Here is one of my main things against religion.?

Question

I don't like the fact that you can be the best person in the world. Give to charitys always help people out with everything and just be the most caring person in the world. Yet you still go to hell if you don't belive in god.

Yet someone who belives in god can do anything they want in life and as long as they repent for it they will still go to heaven.

I personally think that if god was real the first person would be the one going to heaven not the second one.

My question is what do you think?

No I will no capatalize the g in god.

Answer 1

That is a theology that forces people to choose Christianity over their efforts. Christians look at it as a blessing, because everyone is a sinner.

It does seem aweful unfair to those who have devoted their lives to good works though.

Answer 2

Well, it sounds less like a problem with religion and more a problem with specific religions that say you must believe in God to go to heaven or you end up in hell. I am a minister in the Universal Life Church and their only tenent is "Do only that which is right." Here's their link: http://www.ulc.net/

Other religions talk about reaching enlightenment and don't really dwell on the idea of God. Still others believe that God is not a seperate being, but the Divine energy that powers this existence with no judgement or care whether you believe or not.

What I don't like about most organized religion is that the focus turns from the personal and the spiritual to the financial in an effort to maintain the organization (salaries, mortgages, etc.). That's where most religions go wrong. Once they are paying bills, they want legislation to make that easier and try to organize their faithful into a voting block or manipulate their environment to support their faith and keep driving people to the pews and keep them contributing financially. But even in that - there are many faith that don't really have this sort of thing and there are many groups in our culture that are not religious that act similarly (like the insurance and medical communities trying to discredit the natural health industry).

It's all very interesting and it is a personal decision. There are a lot of people who thrive on dogmatic religions and a lot that don't. We are lucky to be living in a time of unlimited choices for all.

Peace!

Answer 3

This is a well thought and valid question. It is also a little challenging as well. Bear with me here for a second. I know you know John 3:16. All one must do is believe in him.
There was another question posted in here tonight that addressed this issue. It seems foolish that one who spends their entire life doing well and being good and never accepts the Lord perishes while the one who accepts Christ can never perish.
People who accept Christ and live carelessly will be chastised by God on the day of judgment but you are right they still never perish. That being said, why would anyone not want to accept Christ and live well and righteously? If you're going to be kind and good all your life why not make it mean something?
God said I am the vine and you are the branches with me you will bear much fruit without me you will wither and perish because with me you can do anything and without me you can do nothing. So if you are already living like a Christian is supposed to live why not be one and secure your place in Heaven?

Answer 4

The persons you describe are not true believers. They are using faith as a crutch to get something in this world. Only GOD can discern a true Christian. When a true believer is born again he/she becomes a new person in CHRIST old ways are cast aside and we begin to live as CHRIST directed. Unfortunately we are still human and still have weaknesses and are swayed by the sweet murmurs of the evil ones temptations. Therefore we must continually pray for forgiveness and keep trying to stay on the straight and narrow path. Nobody said being a Christian would be easy it is a continual learning and correcting experience in which we will never achieve total perfection due to our nature but we are made perfect by the blood of CHRIST. I cannot judge which of your two examples would go to heaven if either would that is God's choice as defined by the rules he put in place to achieve HIS GRACE and forgiveness.

Answer 5

Christians believe that a mass murderer and rapist who became a Christian before dying will go to heaven for eternal reward. All his atrocities go unpunished, all the suffering he caused he will never learn to experience himself and thus restore some form of universal balance.

If one of this man's victims was not a Christian, yet was a good person, loving, charitable, etc and was killed they would be in hell. All the good they do on this planet is unrecognized and useless. They are punished for all eternity and NEVER ever have the chance to learn, grow, develop beyond that state.

Not in my religion. In my belief system you get EXACTLY what you dish out. There is no waste of human life or potential and this lifetime does not determine how you will spend the rest of eternity. Your soul learn and grows in each life and you create your own destiny.

This seems far more just and intelligent to me. So while I will listen politely to Christians when they try to preach to me, I know I can never accept Christianity, because I believe in a just and loving Creator.

Answer 6

I agree that this seems quite backwards, but it just points to God and what He did for us on the cross. We can't earn our salvation by doing good works, and we can't lose it by sinning. It's a finished transaction, kinda like if you were given $100 for your birthday (you didn't earn it) and then you did some mean things to people and the money wasn't taken away from you. It's a gift from the giver and that's that, ya' know?

Read the story of the man with the talents (Matt.18:35). He stole so much money from the king that he could never repay it all so the king completely forgave him for his debt! We could never repay God back for all of our sin debt. We have to be forgiven or we're helpless. That's how loving and merciful God is. This should also challenge us to forgive others when they wrong us (seeing as we have been forgiven for so much more).

Hope this helps.

Answer 7

I don't believe that you will go to hell if you just state that you don't believe in god. One who honestly does not believe in a higher being, or life after death, does not believe in heaven or hell, so the fact that some one is concerned means it IS in their heart, and soul. When judgment day comes, if there really is one, than the kindness in ones soul is what will decide their fate, not there abstinence to believe in something that is impossible to see or touch. And if God IS real, the person who "says" sorry will not join his kingdom. One must "be" sorry and repent their sins in their heart, bad people cant do that in my belief. Good people will go to heaven if heaven exists, praying and attending church does not get you a free pass. That's what I believe anyway

Answer 8

But it's not what you do, it's who you are. People do wonderful things all the time but for the wrong motivation. I give to charity to look generous. I help people out because I want their vote in an election. I do great things because I think I have to but not because I want to. I do great things because I am secretly doing bad things and I want to throw people off the trail.

On the other hand, I don't believe that just believing is enough. James says that faith without works is dead. We also know that demons believe in God. You believe and you love God. To love God is to obey Him and he clearly means for us to love each other and to make the world a better place.

And to repent means to be profoundly sorry for what you have done and to turn away from your evil deed. It isn't a flippant "oh, sorry God." It is a real change of heart. And of action.

So, it is all about what a person really is inside, not what they present themselves to be. Because all our good deeds are as filthy rags to God because He sees the sin nature that is inside us.

Answer 9

Dear Mr. GreenMohawk:
You make a valid point.
However, what you regard as Christianity is really christendom.
It may seem strange, but christendom has been so poor at representing Christianity, it has actually done more harm than good.
Christianity is not about heaven and hell.
Christianity teaches we ALL go to hell, because hell is the grave ....6 feet under.
No fire, No torment. Just sleep. Aware of nothing.
Christianity doesn't even have 'doing good' as its top priority.
The top priority in Christianity is Matthew 28:19.
So, although I understand your distaste, please don't think christendom is Christian.

Answer 10

Who says that if one can be the best person in the world, give to Charities, etc., that if you don't believe in God, you will surely go to hell.

All of us, at some point, lost our faith In God, for a moment, for a day, a week, a year, maybe forever. But you can always redeem yourself and go back to your church and try again. It's never too late.

Yes, it is about believing in God...whatever Religion you chose. But it's also about prayer, and leading a good, honest life and being kind to others. That in my opinion is in it's own way a belief in God..."Do onto others...as you would like it to be done unto you". Amen.

Answer 11

Well your misconception is that believers in God (at least according to Christianity) do not get a license to do anything they want and then repent. That is abusing God's grace. We are under a contract of righteousness. 1st Peter 2:14ish and Jude 1:4 expressly talks about this.

Also we are judged according to God's moral laws, not the moral laws of America or Nicaragua or Bangladesh. We may perfectly follow the law of Portugal, but in God's eyes may still be rampant sinners. But a good deed does not cancel out a bad deed, only atonement can cancel out bad deeds.