Is ignorance a sin?

Question

Let's say a small child in a isolated village that has never seen the outside world is born and raised to respect his elders, help others, and treat people kindly. Let's say he's a pillar of the community and wouldn't even dream of sinning. He doesn't know Jesus and has never heard of him. All he knows it what is in his tiny village. Is he going to Hell when he dies even though he didn't really have the chance or choice in accepting Jesus?
I'm curious to know some opinions on this from Christians. Please let's be polite I'm looking for points of view and opinions on my question alone. I already know the atheistic answer I want a theistic view point. Thank you.

Answer 1

No, of course not, the person in your example would not be held accountable for not knowing or ever hearing about the gospel of Jesus Christ. But maybe a better question is:

Is choosing to be ignorant a sin?

Answer 2

Every man born on this earth is born with the sin of Adam. So in a sense we are sinners the second we are born. It is human nature to sin, everyone does it. If this kid never sinned, he probably wouldn't go to hell, because he would be Jesus, the only sinless man. This is the reason we are trying our best to send out missionaries all around the world, to get God's message of salvation out there. If this kid died before he hit the age of accountability, or when he was able to make up his own mind of whether he was doing bad or good and could decide what to do in situations, he would go to heaven, much like the children who do not know God, yet can not understand salvation here in America. But if the child was old enough to decide right from wrong, and did the right every time, he would be sinless, and this is not possible. Find me this man, and I will show you my God. Also, everyone has a sex drive, and even the thought of lustful actions is considered a sin. God does not just judge our actions, but also our thoughts.

Answer 3

All should know Gods glory.
Howerver I look at this two different ways.
One we all know what is right or wrong deep down, so if the child always did right and never sinned he would be sinless( only Jesus did this, so its impossible for anyone to do) , and he would recieve salvation if he remained sinless.
Orthe other possibility is that Christ has visited him and he hasent been willing to accept it. Many indigenous tribes have had stories of a great man( the son of thier God or Gods) that died on a tree to take away the plaques of this world.
Ex. The Aztecs believed that thier God Quetzecotyl was a fair skinned man with a beard( Aztecs didnt have beards) that sailed away on a ship to the east only someday to return to take his people to a kindom he prepared for them.
Sounds like Jesus preparing the secong Earth doesnt it.
That is why so many Aztecs wouldnt attck Cortez the Spaniard when he attcked the Aztecs, they believed he was there Gods son.
Also many African tribes spoke of a man from a far away tribe that was nailed to a tree( sounds like a cross), and that healed many of thier tribesman and did many miracles, he also cured many of the plaques( sounds like solving sin), he stated he was the son of one of thier Gods, the tribe was also told someday people would come to help them and that he would be amongst them. These people were found and the majority of them became Christians because they believed that these were the people sent to help them.
These are just my opinions I beleiev one of these is the likely answer
God Bless:)+=

Answer 4

The LDS faith believes that there is a period of time in the after life where the gospel is preached to people like the one you described. This is described in 1 peter 3:18-20 and 1 peter 4:6. It specifically refers to the time of Noah. Think about the conditions then. Only one family, 8 people, knew the truth about God. There was NO chance for someone living even 500 miles from him to know the truth. The children born during that time were doomed to die without knowledge. God, being perfect, gave them, and everyone, another chance in the after-life to accept Christ.

Answer 5

Very interesting... well, I don't think the child would go to Hell. He would've never done anything wrong. Who knows? Heaven works in mysterious ways- maybe the child would suddenly learn and know who He is and be accepted in Heaven, or at least in the Purgatory. I think, if he had never done anything too terrible in his life, he'd be fine. It seems like whether he'd know Jesus or not, he'd have a certain Faith of his own, don't you think? That's my opinion. Well, thanks for reading my answer (that was a difficult question- I tried my best!) and thank you again for asking! :)

Answer 6

How can ignorance be a sin when ignorance is a lack of knowing? Stupidity is knowing better, but doing it anyway. I don't think the child would go to hell for not knowing any better...

Answer 7

well according yo traditional theology yes, he goes to hell because he doesn't know jesus. But personally i find that hard to believe, because the child you speak of wouldn't be ignorant, but innocent. He doesn't know any better. Ignorance is having the tools to learn better, but willingly neglecting them in light of your own opinion (kinda like censorship, but on a perosnal level).

so i think if he does the basic thing Jesus taught, that he'd be ok, but that's just me.

Answer 8

>> Is ignorance a sin?
Nope

>> Is he going to Hell when he dies
My particular sect says he'll be dead until Judgment Day. On Judgment Day, he'll be judged by his acts. If he was good, he goes to Heaven. If he wasn't, then he's chucked into the lake of fire.

Answer 9

No, why would you be punished for something that you had no control over. You will have a chance to hear the truth and to accept it or deny it. whether it be in this life or the next.

Answer 10

An Inuit hunter asked the local missionary priest: 

"If I did not know about God and sin, would I go to hell?" 

"No," said the priest, "not if you did not know."

"Then why," asked the Inuit earnestly, "did you tell me?"

~ Annie Dillard, Pilgrim at Tinker Creek