If there was no heaven, would you still want to be a Christian?

[Friedrich Rubinstein]

Well its tough to think about.
If there is no heaven and from another thread there is no hell then there would be no Jesus or God. So many scenarios to the question. I wonder where we all would be now if God had created us with no Jesus, no heaven or hell.
If he just threw us out there.

Maybe there would be a God still, but would He be good and love? If he just "threw us out there" to watch us how we struggle and maul each other... hmmm.

 

[returntosender]

Maybe there would be a God still, but would He be good and love? If he just "threw us out there" to watch us how we struggle and maul each other... hmmm.

Hey rich

 

[Friedrich Rubinstein]

Hey rich

Good evening, rts!

 

[returntosender]

I don't know this brings up a lot of questions. I have to admit that there are a few things that I would like to do that I can't do now. I would if I didn't have to answer for them.

 

[returntosender]

I know one thing for sure. If we didn't have God to answer to or Jesus to look up to we would not have much guilt to live with.

 

[Tinker Grey]

I know one thing for sure. If we didn't have God to answer to or Jesus to look up to we would not have much guilt to live with.

You know this for sure? I surely don't.

 

[dlamberth]

The way I see things now days is the other way round. Meaning, it's all about Hell and avoiding it.

Edited to add: Meaning what to me Christianity is all about.

 

[Ken-1122]

Maybe there would be a God still, but would He be good and love? If he just "threw us out there" to watch us how we struggle and maul each other... hmmm.

How would that be different than what we have right now?

 

[Bradskii]

There was a similar question a while back about hell.

In my experience, there are very few Christians who will actually claim that they are heaven bound. But I have never met a single one who had a realistic fear of hell. If I was convinced it existed I would spend every waking moment in terror that I may end up there.

 

[returntosender]

You know this for sure? I surely don't.

People who don't believe in God are a good testimony to that, don't you think?

 

[returntosender]

There was a similar question a while back about hell.

In my experience, there are very few Christians who will actually claim that they are heaven bound. But I have never met a single one who had a realistic fear of hell. If I was convinced it existed I would spend every waking moment in terror that I may end up there.

That's interesting. I wonder what makes the difference? I have always had that fear. It isn't something that is always there, fear and dread. But when it comes up you feel it. Maybe you have to get it early in life. I was scared early in life by a preacher, it might have been wrong since I was so young but it has lasted all these decades of life. I am sorry for unbelievers as they don't know what they are missing. The love of God is like no other. God bless them and I hope before they die they find him.
I must add, its not so much the fear of hell as the fear of losing God.

 

[Bradskii]

That's interesting. I wonder what makes the difference? I have always had that fear. It isn't something that is always there, fear and dread. But when it comes up you feel it. Maybe you have to get it early in life. I was scared early in life by a preacher, it might have been wrong since I was so young but it has lasted all these decades of life. I am sorry for unbelievers as they don't know what they are missing. The love of God is like no other. God bless them and I hope before they die they find him.
I must add, its not so much the fear of hell as the fear of losing God.

Unless you have a different viewpoint, then hell is meant to be the worst punishment imaginable. Whether it's Dantes inferno with a pitch fork wielding devil or just separation from God.

Now I don't believe in hell, so it holds no terrors. So the worst thing for me would be something terrible happening to my family. And if I was told that it would happen if I sinned, then I would be rigid with terror. I would be incapable of functioning in any way, scared witless that I might do something that would deserve that punishment.

We can scale that back a little if you like. And say that the punishment for breaking the speed limit would be that you would be taken away and tortured continuously for a month. I don't know about you, but I'd never drive a car again. And now someone convinces you that if your granddaughter sins there is a chance she would suffer, not for a month. But for eternity.

Tell me that that wouldn't drive you insane with worry.

 

[Tinker Grey]

People who don't believe in God are a good testimony to that, don't you think?

A good testimony to what? Do you seriously think that non-believers don't experience guilt? Because that's what the post I was responding to sounded like it was asserting.

 

[returntosender]

We have an added advantage to keep us in line. I suspect there isn't anything I could say that would appease you. Not much I can say if you don't like my views.

 

[returntosender]

Do you really believe what you posted? I can understand why you are an atheist then. You believe that if you get a ticket or you commit a sin you go to hell. Wow.
I got nothin. Other then that's ridiculous.

 

[Tinker Grey]

We have an added advantage to keep us in line. I suspect there isn't anything I could say that would appease you. Not much I can say if you don't like my views.

If you need big brother looking over your shoulder, you are not moral; you are subservient.

Do you really believe what you posted? I can understand why you are an atheist then. You believe that if you get a ticket or you commit a sin you go to hell. Wow.
I got nothin. Other then that's ridiculous.

Who are you talking to? I don't believe in hell.

 

[Bradskii]

Who are you talking to? I don't believe in hell.

Might be me, I think. In which case the point of my post was missed entirely.

Christians believe in hell. And it's meant to be the worst punishment imaginable. If you were in some danger of suffering the worst punishment for a month for a mortal sin then I think it would scare someone so much that they would not be able to function normally. Even worse if the punishment was to happen to your child if they sinned - and you would be powerless to prevent them.

Now extend that not to a year. Or even a few years. But for eternity. For all time. The rational solution would be not to have children because of what they could suffer. I mean, how would it be possible to live normally if your child had died and there was a chance that they were suffering in hell. For ever.

As I say, in the very many years I have had discussions with Christians, I have never met one that considered hell a danger to themselves or those they loved. Or rather that no-one seemed concerned about the prospect of eternal damnation.

 

[Astroqualia]

It was never about heaven for me, that was just an added bonus. I'm simply loyal to the one grand Being that created and loves me, that is all. I would theorize that folks who convert only out of fear of hell would not be a strong convert. Perhaps I am mistaken.

 

[Abide with me.]

More to the point
If you want to expound on your answer use this and or vote.
The vote on this one is important as you can answer honestly without judgment.
Even so, think on this as there could still be a Jesus or not.

Yes, because even if there was no heaven as in an afterlife, I have been blessed in this life through the grace of God, therefore I love God for who he is, and not what he might do for me, loving God is not a transaction, you shouldn't be a Christian for what you might get in return, look what happened to Job!
Do you love your spouse / children because you might get payback? Sure it would be wonderful if if they did treat you like royalty but you shouldn't love them so that they might, in the same way we shouldn't become Christians in order to get to heaven. True love and submission has it's own rewards

 

[Abide with me.]

Might be me, I think. In which case the point of my post was missed entirely.

Christians believe in hell. And it's meant to be the worst punishment imaginable. If you were in some danger of suffering the worst punishment for a month for a mortal sin then I think it would scare someone so much that they would not be able to function normally. Even worse if the punishment was to happen to your child if they sinned - and you would be powerless to prevent them.

Now extend that not to a year. Or even a few years. But for eternity. For all time. The rational solution would be not to have children because of what they could suffer. I mean, how would it be possible to live normally if your child had died and there was a chance that they were suffering in hell. For ever.

As I say, in the very many years I have had discussions with Christians, I have never met one that considered hell a danger to themselves or those they loved. Or rather that no-one seemed concerned about the prospect of eternal damnation.

I believe in hell, and evil invisible forces, even though it's popular to believe hell is just the absence of God, I also believe God is an invisible force for good and love, I know both of these forces have been attached to me, and others I know, but I wouldn't do semantic summersaults or go making assumptions about exactly who will go to hell, that is for God to decide.