Question for intelligent adult Christians?

Question

Based on the question here:
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=As22rUJynVZV4PRt7ouJaAzsy6IX?qid=20060826100404AAyZBaJ
All the Christians who answered apparently aren't old enough to have critical thinking skills. But the reality about Christians is the majority of the adults are very intelligent and will be able to answer the question. Does a person, based on the South Park charachter Timmy, who is handicap and can only say his name Timmy, have eligibility for heaven; based on the bible verse: Philippians 2:9-11.

For those of you who may not know, I am an agnostic with no intention of converting to any religion, or changing anyone else's religion.

Answer 1

Teaching a person to pronounce words involves having them repeat the word. To repeat a word, a person envisions themselves saying the word, and then attempts to emulate the vision.

Legalistically, poor Timmy wouldn't stand a chance of getting to heaven according to agnostic rationale.

However, Timmy can go to heaven based on Matthew 5:28. If, by thinking in one's heart (mind) adultery can be committed; then Timmy (by thinking in his heart [mind], picturing himself saying "Jesus Christ is Lord) makes him eligible for heaven.

For those of you who may not know me, I am answering this question for those Christians who visit Yahoo Answers.

I know JD doesn't really want to understand anything about the scripture in Philippians.

God bestows mercy on JD, who am I to protest such a display of unconditional love?

Answer 2

Since you mention your perpective for asking, I thought you would like to know I answer this with a Lutheran laymen (not pastor) perpective.
Philippians 2:9-11 is a good passage, yet I would encourage that we look back a few verses. Starting at verse one, here Paul is asking a couple of rhetorical questions, in this case Paul is expecting the "readers" answer to be a "yes, I do" type of response, Paul then moves on by nicely telling them to get their act together (verse 2(b?)...being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit...
verses 9-11 speaks to the subject that everyone (believer or not)will have to, at some point in time, and that is recognize Jesus for the person/power that he is/has. In the most common of ways - that being the form of a spoken word (every tongue confess).
As to "timmy" the cartoon I doubt it matters much. To the "timmy's" of our real world - and there are such people, and for the people that are mute (can't speak), for those that have suffered strokes and lost there ability to speak, those that are... well you are intelligent enough to get the idea - these people and the rest of us rely on John 3:16. In this passage the word used is believe not speak.
I like the words used in Mark 10:13-16 it is about little children, and "timmy" would fit as a little "child" (no matter how young/old) from verse 16...And he took the children in his arms, put his hands on them and blessed them.

So, eligibility for heaven... based on Philippians 2:9-11... no I don't think so, as it is a different subject, submitting (most likely) at the end of time and the time of "eligibility" may have already past by.
Based on John 3:16 and other passages, yes.

Answer 3

Okay, a child in real life with that level of handicap would always be a child and never reach the "age of accountability."

No, I don't believe that God requires of anyone what they are incapable of doing. My understanding is that a child in that circumstance would be innocent and heaven bound. Based on Matthew 18:2-5 and like passages.

Answer 4

Yes, he would. In this passage it is talking about a time that everyone will see Jesus for what He really is and will bow to Him as Lord and King of the universe. As it says in Acts 17 : 30 And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent: So in essence, if you do not have the capacity to know right from wrong, He will take that into account at the judgement and you will not be held accountable for what you did know know or could not know but if you have the capacity and just reject it, that is when you best worry about it.

Answer 5

Timmy is a cartoon character, so no he does not have eligibility to Heaven. However, many people believe that the innocent are given automatic entrance to Heaven, such as small children and "mentally challanged".

Answer 6

Look, :sighs: I think I am doing you a favor when answering this type of questions.

I am going to take that cartoon with an example of real life: My cousin. I have a cousin who is handicap because he had an accident when he was a child. He cannot speak and he has been in bed for years. Do you think it would be fair for this person to go to hell for something that wasn't his fault?.

My cousin was a nice kid when he was young. He never did anything wrong to anyone. I think people who are handicapped are blessed and are special people in the eyes of God.

No, they won't go to hell. Like someone here said. God knows our hearts and our intentions pretty well, a person who can't proclaim his love for God because of his condition is not going to get punished for it.

Answer 7

Everyone was born with Original Sin( thanks Eve ), so to be "eligible" to get into Heaven one must be saved and Baptised to wash these sins away and ask God for forgiveness. At that point Heaven is a viable opportunity. If a person is menatlly incapacitated and can't comprehend this, or they are an infant uncapable of cognitive reasoning and thought, they are automatically gauranteed a seat in Heaven.

Answer 8

Primarily it is NOT God's will that anyone should perish. But the wages of sin is death, so if you sin, you deserve to die. For someone who is mentally ill, I do not know if there is a possibility to sin (Science does not know it, but surely the creator knows). So Timmy's salvation is dependant upon his conscience eithee excusing him or accusing him.

But there is more to it. Just like you teacha child to pray, you can also make Timmy fold his hands and uttter a prayer, in whichever form he can. God is a loving God and He has NOT created us to destroy us in hell.

May God bless Timmy.

Answer 9

That particular verse is in reference to the End Times when everyone will bow and recognize God as God. However, I do think that a mentally handicapped person can get to heaven. God knows his or her handicap, and I think that He allows those ppl a way into heaven by understanding about Him what they can.

If you have no intention of becoming a Christian, why do u bother asking questions about it? Is it to antagonize Christians by taunting them with questions they may not know the answers to? You shouldn't waste your time with that.

Answer 10

Why ask Christian adults to make judgment questions..small children are considered Innocent and the handicapped also. Let all the children come to me for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.