2006-10-29 15:27:31 · 37 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Christians will say no, because they have not reached "the age of accountability."
Interestingly, that phrase is not mentioned or even alluded to in the Bible. But Christians find it too horrific and unjust to contemplate that God would allow innocent children to burn in hell (though they can somehow justify God allowing them to starve, to suffer abuse and agony, to die of AIDS or cancer, or even to be brutally raped and murdered).
Like the "age of grace" versus "the age of the Law" (phrases also not found in the Bible), which allows them to ignore Mosaic law and some of the commandments (honor the Sabbath, have no graven images, etc.), this is another instance of fundamentalist Christians rationalizing away a part of the Bible and a conclusion of their own beliefs that they find inconvenient or reprehensible.
But it is black and white: Since babies cannot "confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and ... believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead..." (Romans 10:9), they cannot fulfill the biblical requirements for salvation. Babies, like so many good people in the world and in history, will burn in hell IF you believe in a literal interpretation of the Bible.
This is one reason I cannot accept the Christian faith as taught by most fundamentalists. What a shame...
2006-10-29 15:52:22 · answer #1 · answered by Don P 5 · 3⤊ 0⤋
There's no such thing as burning in hell.
What is the condition of the dead?
Eccl. 9:5: “The living are conscious that they will die; but as for the dead, they are conscious of nothing at all.”
Ps. 146:4: “His spirit goes out, he goes back to his ground; in that day his thoughts [“thoughts,” KJ, 145:4 in Dy; “all his thinking,” NE; “plans,” RS, NAB] do perish.”
John 11:11-14: “‘Lazarus our friend has gone to rest, but I am journeying there to awaken him from sleep.’ . . . Jesus said to them outspokenly: ‘Lazarus has died.’” (Also Psalm 13:3)
Is there some part of man that lives on when the body dies?
Ezek. 18:4: “The soul [“soul,” RS, NE, KJ, Dy, Kx; “man,” JB; “person,” TEV] that is sinning—it itself will die.”
Isa. 53:12: “He poured out his soul [“soul,” RS, KJ, Dy; “life,” TEV; “himself,” JB, Kx, NAB] to the very death.” (Compare Matthew 26:38.)
AS - American Standard Version (1901; as printed in 1944), American Revision Committee.
AT - The Bible—An American Translation (1935), J. M. Powis Smith and Edgar J. Goodspeed.
By - The Bible in Living English (published in 1972), Steven T. Byington.
CBW - The New Testament—A Translation in the Language of the People (1937; as printed in 1950), Charles B. Williams.
CC - The New Testament (1941; as printed in 1947), Confraternity of Christian Doctrine Revision.
CKW - The New Testament—A New Translation in Plain English (1963), Charles K. Williams.
Da - The ‘Holy Scriptures’ (1882; as printed in 1949), J. N. Darby.
Dy - Catholic Challoner-Douay Version (1750; as printed in 1941).
ED - The Emphatic Diaglott (1864; as printed in 1942), Benjamin Wilson.
Int - The Kingdom Interlinear Translation of the Greek Scriptures (1969).
JB - The Jerusalem Bible (1966), Alexander Jones, general editor.
JP - The Holy Scriptures According to the Masoretic Text (1917), Jewish Publication Society of America.
KJ - King James Version (1611; as printed in 1942).
Kx - The Holy Bible (1954; as printed in 1956), Ronald A. Knox.
LEF - The Christian’s Bible—New Testament (1928), George N. LeFevre.
LXX - Greek Septuagint Version.
Mo - A New Translation of the Bible (1934), James Moffatt.
NAB - The New American Bible, Saint Joseph Edition (1970).
NE - The New English Bible (1970).
NTIV - The New Testament in an Improved Version (1808), published in London.
Ro - The Emphasised Bible (1897), Joseph B. Rotherham.
RS - Revised Standard Version, Second Edition (1971).
Sd - The Authentic New Testament (1958), Hugh J. Schonfield.
SE - The Simple English Bible—New Testament, American Edition (1981).
TC - The Twentieth Century New Testament, Revised Edition (1904).
TEV - Good News Bible—Today’s English Version (1976).
We - The New Testament in Modern Speech (1929; as printed in 1944), Richard F. Weymouth.
Yg - The Holy Bible, Revised Edition (1887), Robert Young.
2006-10-29 15:56:57 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
All children that don't know right from wrong or the age of accountability will be going to heaven. Jesus takes them in His arms and loves them, so very much.
2006-10-29 15:32:12 · answer #3 · answered by salvation 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Yes. Because it says in the Scripture that the sins of the fathers are passed to the sons. If they are not True Believders they shall burn in Satan's pit of fire forever. Everyone has read this in the Bible.
2006-10-29 15:33:10 · answer #4 · answered by ? 1 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Do you hate these children? Any self respecting Christian would balk at such an idea. How can you condemn any individual much less a child for somthing out of their control such as where they were born? Millions of individuals have passed from this world with out knowledge of Christ. None shall be condemned for somthing they have no knowledge of.
2006-10-29 15:30:23 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
No. they remain Innocent. The closest I can find is this, but there is something specifically about children somewhere. Min while, here: "Those who, through no fault of their own, do not know the Gospel of Christ or his Church, but who nevertheless seek God with a sincere heart, and, moved by grace, try in their actions to do his will as they know it through the dictates of their conscience - those too may achieve eternal salvation."
2006-10-29 15:35:14 · answer #6 · answered by Gabo Salva Veritate 2 · 1⤊ 1⤋
That loving and forgiving God up there roasts them over the pits of hell like marshmallows on a stick
2006-10-29 15:33:13 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
No. God has chosen His own people since before the dawn of Time. If they are His, they go to Heaven, if not, they go to Hell. It doesn't matter the age, race, nation, or anything. If He wants them to be with Him, then He'll let them be with Him.
2006-10-29 16:24:28 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Their ultimate fate depends on the parents, just as it did prior to the great flood and in Sodom. If the parents were never taught the truth, than it comes down to their heart condition at the time of the second resurrection, as to whether they face judgment or everlasting life.
2006-10-29 15:42:59 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
Depends on your belief system.
If they aren't Judeo-Christian / Muslim, the question is probably moot.
If they're Catholic, then no, they won't go to hell.
If they're liberal protestants, probably not.
If they're Calvanist, then God's already determined which of them will and will not.
If they are more Fundamentalist, then they haven't been saved, and probably.
That's just my limited understanding of the subject though.
--Dee
2006-10-29 15:31:33 · answer #10 · answered by Deirdre H 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋