Could an atheist go to heaven?

[Uber Genius]

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.

The scriptures are pretty consistent on the matter that unless someone confesses Jesus as Lord they will not be forced to go to heaven.

Many atheist proudly respond to credible evidence in debates with their theist counterparts, that, "Even if God came to me an proved he existed, I would never bow the knee to him."

Jesus time and time again pleads for people to not go to hell.

The message of the apostles is to repent and trust God, to accept Christ's atoning work on the cross as payment for one's sins.

The author of Hebrews states, "it is accorded to a man to die once, then comes judgement." (Heb 9:27) that doesn't sound promising.

Paul says that even nature cries out as a witness of God's existence "So that all men are without excuse!" (Rom. 1:20)

God is patient not wanting any to perish according to 2 Peter 3:9,10, "
The Lord is not slow to fulfill Hispromise as some understand slowness, but is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish,but everyone to come to repentance. 10But the day of the Lord will come like a thief."

We have no reason to believe God will force people who have refused all attempts at a relationship to live for ever with a God they hate.

God doesn't get what he wants once he creates free agents! They can freely reject him!

 

[BukiRob]

The scriptures are pretty consistent on the matter that unless someone confesses Jesus as Lord they will not be forced to go to heaven.

Many atheist proudly respond to credible evidence in debates with their theist counterparts, that, "Even if God came to me an proved he existed, I would never bow the knee to him."

Here as in Revelations 12 we see mans rebellious nature in action just as it was in Heaven when we warred against Michael and his Angels. As you may know, the Jewish language, Greek, and Roman languages all are languages that have numeric values assigned to each letter. When you study the Hebrew and the greek and look at the numeric values of the fallen angles and man numeric value in the garden..... THEY ARE THE SAME NUMERIC VALUE.

Jesus time and time again pleads for people to not go to hell.

The message of the apostles is to repent and trust God, to accept Christ's atoning work on the cross as payment for one's sins.

The author of Hebrews states, "it is accorded to a man to die once, then comes judgement." (Heb 9:27) that doesn't sound promising.

Paul says that even nature cries out as a witness of God's existence "So that all men are without excuse!" (Rom. 1:20)

God is patient not wanting any to perish according to 2 Peter 3:9,10, "
The Lord is not slow to fulfill His promise as some understand slowness, but is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish,but everyone to come to repentance. 10But the day of the Lord will come like a thief."

We have no reason to believe God will force people who have refused all attempts at a relationship to live for ever with a God they hate.

God doesn't get what he wants once he creates free agents! They can freely reject him!

And many, many, many do... they reject G-d's plan for restoration.

 

[CGL1023]

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.

It is going to depend whether

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.

It will depend on the person's name being written in the book of life or not.

Luke 10:20 - Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven.
John 14:6 - Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
Revelation 3:5 - He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels.

 

[CrystalDragon]

The scriptures are pretty consistent on the matter that unless someone confesses Jesus as Lord they will not be forced to go to heaven.

Many atheist proudly respond to credible evidence in debates with their theist counterparts, that, "Even if God came to me an proved he existed, I would never bow the knee to him."

Jesus time and time again pleads for people to not go to hell.

The message of the apostles is to repent and trust God, to accept Christ's atoning work on the cross as payment for one's sins.

The author of Hebrews states, "it is accorded to a man to die once, then comes judgement." (Heb 9:27) that doesn't sound promising.

Paul says that even nature cries out as a witness of God's existence "So that all men are without excuse!" (Rom. 1:20)

God is patient not wanting any to perish according to 2 Peter 3:9,10, "
The Lord is not slow to fulfill Hispromise as some understand slowness, but is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish,but everyone to come to repentance. 10But the day of the Lord will come like a thief."

We have no reason to believe God will force people who have refused all attempts at a relationship to live for ever with a God they hate.

God doesn't get what he wants once he creates free agents! They can freely reject him!

IMO, it's one thing to create people who freely reject you and not let them into the best place for believers. It's another thing to throw them in an endless torture situation imply for not believing when they may have been raised in an environment where they didn't grow up with it, believed another religion was right, etc. That's why the more I learn, and the more I interact with good people who are not necessarily Cheistians (heck I even have a friend who's an atheist, and I also found out Gene Wilder was an atheist) I find it harder to believe that anyone who's truly supposed to be loving would torture someone forever.

 

[tatteredsoul]

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.

God is a gentleman. He will not force an atheist to be with Him in heaven. Hell is simply the consequence of not being with God. Some people just don't want to be with Him, and would rather be in hell. I have heard people say this first hand.

So, let the chips fall wherever...

I leave it at that for now...

 

[CrystalDragon]

God is a gentleman. He will not force an atheist to be with Him in heaven. Hell is simply the consequence of not being with God. Some people just don't want to be with Him, and would rather be in hell. I have heard people say this first hand.

So, let the chips fall wherever...

I leave it at that for now...

What about Purgatory? If everyone who is not yet fit for Heaven goes to a Purgatory, then eventually everyone (who isn't eternally stubborn in their ways that is) will come to repent of their sins, feel sorry, and want to be with God in Heaven. No eternal torture and a perfectly merciful and loving option.

 

[jeager016]

If someone blatantly rejects God I don't see how this person can enter the Kingdom by flesh alone. For it says flesh and blood can not enter the kingdom of God and an atheist is nothing more than that.

Yeah, o.k. Everyone has an opinion and entitled to it.
I really don't know.
Perhaps one day we all will.

 

[tatteredsoul]

What about Purgatory? If everyone who is not yet fit for Heaven goes to a Purgatory, then eventually everyone (who isn't eternally stubborn in their ways that is) will come to repent of their sins, feel sorry, and want to be with God in Heaven. No eternal torture and a perfectly merciful and loving option.

Maybe.

Maybe entities will like it better than live with God. Who knows? God, of course - which is paradoxically why He has His own, and won't force anyone to Him.

 

[Wolfe]

A big theory I keep hearing a lot nowadays, is that hell isn't exactly fire and brimstone like you may think.
But the separation from God, that is the torture.
Another one, is that hell is complete annihilation, rather than unending torment.
Some people believe you have a chance to repent during the rapture.
The last one that I know about, says, that hell is not forever, and that its eternal in quality, not duration.

Not saying I believe either of these, but it's something to think about.

I guess it's useless to debate it. We can try to rationalize, decipher, and interpret what the bible says. Some people say that, some people say this.
But in the end Gods the only one who knows right?

 

[tatteredsoul]

A big theory I keep hearing a lot nowadays, is that hell isn't exactly fire and brimstone like you may think.
But the separation from God, that is the torture.
Another one, is that hell is complete annihilation, rather than unending torment.
Some people believe you have a chance to repent during the rapture.
The last one that I know about, says, that hell is not forever, and that its eternal in quality, not duration.

Not saying I believe either of these, but it's something to think about.

I guess it's useless to debate it. We can try to rationalize, decipher, and interpret what the bible says. Some people say that, some people say this.
But in the end Gods the only one who knows right?

It is useless in practice more than it is useful, but a fun thought experiment. Anyone can be changed even in a twinkling of an eye. Today''s atheist may be tomorrow warrior saint for God.

I used to be agnostic; religion was never forced on me. I was also a man of science first. Then I had an epiphany.

Some people come from being pastors of respected churches to ex-christians.

Some people stay consistently God-fearing, or God-ignorant.


I have heard the different theories on hell. In reality, we have been looking through the looking Glass into hell since Adam sinned.

Painful, killing childbirth. Angels and their offspring raping women, killing men and drinking the blood of men. People sacrificing their babies to entities they deem gods. Worship of DEAD idols. Injustice. Death. Confusion. Torture. Ignorance... the list goes on, and gets worse. Interestingly, thsee things are the Hebrew "choshek," or "darkness" that was separated from "or[e]," or "light" in the first day of creation. We have of this darkness, and God still has leashes on the Big Nasties.

Hell is coming; part of this entire experience is dealing with an entity that wants to make the physical world a reflection of his own - which is hell. When God's angels start blowing the trumpets and opening the vials, we will see hell.

This is why there will have to be believing saints here when the tribulation occurs - to teach others. And, it is why I said God is a gentleman: after all the darkness is unleashed, and His saints preach under and with His glory, and you STILL don't want God, then that is all on you. He has given the alternative(s). No one will have an excuse.

I do think EVENTUALLY souls in hell will be burned UP - as in destroyed. Though, an interesting thing is even in a destructive cosmic blender, the "smoke" of them go up "forever" - like when a black holes destroy matter down to their fundament radiation (gAmma radiation,) and the bubble jets of this destroyed matter goes up and "down" for tens of thousands of lightyears. ("Scientists" just found this out by the way...)

And, there is also the Church (us) who are making stumbling blocks for people, and helping people to stay in ignorance because of hypocrisy or other darkness.

 

[Winken]

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.

No.

 

[Winken]

Before the beginning of space and time there was God. In the beginning of that which God created it was dark, pitch black. God said, "Let there be light."

One who rejects, or fails to confess, Jesus as Savior, is doomed to return to the utter darkness of the beginning. No more light. Not even a hint. That one will be utterly alone, unable to escape. Think about it this way: One is waist-deep in concrete, unable to move, except for the waving of the arms, the tossing of the head. One is aware of total blackness. One is forever alone. The only awareness includes overwhelming grief combined with fear. Just like a child (and not a few adults) one is afraid of the dark. Forever. The deep-fried brain never stops frying. "Mama!" "Mama!" Mama never responds.

The plain, simple, straightforward alternative: One can scoff and ridicule until blackness IS, or confess Romans 10:8-13. Eternal grief, dreadful, deep abiding fear, or eternal life. There is no other argument, no other plea. It is enough that Jesus died, and that He died for you and me.

 

[VanillaSunflowers]

If someone blatantly rejects God I don't see how this person can enter the Kingdom by flesh alone. For it says flesh and blood can not enter the kingdom of God and an atheist is nothing more than that.

Non-believers, not just atheists, but pagans of all sorts which is to say anyone not accepting Christ as their savior, do not enter the kingdom of Heaven.
Jesus died to fulfill his ministry on earth and complete the covenant with the sacrifice of his life blood to show that there is only one way to be with him. And that is to do everything he taught in order to be saved from death.
Not a thing anyone else claims as a means for anyone not doing as Jesus taught still assures the unbeliever Heaven is credible. In fact it can literally be defined as a damnable lie.

What then is there to argue? When Jesus Christ told the story, died to complete the terms and conditions of the salvation covenant, and then left us to follow His Father's will.

 

[Toneri Otsutsuki]

Either you accept God and Jesus as your personal savior, or you don't. In the second case, God won't be forcing you to stay in His presence against your will.

 

[VanillaSunflowers]

I saw this thread question again as I was browsing this section of the community and it hit me. No , not the bus! But not for the lack of trying.
No, the other thing. The question itself. The answer being so blatantly obvious.

Could an atheist go to Heaven?

Of course not! As any atheist would tell you.
Atheists deny God exists. The very word they use as their personal identity , atheist , affirms in its definition, no god.
For an atheist to go to God's place they'd have to believe in God first. But they don't. So how then could they expect to not believe God exists the whole time they're alive, and then be let into the presence of something that isn't there when they're dead?

Atheists tell you they won't go to Heaven. God doesn't exist. Neither does Heaven.

 

[Uber Genius]

IMO, it's one thing to create people who freely reject you and not let them into the best place for believers. It's another thing to throw them in an endless torture situation imply for not believing when they may have been raised in an environment where they didn't grow up with it, believed another religion was right, etc. That's why the more I learn, and the more I interact with good people who are not necessarily Cheistians (heck I even have a friend who's an atheist, and I also found out Gene Wilder was an atheist) I find it harder to believe that anyone who's truly supposed to be loving would torture someone forever.

Yes! Absolutely agree it is a world of difference.

That is why it is called, "The problem of hell!"

We don't intuit God's holiness.

We don't intuit why he would require holiness of created beings that aren't even free to be holy.

We don't intuit why we can't then appropriate holiness by just living by the Golden Rule.

We intuit that atheist can be as good as Christians.

And they certainly, according to scripture, have a revelation of God's moral law, even though they can't give an account for moral duties, that properly attributes it to God.

This is the struggle we have communicating the truth of God's judgement. Jesus spoke more of hell than all other Old And New Testament authors combined. He seemed to think it was real, and a horrible place, and a place one could choose not to reside in.

I'm not particularly fond of quantum theories spooky action at a distance (non-locality) and neither was Einstein, but it appears to be an incredibly non-intuitive feature of the external world we live in. As does hell!

 

[Uber Genius]

What about Purgatory? If everyone who is not yet fit for Heaven goes to a Purgatory, then eventually everyone (who isn't eternally stubborn in their ways that is) will come to repent of their sins, feel sorry, and want to be with God in Heaven. No eternal torture and a perfectly merciful and loving option.

Purgation was common belief in the late second temple period, Jesus' time.

It was adopted officially by the Catholics at Trent.

There are some church Fathers that favor the view.

However, the New Testament would have to be false in order for purgatory to be true.

Jesus, in the Gospels talks about hell over a dozen times. Purgatory is not mentioned anywhere in the Bible. One of he reasons the Catholics added he OT Apocrypha to the Canon in 1546 was to use stories they had claimed for 1100 years were not equal to scripture, and use them to prop up false doctrines that had arisen and been called out by Luther and fellow Reformers.

No one one's works count for anything towards salvation in scripture. The HS acting on and through a Christian produces sanctification in the NT. Not going to a waiting place to do works of the law (by which no flesh will be justified)! It is incoherent.

Bible says Christ's work on the cross and our commitment of our life to him produces Christians. Not works.

Paul says, to the Galatians 2:

"19 “For through the law I died to the law so that I might live for God. 20 I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. 21 I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ died for nothing!"

There are dozens of similar passages by Peter, John, and the author of Hebrews. Even James makes the point that Christians will produce works, that is dyslexically converted by Catholics to "works will produce Christians."

Pick one.

Purgatory or the New Testament.

It is like choosing from being married or being a bachelor.

A married bachelor is as incoherent as a person going to purgatory to become more Christlike.

 

[joshua 1 9]

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.

Your name has to be written in the book of life.

"And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them. And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is [the book] of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire".

 

[Daniel9v9]

Our Lord Jesus Christ is the only gateway to the kingdom of heaven - an ancient path and a narrow gate - through belief and a baptism into Christ.

It's true that the Lord have mercy on whom He has mercy, but how are we to know or how are we to judge?
Instead consider this: Who was spared in the flood?

It's written that even man's best "righteous" deeds are but filthy rags before God. No one can enter the kingdom of God through their own merit. No one can earn their way in to heaven. No one is worthy, but the Lamb.

Proverbs 14:12
"There is a way that appears to be right, but in the end it leads to death."

What people consider to be good, pure or righteous changes with the seasons and it always falls short of God's perfect glory. Christ alone is the truth, way and life.

 

[jimmyjimmy]

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.

Of course Christ died for no good reason then.

What is a "personal belief", by the way?