It is stated often that there is no accountability in the atheistic worldview. You live your life, and regardless of whatever kind of person you were, the finality of death means that it doesn't really matter if you were a good person or not. It is often implied, or stated outright, that, by contrast, there is accountability in the Christian worldview.
What is that accountability?
Jeffrey Dahmer raped, murdered, and ate people. Secular society held him responsible for that. He was sentenced to several hundreds of years in prison. He would only serve a couple of them, as, after converting to Christianity, he was rape-murdered in prison. According to Christianity, he's going to heaven. Where, under Christianity, was he held responsible for his actions?
Conversely, there's Jonas Salk. A person you probably never heard of. I certainly hadn't. But he saved billions of lives by discovering the cure for polio, testing it on himself and his own family, and then giving it away for free. However, since he was raised in a Jewish home, he presumably rejected the gospel and therefore is going to hell. This is also not how accountability works.
These two real-life examples show that, beyond what occurs in our mortal lives, there is absolutely no personal accountability in Christianity. Is there something that Christianity has, which atheism lacks, that bestows personal accountability upon us?
I hope we can agree that Jeffrey Dahmer was not a better person than Jonas Salk. I hope we can agree that Dahmer did not become a better person simply by giving himself to Christ while incarcerated. Yet, we can also agree that, supposing Christianity is true, Dahmer is most likely in heaven and Salk is most likely in hell.
Looking at Christian doctrine, we see a list of things we ought to do and ought not do. Is that Christian accountability? Obviously not, because you could just completely ignore morality and then have a deathbed conversion.
Oh, but those who bear fruit their whole lives will have more treasures in heaven than one who just converts right at the end. Instead of punishment to drive accountability, there's reward. Except this line of thinking is directly contradicted by Christ's teachings. Allow me to quote Matthew 20:
1 For the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is an householder, which went out early in the morning to hire labourers into his vineyard.
2 And when he had agreed with the labourers for a penny a day, he sent them into his vineyard.
3 And he went out about the third hour, and saw others standing idle in the marketplace,
4 And said unto them; Go ye also into the vineyard, and whatsoever is right I will give you. And they went their way.
5 Again he went out about the sixth and ninth hour, and did likewise.
6 And about the eleventh hour he went out, and found others standing idle, and saith unto them, Why stand ye here all the day idle?
7 They say unto him, Because no man hath hired us. He saith unto them, Go ye also into the vineyard; and whatsoever is right, that shall ye receive.
8 So when even was come, the lord of the vineyard saith unto his steward, Call the labourers, and give them their hire, beginning from the last unto the first.
9 And when they came that were hired about the eleventh hour, they received every man a penny.
10 But when the first came, they supposed that they should have received more; and they likewise received every man a penny.
11 And when they had received it, they murmured against the goodman of the house,
12 Saying, These last have wrought but one hour, and thou hast made them equal unto us, which have borne the burden and heat of the day.
13 But he answered one of them, and said, Friend, I do thee no wrong: didst not thou agree with me for a penny?
14 Take that thine is, and go thy way: I will give unto this last, even as unto thee.
15 Is it not lawful for me to do what I will with mine own? Is thine eye evil, because I am good?
16 So the last shall be first, and the first last: for many be called, but few chosen.
Christ talked in riddles often, but this is as clear as it gets: those who bear fruit their whole lives will get the same reward as those who convert at the very end.
So there is no accountability in Christianity with regards to punishment or reward. There is, in fact, absolutely no accountability whatsoever.
What is that accountability?
Jeffrey Dahmer raped, murdered, and ate people. Secular society held him responsible for that. He was sentenced to several hundreds of years in prison. He would only serve a couple of them, as, after converting to Christianity, he was rape-murdered in prison. According to Christianity, he's going to heaven. Where, under Christianity, was he held responsible for his actions?
Conversely, there's Jonas Salk. A person you probably never heard of. I certainly hadn't. But he saved billions of lives by discovering the cure for polio, testing it on himself and his own family, and then giving it away for free. However, since he was raised in a Jewish home, he presumably rejected the gospel and therefore is going to hell. This is also not how accountability works.
These two real-life examples show that, beyond what occurs in our mortal lives, there is absolutely no personal accountability in Christianity. Is there something that Christianity has, which atheism lacks, that bestows personal accountability upon us?
I hope we can agree that Jeffrey Dahmer was not a better person than Jonas Salk. I hope we can agree that Dahmer did not become a better person simply by giving himself to Christ while incarcerated. Yet, we can also agree that, supposing Christianity is true, Dahmer is most likely in heaven and Salk is most likely in hell.
Looking at Christian doctrine, we see a list of things we ought to do and ought not do. Is that Christian accountability? Obviously not, because you could just completely ignore morality and then have a deathbed conversion.
Oh, but those who bear fruit their whole lives will have more treasures in heaven than one who just converts right at the end. Instead of punishment to drive accountability, there's reward. Except this line of thinking is directly contradicted by Christ's teachings. Allow me to quote Matthew 20:
1 For the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is an householder, which went out early in the morning to hire labourers into his vineyard.
2 And when he had agreed with the labourers for a penny a day, he sent them into his vineyard.
3 And he went out about the third hour, and saw others standing idle in the marketplace,
4 And said unto them; Go ye also into the vineyard, and whatsoever is right I will give you. And they went their way.
5 Again he went out about the sixth and ninth hour, and did likewise.
6 And about the eleventh hour he went out, and found others standing idle, and saith unto them, Why stand ye here all the day idle?
7 They say unto him, Because no man hath hired us. He saith unto them, Go ye also into the vineyard; and whatsoever is right, that shall ye receive.
8 So when even was come, the lord of the vineyard saith unto his steward, Call the labourers, and give them their hire, beginning from the last unto the first.
9 And when they came that were hired about the eleventh hour, they received every man a penny.
10 But when the first came, they supposed that they should have received more; and they likewise received every man a penny.
11 And when they had received it, they murmured against the goodman of the house,
12 Saying, These last have wrought but one hour, and thou hast made them equal unto us, which have borne the burden and heat of the day.
13 But he answered one of them, and said, Friend, I do thee no wrong: didst not thou agree with me for a penny?
14 Take that thine is, and go thy way: I will give unto this last, even as unto thee.
15 Is it not lawful for me to do what I will with mine own? Is thine eye evil, because I am good?
16 So the last shall be first, and the first last: for many be called, but few chosen.
Christ talked in riddles often, but this is as clear as it gets: those who bear fruit their whole lives will get the same reward as those who convert at the very end.
So there is no accountability in Christianity with regards to punishment or reward. There is, in fact, absolutely no accountability whatsoever.
