Have I got it right?

Question

According to the fundamentalist interpretation of the Bible, about six thousand years ago God created the world and the universe out of nothing. He made a woman out of a man's rib. A talking snake told the woman to steal a piece of fruit, which she did. The man took a bite. As a result, they and their descendants were condemned to eternal torture. But God had a son who thought this was a bad situation. So the son allowed himself to be tortured to death as a substitute--God agreed to the deal. Everyone who accepts this deal will be saved from eternal torture. The rest will burn forever. These include (a) unborn babies; (b) children who died before they were old enough to agree to the deal; (c) people who never got a chance to hear about it. Does this cover it, or am I missing anything?

OK, so there is disagreement on what happens to e.g. young children if they die. So either they go to hell or they don't. If they go to hell, wouldn't it be a huge risk to have children in the first place? And if they don't, according to these beliefs wouldn't it make sense to kill them before they get old enough to go to hell if they die? Either way, it's kind of crazy, no?

I presume some of the answers below are from people like Muslims and Jehovah's Witnesses. I don't agree with them, but they sound more rational than the fundamentalist Christian beliefs.

I can't answer for Catholics but I think the idea of being able to buy your way out through indulgences is a misinterpretation of what they believe. Also they believe in purgatory (a place of purification) which seems more logical than hell (i.e. you suffer eternally for something that someone else did, even if you never got a chance to hear about Jesus). And if God is milder towards people who never got a chance to hear about Jesus, wouldn't it be wiser to keep quiet about him, because maybe people who hear about Jesus and don't accept him get a worse deal than those who never heard about him.

Answer 1

This is why I converted to Islam. There is no original sin. We are all born as beleivers, not as sinners. Big difference!

Answer 2

Although I would not put it quite this way...but for the most part, yes you did get it right.....but you got it wrong when you got to the "including" part.

There is very strong reason to believe that children and unborn babies are covered by God's grace until such time as they realize they have sinned. This is what is called "the age of accountability" No one really knows just what this age is and some will never reach it no matter how old they are.

I also contend that GOD only expects each of us to walk in the light that HE has given us. Romans chapter one tells us that the very nature of things declares there is a GOD and if one who has never heard of HIM recognizes this and worships HIM to the best of their ability...that is knowing they should not worship things THEY made with their hands or the objects of creation such as the sun or the moon, then GOD will reveal more to that person.

Although this is a good question, I would rather have you focus on one other one...what have YOU done with this man...JESUS? Read the link below.

Answer 3

I don't believe in eternal torture.

When the Israelites sinned by passing their children through the fire (in burnt offerings), God said that it was something that didn't even come within his heart. (Jer 32:35)

God is merciful, but he isn't going to hold back proper punishment when it's due. The one who sins, dies; Adam's punishment for sinning against God is death and being children of Adam, we are all born into sin. (Gen 3:19; Eze 18:4; Rom 3:23; 5:12)

Only faith in the ransom sacrifice of Christ is our chance at the real life and true happiness. (John 3:16, 36) God cares about justice being done; that's why the provision was made so Adam's descendants who would listen to God would have a chance at everlasting life. (De 32:4; Ps 37:11, 29; Rom 6:23)

Answer 4

i am really sorry but how come is it that god can be so unmerciful by torturing those people you mention or by even torturing the handicapped ???? of course not , god is more merciful upon us more than a mother on her children , more than anything else , and something else eve didnt steal the apple , thats what the jews say , but adam ate it because satan kept talking him to do it , as he hated us for being the reason he was expelled from heaven , he wanted us to suffer

Answer 5

NO. You have NOT "got it right"
It was NOT the world that was created 6 to 8,000 years ago. It was MAN.
The world was in existence long before then.
We have dinosaur bones to prove it.

also it takes a lot of time for continents to shift and mountains to erode.
Simple geography.
Yes, the woman WAS created from the man.
As for the 'snake'
(Revelation 12:9) So down the great dragon was hurled, the original serpent, the one called Devil and Satan, who is misleading the entire inhabited earth; he was hurled down to the earth, and his angels were hurled down with him.

SATAN, THE ORIGINAL SERPENT...

Condemned to suffer EVENTUAL DEATH....not torture.

And ever since Adam and Eve, we have ALL eventually died.

Death was the result of A. & A.'s disobedience...It was not in God's original plan.
(Genesis 2:16-17) And Jehovah God also laid this command upon the man: “From every tree of the garden you may eat to satisfaction. 17 But as for the tree of the knowledge of good and bad you must not eat from it, for in the day you eat from it you will positively die.”

So their outlook BEFORE they disobeyed was to be without death. therefore, God had planned for them to live forever.

It is still God's plan

(Revelation 21:4) And he will wipe out every tear from their eyes, and death will be no more, neither will mourning nor outcry nor pain be anymore. The former things have passed away.”

And it was Jesus who paid the price for it...for us.

After Armageddon, there will be NO MORE DEATH.

No one will 'burn' forever.
this is a false teaching.
Those who die will simply be resurrected [ Revelation 20; 12,13. This includes all innocent ones, babies and those who have never had a chance to know the Bible.
And will enjoy life...BACK ON THE EARTH...Without sickness and death.
(Psalm 37:9) For evildoers themselves will be cut off, But those hoping in Jehovah are the ones that will possess the earth.

(Psalm 37:11) But the meek ones themselves will possess the earth, And they will indeed find their exquisite delight in the abundance of peace.

All evil influence will have been eradicated.
Your posting is a clear indication of the false teachings that abound in major religions.
Yet the Bible answers all your queries with simplicity.
Try going back to your priest or pastor and getting him, or her, to give you a concise explanation.
"ITS ALL A MYSTERY" is just not good enough.

Answer 6

Ah, unless you are catholic and then thanks to 'indulgence' you can pay to be absolved of your sins, I only learned of this yesterday and checked it out for myself ( if you have a couple of spare minutes check out the Vatican or a catholic website) and it's true, you can pay to be rid of your sins. But I think you've got the rest in a nutshell, it's frightening if you think about the number of indoctrinated people who live their lives by this story even now in 2007

Answer 7

anyone can turn history and make it sound stupid like which you have. You missed alot of detail my friend. But hit major points. You connected the dots without giving enough reason. This is why your explanation doesn't sound logical.

Answer 8

I think you have it about right... except that the children are saved....
oh, and God didn't send His Son, (in the sense that you say, because we can't think of it in human terms) Jesus was God in the flesh.
Hope this helps!

Answer 9

There`s something wrong there.......
God created the world and the universe out of nothing.THEN HE CREATED ADAM AND TOLD ALL THE ANGELS TO BOW DOWN TO ADAM, ALL BOWED DOWN EXCEPT SATAN, HE DISOBEYED AND NEVER REPENTED, SO HE WAS ACCURSED AND REJECTED, HE TOLD GOD HE IS GOING TO MISLEAD ALL THE MEN THAT HE CREATES, TO MAKE THEM DO EXACTLY WHAT HE HIMSELF DID....DISOBEY. He made a woman out of a man's rib. A talking snake told the woman to steal a piece of fruit THAT WAS FORBIDDEN, which she did. The man took a bite. GOD WAS ANGRY, ADAM WAS A GOOD MAN AND REALISED THAT SATAN HAD TRICKED HIM AND CAUSED HIM TO MAKE HIS LORD ANGRY.... SO HE SOUGHT REPENTANCE FROM HIS LORD. GOD LOVED ADAM`S ACT OF REPENTANCE, AND FORGAVE HIM BECOS HE WAS NOT PROUD LIKE THE SATAN. As a result, they and their descendants WERE SENT DOWN TO THE EARTH TO USE THEIR FREE-WILL AND CHOICE TO REALISE THE TRUE GOD WHO HAS NO PARENTS AND NO SON AND THUS WORSHIP AND OBEY HIM AND FULLFILL THE PURPOSE FOR WHICH THEY WERE CREATED, AND STAY AWAY FROM TRICKS OF STAN WHO WILL ETERNALLY TRY TO MISGUIDE HIM AND ALLURE HIM, AS HE IS THE ULTIMATE ENEMY OF MANKIND. TO KEEP HIS SLAVES/MEN FROM GETTING MISLEAD BY SATAN, GOD SENT MESSENGERS AND PROPHETS WHO TOLD PEOPLE ABOUT THE ONE TRUE GOD, BUT STAN STILL KEPT DOING HIS TRICKS.... AFTER NUMEROUS PROPHETS WERE SENT AND PEOPLE WERE STILL NOT LISTENING, AND KEPT WORSHIPPING FALSE GODS AND GODDESSES AND REGARDED THEIR GODS AND GODESSES TO HAVE SONS AND DAUGHTERS, GOD SENT DOWN A PARTICULAR PROPHET TO CORRECT THESE PEOPLE, WHOSE BIRTH WAS MIRACULOUS. But MEN STILL WERE LED ASTRAY BY SATAN, AND MIXED BELIEF IN THIS MAN WITH THE BELIEF IN FALSE GODS, AND OUT CAME A FALSE BELIEF THAT 'God had a son who thought this was a bad situation. So the son allowed himself to be tortured to death as a substitute--God agreed to the deal. Everyone who accepts this deal will be saved from eternal torture. The rest will burn forever. These include (a) unborn babies; (b) children who died before they were old enough to agree to the deal; (c) people who never got a chance to hear about it' THIS MAN HAD FEW FOLLOWERS AT THAT TIME WHEN HE CAME, THEN A PLOT WAS PLOTTED AGAINST HIM TO KILL HIM, BUT GOD RAISED HIM UP, AND HE WAS NEVER CRUCIFIED, IN DOING THIS THERE WAS A PURPOSE.AFTER HIS BEING TAKEN UP BY GOD PEOPLE ADDED ALOT OF INVENTED THINGS INTO HIS MESSAGE, AND BELIEVED HIM AS GOD AND/OR HIS SON. AND YET THE LAST OF PROPHETS WAS SENT, WHO TAUGHT THE TRUTH ABOUT EVERYTHING AND THE PREVIOUS PROPHET. AFTER HIS DEATH THE WORLD WENT BACK TO CONFUSION. MAJORITY OF THE WORLD BELIEVED IN THE SECOND LAST PROPHET TO BE THE SON OF GOD, AND LESSER PEOPLE THAN THEM BELIEVED IN THE TRUTH AS TAUGHT BY THE LAST PROPHET, THEY WERE WEAK AND MISUNDERSTOOD. TILL THE SECOND LAST PROPHET CAME BACK AND ATTESTED TO THE TRUTH OF THE MESSAGE OF THE LAST PROPHET. AT THAT TIME ALL THE FOLLOWERS OF THE SECOND LAST PROPHET, BELIEVED IN THE MESSAGE OF THE LAST PROPHET, AND MAJORITY OF THE WORLD BELIEVED IN THIS RELIGION, AND THEY LIVED A PEACEFUL HAPPY LIFE.... ONE BY ONE THESE PEOPLE BEGAN TO DIE TILL ONLY THE NON-BELIEVERS LIVED..... THATS WHEN THE LAST DAY CAME ..........
NOW EVERYTHING IS COVERED !!!

Answer 10

People who are mentally handicapped. Sadly they too will burn forever, according to Fundy Christy's.