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When I was Christian, I didn't think about it much until I read The Great Divorce by C.S. Lewis. Then I favored that view of Hell. The idea is that people who are in Hell don't really realize it, because that's where they belong. They don't realize what they're missing. They have what they want, and they choose to stay. Those who don't belong there choose to leave.
I don't remember ever having the fire and brimstone stuff pushed on me, thank goodness.
Not necessarily a good life, but a loving life. Yes, anyone who lives a life filled and expressed with love are in fact true followers of Jesus.Ok, so if a person does not believe Jesus was God or has not even heard of Jesus, but they live a good life, they are spared hell?
Well, everyone has their own opinion and interpretation, but New Testament is pretty clear in description of 3rd item here.
Absolutely. I don't believe that Jesus came to call people to believe in Him, but to follow Him (follow His example).
Not necessarily a good life, but a loving life. Yes, anyone who lives a life filled and expressed with love are in fact true followers of Jesus.
I agree. Even Jesus taught (Matthew 25:31-46) that there will be many in heaven with him that didn't expect to be there, and many excluded that did expect to be there.Long ago it struck me that Jesus is reported to say 'None come to the Father save through me'. I did not see him mention there that all such people would realize who they were following.
If I believed in some mystic Karmic balance I'd speculate that for each person claiming to follow Jesus who does not there should be one who does not make the claim but who is.
I know there are a lot in the first group.
I agreed with his ideas more than I agreed with other interpretations of Hell, especially literal interpretations of the Bible and ideas of everyone who's ever masturbated without repenting being stuck in hellfire forever. I had no problem with doing so. I'm no longer Christian, so there's nothing for you to worry about.While CS Lewis is a brilliant writer, I'd be careful to use his books as authority on Christian theology. He has made statements that seem somewhat pagan (accepting Christ as supreme alongside other gods). At the end of the day, his book is not a replacement of actually reading the Bible.
While CS Lewis is a brilliant writer, I'd be careful to use his books as authority on Christian theology. He has made statements that seem somewhat pagan (accepting Christ as supreme alongside other gods). At the end of the day, his book is not a replacement of actually reading the Bible.
Jesus describes in pretty vivid detail, a man who dies and goes to hell and is being tormented in flames.
Second, what do you believe happens to souls who reject God, after they die?
Yes, orthodox Christianity states that one must "believe that he is God" and pay attention to Christianity to be legitimate "followers of Jesus". I suggest that orthodoxy's interpretation is wrong, and their doctrines are based on flawed translations which have guided their interpretations to this day.They aren't followers of Jesus if they don't believe he was God, or pay attention to Christianity. It would mean they decided to live a good loving life on their own and didn't need someone else telling them they needed to.
I would agree on the interpretation of scripture being fairly clear who goes to hell.
The problem is, the moral problem this opens up for Christianity. Just because a person does not believe Jesus was God, but lives a terrific life of helping others, they are doomed. All the while, the person who has caused massive suffering in other people's lives, but finds Jesus and repents, is spared hell. Is that an all loving God for all his creation?
No way around the moral issue here and could be why someone like Billy Graham distanced himself from this later in life and stated people could make it to heaven without being a Christian. Joel Osteen has taken a similar position as well.
I don't know about Billy Graham, but not a big fan of Joel Olsteen's prosperity gospel. The Bible is pretty clear, but I agree its not popular and following it to the T is not going to get you a large mega church congregation. The masses want to hear about money, prosperity, the feel good stuff, not the responsibility, the discussion and recognition of sin.
Biblical teaching is that no one gets into Heaven on their own, no matter how much charitable events they carried out. They have to acknowledge they are a sinner and need of a savior to carry out the sacrifice on their behalf. This is the foundation of Christianity that is often misunderstood in entertainment and media. It's not about being good. Humanity's good is pale trash compared to God's good. That's the reality. People are unaware how often they sin, how many evil thoughts pass through their minds per day. No mere man can compare to God...its not even worth trying.
The biggest sin one can commit, the only unforgivable one, is one who does not trust God. If God says something, it will happen. If you don't trust Him, all is lost. Trying to be a good person on own merit is foolishness self-righteousness. It's bound to fail and it will never please God.
John 3 New King James Version (NKJV)
The New Birth
3 There was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. 2 This man came to Jesus by night and said to Him, Rabbi, we know that You are a teacher come from God; for no one can do these signs that You do unless God is with him.
3 Jesus answered and said to him, Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.
4 Nicodemus said to Him, How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mothers womb and be born?
5 Jesus answered, Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. 6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7 Do not marvel that I said to you, You must be born again. 8 The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit.
9 Nicodemus answered and said to Him, How can these things be?
10 Jesus answered and said to him, Are you the teacher of Israel, and do not know these things? 11 Most assuredly, I say to you, We speak what We know and testify what We have seen, and you do not receive Our witness. 12 If I have told you earthly things and you do not believe, how will you believe if I tell you heavenly things? 13 No one has ascended to heaven but He who came down from heaven, that is, the Son of Man who is in heaven.[a] 14 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, 15 that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. 16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. 17 For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.
18 He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. 19 And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. 20 For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed. 21 But he who does the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be clearly seen, that they have been done in God.
Anyone's interpretation of hell and who goes there, is going to be motivated by what suits them personally.
Hell is a place people choose to be in.
It is not a good place.
But they would hate God so much or love themselves so much, they will rather go there and adapt in that very unpleasant environment.
More like those who weren't lucky enough to be born into a family that has the "right" religion.So, hell becomes a promised punishment for those who have no choice over what they believe!
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