps.
Marv

 

[rocklife]

Jesus is the only sacrifice for sins to our Creator, a Holy God.

my overview of Islam, they have no assurance of forgiveness of sins and no promise of eternal life. Jesus offers both. Islam says maybe we don't know.

buddhism is more about philosophy of life to have peaceful life, and they have some of Jesus' teachings mixed in. a lot of other religions are not powerful to deal with our sin nature, they also worship creations, not the Creator. Jesus gives us power over sin with Holy Spirit if we ask and seek righteousness.

Jesus will also clean a guilt-ridden conscience with assurance. His death and resurrection are wonderful hope, death is not the end if you seek life and being in right relationship with our Creator. Islam also says Jesus is prophet, we should know Jesus much more than the world bothers. they talk but don't look much. The New Testament is good place to start

 

[rocklife]

and my own personal testimony, I looked into many other places before giving Jesus my whole life. Buddhism and Islam and new age and even demons, did nothing good for me. Drugs, doctors, those didn't help me either. Prayer and Jesus changed my life. I was so full of hate and anger and just wanted to die, I hated life so much. God changed that when I really wanted a change and answers to why bother, what is purpose. Jesus changed me. I looked at Islam and buddha and etc. they didn't help. I was open to anything, but I wanted Goodness, love, truth, the right way. Prayers and diligence and my conscience lead me to Jesus. My parents would not be so upset if I were to reject christianity, my mother and her relatives think most christians are no good anyway (but they respect me and I hope I am being a good influence now), they let us have our own choice about that, I'm almost 30, they don't mind what I do so much.

 

[calidog]

your questions have always made for interesting conversation and I hope others (myself included) will try to show you what the bible says about those issues.
First off, christianity is based on the fact that Christ was born 2000 years ago, that He is the only Son of the only God, that He suffered and died a cruel death in our place, and that He was raised to life after the third day (and is alive today), and that He is coming back again in the flesh to set up His kingdom on earth with those who believe on Him.
Only He (Christ) can give us saving faith.

Jesus said:

Joh 14:21 He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.

 

[cryforhelp]

thanks everyone. some really great answers, but I'm still confused.it just doesn't seem fair to me. the lake of fire seems a harsh punishment for leading a peaceful life, believing in your convictions, following the teachings of a religion that gives good moral guidelines, but choosing the wrong one.
And i still can't get over the fact that geography has something to do with it. I'm currently seeking, and because of my social background/location Christianity seemed the best place to start. But if i was to be living in a different part of the world or came from a different background, i may well have been drawn elsewhere.
In fact it goes off topic from this thread slightly but in many respects, Hell seems like a punishment that doesn't fit the crime. But although it goes of topic, i suppose that is the whole point of my original post.
Can i love a God that punishes a Buddhist who has led a moral, peaceful life, yet rewards a Christian that has led a very sinful life, yet repented?
I want to but don't feel i can yet.

 

[calidog]

Can you love a holy God Who sent His Son to pay for your sins, that you may live with Him forever?

 

[cryforhelp]

Can you love a holy God Who sent His Son to pay for your sins, that you may live with Him forever?

to be honest, not yet. because I don't really know what a Holy God is, and I don't know how i would feel about living with him knowing that there were so many innocent (in my eyes) people in eternal misery.
but i'm trying

 

[rocklife]

The New Testament and Jesus has many warnings against pretenders, including those who pretend to be christians (called hypocrits). He knows if their hearts are right or not. Many unfortunately seem to substitute church attendance for really knowing Him, Bible has harder teachings than just going to church.

The punishment for sin is death. Not billions of years of torture. God is not sadistic.

I recommend reading all the bible and especially New Testament prayerfully for yourself.

also, here, click on Watch or Listen under "Cities of Ash" http://www.amazingfacts.org/items/storacle_lessons.asp you can watch or listen to a more thorough bible study of hell fire. Many unfortunately do not seem to understand the punishment and hell. Sin brings death. It is sad some churches preach about burning and torture for billions of years too. That is making a loving God into a sadistic torturer. He is not that way. God bless

 

[calidog]

to be honest, not yet. because I don't really know what a Holy God is, and I don't know how i would feel about living with him knowing that there were so many innocent (in my eyes) people in eternal misery.
but i'm trying

Good for you, you're definately on the right track. God reveals Himself in the bible and we learn the He is holy (apart from all other things) and that we cannot save ourselves, and that He has provided a way for us to come back to Him.

 

[Adstar]

to be honest, not yet. because I don't really know what a Holy God is, and I don't know how i would feel about living with him knowing that there were so many innocent (in my eyes) people in eternal misery.
but i'm trying

No one beyond the age of innocence is innocent. All people sin no matter how many good things they do. So there will be no innocent people in the lake of fire. Only those who have rejected the salvation on offer through the Messiah Jesus.

All Praise The Ancient Of Days

 

[BigNorsk]

thanks everyone. some really great answers, but I'm still confused.it just doesn't seem fair to me. the lake of fire seems a harsh punishment for leading a peaceful life, believing in your convictions, following the teachings of a religion that gives good moral guidelines, but choosing the wrong one.
And i still can't get over the fact that geography has something to do with it. I'm currently seeking, and because of my social background/location Christianity seemed the best place to start. But if i was to be living in a different part of the world or came from a different background, i may well have been drawn elsewhere.
In fact it goes off topic from this thread slightly but in many respects, Hell seems like a punishment that doesn't fit the crime. But although it goes of topic, i suppose that is the whole point of my original post.
Can i love a God that punishes a Buddhist who has led a moral, peaceful life, yet rewards a Christian that has led a very sinful life, yet repented?
I want to but don't feel i can yet.

You know we can argue all day long, but it is absolutely impossible to completely prove the bible. The center of it all is Jesus. Either Jesus is God and man and pretty much eveything we say is true. Or he is a most evil man and his death was too good for him. Do not fall into the trap of thinking Jesus was a good man and nothing more. That is not a possibility. Good men do not claim to be God. It is difficult, impossible really to understand. I would just encourage you to read a bit, maybe starting with the gospel of John. As you read ask, was Jesus God or was he evil?

Right now, you are worrying about what is just using your standard. Would I say it was just for God to die for sinners? Doesn't seem right to me. I wouldn't even think of asking such a thing. Yet he loved me and you so much that that is exactly what he did. And he wants no one to perish. So I guess in a way God agrees with you, he doesn't want you to spend eternity in the lake of fire either. He's done everything to prevent that. And he put you where you certainly get to hear the gospel. So it won't be his choice, he would have the choice be life. I would like that too.

God Bless,
Marv

 

[metherion]

The answer you get here will depend on who you ask.
I believe that not everyone who is not Christian will automatically go to Hell. I believe that if someone who does not know the alternatives to their own religion, or has Christianity misreperesented to them and therefore does not follow it will be judged by their actions. If they are good people, they will follow the Laws of God we believe God has inscribed on every human heart. Thus they would be baptized by unknowing intent or whatever the technical term is. If I remember correctly, what I have stated up to here is offical Roman Catholic doctrine. If they are wicked, I think that they will be given the chance to repent right after death tht they never had in life. I don't know if that is standard RCC doctrine, but I think it anyways.

Hope that helps!

Metherion