Do you believe that Atheists will go to heaven even if they live a good life?

Question

Well here is a question that I ask myself and see many hypocrites answer no. I have asked Catholic priests (I am Catholic) and they actually agree with my stance. Personally I believe that anyone can get to the kingdom of heaven because all you really have to do is live a humane life and treat others well. Honestly I know some atheists who do this so much better than many Christians I know.
Also I believe that any religion or way of life is actually very good. To me they are all just different paths towards the same goal, and that is making the best of things and just enjoying life. People just have many different ways.
One of the great things I like about the Catholic Religion is the idea of purgatory. To me it is the greatest thing because there that is proof of a loving God. Sure its a mix of heaven and hell, but there he gives every soul basically proof that he does exist and allows you the choice of spending eternity int he kingdom of heaven with him, or going to hell.

Here is an interesting thought. Would God accept someone who has been a serial killer all their life, but in their last moments accepted him over an atheist who has been good to people all their life? Would a loving God do something like that and make those who do good but dont believe in him right away suffer? In my opinion that right there is huge hypocracy and one of the things that gets me mad about some religons. They all in my opinion seem brainwashed and are like must beleive in God otherwise I suffer. Doesnt sound like free choice there does it.

Answer 1

How good do you have to be to get into heaven?

Just beacause you calim to be a Christian and go to church doesn't make you a Christian. You will be known by your acts. actions speak louder than words. any of this ringing a bell?

There is no way by acts alone to get into heaven. How do you know when you've done enough?

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Answer 2

Why should heaven be for those who don't believe in heaven?

God is presented to a person. Someone says Here is God's Word. Read it and see if you can believe it.

Then this person who reads the Word of God decides that he doesn't believe in It.

Now, he lives a good, clean life...should he STILL be allowed to go to Heaven even though he rejected God's Words?

I think if he had never known the Truth but had simply lived a good clean life without knowing anything about God or Christianity, he could and would go to heaven based on his life.

But being that Truth has been presented and then rejected...I don't think a self-proclaimed athiest
will be in Heaven.


God is going to judge the world according to His Word and whatever His Word says, that's the RULES.
There is nothing in the Holy Bible that says that "purgatory" is allowed or even available.
Therefore, "purgatory" does not exist in God's Holy Bible or in His Plan of Salvation.

No matter who said it does or how good something sounds, we have to have a basis, an Absolute that we have the right foundation of what the Rules are.
And that is in His Holy Bible.

Psalm 14:1 says:
"The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God."


That's what God thinks about the atheist,...that he is a fool.

Answer 3

I think that a true Athiest would not believe in Heaven. But Christians do believe that the only way to heaven is by accepting Jesus Christ as your lord and savior and asking to be forgiven of all your sins. It has nothing to do with being "good" or "bad". Everyone sins! In Gods eyes one sin is as bad a the next. He doesn't say "Well you are a bad person cause you stole something worth $100,000.00." and say to the next guy "Oh you arnt so bad cause you accidentally took a pen from your job." Sin is sin in Gods eyes. You go to heaven through the Lord Jesus, and by no other way. I heard a saying once, "I would rather live my life believing that there was a God and die and find out that there wasn't one, than to live my life not believing in him , and die and find out that there is a God." Everlasting life is a free gift, so why would anyone pass it up?

Answer 4

Wow! You got a lot going on in this question....
Not to be rude, but I don't have a clue who the heck you are and probably never will, so why would I believe what YOU think is right??? When I can read the Bible and see it right there in black and white..... "not everyone who calls out the name Lord Lord will be saved". The Bible clearly says, "no man shall enter the kingdom of heaven except through me"... Jesus Christ.

There are nice people spending eternaty in hell because they didn't accept Christ as savior of thier life, and repent from thier sins.

Purgatory.... of course your priest agrees with you.... he taught you. But ask him to show you in the Bible where it says there is purgatory.... I bet he can't show you. But he could show you, there is life and death, after your life here on earth you will stand before the Lord and give account for your life, if your name isn't in the Book of Life, you spend eternaty in hell.

It's very simple actually..... Jesus says..... "I set before you life and death.............choose life" How much more easier can it get... a test with the anwer!!!! Come on!! Thank you Jesus!!


Yes someone who has lived most of thier life not knowing Christ, and shortly before he/she dies accepts Christ, they will be in heaven, regardless of what they did, that is called the power, the forgiving cleansing power of the blood of Jesus.

No where does Jesus say, if you are nice you will go to heaven, if you are mean you burn in hell. It also doesn't say that only some sins are forgiven.... it says they all are. Murdurer, rapist, thief, liar, gossip, etc.... the Bible says "sin is sin" just like a lie is a lie, sure it may seem as though some lies are bigger than others, but they are still lies.... same goes with sin. So who are you to judge what sins God will forgive and what He won't????

I have not given what "I" think........ I have given what is written in the Word of God. I pray you have an open mind and open heart to receive... to learn the entire Word of God not just pieces/parts.

"People perish for lack of knowledge" - Jesus-

Answer 5

I'm a Catholic, too. And the priest is right. Man's law is not always God's in the sense that under God's law even an Atheist can go to heaven even if he/she is unaware of His commandments. Man's law on the other hand states that "ignorance of the law excuses no one from compliance therewith" - meaning, there's no Atheist on the laws made by man - or else suffer the consiquence for not knowing it. Living good is leading your life in the way through Jesus.

Answer 6

Athiests will not be in heaven, they don't believe in God or that Jesus was the Son of God. The only way to heaven is believing that God sent a Son to reconcile your sins. John chapter 14 testifies to this truth. Jesus is the only way to heaven...plain and simple.

As a Christian progresses through their walk with Christ, they will come to know their identity in Him. You should see a difference in these, more mature Christians. Most of Paul's writings in the Bible is an attempt to get the Church's to act in a compatible fashion with their identity.

Ephesians Chapter 2:8-9 "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast."

Do as many good works as you want, good works testify to your character. However, this verse testifies that if you don't come under God's grace, by accepting his sacrifice, then you are not saved and will not go to heaven. Your character and your acts do not cleanse you of your sins. Only Jesus can.

"Also I believe that any religion or way of life is actually very good. To me they are all just different paths towards the same goal, and that is making the best of things and just enjoying life. People just have many different ways."

That's a nice thought, but entirely untrue. John 14 again says that Jesus is the way...if another religion gives you another way besides Jesus...it's false. Your life on earth is your chance to choose God or Hell. Give up your selfish desires, take up God's desires for 60-80 years to be rewarded with eternity in paradise seems like a bargain to me.

In response to your murderer thought. Allowing a man who led a vastly sinful life to still enter heaven if saved on the death bed testifies to God's tremendous grace. This concept boggles the human mind...we can get mad at others for minute wrongdoing. God's grace is enough for our sins...our actions don't dictate our eternal life, our faith on His Son's actions is what will determine if we end up in heaven.

Answer 7

This is one of the reasons that I left Xtianity, and no two Xtians will ever agree on this point. It seems ludicrous that a "saved" serial killer will go to heaven, yet the humanitarian Buddhist/Pagan/Atheist will go to hell simply for not believing in the Xtian God. Ridiculous, isn't it?

Answer 8

If an Atheist never ever sins in his life, he will go to Heaven (even if he does not belive in God or in Jesus).

As an Atheist, I knew that I had done wrong (what the Christians call sin).

I used to be an atheist. Over a period of time however, I grew convinced of the existence of the Christian God, and ultimately committed my life to Christ (e.g., see http://www.godsci.org/gs/chri/testimony/seek.html ).

Cordially,
John

Answer 9

I completely agree with you. I think that most people get to go to heaven. Only people who intend to cause people such horrible misery and strife don't. But if they do realize what the did was wrong and stop, they get to go to the kingdom of heaven. Whenever someone in my family dies, someone who has no connection to the family, we think, mentions something about waiting in line. Either a security guard, or a cashier. Just something I thought I should mention.

Answer 10

The doctrine of Purgatory is a slap in the face of God. Jesus' sacrifice on the cross was sufficient to save you from all of your sins. You won't have to endure any punishment in the afterlife. Jesus paid it all. That Christians go straight to Heaven is an example of a much more humane and loving God than One Who would punish His own Son for our sin, then require us to be punished too.

Thanks for letting me vent a little.

Answer 11

No, they won't go to Heaven. The only reason you go to Heaven is if you have a relationship with Jesus and you love God. The only reason to be in Heaven is to praise your God. Why be in Heaven when you're there not doing what you're suppose to? And why risk it and drown in a lake of fire for eternity?

And another thing... We have no proof that there is a pergatory. It says nothing in the Bible about pergatory. We go straight to Heaven, or straight to Hell.