I'm sure there have been many discussions of this topic before, but I'm gonna start it up again because I would like to hear what Christians have to say about it.
Note that this discussion assumes that Christianity and the Bible is the Truth, and that Heaven and Hell exist. This is for argument's sake only.
Assuming this, I believe it is completely and utterly unethical to send someone to Hell for holding non-Christian religious beliefs. This is because I believe all people, generally, have little say in what their religious beliefs are (i.e. it is a product of socialisation), and even once a person has matured to an age where they can 'reason' for themselves, their 'reasoning' and mindset will be hugely conditioned by their upbringing.
It is not ethical to send a Muslim, a Buddhist, an Atheist, indeed any adherent to a non-Christian religion, to Hell for something they had no choice over, and usually don't want any choice over (i.e. once a Muslim boy has become a mature adult, he usually still wants to be a Muslim, not a Christian).
If a Christian finds this determinism a little too set-in-stone, ask yourself: Could you give up Christanity now? Do you have the choice to become a non-Christian?
Obviously there are religious converts etc., but these people are equally at the mercy of their upbrining and past life experiences.
If acceptance of Jesus Christ is required to get into Heaven, then sending people to Hell for not accepting Christ because they happened to be born in a particular part of the world is totally unacceptable. A fair and just God would not do this to his own creations. It is simply too arbitrary.
To summarise, people who do not accept Jesus as Saviour should not be punished by God because one's religious beliefs are usually inculcated without one's consent and then become so ingrained that they cannot - and do not wish to be - changed.
Note that this discussion assumes that Christianity and the Bible is the Truth, and that Heaven and Hell exist. This is for argument's sake only.
Assuming this, I believe it is completely and utterly unethical to send someone to Hell for holding non-Christian religious beliefs. This is because I believe all people, generally, have little say in what their religious beliefs are (i.e. it is a product of socialisation), and even once a person has matured to an age where they can 'reason' for themselves, their 'reasoning' and mindset will be hugely conditioned by their upbringing.
It is not ethical to send a Muslim, a Buddhist, an Atheist, indeed any adherent to a non-Christian religion, to Hell for something they had no choice over, and usually don't want any choice over (i.e. once a Muslim boy has become a mature adult, he usually still wants to be a Muslim, not a Christian).
If a Christian finds this determinism a little too set-in-stone, ask yourself: Could you give up Christanity now? Do you have the choice to become a non-Christian?
Obviously there are religious converts etc., but these people are equally at the mercy of their upbrining and past life experiences.
If acceptance of Jesus Christ is required to get into Heaven, then sending people to Hell for not accepting Christ because they happened to be born in a particular part of the world is totally unacceptable. A fair and just God would not do this to his own creations. It is simply too arbitrary.
To summarise, people who do not accept Jesus as Saviour should not be punished by God because one's religious beliefs are usually inculcated without one's consent and then become so ingrained that they cannot - and do not wish to be - changed.
