A Christian friend told me that if I don't have a relationship with God, I will end up in hell.?

Question

I am Buddhist and is a second year medical student. My Christian friends were convincing me to convert. They told me that if I don't have a relationship with Jesus, then I will end up in hell. So this was what i asked them "if a guy raped and killed an innocent girl, and then a couple of months later find a 'relationship' with Jesus, will he end up in heaven???? While I am going to be a doctor and treating sick people, i will end up in hell??? I am not trying to put any religion down, I just don't think it makes a lot of sense to me when a person who has done no harm will go to hell and a criminal will go to heaven. I think religion is a beautiful thing and I do respect all religions. I am only asking this question because I have not received a decent answer...one that makes sense to me.

I don't think my friends meant any harm by trying to convert me. I know they did it because they just didn't want me to go to hell, according to their beliefs. After listening to them for 2 hours about Christianity (because i respect their beliefs), I told them that I understand their motives, but I would not convert from what I have grown up to believe in. Believing in Buddha has helped me get to where I am right now, working toward my career goal...so there is no way I am going to convert.

Oh, and one more thing. I am not saying that I am perfect (far from it, actually), although I don't lie, have never stolen anything, or intentionally hurt anyone. But I have done some things that I am not very proud of, and I'm not saying that I AM going to go to heaven. But let's just say IF one day, I do "find a relationship" with Jesus, that still doesn't mean that I'm going to be a PERFECT person the rest of my life, right? So what will happen then? Whenever I make a mistake, all I'll have to do is say SORRY, and that's it? I will be forgiven and there will be a place for me in heaven?

I do appreciate everyone taking the time out to answer my question/s. Thank you.

Answer 1

There is no answer that makes sense. They will give you Bible quotes and tell you to just believe. But it honestly makes no sense and there is no sense to be made out of a belief that a good person would suffer hell while a murderer would go to Heaven. All hogwash in my opinion.

Answer 2

Ok I see where u are coming from I find many people do not accept Jesus because they don't really get the big deal.

This will be long but i feel if u read this it will make much more sense to you.


Ok now i am going by the Bible if u do not believe the Bible then just bare with me.

THe Bible says that there is not one good person not one Jesus says this himself. Why? Because good by God's standards is having kept all the ten commandments. Crazyyyyy right!!! No human being on earth has kept all of them right. Exactly the point .

Now I have some questions for you

Have u ever stolen anything? In your whole life even something small? Well if so then what is the term used for someone who steals.

Well a theif right? Okay okay well how about this

Have u ever told a lie?(Every human being has)

What is the term for someone who lies?

Well a liar right


Have u ever lusted or looked at someone in lust?

Jesus says that if anyone of you looks upon someone to lust after them u have already committed adultery with them in your heart.

Have u ever hated anyone?(I have)

By the ten commandments to hate someone is to committ murder in your heart.


So if all this is true then you would be classified as a murderer, a liar, a theif, and an adulturer by God's standards.

But wait all of us are in the same position then me and you and every human being walking this earth are classified as that.

ANd Jesus says all murderers theifs and liars and adulterers have their place in the lake of fire or hell.

So having broken all these commandments then on Judgment day do u think u would be innocent or guilty of breaking these commandments. Well u would be guilty right . Well if that's true then u are going to hell. Does this concern u caus it concerns me I'm telling u this caus i care about u from one human being to another i don't want u to go there.

But because God is Gracious he has made away of escape for us because of an awesome love i will never understand.

God is Good and because he is good he must be just and fair. U would not stand before a judge having stolen a car and ask the judge please let me off I'm a good person. No the judge would have to satisfy the law he couldn't just let you off until your time was served or your fine payed.

ANd guess what! Your fine was payed. BY Jesus Christ. He was good and perfect and he has already payed off both of our sins. He died on the cross to satisfy the law. BUt what makes it beautiful is this. He is the judge's son He is God's son and God sacrificed his own son on our behalf so that when we stand before him when we die and he looks at us he sees Jesus's blood covering us not all the commandments we've broken Jesus steps up to his Father and says "No I know this person they have accepted your gift to them Father"

I love you and so does Jesus and I pray that when you stand before God U will know his son and Jesus will say "Wait i know this girl i have payed her fine with my blood and she has accepted" ANd God will say" THe law has been satisfied" ANd there u will find paradise and u will spend eternity with a God that loved u so much he sent his Son Jesus to take your punishment.

Hey I love you and I hope this clears it up.

U know there is a movie out called the Chronicles of Narnia the Lion the witch and the wardrobe It was written by C.s Lewis a former atheist turned CHristian. I suggest u watch that movie it has wonderful themes in it . If you are into fantasy movies. I just love the way he presents Chrisitianity in that movie. I also suggest reading some of C.s LEwis's works Mere Christianity is a great book.

Love,
mmmk92

Answer 3

No, I don't believe that. Your Christian friends might, but I too and Christian. I believe that you should choose what religion is right for you. What you believe makes you happy, and they should love you for it an leave it alone. The way that so many Christians go about 'spreading the word of God' makes me want to denounce the my religion all together. I have to constantly remind myself that those who do so, are not true Christians. True Christians do not need to tell you about Jesus - the live life in love and show their beliefs that way. Who are they to say where you will spend the afterlife? Only our Creator can tell us that - no matter what you call him. I'm glad you have religious belief you enjoy, and I am glad that you respect all religions. In Religion & Spritiuality, that seems to be a hard thing to find.

Answer 4

The people who are telling you that are misrepresenting Gods word. I don't know when they are going to stop throwing the hell fire words around, it is getting a little stale. You might ask those same people, how many persons were smote down by God say, when the mini skirt came in? Remember when they used to use that as a threat? Then after a while, when no one was getting torched, they kind of give up on that one. The threat of Hell, is there last little power they have. You know yourself you are a good person, don't let them tell you otherwise.

Answer 5

If youre going to be a CHristian, then this is the correct thing to beleive.

Nice eh? But dont fret - you'll be in Hell alongside myself, Ghandi, Marie Curie, George Washington and a myriad of other intelligent, caring people like yourself. So, in other words, Hell will be much more enjoyable than perfect Heaven where your only activity is worshipping God for eternity...

Answer 6

they think they're doing it for your good but they don't know how to be tolerant and truly accepting of other religions (I'm not saying all Christians, just those who try to convert you) the same thing happened with my cousins in ohio, they're the only Hindus in their school, well were, until their friends gave them bibles to read, I think it is ridiculous and rude and condescending and it's really nice that you respect all religions, as do I, that's why we have our different beliefs, I'm an agnostic, you're a Buddhist, and your friends are Christians, people choose to believe whatever is most appealing to them, but many times people accept the religion that they are exposed to at an early age when they don't even know the difference between right or wrong, there are those who follow religion with a genuine heart and pure acceptance and comprehension of the religion and those who 'blindly' accept it, without thinking otherwise, what if this or what if that, If your friends really grasped the concept of religion or god, they wouldn't be looking to convert people, that's just shallow

Answer 7

shes not a real friend then, I dont have any christian friends anymore except for a few decent liberal christians, even then i hope someday theyll deconvert for thier own sakes and so that we can have a more civil conversation. Im also a Buddhist mixed with Taoism though and Ive learned that christians are best met with caution and agression, otherwise they WILL walk all over you.

I was christian for 25 years, and it is a religion filled with hateful IGNORANT people that make excuses for thier religion all the time, like the holocaust, crusades, inquisition and witchtrials were not true christians (horsecrap!), ive seen many fights over who has the right denomination and i reccomend you stay the hell away from christianity, as it is a dangerous religion filled with backstabbing people that treat you like dirt.

PS anyone telling you christianity is from God is a decietful liar and best treated as such.

Answer 8

You have to have the faith to believe in Jesus, believe that He died for your sins, believe in the Resurrection and is on the right hand of God as our mediator. You are looking at good works to carry you to heaven. You can be the best person in the country, die and go to hell. Jesus said more than once that nobody come to the Father, except through Him. You must be born again to see the kingdom of God.

Answer 9

Cool question. I'm sorry in advance for all the crazy "jam it down your throat" replies you'll have by the time I contribute mine. Understand that there are a lot of Christians out there that have no idea how to communicate their beliefs other than to beat you over the head with them.

The basis of Christian salvation is kinda backwards to the way most people think of religious beliefs and eternity. Salvation is based, not on the things that you do, good or bad, but on faith in Jesus and the things that He did on behalf of humankind. The Bible would teach that, regardless of how good or bad we've been, no one is "good enough" for God. It says that since God is perfect, He can accept no less. But, instead of letting us all perish because we can't be good enough, He sent his Son, Jesus, to live and die in our place. So, it's through belief in Him, and not in our deeds, that we are saved.

It's a lot to wrap around, but I hope it helps make a little sense of what your friend was trying to communicate.

Answer 10

Why convert?
Seems to me Buddisht are the only ones that have it right!

Christians and Muslim are the ones who create all the kaos and havoc in the world. They are the ones who put everyone else down and demean those who do not believe.

You are going to Heaven! It does not make sense and you being a doctor it does not make sense to you either.
Stay a Buddist! Good luck in school!

Hope this helps