Why would people be sent to hell? Surely this contradicts what most mainstream religions teach about God being forgiving?
If I've been an atheist all my life then surely it wouldn't matter!? Wouldn't he just forgive you and send you to heaven? If not, why?
2007-04-25 07:04:59 · 26 answers · asked by garym 2 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
reply to Wiseone: He forgives those who ask Him for forgiveness.
Can I just ask for forgiveness if I meet him? Then surely no one needs to bother following an organised religion!
2007-04-25 07:12:44 · update #1
God doesn't put people in hell...they put themselves there. He has done everything to give them a way out.
God will forgive you...but you have to admit you need forgiveness first. God wants a relationship with us. He is not just standing around until the end of time throwing people into hell. God is "in love" with us. If we do not love him back then we remain "loveless" and without God. That is hell.
2007-04-25 07:20:46 · answer #1 · answered by Misty 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Let's do a reality check here. If you hated amusement park rides being sent on an all expense paid vacation to Disney Land would seem more like a punishment than a privelage. It's the same with eternity. If you choose to spend your life running from God why in the world would you want to spend all eternity with Him? That would't be Heaven for you, but it certainly would be hell.
As for hell, I'm asuming you mean a place of eternal torment where you will be burned forever and always. While most mainly denominations will indeed teach of such a place it does not exist.
Therefore, out of love Christ will not force you to live with Him for all eternity nor will you be burning forever and always. Rather people who choose to follow a life of rejecting Christ will go thru a temporary burning called the lake of fire and then cease to exist forever and always. Yet if you look at all the wonders of this world you've just gotta ask yourself -- what am I giving up?
Cheers
http://inhisgracecards.com
2007-04-25 14:18:40 · answer #2 · answered by BodyByChocolates 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Do you want His forgiveness? God is not willing for anyone to go to Hell. Please read John 3:16. He has done all He can do to keep you out of Hell. He has sacrificed His Son Jesus, to take your place for your sins.
Acceptance of Jesus as your Lord and Savior and repentance which means to turn away from sin, is needed for salvation and Heaven.
God won't make anyone who does not want to go to Heaven go. The only alternative at the end of your time is your choice of Hell.
You haven't been an Atheist all of your life. That was a decision just the same as following Jesus would be.
For the person just beneath my post, where do the demons go?
2007-04-25 14:15:02 · answer #3 · answered by 4HIM- Christians love 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
You cannot live your life any way you want and then expect to ask for forgiveness at the judgment seat. It does not work that way. God isn't a fool and knows the hearts of men. It is His desire that everyone spends eternity with Him but many reject Him, curse Him, oppose Him and mock Him. Anyone, yes anyone who accepts the gift Jesus Christ offers can enter into heaven. You choose your fate, heaven or hell, God does not make the choice...........YOU DO!
2007-04-25 14:16:51 · answer #4 · answered by Tatochka 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It all started when adam sinned.Because GOD is holy he cant have sin in his presence.so man got seperated from GOD.
So GOD needs something to pay the penalty of sin.JESUS was the perfect sacrifice for our penalty.So JESUS came to earth lived among us and died for us on the cross.JESUS was the penalty.
Why would he sent u to hell?? well when u arnt cleansed of your sins u can enter into your presence.But when he made a way can u deny such a plan and then blame GOD why he does send people to hell.Its a free will choice.Make yours.
GOD loves u so much that he sent his son JESUS to die for u to reconcile u back.
"For GOD so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son that whoso ever believeth in him shall not perish but have everlasting life".Ask JESUS to come into your heart and forgive ur sins and cleanse ur past with his blood.
With a simple prayer like above u can be saved.
2007-04-25 15:49:30 · answer #5 · answered by Emmanuel 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
If you open your eyes and your heart you will know deep down that this life is just a test. You must realise that we are on this world for a reason, not just to have a bit of fun and earn and spend money. In Islam, Allah has prescribed laws for every thing on this earth, from the bacteria in our body, the plants, the sun, the moon, the orbit of the planets, the rain etc... we have been given a law to follow and that is to obey Allah.. or god... (for those who are not muslims). All of these religions does not teach anyone to be bad.. but it infact teaches us all to be good.
We have been warned that all our deeds will be counted, and it is our choice to be misled and follow the shaitan (devil/satan) and do bad deeds.. which will take you to hell... or you have the choice to do good deeds, which shall surely take you to heaven.
The shaitan's goal is to mislead all humanity into doing bad deeds against the wishes of allah so those people shall displease allah and be thrown into hell.
However, I am not a hundred percent sure which quote is correct, but the love of allah is 7 or 70 times more than that of our mothers.
Is it not correct that when we do something that displeases our mother she forgives us with an open heart?.. and also, when we do something against her wishes she shall be hurt? .. You must realise the love Allah has for his creations. Should we not give worship him for bringing us into this world? Are we to question his rules and disbelieve in our arrogance and pride?!!
Allah is most forgiving and has given us all the chance to chose the right or wrong path.
Should you chose the better path, you shall be rewarded in heaven. Should you choose the bad, then you shall be punished.
It is common sense! If you do good things you are rewarded, and if you do bad then you shall be punished?! Even in our everyday lives we see this! At school, college, work, home, with our friends and family and so on....
As for being an atheiest and it not mattering. Well.. although you are an athiest, I am very sure that you are wise enough to understand that all human beings have a purpose on this life.
Surely.. we cannot be living to do whatever we want to do and then die?
What are you taking with you to your grave?.. your money? your fancy car? your children that you're so proud of? your mansion house?... no! what are you taking?... how can we think that all the good and bad deeds that we do in this lifetime are not important?!
All those bad people in this world that live a life of luxury whilst treating hundreds of people in a bad way... do you think that when he dies he will not be accounted for these deeds?! Just because we.. as human beings cannot account this bad person for his deeds... there surely is someone or something that is there to account for these bad deeds and punish this person or reward this person accordingly.
In Islam, (I am muslim if you hadn't guessed!!!) it has been stated in the Qur'an how Allah's religion has finally been perfected. All signs are in the Qur'an. Everything you need to know... LITERALLY are in this guidebook to life. It is not just a book, but it is a way of life that I can guarantee should you read this.. shall change your way of thinking.
Allah has provided for you all the evidence in this world that Allah/god exists and should you deny the truth then you shall be punished.
The Qur'an was infact the first book. (this is 15 centuries ago by the way when it was revealed)... which gave women their rights.. even way before women came about with feminsm... the Qur'an provided hygiene for people (which people didnt even really know about till about a century ago), science (things like how a baby is formed).... WHO on EARTH COULD KNOW THIS 15 CENTURIES AGO?!!!!!!!!! WHEN IT WAS ONLY DISCOVERED JUST OVER A CENTURY AGO?!!!! How did the prophet Mohammed (pbuh) know this?!! EXACTLY!!!.. he couldn't have!... Unless Allah had revealed it to him!
Think carefully about what your purpose for living is
Everything has a purpose for living... absolutely everything. A plant, the sea, the cells in our bodies, our eyes, our hands, the sun, the moon.
It has all been placed in order for establishing the truth!.. The qur'an even states this!
"And when Our Verses are recited to such a one, he turns away in
pride, as if he heard them not--as if there were deafness in his ear.
So announce to him a painful torment." (al- Luqman:7)
2007-04-25 14:30:36 · answer #6 · answered by tin_tin_man 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
False concept of God. God is both forgiving and wrathful.
God's purpose with us is to bring men up to his level. He does it by proving us. If you want to teach a kid to, say, play the piano well, you don't just smile, pat his head, and give him a piece of candy no matter what he plays. You correct him when he's wrong, until he stops being wrong.
God's punishments are his corrections. Why should he give heaven to those who need hell in order to learn?
2007-04-25 14:19:27 · answer #7 · answered by Bravo-Alpha 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Well, no-one likes the idea of anyone going to hell - especially not Christians. We do believe though that Jesus is the only way to heaven (John 3v16). Don't think you can grasp it until you've been WAAAY down and had a conversion experience (think Van Morrison's song). A bit like the Matrix, you realise you've been living in a false world up until that moment.
2007-04-25 14:12:34 · answer #8 · answered by Delerious? 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Free will, everyone has the same choice. To be joined with God or to be seperated from Him forever. Since God is perfect and holy everything has to be balanced in the end. He is perfect in His justice and so gives everyone the same choice and the same chance. All the way up to the end, He gives chances long after we deserve them. God forgives but you have to ask for that forgiveness, His grace is free but you have to accept the gift. The choice you have (as does everyone else) is will you accept it?
2007-04-25 14:32:04 · answer #9 · answered by Sylvia G 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Because they choose to go to hell. And in order for God to forgive you must first ask for forgiveness.
2007-04-25 14:15:01 · answer #10 · answered by Child of God 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋