I am not sure if I want to join God's Club (heaven) if I "have" to believe. There are a few friends of mine who I don't believe in, but accept them for who they are. Am I better than God to do that?
I feel as though I am a good person with freewill. Isn't that what God wants. Or does he want to "hang out in heaven" with people who are forced to believe in him. Kind of lame and not my cup of tea. I see that kind of aŝŝ-kissing action in the office with the Boss.
This is one of those questions I have always wanted to ask in Catholic school, but was afraid to be beaten over the head by a thick book, in front of the students.
2007-01-23 16:14:03 · 12 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
You're talking about the Christian afterlife as if it was indisputable fact. Christian religious beliefs have managed to work their way into our cultural beliefs, but that doesn't make them correct - just popular. There's no reason to believe the Christians are correct and all other belief systems false.
Pick a religion or belief system that fits with your beliefs, rather than trying to reconcile your beliefs with the dominant religion. No living person can say with any certainty how God works, or if God exists at all. Even if you make up your own religion, you have the same chance of being right as anyone else.
2007-01-23 16:27:43 · answer #1 · answered by Lee Harvey Wallbanger 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
If you are asking this question, then it's clear there is a certain amount of belief in your mind. Just read the facts (which are NOT found in the Bible) and decide for yourself. If you decide there is no God (Yay!) then you don't need to worry about Heaven, because without God there isn't a Heaven. That's not to say there's nothing after death, but just no Pearly Gates and people on clouds.
2007-01-24 00:26:54 · answer #2 · answered by God Fears Me 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
When a person believes... really believes... It doesn't matter what has to be done, he/she just follows completely.
God wants a person with a pure heart and clean hands. No way anyone's gonna be like that without first asking him for forgiveness and cleansing. Asking is believing, because if you don't believe, why ask?
And heaven isn't exactly what I'd call a 'club' or 'hangout'. You don't go there just for fun or popularity, it's cos you wanna be there. You don't need to pay for membership there, just receive the gift he gave you with an open heart.
2007-01-24 00:28:21 · answer #3 · answered by controlfreak 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋
dude your avatar scares me any ways well i'm an atheist and i read a passage in the bible that thte heathen(atheist) or the fool has said in his heart there is no god is not allowed in heaven so tipically we're both Screwed with a capital S thats if you buy into the god thing
sincerly,
an atheist
2007-01-24 00:46:13 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
God leaves you completely free to believe in Him, and completely free to love Him. You're absolutely right about your sense of free will.
Now your question requires a proper understanding of what "Heaven" is. Heaven is simply everlasting union with God where we see Him as He is - all that infinite grandeur being poured continually into the finite vessels of our soul. God created us for this purpose - it is our end. We have been created so that we may know, love, and serve God. And that is what is going to make us completely happy; that is what each of us is so desperately longing for.
Since we are free though, we can chose _not_ to love God, to separate ourselves from Him. We may delude ourselves into thinking we can be completely happy without Him. The state of everlasting separation from God is called "Hell." The despair of Hell is that the soul is forever cut off from the only Thing that can make it completely happy, and the soul knows it has freely chosen this fate and can blame no one but itself. God longs for souls to be with Him in Heaven so that they may be happy forever, but He will not force them. He respects their freedom absolutely.
God does not send souls to Hell; He does not _want_ souls to go there. The souls of the damned willingly _chose_ to go there! That's one of the greatest sadnesses of Hell, and the great mysteries of the power of our free will. We can choose either eternal bliss, or eternal suffering.
2007-01-24 00:37:31 · answer #5 · answered by greyrider1000 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Heaven does not exist.......sorry. You should never be forced to believe in anything. Always make your own decisions. If that's not good enough for your God...then he/she is not good enough for you.
2007-01-24 00:24:15 · answer #6 · answered by Dereck 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I don't believe in heaven or the fools paradise as this idea has been called before.
peace out
2007-01-24 00:21:23 · answer #7 · answered by dogpatch USA 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Of course, God wants us to be free will. It is his greatest gift and without it, you would not be able to have the openions that you are having right now.
God wants you to believe in him, but if you choose not to, then, sadly, you will go to hell. He has made himself known to you obviously and that is all he can do to make you believe.
2007-01-24 00:19:29 · answer #8 · answered by robyn 4 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Why would you want to go there anyway? Pleasure without discontent is meaningless. Just be like everyone else if that's what gives you inner peace.
2007-01-24 00:18:44 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
Put your best efforts into life
and God's blessings will find you.
2007-01-24 00:27:52 · answer #10 · answered by kyle.keyes 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋