quick story then a question...

[KarateCowboy]

I always wondered about this kind of question. Does someone truly grow up in another religion and not know about other religions? I am a christian, but I know a bit of other religions around the world. If someone is raised Buddha, wouldn't they be taught about other religions to be prepared for what's "out there"?

There's a verse about this: basically the apostle Paul says that those who have not heard the Gospel will be judged differently --according to their hearts and if they listened to their consciences, etc. So personally, I believe we may see some non-beleivers in Heaven. Of course, if they are there, they have seen God and will be believers then.

 

[dvd_holc]

Romans 1
16 I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile. 17 For in the gospel a righteousness from God is revealed, a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: "The righteous will live by faith." 18 The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth by their wickedness,
19 since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. 20 For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities--his eternal power and divine nature--have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse. 21 For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. 22 Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools 23 and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like mortal man and birds and animals and reptiles. 24 Therefore God gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts to sexual impurity for the degrading of their bodies with one another. 25 They exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator--who is forever praised. Amen. 26 Because of this, God gave them over to shameful lusts. Even their women exchanged natural relations for unnatural ones. 27 In the same way the men also abandoned natural relations with women and were inflamed with lust for one another. Men committed indecent acts with other men, and received in themselves the due penalty for their perversion. 28 Furthermore, since they did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God, he gave them over to a depraved mind, to do what ought not to be done. 29 They have become filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, greed and depravity. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit and malice. They are gossips, 30 slanderers, God-haters, insolent, arrogant and boastful; they invent ways of doing evil; they disobey their parents; 31 they are senseless, faithless, heartless, ruthless. 32 Although they know God's righteous decree that those who do such things deserve death, they not only continue to do these very things but also approve of those who practice them.
Chapter 2
1 You, therefore, have no excuse, you who pass judgment on someone else, for at whatever point you judge the other, you are condemning yourself, because you who pass judgment do the same things. 2 Now we know that God's judgment against those who do such things is based on truth. 3 So when you, a mere man, pass judgment on them and yet do the same things, do you think you will escape God's judgment? 4 Or do you show contempt for the riches of his kindness, tolerance and patience, not realizing that God's kindness leads you toward repentance? 5 But because of your stubbornness and your unrepentant heart, you are storing up wrath against yourself for the day of God's wrath, when his righteous judgment will be revealed. 6 God "will give to each person according to what he has done." 7 To those who by persistence in doing good seek glory, honor and immortality, he will give eternal life. 8 But for those who are self-seeking and who reject the truth and follow evil, there will be wrath and anger. 9 There will be trouble and distress for every human being who does evil: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile; 10 but glory, honor and peace for everyone who does good: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile. 11 For God does not show favoritism. 12 All who sin apart from the law will also perish apart from the law, and all who sin under the law will be judged by the law. 13 For it is not those who hear the law who are righteous in God's sight, but it is those who obey the law who will be declared righteous. 14 (Indeed, when Gentiles, who do not have the law, do by nature things required by the law, they are a law for themselves, even though they do not have the law, 15 since they show that the requirements of the law are written on their hearts, their consciences also bearing witness, and their thoughts now accusing, now even defending them.) 16 This will take place on the day when God will judge men's secrets through Jesus Christ, as my gospel declares.

 

[KarateCowboy]

Thanks, dvd_holc

 

[dvd_holc]

Thanks, dvd_holc

your welcome

 

[PaulAckermann]

Then I asked, "If someone is a christian, but sins, are they going to hell"

And she wouldnt give me a straight answer. Because she knew that was check mate.

If she said no, she was contradicting everything she just said.
If she said yes, she was telling me that she...would be going to hell. And so would all her "christian" friends.

All this shows is the fallacy of Protestantism. This is not a fallacy in Catholiscm nor Orthodoxy. Your argument only invalidates Protestantism, not the two oldest forms of Christianity.

 

[Breaking Babylon]

what if a person was born in an area where he/she never had a chance to learn about christ. and that said person led a good life, and died never even knowing about any religion. would he/she go to hell?

if a person grows up following another religion, worshiping another god, leads a good life, dies and never hears of anything to do with the bible..... what happens.

i am not sure, but i have heard that you are not suppossed to worship any other gods.

i am new to all this really, and i want to at least take a look at it. it all seems really hard to believe, and i don't want to offend.

I love your questions. They're actually a couple of the more common ones around here, and sometimes the answer comes down to 'just have faith in your own salvation'. I tend to use an answer easier to swallow. It's fairly simple.

God is much bigger than the box we try and place Him in.

Just because that group was very evangelistic, doesn't mean that, respectfully, they had all the answers. The majority of these street preachers, for lack of a better term, are the same type who believe in a 'sinners prayer', and even if by some chance they would've 'converted' you you would've simply been told to get into a Bible-believing church, say this prayer, stay in touch with us, and WOOHOO! You're saved!

The Church is NOT a 'Holy Social Club.'

Back to the point...

God is much bigger than the box we try and place Him in. Just because someone has never, by some chance, heard the Gospel, or even understood it, this doesn't equal damnation. A child with cerebral palsy couldn't understand, does that mean he deserves Heaven less? Is God, the epitome of love, longsuffering, and mercy, going to turn some away because they never heard His name? Surely not!

You didn't offend me. I liked your questions, and your story -- it makes me thankful for being where I am now. The shortcomings of their evangelism is the result of shaping, twisting, and watering things down to make it 'easier to chew'. Christianity is not so simple. I recall hearing "Take up your cross and follow Me." Know what that means? Less of self, more of God, less of 'saying sorry', more repentance, believing the whole truth, not the buffet-style pick and choose theologies, worshipping God acceptably to Him, not suited to our own emotions.

I could go on and on... but I think you get the point, here. God is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. Why would He be less loving to those who haven't heard His name? No, I'm more willing to think that He is more merciful in this case. Let me explain...

Jesus spoke in parables. This was a divine mercy to us. How? Because, when we're judged, not all of us are going to hear "You HEARD, you UNDERSTOOD, and you DIDN'T FOLLOW."

There's the chance that some are going to face judgment not knowing exactly who He is. Did Saul of Tarsus know who He was at first? No. But the Lord didn't say "Oh well, moving on..." He made Himself known. Why would He do less for anyone else?

This modern day fire and brimstone scare tactic is more damaging than profitable by far. These modern twists to the churches aren't fruitful for one reason -- they're trying to add people to the church, not to God; luring the world with things of the world. The world should shape itself to the Church, not vice-versa. I'm not surprised that people lack belief in God when they're seeing the illogical "Jesus is my buddy"-type worship. Even when an atheist/agnostic finds themselves ready to give church a shot, they often leave more hopeless than before, because they see things they can't even relate to: emotionalism towards modern praise choruses, "Give Jesus a round of applause", etc etc.

Church isn't about us.

Wow, straying from the topic again... or, am I?

Forgive me.

This "I am redeemed and perfectly righteous by the Blood" talk is a farce. I am a lowly, wretched sinner, truly undeserving of His grace. I am not perfect, nor have I been made perfect, I am striving for perfection as I go. I said no 'sinners prayer' for my salvation -- I am walking it out with fear and trembling. Salvation is a destination, not an earthly arrival. I am being saved.

I'm not surprised you backed that lady into a corner. I probably wouldn't even agree with half the things she says, and I'm a Christian. What bothers me about that is where it left you -- more faithless than before. I apologize for that. I know how damaging those teachings can be.

 

[AtheistShawn]

I'm not surprised you backed that lady into a corner. I probably wouldn't even agree with half the things she says, and I'm a Christian. What bothers me about that is where it left you -- more faithless than before. I apologize for that. I know how damaging those teachings can be.

thanks for your post. i can see you spent some time thinking and typing it.

i just dont like things being forced upon me, but she didn't change anything i believe, she was wanting crowd interaction, and i played her game. i really dont know too much about the bible at all, not enough to give it a fair judgement on my part, i read very little, and frankly, i didn't understand much of it. and i have only went to church a few times.... and it was for the wrong reason all together... (because of a girl)

so i have alot to learn.

 

[Breaking Babylon]

True Christianity: Even infants wade in it's shores, yet the most advanced theologian has never reached it's depths. The West has spent far too much time trying to understand God and His divine nature through contemplation and logic, when such things are beyond logic and even human understanding. Learning comes through action, not through contemplation.

You're more than welcome for the reply.