What if you're wrong?

Question

There are always people critisizing and making fun of christians for having such blind faith based on a book that was written hundreds of years ago, but what happens if we're right and you're wrong? The worst thing that could happen to us if we're wrong is that we would either be reincarnated, or we would just die, and never know. But if you're wrong, are you prepared to spend eternity in hell? And forget this "party" crap. Have you ever been burned? By a cigarette or a match? You know how they used to burn witches? It would be like that, the pain without becoming numb from it or passing out from it......forever. So before you laugh this off as another bible-thumper spouting off my beliefs, I really want to know what would you do if you are wrong?

Just to clarify, my beliefs are very strong, I just like to see what other people think and believe. And I'm not trying to push my beliefs on everyone else. I'm just looking for different ideas of what you think about the whole idea that maybe we (christians) aren't crazy.

Answer 1

Well, we wouldn't really be able to do anything, now would we?

Answer 2

I believe that, not only are my beliefs probably wrong, everyone else's probably are too.

Every religion/beliefs are more or less equaly speculative, arbitrary, illogical, flawed and ultimately human. We ARE human, we can't avoid being imperfect in our analysis. Especialy something of this scale.

But, to answer the question you meant, which was "What if I'm right?", because we could both easily be wrong.

And I'd also like to point out, that maybe we're both wrong and you burn in hell and I don't. Maybe we're both wrong and I burn in Hell and you don't. My biggest problem with Christians is summed up by that sort of thinking right there too.

You assume that you are either correct, or there can be no God. But what if the Hindu have it right? What about Islam? What if The Buddha was right and you'll just keep comming back until you atain Nirvana?

If you are right. I will go to hell and burn for all eternity, because I did not submit myself to the belief that a character from a poorly written, highly conflicted and repeatedly translated story of questionable historic content died for my sins.

I risk my soul for all eternity, on my beliefs.

You risk nothing.

Does that not make my faith the stronger of the two?

Answer 3

You think that if you're wrong, it's simply a mistake, but if you're wrong, you've been part of a process that has led millions of people astray. That's nothing to be concerned about? You're part of the institution that was doing the burning of witches that you're talking about.

If you're wrong, what ultimately happens depends on who's right. There are those that teach that Christians aren't that well off either. Is that something you are prepared for?

There is no group on earth that doesn't have at least one other group promising eternal torment for its adherents. No matter who you are, you're bound for eternal torment from at least one divine being.

Christians say that their religion is the right one. The problem is that just the same as other religions, they have no external verifiable proof. No religion is graced with such proof. Were they, the question would be academic, something that could be answered with mere logical analysis. That's not the case, so it is up to each of us to choose that religion or philosophy which we feel best suits our needs.

The question of hell or eternal torment is simply a part of that religion or philosophy that we choose. You may believe that the rest of the world is going to be sentenced to eternal torment by your God. Do you recognize that what you are really saying is this: My God love you so much that he is gently asking you to trust him. By the way; if you refuse, he'll torture you for eternity for refusing." That's the essential message of your loving God.

If you believe, please do so. Do so with all your heart. Please though, don't assume that there aren't people of different faiths or philosophies that are just as certain as you. That's what it means to live in a world with many different faiths.

Answer 4

What if cynicsim and scientific thought is the key to happy afterlife, which excludes people who never excercised valid critical thinking in place of placid faith. Seems the "worse" that can happen to you is the oblivion that you fear, and believers in rational thought will be rewarded.

If your right, God will forgive us, and we'll go to heaven anyway. You do say that God is all forgiving, right?

And, if your wrong, then someone sold a book with this "challenge" in it to about 1,000 Y!Answers Christians, convincing you he had the perfect argument when all he had was a tired old cliche and $4.99 + tax. Wanna buy the Brooklyn Bridge?

Answer 5

This one is easy to answer. It astounds me when people such as yourself try to complicate an issue. The great newspaperman, and well known atheist, H.L. Mencken was asked this question, many, many years ago. When asked what he would say if he actually found himself before St. Peter at the "Pearly Gates", his elequently genius reply was, "Well gentlemen, I guess I would simply admit that I had been wrong."

When will you religionists learn that we atheist and agnostics are not in denial of God, an afterlife etc., out of hand. We simply require PROOF! Have a MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Answer 6

before, i was really skeptical about this whole religion thing. not just christianity but islam, taoism, shintoism, all of them. i thought if all of them are true, then who shall i believe? there must be one truth, one GOD, one SUPREME BEING but who is HE? is he Buddha? Christ? Mohhamed? if christians go to heaven, where do all the others go? Hell? remember that in every religion, there are great persons who are qualified to enter heaven but don't believe in heaven.
but now i've grown up. i see religion as an object of hope. when we're down, depressed, or in deep sh**, we pray. this is what most people do. they remember GOD in times of trouble. (with exception to few, genuine believers). so, if i'm wrong, I will ask for forgiveness and a chance for redemption because we are taught that GOD is merciful, forgiving and loving and i'm sure he will forgive me (for this opinion of mine). BUT if I'm right, there's nothing more i can do. I'll lay down, feasted by worms.

Answer 7

You're right. I think I will convert to Islam. I wouldn't want to go to Allah's hell.

Seriously though, this is another display that Christianity is based on fear tactics. This is Pascal's Wager you are talking about. There are many hells that are written about that you could end up in for not believing certain things.

"Surely investigation is better than unthinking faith. Surely reason is a better guide than fear." [Robert G. Ingersoll(1833-1899), "The Liberty of Man, Woman and Child"]

http://wiki.ironchariots.org/index.php?title=Pascal%27s_wager

Answer 8

If I'm wrong, I ask God for another run. I ask him "will you send me, one of your children, to the bowels of hell for following his heart. Did I not preach that I could be wrong and felt I was right? Did I not feel your presence, and gave you no name? I felt your wonders and your beauty as well as your wrath and called them both a challenge. Did it anger you that I gently said what I had to to spread the word of a separate reality? Was that place, this place, not just one of your descriptions and another world of challenges? Does not every living thing make you up and turn the wheel of existence? I have always loved this world, and it's secretes have always been bountiful to me. Will you not let me go back for at least one more experience, one more chance to show you that I love you and will always be joyous of every crevice, of every rock, of every mountain, of every planet?"

Answer 9

I guess we all go to hell. You answered the question yourself. It wouldn't do us any good to go to church and claim to be Christian, would it? I can't MAKE myself believe, just like you can't MAKE yourself not believe. I can pray all day to be forgiven, but it wouldn't make a difference. If there is a God like you claim, then he knows my heart, and in my heart, I can't make him real, no matter what you, or he threatens me with. I don't make fun of you for having blind faith, it is just something I CANNOT have, try as I may.

Answer 10

Ah yes, the best way to convert anyone to your religion...

Fear.

I believe that I have the capacity for intelligent thought for a reason, a gift from my creator to allow me to question the nature of my creator and the nature of myself and the universe and my place in it. I don't need a book to tell me any of that stuff; I can commune with the Divine any time I choose and get enlightenment straight from the source.

If I'm wrong, so what? I'm not going to pretend to believe something that I actually don't, "just in case".

And if your pathetic argument actually wins converts, then those people don't have much of a brain to begin with anyway. Their loss.

Answer 11

yes i have been burned.it`s not so bad.but hell that`s much more than a little burn.if i thought setting myself on fire would save the lost souls i would do it.and as for as all those that do`nt believe.i`ll burn for you too.i just want to ask you .can you take the pain?that`s how i got my wife to except god.i burned a deep hole i my arm and asked if she could do that.then i asked if she could live forever with the fire all over her.it was a small thing to do.i would be happy to give anything for you if it keeps you from hell.