An honest question about Christianity (part 2)?

Question

I asked before, "What if someone grew up on an island and never heard of Jesus or the Bible? Will they still be trapped in Hell even though they were never given a chance?" Lots of people said they will go to Heaven. A couple people referred to Psalm 37 where it says they will inherit the Earth. I think both outcomes are awesome! But, they said if they learn about Jesus and still reject him, they're going to Hell.

So....

Scenario 1: A man never learns of Jesus or the bible. He dies and either goes to Heaven, or inherits the earth and enjoys the abundance of peace. The outcome is pretty good.

Scenario 2: A man learns who Jesus is from a missionary. Now his options are to either go to Heaven, or go to Hell.

Those missionaries are setting people up for an eternity of suffering according to their beliefs. Before learning of Jesus, that man had a chance for eternal peace, and now he has a chance of eternal suffering. How is that helping the world?

I'm a Pagan, btw.

Lord of Lust: I'm a Pagan who doesn't believe in hell. This is just a question I had about Christianity. I like to have an understanding about all religions.

Mercer, there is no such thing as a Pagan missionary. Proselytizing is forbidden in the Pagan religion.

Answer 1

No, they would not be trapped in Hell, because Hell doesn't exist. Heaven doesn't exist either.

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A missionary goes to the Arctic to convert Eskimos to Christianity. After talking to one Eskimo for a long period of time, the Eskimo stops and thinks about what was told him over the last few hours.

Finally, he says, "Ok. But I have one question for you. If someone lives and dies without ever hearing of Christianity, will they go to Hell?"

The missionary quickly replies, "Oh, no, no, no... God is a merciful god. He wouldn't punish the innocent. They would go to Heaven."

The Eskimo nods, looks the missionary straight in his eyes and says, "Then what was your motive in telling me all of this?"

Answer 2

Lets toss this salad a little more shall we.

Lets say the man on the island is visited by a missionary. A pagan missionary (for the sake of argument). The missionary taught the man about pagan beliefs and values but never taught him about christianity. Now the man on the island is a practicing pagan. Will he still be eligible for eternal bliss or will his new belief in a competing religion void that?

To disciple: There are many people on the world today who have not heard of christianity. There are tribes of people in Africa and South America who do not know. There are people in Asia who do not know. With your argument that god will not allow someone to not know means that these people are now doomed to hades.


Maria Isabel, I guess you missed "for the sake of argument". I was in a no win situation there. No matter what religion I chose, I there would be people angry at me. I chose pagan because of the pagans I have met in my life they have been laid back about their religion. I am not saying that there are pagan missionaries. I used it as an example of the man in the island getting a competing religion.

Answer 3

...The missionary is sharing the way to miss out on Hell, giving others a chance to spend eternity with God. Jesus Christ is God's only provision for sin - how can you blame the missionary if people reject Jesus? That is illogical.
...RE the missionary - why wouldn't he want others to be saved? That would be very selfish of him. And if you are a freedom of choice advocate, what's the problem? Like it or not, there are consequences to our choices, but choose we must - and if cannot choose, then God must make us robots with no will of our own - would you want that?
...God's word declares in Romans 1 & 2 that He has given sufficient evidence of Himself by the created universe, and the fact that people are born with a sense of right and wrong. If they want to know more, God will get it to them.
...May I humbly suggest that you start learning the truths of the Bible, rather than coming up with hypothetical situations and trying to?
...Learning about Jesus is fine, but will it get you to Heaven? No, it will not. If I were you, I would research Jesus and what He said. Is Jesus Lord and God as He claimed to be? If He is God (and I believe He is) we had better listen to Him.
...We must humble ourselves before Him and believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and be saved.
...Acts 4:12 says, "And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other under Heaven, that has been given among men, by which we must be saved."
...Whosoever will, may come.

Answer 4

I like this question, Goo day and may peace thru grace be upon your foot steps always.

Daniel, Revelation and Psalms says that the tent will be here on earth and we will be in heaven in that holy city New Jerusalem as it comes to be here on earth and up into heaven so actually the cult is wrong by there on bible because they are living on earth but their god is in heaven god is always where the new things are first why when god said in Isaiah who will go for us a god new Creation his son was new and when god said that I will make a new heaven why god was there and when the earth will be new why god will be there two and hopefully the all of us will be there two because heaven, new heaven well be on a new earth all the way up.

God was there when the angels were created when we were born and when the universe was created and the earth was a rock and when Jesus was born, died and when God went to present himself as our savior why it was to Jehovah our trinity god head he went up too New.

When we take off the old and put on the new who will be there why, God will !
The Person of Jesus coming Soon

Answer 5

Greetings, pagan friend.

Again, I'll re-iterate my understanding of the Gospel: The Good News of Christ has everything to do with the kingdom of God, the basiliea, the time when the lion and the lamb lie down together. It's about the salvation of humanity.

This individual salvation stuff is just bad--it sets up an almost competitive paradigm that goes against what Jesus preached (gotta convert 'em! vs. Love your neighbor).

Likewise, if you look at those who get Jesus' harshest judgements in Matt, MArk, and Luke, they are people who oppressed people economically, conspired with the empire, or were hypocritical about their religious practice (lived in wealth while exhorting their poor parishoners to sacrifice).

Therefore, I still say that it's not about an afterlife, but it's about the hope for the Kingdom or reign of God (MLK Jr. called this "The beloved community").

And though I don't believe in Hell, my temptation is to say that those who exploit the Christian faith or people from any background for profit or power are the ones heading for damnation (Are you listening Mr. Bush, Mr Cheney, and MR Falwell?), not non-Christians.

Also, I spent a couple of years living in Africa and studying non-western versions of Christianity. What's fascinating about the legacies of the 19th-20th century western missionaries is how much of their teaching has been adapted to African culture and traditions...

Answer 6

There is no such thing as hell, and the bible says nothing about it. What has happened is that men decide they want to incorporate other religious beliefs into the Christian faith, whether they be pagan, Jewish, Muslim, Babylonian, Atheist, Scientology based, whatever. Corrupt men have done this, all in the name of God. People who buy into corrupt teachings fall under the category False Religion. And if there is many false teachings, there has to be a true teaching, about God and his purpose. In the near future, God will destroy completely all who oppose him, not cast them down for eternal torment. For all that adhere to his word, and obey his commandments will inherit the earth, as found in Psalm 37. And for those who have never had an opportunity to hear this grand truth, and have fallen asleep in death, they will be resurrected to life in the paradise earth so that they can learn about God.

Answer 7

I will answer this for you, there is an all powerful God that will not allow someone not to here, God knows the heart of man and if that man in his heart God knows that he is ready to hear and accept the gospel, god will send someone to him to preach the gospel to him to give him a chance. a great story demonstrating this in the bible is in acts chp 8 vs26-40. The main thing I tell people that ask this question is that if they do believe these people are going to hell and that they need to hear about jesus and that they are so concerned then what are they doing about it, maybe they are supposed to be the ones telling these people if they have such a burden. right now it is left to man to spread the word of jesus christ.

Answer 8

I don't know who told you that ignorance gets you a one way ticket to heaven, it doesn't. There is such thing as purgatory, and most likely they will go there if they haven't committed sins such as murder (which is common sense, we all know that is bad, no matter the religion).

If he rejects Jesus and knows of him then it's hell worthy. He does not have Jesus in his heart. How can he expect to go to heaven?

No, before he had a chance at purgatory, it's the same as hell but only temporary. Though who knows how long that can be? I don't know much of "limbo" but maybe they go there and I'm wrong. Limbo is like heaven but God is not there, so you aren't truly happy.

Being religious is not that hard. So missionaries are most definitely not setting people up for hell. They are setting them up to try and make the right decisions in life, to be educated about our Creator, and to find the joy in being Catholic. You don't have the chance for eternal peace without being a good Christian.

Answer 9

Well I did not answer your question by saying the will "inherit the Earth" The Bible teaches that either the EARTH will be transformed into HEAVEN. Or that the EARTH will be Destroyed. It depends how you understand certain terms.

I believe if they never heard about Jesus they would either live in a lesser level of hell or a leser level of heaven. The missionaries are trying to give them a chance to live life while they are on Earth with the benefits of Faith in God and Jesus His son. The missionary desirse that this person accepts Christ so they can have the FULL benefits of being a part of the family of God. If the person chooses to reject what the missionary is revealing to them....that is their choice.

Answer 10

Though an unpopular thought, the fact is that we are "born into sin and shapen in iniquity". Thus, if we never repent of our sins as the Bible directs us, we will remain sinners, and as a result be cast into the "lake of fire." (Yes, Andria, the Bible does say this) What hope do they have, you say? The Bible also tells us that nature itself allows us to see that there is something out there greater than ourselves. How will they know how to save themselves, or ever know who Jesus was? The thing is, if God can create the universe, and everything in it, can he not use anything possible to teach these people, if they truly are searching after God? The Bible tells the story of a man, who, the only way God could get his attention, was actually speaking to him through his donkey he was riding on. And let's not forget angels do also exist, whom God uses as his messengers. All that there needs to be is just the desire for these people to know who God is. Yes, it may be harder for them to hear about God, but not impossible. Same is true for anyone, anywhere, including you.

Answer 11

there is no "hell" as respects an eternal torment.

But as for a person who dies before learning of the true God. he will be resurected to a judgement. (as will all that die, even bad peoples) If he responds favorably to the message he will inherit the earth. there are many people who have died and not known the truth about God. They will all be given a chance to repent for any sins they committed and be forgiven.