Is it really a choice?

Question

What's up with comments like: "You have the choice* not to accept Jesus Christ as your LORD and savior.....but if you dont....you'll just burn for forever in Hell."

*That's not a choice. That's an ultimatum.

Yes, dullards, I suppose you could choose Hell if you wanted to, but that would be like a kid NOT wanting presents on Christmas.

It just doesn't make sense...

Answer 1

It is an ultimatum, no doubt.

Saying that you have the option to choose, is like saying that if a thief points a gun at your head and ask for you wallet, you decide to choose that getting your brain blown in pieces is a better option than giving away your wallet, people just like to justify everything with "free will" instead admitting their god is a tyrant, here is where the "there must be another answer" kind of thought comes up to excuse god.

The parent punishment analogy makes no sense either. Human parents give finite punishment for finite actions. God gives infinite punishment for finite actions, there is no basis for comparison. The concept of "justice" can't apply with "eternal damnation".

The ultimatum makes no sense once you don't believe in the myth though.

Answer 2

Yes, because just because someone uses it too scare you into heaven is not a promise of security in heaven. The salvation that comes through Jesus Christ is a choice that comes when you have been convicted of the sin that separates you from God and keeps you bound by the ways of the world. When you make that choice, then you have decided Yes, Lord, or No, Lord - then the consequences are yours to bear - no different than any choice we make - they have consequences - well,so do spiritual choices - but without genuine change of heart, mind, and soul - then there's not really been a choice made at all. Those who use it as an ultimatum - need be careful, less they have not chosen wisely either.

Answer 3

There are people who say that if they need emergency efforts to save their life, nothing should be done. The fact is they will die for sure if nothing is done to save their life. Death is the consequence. Even though they know this will be the result, their argument is that it is their choice. If you agree that their argument is a choice, then how can so can personally accepting or rejecting Jesus into your heart is also a choice. There is a consequence to every important decision we make which is either good or bad. We tell our kids to do this or that before punishment. They can either do it or just leave it knowing the consequence of reward and punishment. We may give the ultimatum to do it or else, but they have a will of their own. They can choose to obey or disobey what we say.

Answer 4

You are correct, although an ultimatum is a still a choice. The idea however is not choosing between Jesus and Hell, that would be a pretty easy choice, it is choosing between Truth and Lies, Life and Death, Light and Darkness, Love and Hate, or perhap between Love and Apathy, on a daily basis.

The Idea is that without the core value that is in Jesus, or better stated, without the reason that the axiom of Christian faith gives it is not possible for the fallen human to choose life or light or love, but we will always fall into the hands of darkness.

Answer 5

The choice you're making is, are you going to choose to follow Jesus since He paid for your sins or would you like to live life to the full pleasure of sinful nature here on earth and pay for your own sins later on.
I mean He's made it easy and simple for us. In heaven you can have everything you want but in hell you don't even get one drop of water.
It's like ... let me ask you this to prove a point. If you have a choice between someone offering to take you out to a big expensive dinner and offering to pay for it plus take you out shopping to buy you anything you want or need ... or stay home and starve and be bored and depressed all night, which one will most people pick?

Answer 6

Unfortunately that's how it goes.

It goes the same way when you parents don't aloud you to go out, but still you go without their concern, in the long run you have to pay the consequences.

If you brake the law here in earth, kill a person and rub, or any crime. You will go to jail, no questions ask and no choice to make. You will be punish.

If you take drugs knowing that that drug is going to harm you and you still took it, you know that it could kill you, harm your brains or could end up rape without noticing. But you made that choice in taking it in the first place.

The same way when it comes to school. Many of my students ask me, why do we have to be in school. Childrens are forced to be in school. And when they grow up to be16 they can either stay or drop if they like. But what will happend if they drop?
No education, can't find a good paying job, maybe will live in welfare. that is the consequence. Just think!

So again I will mention, it's your choice.
And behind choices, there could be good or bad consequences.

Answer 7

In a way, maybe it is an ultimatum, but remember, God didn't set it up that way, man did, when Adam sinned. And most people who go to hell do it by default, by not making any choice.

Answer 8

It's like when a parent gives a child the "choice" whether or not to clean up their room.

To these people I ask, "If I lead a good life, don't lie, cheat, steal, or hurt others in any way, if I do good deeds and donate my time to charity, yet don't believe in Jesus, you honestly believe that I will burn in hell?"

Those people believe in a pretty crappy religion.

Answer 9

It's an ultimatum if you buy into the concepts of Heaven and Hell. If you don't than it's a matter of faith...OMG (and I mean Gosh), I sound like a good Christian, I am not and am just trying to get the arguement into a respectful tone. Unfortunately, the Christians place their faith into a false entity aka Jesus and not in God (if there is one). I for one choose not to buy into the Jesus stuff...nor do I necessairly believe in God, what I do believe is that having faith in something beyond the self is healthy...Label it God if you wish, though I don't...I however misguidedly label it HUMANITY. PEACE!!!

Answer 10

It is an ultimatum. But I guess it really depends on what religion you are. The single-minded "you'll burn in hell if you don't believe in Jesus" type of religions seem to be kind of cult-like and extreme.