How would you feel if non-Christians went to heaven?

PhilosopherD · Mar 26, 2007

Job_s_First_Son said:
But it appears you would like to complain. Why? What emotion is driving this?

"But it appears you would like to complain. Why? What emotion is driving this?"

Well, I would disagree that it looks like I'd like to complain. All I am saying is that I don't expect people to enter in who are planning on continuing to be sociallly disruptive. That is all I'm 'complaining' about, really.

Mobiosity · Mar 30, 2007

PhilosopherD said:
"But it appears you would like to complain. Why? What emotion is driving this?"

Well, I would disagree that it looks like I'd like to complain. All I am saying is that I don't expect people to enter in who are planning on continuing to be sociallly disruptive. That is all I'm 'complaining' about, really.

Socially disruptive? I get the feeling that dying is going to be traumatic enough for anyone to keep them from being disruptive in anyway.

039 · Mar 30, 2007

I am sorry to contradict you, Sapphos, but that isn't neccesarily the case.

Dante's Inferno was a fictional poetic peice using medieval Catholic philosophical/thelogical ideas mixed with greeco-roman mythology (for example, the "levels" of hell are based on the philosophy of Aristotel and there is also mention of furies, minotaurs and harpies). That in mind, it really shouldn't be taken as fact (Note: No, I'm not bashing catholics. But we're talking about a time when Daniel was said to have slain a dragon or the fact that hell was thought to exist on the far side of the world). But even if it were, you'd be referring to limbo (ironically simular to the greek version of heaven, the 'elysian fields'), which by its definition is for those who haven't really sinned or accepted christ and includes pagans who had a sense of virtue. This doesn't really match up with christianity.

stutiw · Mar 30, 2007

It is clear in words, You would know your heavenly father but through christ, if you believe in Christ thats the only way to know the heavenly Father . Non-Christians, atheists have a choice to believe, if they dont believe in the truth, than I dont think there is aplace for them in heaven.

Emmy · Apr 1, 2007

Dear InterestedAtheist. Christians go to heaven, because Christ, the Saviour, leads them there. Jesus died to reconcile us to God, and we are told again and again, REPENT, which means repent of your old way of living, selfishness, unkindness, quarrels and unforgiving, transgression, after transgression. It is not only what we do to others by deed, also by word, and even by thought. we have to become considerrate, loving, kind und forgiving, and follow Jesus Christ, back to God`s Kingdom, Heaven. The Bible tells us that Jesus is the door, through which we go back to our real home, with God and other Christian brothers and sisters. All who follow Christ, who have repented of their wrongs, will end in Heaven. It is God`s Will, which counts, and God told us what to do, or not to do. We can follow, or not follow, we are given free choice. Christ came from Heaven, and Christ is going back to Heaven, and His followers will be in Heaven. I say this humbly and with love, InterestedAtheist. Greetings from Emmy, sister in Christ.P.S. my feelings have no say, it is God`s Will.

Battie · Apr 10, 2007

Hello, InterestedAtheist.

I realize this thread is a little old but I just came across it an it interested me.

I'm a Christian, even though my icon says otherwise (never mind why for now). I'm not sure I believe in an afterlife (I don't see why it is necessary), but if there is a heaven I think it is very likely that we will see all kinds of people there, and I will be so happy! See, I have been thinking lately being a follower of Christ might mean something different than what we think:

I'm not an advocate of salvation by works--I'm Lutheran!--but perhaps paradoxically I think that faith is works. Doesn't it take great faith to do what Christ said, to make the goal of one's life to bring goodness to others instead of pursuing personal gain? Even those who are saved in Matthew 25 seem surprised to find themselves saved.

I understand that some of us just aren't wired to be convinced of things we can't see (I certainly am not), but this is where faith comes in. I do my best to follow God even if I don't know if He really is there.

I'm still trying to figure this out and I understand that what I said is probably a little heretical, so if I'm wrong I'm probably going to be hanging out with you in hell. The idea that I might be hellbound used to scare me a lot but now I trust that God's mercy is bigger than what we often imagine it to be.

Sorry for my long-windedness. I hope that at least made sense...

kulenok · Apr 12, 2007

Well, proabably happy for them but a little offended that I tried and got to heaven and these people put in no effort at all.

RMDY · Apr 12, 2007

InterestedAtheist said:
Hello all,

How would you feel if nonbelievers - people from other religions and atheists - all went to heaven too?

In previous discussions in the GA forum, I've seen some Christians defend the existence of hell by saying that God must send unbelievers there; and that unbelievers would not be able to survive in heaven, or maybe would not enjoy it. Thinking about this prompted my question.

Thanks!

LOL. If they all went to heaven then they would defientely know there is a God.

I would be happy for them

Criada · Apr 13, 2007

Originally Posted by InterestedAtheist
Hello all,

How would you feel if nonbelievers - people from other religions and atheists - all went to heaven too?

In previous discussions in the GA forum, I've seen some Christians defend the existence of hell by saying that God must send unbelievers there; and that unbelievers would not be able to survive in heaven, or maybe would not enjoy it. Thinking about this prompted my question.

I would be delighted!!
Unfortunately I don't believe it will happen, due to their own choice, not God's. He longs for everyone to be saved!

HolyGuardianAngels · Apr 19, 2007

InterestedAtheist said:
Hello all,

How would you feel if nonbelievers - people from other religions and atheists - all went to heaven too?

In previous discussions in the GA forum, I've seen some Christians defend the existence of hell by saying that God must send unbelievers there; and that unbelievers would not be able to survive in heaven, or maybe would not enjoy it. Thinking about this prompted my question.

Thanks!

What then would be the point of Heaven . . .

It would just be a repeat of Earth, only we'd be in Heaven . . .

If you hate God ,why would you want to be w/ Him in Heaven . . .

Happy Easter

FriarErasmus · Apr 25, 2007

MikeMcK said:
It has nothing to do with not being perfect. It has to do with the fact that, as you freely admit, you haven't kept God's laws.

But that's the whole point. There are no good people.

Every one of us has sinned and made ourselves enemies of God.

Are you telling us that you're a good person?

First of all, you don't have eternity. You have a relatively short lifetime. When you die, that is, when you pass from this life, you're going to stand before God and He's going to judge you based on whether or not you've kept His laws. You've already admitted that you have not. The Bible is clear that it's appointed unto man once to die, and then to face judgement.

Second, you can't learn to be perfect. Your sin nature means that unless you die to sin by being crucified with Christ, you will always have that tendency to sin.

In response to saying Perfection has nothing to do with it, I just want to add this scripture:
Matthew 5:43-6:1
5:43"You have heard that it was said, 'Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' 44But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. 46If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? 47And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? 48Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect. 6:1"Be careful not to do your 'acts of righteousness' before men, to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven.

Taken from: http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew 5:43-6:1;&version=31;

FriarErasmus · Apr 25, 2007

And to respond to the OP, I would be ecstatic that they were there, but perplexed as to why, and if I found even one that had not been transformed and renewed into a firm follower of God's Laws (including myself) then I would know that I wasn't in heaven. God himself has said that he cannot be in the presence of anything but perfection. Christ gave us an opportunity to get all of our blemishes and wrongs cleaned off so that when we stand before God, he only sees the perfection Christ has made rather than the imperfections we have made.

So... I would be extremely happy to see everyone in heaven, but that would not happen, as even if given the choice, there are those that would rather be anywhere but under God's authority. Hell is not a punishment, it's just option B. The fact that anyone chooses option B amazes me, since option A is so much better and is freely available, but God gave everyone free will, so some will choose to take option B and suffer the consequences of their decision. I am very sad of this fact, but I cannot change their minds anymore than I can bring back to life someone that is dead. (both of these are possible, of course, but not without God... therefore I cannot do it myself. That is why salvation comes when God decides to tug at someone's heart and they accept, and not when Joe Bob Preacher tells them about God.)

Hope this answers your question!

ManOfTheAmish · Apr 25, 2007

The way I see it all religions have their own heaven and besides why would non-Christians want to be apart of our heaven to begin with?

The topic seems redundant.

micbmac · Apr 26, 2007

I wish for all people to go to Heaven. However, in order to get to Heaven you must believe in Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior. Are you "interested" in becoming a christian?

MikeMcK · May 1, 2008

GenesisGirl · May 10, 2008

Well, I doubt that would happen. But in the case it did, I would kind of be like, "Oh, that's weird. But COOL, some of my friends who I thought were lost are here! But man, I hope they've found Christ by NOW. Heaven isn't much of a heaven unless you love God."

Mixed feelings. But like I said, highly doubt that'll be the case.

itisdeliciouscake · May 13, 2008

well, the question leads to a bit of a paradox. if people who didn't follow Christ came to heaven, then Christ wouldn't be the way to heaven, meaning everyone came to heaven, meaning there was no way to heaven, meaning Christ served no purpose, meaning we would have no reason to follow him.

the question self-destructs...

fixed feelings.

i mean, its no mystery that there are people who get away with evil at the present time (those who deny God) whom God has promised to take care of for us. (so that we can focus more on him.) but at the same time, I am equally deserving of hell as they are. but then again, these would be the same people who openly rejected him in life. but didn't i also reject God for a time?

Faith In God · May 14, 2008

InterestedAtheist said:
How would you feel if nonbelievers - people from other religions and atheists - all went to heaven too?

Then God lied, and yet gave us every inclination and followed through on every sign in doing so that He was in earnest.
Really, fulfilling the Daniel prophecy alone is going a bit far for a scam. He's given us every reason to believe in Him.

In previous discussions in the GA forum, I've seen some Christians defend the existence of hell by saying that God must send unbelievers there; and that unbelievers would not be able to survive in heaven, or maybe would not enjoy it.

There's no biblical evidence that says that unbelievers "would not be able to survive in heaven." That's a compromised belief.

Thanks!

Sure thing!

nomoreillusions · May 16, 2008

InterestedAtheist said:
Hello all,

How would you feel if nonbelievers - people from other religions and atheists - all went to heaven too?

In previous discussions in the GA forum, I've seen some Christians defend the existence of hell by saying that God must send unbelievers there; and that unbelievers would not be able to survive in heaven, or maybe would not enjoy it. Thinking about this prompted my question.

Thanks!

I don't believe that a Just and Merciful G-d could condemn to an eternity of suffering, torment or other punishment anyone. No act that we can commit, however heinous, could possibly be repaid through an eternity of endless suffering. No Just or Merciful G-d could do that to the beings He created and whom He loves.

There may be a period of refining for those who need it (heh. pretty much everyone) but there is no way I can accept hell as most people think of it as anything other than a horrific misreading and in fact misunderstanding of G-d's very nature as our Loving Father and Creator.

Nadiine · May 17, 2008

InterestedAtheist said:
Hello all,

How would you feel if nonbelievers - people from other religions and atheists - all went to heaven too?

In previous discussions in the GA forum, I've seen some Christians defend the existence of hell by saying that God must send unbelievers there; and that unbelievers would not be able to survive in heaven, or maybe would not enjoy it. Thinking about this prompted my question.

Thanks!

Good question

My answer would be this, if they entered heaven w/ the saints, then I'd say... GOD LIED & the bible wasn't worth the paper it was printed on.

As much as I'm sure nonChristians would LOVE to hear me say "I'd be so happy that they enter eternal life", it would equally make God a liar and upset me for several reasons.

It would mean that no Christians had to to die for their faith as martyrs at all - it would also mean that they (we) didn't and don't have to endure persecution or hardship for our faith at all either.
So all the many millions of born again believers essentially wasted their life or suffered uneccessarily.

It would mean that I could have had an easier life not having to pay a whole lot of attn. to "dying to my flesh" - simply put, I could have done alot of things that I didn't do becuz those things SUPPOSEDLY lead to [spiritual] death (death which didn't actually exist as scripture explains it does).

Those are the 2 main things - if I can live like the rest of the world and end up in the same place in the end, then I honestly don't see why Christianity is even necessary and most importantly, it would make God a liar as His word spells out the future fate of humanity who reject Him as Saviour.
"I am the way the truth and the life, no one comes to the Father but by Me" - becomes a joke. Everyone who didn't choose Christ as the only means to God get's eternity with God anyways...

With those things said, I'll say this to conclude:
I WANT everyone to get eternal life with God in His domain - but God specifies the 1 way to receiving Him. It's either true or false.
Unless and until man sees his helpless & corrupted condition and the need for a Saviour, that just won't happen.
----------

**a ps about God's love & mercy**
Some people reason that God is loving and merciful, and deduce that God can't condemn anyone becuz He's "love". But they're mistaken for a few important reasons:

1. The same Bible teaches that the shedding of blood is MANDATORY to atone for the soul (that is the very law Christ came to fulfill - it never got removed - without a sacrifice there is no remission/removal of sin).

All those who do not have Christ, rejected their sacrifice and stand under the full measure of LAW as their judge.
Acts 10:43
To Him all the prophets witness that,
through His name, whoever believes in Him will receive remission of sins.”

Their sin MUST be covered by sacrifice [via salvation] or they are not entering eternity with God, it is a violation of God's law for remission.

2. God's mercy is actually SELECTIVE to whom He wishes to give it - and it also depends on their mercy and judgments given to others.
Romans 9:15
For He says to Moses, “I will have mercy on whomever I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whomever I will have compassion.”
Romans 9:14-16 (in Context) Romans 9
(18) Therefore He has mercy on whom He wills, and whom He wills He hardens.

Hebrews 10:28
Anyone who has rejected Moses’ law dies without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses.
29 Of how much worse punishment, do you suppose, will he be thought worthy who has trampled the Son of God underfoot, counted the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified a common thing, and insulted the Spirit of grace?

Lastly:
James 2:13
For judgment is without mercy to the one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment.

3. They assume "mercy" means that God can't or won't eternally condemn.
But the mercy the Bible speaks of says NOTHING of it releasing them from eternal condemnation. That fate is spelled out repeatedly for all who reject Christ as Lord & Saviour.

4. They ignore the OTHER attributes of God in the process. They replace His other attributes with [their definitions of] love & mercy, while rejecting His pure attributes of "holiness, righteousness, justice which demand salvation (& repentance of sin).
Essentially, God becomes a God of "love" INSTEAD OF a God of righteousness & justice.

5. They redefine God's "Love" to mean what they view love as, not as it is defined in Scripture. ie. they end up creating a god that fits into their boxes rather than accepting the God portrayed clearly in scripture.
(also assuming that it isn't "loving" to honor the will of each person who chose to live w/out God & wants nothing to do w/ Him or righteousness - but instead prefers their sin).

How would you feel if non-Christians went to heaven?

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