If someone doesnt believe in God, never prays, but is a good person, can still go to Heaven?

Answer 1

If there is a heaven I sure hope so. Beliefs tell us many different things but all you have to believe is what is inside of you.

Answer 2

No, because there is no heaven.

On the bright side, there is no hell, either.

We'd all like to believe that we go on existing forever, and that the good and bad actions people take (and even then, one must ask "Good for whom?" or "Bad according to whom?") will somehow be justly rewarded or punished - either in this life, or the next. Unfortunately, that's just not the way things work in reality. Morality (and God) was invented by people, whereas the universe operates on an entirely different set of laws.

You may be asking at this point, "So why be a good person if there's no reward in it?" To which I would respond, "If you're only doing good things because you're anticipating some reward in the end, isn't that actually kind of selfish?"

For that matter, what is a "good" person? I don't know how useful it is to label people as "good" or "bad" when human beings are so much more complex than that. And so many religions out there offer varying ideas of what "good" and "bad" are that it's difficult to know for sure. Moreover, as you've already observed, there are plenty of "good" people out there who don't really see a need to have God in their lives.

I suspect that what most people would identify as a "good" person is someone who is kind and helpful to others. A more accurate term for such a person be "humanist," which Kurt Vonnegut succinctly defined as "trying to behave decently without expectation of rewards or punishment after you are dead."

So why behave decently? Well, for one, you'll have more friends, and your chances of living longer are better. You may not always get what you want, but you'll at least have the satisfaction of knowing that you tried to make the world a better place - and since this world is all any of us will ever have, isn't that the most important part?

Answer 3

It all depends on who is asking. To someone who does not believe in god and never prays, but still is a good person, they will not believe in heaven anyway. Therefore, to that person the question isn't logically correct.

It would be like telling that person that you had better believe in heaven, because if you don't, you wouldn't go to heaven. If someone doesn't believe in heaven, then they will have no incentive to suddenly change to believe in heaven, because they do not believe in heaven anyway. To them the question is paradoxical.

As it therefore depends on who is being asked, the answer depends on what you believe. If the question is directed to the general population, all of different religious beliefs, cultures etc. then you will get different answers.

Naturally each person within a specific religion will always think that their religion is the correct one. How will a non-believer make a choice? Will everyone who is not in the religion that says, "You will go to hell if you do not believe in God or never pray" be damned to burn for eternity? Does that seem like a fair judgement? An eternity to burn for just one lifetime (even though that person has been morally good)?

Although I do as much as I can to help other people and do what I believe to be right. I therefore cannot answer that question because I have my own beliefs (I am agnostic). I do not believe in what the majority consider to be "God" and I never pray.

Therefore, if you ask someone who is christian, they would say I will burn in hell for eternity.

Answer 4

Depends.

Because you ask if they can go to heaven, I am making the assumption that this person then dies and finds out there was a God, etc. If this were the case, and this is how I believe, God would judge that person according to they way they lived their life and according to the knowledge they obtained. I don't believe God will hold someone accountable for something they don't know or understand. On the other hand, it could be that that person did learn about God, considered whether it was true, and maybe even had a hunch it was true, but then decided it was just easier to live without religion. That person will more likely receive a harsher judgment, because they had the opportunity to understand and receive God, but passed it up.

Luckily, none of us are the judge. God is merciful, but he is also just and therefore must judge us according to our knowledge and how we behave with the knowledge we've received.

Answer 5

Has this person ever heard of God? Has this person ever had the plan of salvation laid out for him? Does this person live in an African jungle or in outer Mongolia? I don't think I can give an answer without more info. The bible does talk about those who aren't exposed to the Law so they aren't under it, implying that those who never hear the gospel have an alternate way of getting to heaven. I don't have the verse on that but I'll get it. However in America, there is a church on every corner, exposure to Christianity in all it's glory AND flaws on the radio, TV and Internet so you'd be hard pressed to find someone who simply had never heard but who led a good life.

Answer 6

Believing in God is not a requirement for going to heaven. In Romans Chapter 10 verse 9 the bible says that if you confess with you mouth the Lord Jesus and that God raised him from the dead you shall be saved. Also John 3:16 says that for God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son that whosoever believe in him(Jesus) shall not parish but have everlasting life. So the criteria for going to heaven is accepting Jesus as your Lord and Savior.

Answer 7

Jesus said you have to be Born Again to go to Heaven, but that is not the only reward. Consider the men hung beside Christ. They couldn't have been Born Again, as the Holy Spirit was not poured out until after the time of Christ on Earth. Neither were anyone before his time, including John the Baptist.

The other reward is everlasting life on Earth, and provided they were never given the chance to accept Christ and his teachings, than yes, they have a chance for everlasting life. But, it fully depends on what is found in his/her heart, which is not something any of us can know.

Answer 8

I believe in God and I do pray. I just choose not to do it in a church. I would class myself as a good person. I work hard, am honest. I teach my children right from wrong. I love my b/f as if he was my husband and he is the father of our children. But as I was told the other day I was going to Hell as I am a sinner. I have had sex before marriage and that is a sin in the eyes of God. I also refuse to turn my back on my sister who is also a sinner... but the word I use is lesbian. She too is a wonderful caring person. I was told I was going to hell by a catholic who runs a Yahoo group to comfort and support women who have suffered the loss of a child either through miscarriage, stillbirth or death. This is their belief. It does not matter about any good you do... you sin you go to hell! If you ask for forgiveness then you will be fine. You could live with one man for all your life but if you are not married it counts for nothing its a sin! This is what the caring catholics told me when I turned to them for comfort after a miscarriage.

Answer 9

No heaven is a place created by Christians as the reward for believing in and doing as god says.

Answer 10

If they don't believe in God how can they believe in heaven as well. Isn't it a creation of God's?

There is a special place we have to go but will not know until this journey ends.

Answer 11

No not straight away. we are all reincarnated, If someone is a good person God will make himself aware to them so they have the opportunity to pray and understand God and they will eventually go to heaven(if they acknowledge God and pray to him)