A Story of Suffering (I need your input)

[ShadesOfGrey]

Okay, I think I need to put a disclaimer on this, because I know it is a bit blasphemous and probably offensive to some. Now before you read this, keep in mind that I am a Christian (have been for nearly 11 years), but am just struggling with a few things in the word of God. That is where this "story" comes from.

I thought about the idea for this some time ago... While reflecting about how in Christianity, my religion, if someone doesn't accept Jesus as their savior, they get damned to Hell for all eternity. No matter how good that person was, or how many lives he/she had made better.

And so I thought, what if someone who was never even given the opportunity to know God died? Someone who was a victim from birth to afterlife. This is that story:

Jesus loves the little children. All the children of the world. Red and yellow black and white, they are precious in his sight. Jesus loves the little children of the world...

It was another gloomy day outside the scrap hovel, but even the sunnier days were never happy. In this place, this horrid street where the abandoned children of the city lived in their own filth and excrement. Forever forsaken by their parents, forever forsaken by the world. Forced to beg for money, for food. Not even hoping they will get anything, the children all gave up hope long long ago. Even the newly abandoned children give that up fast. When children are forced to do unspeakable acts to survive, how can such emotions as hope and love exist? No, they don’t even love each other, their fellow victims of a cruel world. They continuously fight and squabble over food and shelter.

It is in this nightmare that “Kate” lived for as long as she cared to remember. Fate had been especially cruel to Kate. She was smaller and weaker than the other children, and so was a target for the other children’s animosity. They took what little food she could acquire, hit her when they were especially angry with life, Kate had no one to look to for help.

Her tiny and fragile body was prone to illness, and with a weak immune system, every little cold she caught endangered her very life. She was alone when she lived, and alone when she caught the brutal disease that ended her short and agonizingly painful life. She glared at the foreboding clouds as her last breath left her. She was now only food for the birds, food for the rats.

And amazingly enough to her, this was not the end. What she hadn’t thought to have a name for, her spirit, was rapidly ascending towards the bright consuming light that greets all of the dead. She became completely enveloped in the light, and noticed a figure sitting on a throne of gold.

A figure with eyes of fire and hair of snow. Clothed in a beautiful cloak of white and gold. His stare pierced through her, seeing all of her life and everything she had ever done. Kate was paralyzed by his gaze, and then the robed entity spoke:

“Depart from me child, for I never knew ye.”

A large hole was rent in the light behind Kate, out of which flames and smoke leapt. She could feel herself being pulled towards the hole slowly, feeling the heat of the flames grow stronger and stronger.

In her pain she screamed out at the robed figure, “Please... Save me, help me!”

To which He replied, “In you life, you never accepted me as your savior, depart from me.”

“But no one ever even told me about you, I never knew of such a being! I only knew pain, suffering, hunger... save me...”

The entity turned his back on Kate as she fell into the flames, the flames that burnt and tortured her for all of eternity. A pain not even her agonizing life could prepare her for... Forsaken by her parents, by the world, and by God.

Jesus loves the little children. All the children of the world. Red and yellow black and white, they are precious in his sight. Jesus loves the little children of the world...

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PS: I basically would like to here some of your opinions on this subject, do you all believe someone who has never even heard of Jesus should have to burn in Hell?

 

[ShadesOfGrey]

Here is a response I recieved from a friend on his forum, and my response to it. I think it helps flesh out my thoughts on this issue, so I will post it.

"I really liked that. Honestly, I don't believe that is true in the Bible, but it's not something you wanna tell people. I think it was Paul's invention, not Jesus's. I've made a few people mad when saying this(even your sister was a little agitated, but I don't blame her or anything), but I think that God knows the intent of everyone, and that he would have mercy if they are trying to worship their creator and live as He wants them to live. If God were truly loving, how could he conduct himself any other way? I'm not saying you have to believe that of course, just my thoughts. I really did enjoy this- really makes you wonder. " Nick

Me:

"I think it was Paul's invention, not Jesus's"

Well, in John 14:6, Jesus actually says, "Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me."

So it was definitely Jesus's words.

The "depart" line was also from Jesus's own words, "But he shall say, I tell you, I know you not whence ye are; depart from me, all ye workers of iniquity." (Luke 13:27).

Neither book was written by Paul, but I do agree with what you're saying. That God would know the intent of everyone, and really should let people into heaven who live good lives. But unfortunately, Jesus saw things differently. It's things like these that have turned me far from the path of the "Christian Zealot." I path I think my sister is closer to taking (though she really isn't a fanatic or fundamentalist or anything, thankfully).

In this writing I tried to convey how unfair it was to damn someone to Hell who never even had the opportunity to learn about Jesus and his teachings. The same concept could be applied to some primative and isolated tribe in the Amazon, whose members can't possibly have ever heard of the name Jesus, let alone that he is their savior...

Interesting things to think about anyway, and I think I may try and get some Christian minister who is well taught in theology to help me find a feasible answer to all of this.

I'm glad you enjoyed the story though, it had been in my mind for quite some time, but I honestly feared "devine punishment" if I wrote the thing up. But no... It seems God doesn't punish any "wrongdoers" here on Earth (quite a contrast to his Old Testament days eh?), but I guess I'll have to answer in the afterlife (perhaps).

 

[Zugdor]

Interesting thoughts. But if someone hasn't even had the oportunity to hear the word of God, is it fair for Him to damn them?

Hmmmmm......Interesting.

I was covering this conversation awhile back with some christian friends of mine. We didn't start knife fighting (my friends mum would have hit the roof if we'd left blood stains on her carpet) but we did have some very good arguements about it. What we all finally decided to agree on was that in a csae like this you need to apply the second clause of the most important law that God gave us. Which is to love Him with all our mind.

In this story you have written “In you life, you never accepted me as your savior, depart from me.” One can only accept something if it is offered directly to him. If it has never been offered, it cannot be accepted or rejected. A loophole perhaps, but perhaps not. It is perhaps a mark of the character of God.

Let us consider that.

God is Righteouss (and I really need a dictionary) and Just. He is without error with His judgements. I know that the Bible says many things, and they all must be placed in context with another. I also know it says that "Their concience shall bear witness". If a man or people have never had the chance to hear about Him, I don't think that God would damn them if they had indeed followed the urgings of His law within them.

I'm not a pastor, priest or theologian so I'd recommend your talking to one of them still. Hopefully this helps though.

 

[thenewageriseth]

PS: I basically would like to here some of your opinions on this subject, do you all believe someone who has never even heard of Jesus should have to burn in Hell?

I believe that person who has never heard of God or Jesus, shouldn't burn in Hell, because it would not be fair to that person! That person should be spared. That story was so sad.

 

[Jenafer]

Hello, the writing needs a very light edit, but you can really write. Yes, your words have a certain 'emotion' that holds a reader's attention. However, let's talk about plotting a little.

I would like you to write a modern short story about a steet kid perhaps, who has a miserable life, then comes to a sad end from the hands of bad adult. The street kid has a kind heart, even though forced into an awful existence. You could end the story with a pauper's grave scene and a few friends of the street kid present.

The friends of the street kid puzzle over the fact that he/she had a kind heart, but was not a religious person.. would the street kid get into heaven? I would leave the debate open-ended and finish the story with a questioning sentence. My further advice to you, study writing and plotting as much as possible, and don't be put off by *****iness in some writer's groups. Well Done..

 

[Latterain]

I find that alot of scripture can be interpreted in ways that can help or hurt someone. I for one believe as a former person wrote that you cannot reject what hasnt been offered. Also, when Jesus said that in your quote, did He mean come to God after the person died or before. Hmm, makes you think. I believe God is Just and can be none other than Just. But Fair in our eyes? Remeber that He sees more than you could ever see in that story. That story is often used by those who want to discredit God because they are so afraid to believe in Him. Makes me wonder.
Hmmmm.... just wonder.

 

[Kaylee4Christ]

I thought children were innocent in God's eyes...

And Kate never even had the chance to hear about God?

Good descriptions though