Could an atheist go to heaven?

[Wolfe]

The pope seems to think so
http://www.oregonlive.com/today/index.ssf/2015/12/pope_francis_offers_hope_to_fa.html

I'm no expert interpreter of the Bible, or a novice at that lol.
But it seems the bible also eludes to it.
Matthew 25:31-46 the sheep and the goats
But we get verses like
John 3:18
Psalm 14 A fool says in his heart there is no God
Then again we get
Matthew 7:21
But also verses like
John 14:6

People would argue that to believe in Jesus is to do the will of the Father, not exactly to acknowledge him with our minds.
A fool says in his heart that there is no God.
John 3:19–20.
That's the gist of it, this site explains it better.
https://leewoof.org/2015/02/02/do-atheists-go-to-heaven/

I think it'd be best for me to leave personal beliefs on the subject out of it, as to remain unbiased.
But I would like to know what everyone else thinks, please, reply with your thoughts.

 

[VanillaSunflowers]

To answer your question, God says no.

 

[LionL]

To answer your question, God says Yes.

 

[VanillaSunflowers]

To answer your question, God says Yes.

In what book, chapter, and verse?

 

[Tull]

This ought to be good

 

[LionL]

Romans 2:12-16 implies that conscience, rather than religious belief, is enough to save someone (though you may interpret it as only applying to those who follow Christ who are not Jews).
Romans 9:15-18 also shows, to me at least, that God will have mercy on who ever He wishes - atheists included.
The God I follow is merciful and loving and would not condemn good people.

 

[dude99]

Those that do not receive Jesus as their personal saviour will not go to heaven.

 

[Wolfe]

The God I follow is merciful and loving and would not condemn good people.

Well as it says in the bible, God doesn't condemn, people condemn themselves by the way they live their life.
God is a judge, would only make sense that he judges as a judge would judge.

Also I like your tagline LionL, Believer of God, doubter of religion. Rings true nowadays, doing more harm than good most of it.

 

[Wolfe]

Those that do not receive Jesus as their personal saviour will not go to heaven.

I don't know if they would go to heaven, I'm not the decider, God is the only one with the power to save.
But it just doesn't sound right for saint-like people who don't believe to go to hell.

My way of thinking is.
Before the time of Christ, and the gospels. Before the Bible, and before anyone could really hear of God (Some tribes today havn't heard of God). How would those people be judged? Most people like the think everyone in the old times were savages, eating peoples hearts and killing without sense. But I believe they were much like us, they had their depraved, evil people, as we have ours.
But they also had their great loving people, who would help someone in need. We wouldn't have grown as a species if this wasn't true.

My point being, how would the good people back then before the word of God. Who truly and honestly did good things, and hated to do bad things. How would they be judged?

 

[Armoured]

To answer your question, God says no.

How do you know what God says about it?

 

[Hieronymus]

Who denies God makes a choice, and it's not Heaven.
But who knows what may happen during the terminal breath?

 

[dysert]

Not only would an atheist not go to heaven (assuming there was no deathbed repentance), but I doubt that they'd want to go there. Can you imagine an atheist having to put up with God and the billions of people who worship Him? Seems to me that an atheist chooses to remain distant from God, and that's the judgment God bestows on him/her.

 

[Wolfe]

Not only would an atheist not go to heaven (assuming there was no deathbed repentance), but I doubt that they'd want to go there. Can you imagine an atheist having to put up with God and the billions of people who worship Him? Seems to me that an atheist chooses to remain distant from God, and that's the judgment God bestows on him/her.

Pretty sure if he got into heaven, he wouldn't be distancing himself from God.
The reason they do it here on earth is because there is no evidence, which is a faulty argument, because there is evidence of God.
Just look around, it's everywhere.

 

[dysert]

The reason they do it here on earth is because there is no evidence, which is a faulty argument

Well, that's up for debate (why they do it), but unfortunately, I have to go to work now...

 

[Wolfe]

Well, that's up for debate (why they do it), but unfortunately, I have to go to work now...

well I mean there is more to it than that, some people believe God betrayed them, or lied to them.
But ultimately most atheist, atleast from what I've seen and the ones I've met. They always seem to think that you have to be stupid, or impressionable to be a religious person(dr william lane craig is the best example of their ignorance). Because they see no evidence, or no reason for a God.
Very quickly, I'll give an example of proof.
In science, everything has to have a cause. In the big bang theory, explosion that created the universe, has no cause. Nothing caused it, nothing + nothing will always = nothing. The argument of "who created God" is not fair to say, because God being an infinite being, with infinite knowledge and wisdom, is not something we can understand completely.
It's like "who created the wheel", no one can ever know for sure. We can say when it was invented, but the creator will forever be unknown, but we know someone had to have created it, because it exist.
The wheel of course being the universe, and the creator being God.

 

[Dave-W]

Pretty sure if he got into heaven, he wouldn't be distancing himself from God.

Or continue to be an atheist.

 

[VanillaSunflowers]

How do you know what God says about it?

How would the church be surprised God's words are made known to us.

 

[VanillaSunflowers]

Or continue to be an atheist.

Hey, I say go for it. If unbelievers like to live dangerously power to them. Optimists! Every single one. Who are we to deprive them? If they're wrong they'll be surprised. If we're wrong we're surprised. It is what unites inside your heart that tells you the road you need to go down.

Rough and bumpy and frought with peril and joy. Or rough and bumpy, frought with peril and joy. And assurance in a unity with the maker of all of it. Now and there after.
If that's a delusion on the latter part, hallelujah. Because if this fleshly life is all about feel good, I'm in a world of paradise. I need a little dancing person to put here to really invite others of the church to join in the God given Christ blessed dance of life.

And those on the other side of the room are free to join in too. There can never be too many.

I'll come back when I find that dancy pic and edit. Or, this commentary happily accepts joyous grace inspired dancing animated little pics . That way one by one we can come into this thread and dance the joy of the message.^There she is. First image Google found me.

Join the dance Saints of God. And all others full of joy are welcome.

 

[VanillaSunflowers]

How do you know what God says about it?

Annnnd, the other reply would potentially be if one were of a mind, one could ask the same thing to Frank.
But that would probably never happen.

 

[Basil the Great]

The real answer is.... only God knows. My personal belief is "yes", if someone truly lives a life of love and service to their fellow man, especially the less fortunate.