How are the...?

Question

... mentally ill able to get into Heaven? According to the Christianity religion, to be a born-again Christian, you must make a conscious decision to accept Christ as a savior. How is this possible for a mentally ill person who has no way of grasping this concept?

To Father K:
First off, this is a sincere question, so I don't appreciate the smart attitude. You obviously consider yourself a religious man and have a large knowledge of the Bible. Why use that as a weapon against me? God, I'm sure, would not approve.
As for your answer: David child was sent to Heaven in the Old Testament before anyone was saved by Christ's death. They were judged then by their works. It wasn't until Christ's actual crucifixion that people were actually saved by grace.

*David's* ^

Answer 1

I think the important part to consider is the part about make a conscious decision. Conscious is defined as 1. aware of one's own existence, sensations, thoughts, and surroundings, 2. fully aware of or sensitive to something (often fol. by of): conscious of one's own faults, and
3. having the mental faculties fully active. It depends on the level of mental illness. Mental illness is very broad including, cognitive disorders, multiple behavior disorder, sleep disorder, and eating disorders. Some who are mentally ill can make fully conscious decisions, some can only make partially conscious decisions, and then there are those who can't make them at all. I believe what you are referring to are the ones how can make these decisions and will be judged by him when their time comes. As for the ones who can't make any conscious decisions or who can only make partial conscious decisions, he will spare them judgment and will be merciful to them, just as he is with newborns and babies. Hope this helps E...

Answer 2

Well, the answer to your question has been adequately answered by those who discussed the age of accountability. May I discuss the reason David's child went to Heaven? This is because the Hebrews then looked forward to the Messiah's death, believing it would happen and they would be Saved, just as Christians now look back to Christ's death believing it already happened. For this reason, since David's child was both unable to follow the Laws and unable to believe that the Messiah would come, s/he went to Heaven.

Answer 3

I love this story about the Old Testament. Those 5 BILLION of us who are not Christian, were never taught this story about David's child going to heaven. As a matter of fact, there's no word at all about going to heaven in the Old Testament.

All the good Christians who answered your question fail to see that they are precisely why we're always at war. Those who separate themselves from everyone else on the Planet and doom everyone who doesn't believe as they do to eternal torment cause other types of divisions as well: social, educational, intellectual and domestic. Specific religious beliefs have always led to hell on earth. Think Inquisition, think the Holocaust, think Iraq. I feel sorrow when all the good Christians of the world don't stop and think about the 80% of us who are not Christian. But once again, the minority rules.

Answer 4

I'm surprised by some of the dismissive answers since this is a great question. I really had to think about it, look at the other answers and then think some more. I've decided my belief would be the same as Ocho Cinco's.

Christ is merciful in His judgments. If someone does not know the difference between right and wrong, how could they be held accountable? A different standard is employed to judge them, I'm sure.

Answer 5

Mentally ill person are able to make decision, only not all the time the right ones. But born again believers will have the holy spirit of truth and when they make that decision the spirit will help them, being the spirit knows their condition.

Answer 6

Father K is a sarcastic SOB. Yes, the mentally ill will get into heaven
PS Michael's answer says it all

Answer 7

how does a man alone on an island who has no concept of God recieve heaven? I believe that even those who are mentally ill have a concept of right and wrong and though they may not specifically list Jesus...if they trust in his power i believe that God will have mercy on them, as he will infants who die or that man on the island.

Answer 8

The Bible does not specifically say whether or not mentally ill people go to heaven. However, there is some biblical evidence that anyone who is not able to make a decision for salvation is covered by Christ’s death. This is similar to how it is commonly believed that children are automatically taken to heaven when they die until they reach the point in which they are able to make a decision for or against Christ. David had a child die, and he comforted himself with the thought, “Can I bring him back again? I will go to him, but he will not return to me” (2 Samuel 12:23). David knew that he would see his child in heaven one day. From that statement, we can assume that babies and young children were, by God's grace, covered for salvation by Christ’s death.

As for you....I'm sure you'll skate right in under the "Mentally ill" clause, no problem.

Answer 9

they are not considered in that phrase. God knows that mentally ill people that are not able to make decisions will be excluded form his promise. just like little children who are unable to make that decision. that does not mean mentally ill that the law portrays. that means born retarded, etc. all of us are mentally ill. at some point. you can't get to heavan by saying that my mom raped me when i was three and i got hooked on drugs because of it. that won't work.

Answer 10

I believe that if the person was not mentally capable or mature enough to understand and choose Christ that he or she would still go to heaven. Just like I believe if baby dies he or she would go to heaven.