If I'm an Atheist and I am not a bad person, will I go to hell?

[seekingsolace]

Not in my case.

I was a Christian for 40 years and where I fell short, was in not taking the time to thoroughly examining Christianity and the NT from a historical the scholarly standpoint and I just assumed the story was valid.

So, I was open to acquiring new knowledge and oh boy, does a good objective review of the NT bring new knowledge. My goal was to not hinder reality and to be honest with what I discovered.

Professing to be a Christian, and being one are very different. I would have claimed the same, it seemed foolish to me. I found contrary, the more I read, the greater my faith.

 

[bhsmte]

Professing to be a Christian, and being one are very different. I would have claimed the same, it seemed foolish to me. I found contrary, the more I read, the greater my faith.

Good for you.

And by the way, it is not up to you to decide who is or was a real Christian.

 

[seekingsolace]

I didn't make a comparison, not in this thread.

God either made men sick directly or watched as it happened. Either way he endorsed the affliction.

No you made a false assertion. If you are warned of the dangers inherent in fire, yet you place your hand into the flames, you are responsible.

 

[Skavau]

No you made a false assertion. If you are warned of the dangers inherent in fire, yet you place your hand into the flames, you are responsible.

The fire that God created or watched be created. The standards that God imposed. It is like if God pushed me underwater and then sailed off into the distance and told me that I must find him before he'll let me aboard again.

From my perspective there is no fire, no God, no heaven, no hell, no 'sin'. There is no fire to put my hand in.

 

[Archaeopteryx]

No you made a false assertion. If you are warned of the dangers inherent in fire, yet you place your hand into the flames, you are responsible.

Assuming that you are referring to the Garden of Eden: if you don't understand the warning because you were deliberately created without that understanding (i.e., important information was deliberately withheld), then who is to blame?

 

[Albion]

Good for you.

And by the way, it is not up to you to decide who is or was a real Christian.

Since nothing remotely like that statement had been made by seekingsolace, why did it seem a good opportunity for you to reply with an insult?

 

[seekingsolace]

Good for you.

And by the way, it is not up to you to decide who is or was a real Christian.

Indeed, that's why I didn't claim you weren't. I elaborated on my experience.

 

[GrowingSmaller]

As many biblical historians will state; the book is an excellent work of theology, it is not a work of reliable history. If one has faith in that particular theology, then good for them.

Hey thanks fo that, very constructive. I never got round to reading history, my mind not suited.

 

[seekingsolace]

If you don't understand the warning, because you were deliberately created without that understanding, then who is to blame?

But you were, from the very beginning to the end. Does your conscience not bear witness against you now? whether you believe or not; do you know murder, rape etc are evil?

 

[Skavau]

But you were, from the very beginning to the end. Does your conscience not bear witness against you now? whether you believe or not; do you know murder, rape etc are evil?

Those are not the often repeated requirement for avoiding the fire. We are told that the only way to avoid the fire is to convert to Christianity. The process has nothing whatsoever to do with morality.

 

[Albion]

Assuming that you are referring to the Garden of Eden: if you don't understand the warning, because you were deliberately created without that understanding, then who is to blame?

Where does your idea that he/they were created without that understanding come from?

 

[Archaeopteryx]

But you were, from the very beginning to the end. Does your conscience not bear witness against you now? whether you believe or not; do you know murder, rape etc are evil?

Did Adam and Eve know that consuming the fruit was evil? How could they know? Knowledge of good and evil was withheld from them.

 

[Skavau]

Where does your idea that he/they were created without that understanding come from?

I do not know that Christianity is true. From my perspective I have no reason to preference it over Islam or Sikhism or any other religious philosophy.

 

[Archaeopteryx]

Where does your idea that he/they were created without that understanding come from?

From the story of Adam and Eve.

 

[Albion]

I do not know that Christianity is true. From my perspective I have no reason to preference it over Islam or Sikhism or any other religious philosophy.

And now, how about answering the question that was asked?

 

[seekingsolace]

Assuming that you are referring to the Garden of Eden: if you don't understand the warning because you were deliberately created without that understanding (i.e., important information was deliberately withheld), then who is to blame?

So if your father, who as a child you should trust in wholly; tells you that if you place your hand into fire, you will be burned. Do you trust your father is telling you the truth? You have the capacity to obey the warning or not.

 

[Archaeopteryx]

I think we may be talking across purposes here... referring to different "warnings".

 

[Albion]

From the story of Adam and Eve.

Well, then, it looks like you have the facts completely reversed. Thanks for at least clearing this up.

 

[Archaeopteryx]

So if your father, who as a child you should trust in wholly; tells you that if you place your hand into fire, you will be burned. Do you trust your father is telling you the truth? You have the capacity to obey the warning or not.

If I disobey, should my father punish me eternally? Is that just?

 

[Skavau]

So if your father, who as a child you should trust in wholly; tells you that if you place your hand into fire, you will be burned. Do you trust your father is telling you the truth? You have the capacity to obey the warning or not.

Without the capacity to determine right or wrong you can't make a meaningful decision. You can't understand whether it is right or wrong to obey or disobey.

In either case the actions of Adam & Eve should not inflict upon an entire species.