Would a Christian, in the same situation, have just given up and died?

Question

In the documentary "Touching the Void", an atheist mountain climber with a broken leg is dropped 50 feet into a chasm during a blinding snowstorm on a remote peak. Smug Christians always say that atheists immediately turn to God at the first sign of adversity, but this climber found his atheist beliefs were stronger than ever. In fact, he argues that had he been a believer, he would have accepted events as "God's will", and just made his peace and waited either for a miracle rescue, or to die and join God in heaven. Instead, BECAUSE he was an atheist, he lowered himself further into the pitch black crevice. He dragged his broken leg behind him for days, without water, climbing over boulders, etc., and finally made it back to camp. Ironically, the non-atheist at the camp heard him crying for help, thought he was a ghost, and refused to leave the tent to help. So, my question is, wouldn't a Christian just accepted events, stayed put, prayed and died?

And please - no "maybe God would have answered his prayers"....there were no other climbers on the remote peak, and everyone in his party thought he was dead, and were planning to leave camp the next day....

Loreli - I don't think "tripping on a railroad track" is quite the same as lowering yourself into a pitch-black crevice, and dragging a broken leg for days through freezing weather. Glad to hear that trian didn't hit you, though!

dmt - I should have been clearer in the question....he didn't know if what he was doing would help him survive. When he went into the crevice, he had no idea if it would lead to a way out. It was quite possible, likely even, that he was just trapping himself in a deeper, darker pit. And by doing so, he knowingly eliminated any chance of being rescued by others....

Answer 1

If he's an athiest how would he know what he would do as a believer??

Answer 2

No, some of us have the understanding to know that GOD doesn't intend us to sit on our tails and not do anything. When we struggle, try to get it done and come to the end of our ropes after doing everything that we can think of to take care of a situation, then all we can do is turn it over to GOD. We are supposed to put forth an effort!

As for GOD's will? I firmly believe that when it is time for me to draw my last breath, GOD will let me know a little ahead of time.
We all have business we need to make right before the end.


PS-His fellow climbers left him for dead?!? Now that is messed up! I read here on yahoo about a month ago about a guy who was climbing Everest and had problems with breathing. There were climbers with him, but they left him to die...That isn't right.

Answer 3

If you read the Bible it's full of examples where Christians were in dire circumstances and were determined to push on through them dispite the odds. Jesus even raised people from the dead, so it's clear He did not simply resign Himself to circumnstances.

I know a lot of Christians who have been on their death beds. As I think back on those situations it seems as though almost always God gave the person an indication in their spirit as to whether the end was near. Sometimes God indicated it was not time for them to die and dispite the doctors diagnosis they recovered. Other times, they sensed it was their time and they were able to accept it, enjoy the last moments with family, and before passing on.

Christians believe that God has a purpose for every person. When you've fulfilled your purpose God will bring you home. It's hard to explain, but God seems to give people who are willing to listen a sense of peace or a sense of determination depending on whether they have fulfilled their purpose in this life.

Answer 4

Actually. This is a stupid question. A christian is human too. They would have attempted to survive as well as anyone else. The concept that Christians get into a fix then just wait to die or sit around waiting for God to do a magic trick is invalid. People who sit around waiting for the magic to begin are cowards, not Christians. Many Christians have been in life threatening situations and did what they needed to do to survive.

Answer 5

Often the fittest die first. So whether a Christian or a Muslim lives ahead of a Buddhist or a Jew is entirely the circumstance of the event.

In your particular example, the person is an atheist. Good on him.
Would a Christian have done the same? Sure. Survival is survival.

Answer 6

I don't think so. I mean, maybe a real loon would have said, "Ok this is god's will," and rolled over and died, but I doubt it. The survival instinct is pretty strong.

I think that even if a Christian THOUGHT they would say it was god's will in that situation, if they actually found themselves there, they'd still fight for survival.

Just my thoughts. I'm not a Christian; maybe one will come along and tell me I'm full of malarkey! lol.

Answer 7

Im an Atheist and I would have to say that when you are in a life threatening situation (and I have - twice) you do whatever it takes to stay alive. I dont think being a Christian has anything to do with the determination to live. Christian or not, you dont want to die.

Answer 8

Just because we're Christians doesn't mean we lay down and die. Christians are fighters, survivors, just like everyone else. If I tripped on railroad track and a train was coming, I wouldn't just lay there and expect God to pick me up. I'd jump up and run!

Answer 9

Ha, I think that depends on the Christian! I myself would not and think it is a personal decision, and instead of just stay there, I would pray to the Lord for strength! However If it was his plan for me to die, then I would die and there is nothing I could do to change that! But if it was his will for me to live, he would give me strength and save me.

Answer 10

i am a christian , and i have heard stories about christians, that did the same thing. so it kinda depends on who has broken a leg in the mountains and has to get back hisself.

Answer 11

Umm, no, I wouldn't have.

Determination and strength of purpose in living, desire to see loved ones again and go home is something everyone shares because we are human. Whether religious or not.