"Eternity is a long time to be wrong!" All freethinkers have heard this retort, which is a more refined version of "You're going to hell!" This comment is psychotic, in that these blind believers believe there is a "loving" and "forgiving" god person who will hideously punish anyone who dares to question "his" existence. Obviously, we reject such an ugly concept, so this threat doesn't scare us. Also, what if YOU'RE wrong? You have condemned millions of people to hell in your thoughts and words, not to mention that, if you're a Christian, you believe the Jews are guilty of killing God! These are pretty heinous accusations, so you had better be sure that you're not wrong. Blind belief is not a win-win situation. Indeed, it is intellectually dishonest and harmful.
2007-08-09 06:16:47 · 15 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
What if I am wrong? What if I've spent my entire life, worshipping a God who doesn't exist, all because I want to spend eternity in Heaven rather than burn for the ages in hell? What if?
I'd rather do that and end up being wrong when I find out there's nothing after death, than live a godless, heathen life now and find out later that I should've been working my way into Heaven. That's not a risk I want to take.
"Blind belief" is called faith. Religions of any kind really don't work without it.
But, um, what exactly was your question?
2007-08-09 06:29:14 · answer #1 · answered by Christie 4 · 2⤊ 1⤋
"in that these blind believers believe there is a "loving" and "forgiving" god person who will hideously punish anyone who dares to question "his" existence"
You can not be punished for questioning God's existence. Anyone who believes in God had to question at one point or another whether or not he existed. The Bible says that those who do not believe will be condemed to an eternity of separation from God. "Hell" or more accrately the modern concept of hell are physical interpretations of a spiritual fate. How can you physically burn if your body is 6 feet under? It is a metaphor. The loving and forgiving God that i know is also just. If you say that you dont believe that He exists, why would you want to spend an eternity directly in his presence?(I.E. Heaven)
"if you're a Christian, you believe the Jews are guilty of killing God!"
Anyone who has read the New Testament of the Bible can tell you that certain people who happened to be Jewish conspired to kill Jesus. We do not hate Jews, or blame them for what was ultimately the definition of our faith, and the source of our salvation from the chains of sin. It is just plain ignorant to say that we blame the Jews for killing God! God is an eternal being, in the form of a Man he remained an eternal being, the only thing killed was a shell of flesh.
"Blind belief is not a win-win situation. Indeed, it is intellectually dishonest and harmful."
Blind belief? Do you honestly think that billions of intellient human beings over the course of thousands of years have believed in a spiritual world blindly? There are certain questions that one must ask, and the existence of things beyond this world and what we can see are the only explanation. How did this world get here? Who designed the atom? How is it that everything falls perfectly into place allowing this universe to function properly? All i need to do to substantiate my belief is to open my eyes and look at the world around me, this is more than random chance.
2007-08-09 06:39:37 · answer #2 · answered by samueljackson0000 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I understand the theology at the back of the doctrine... nicely, i might: I used to believe it myself! yet few have worked with the aid of the ramifications of the fact. If I wasn't a real Christian, then it relatively is not sparkling on what grounds any Christian might nicely be beneficial they're. in spite of they cite approximately their ideals, thoughts, dedication and pastime and "awareness", i've got been there, felt it, achieved that... yet now i'm an atheist. and there is yet another risk it relatively is much greater hardly ever seen: the two i became a real Christian, wherein case authentic Christians can fall away. Or I by no potential became a real Christian, yet then coverage is a myth, with the aid of fact i became for some years fully beneficial i became a Christian. Or there are no longer any authentic Christians, Christianity no longer being authentic, there purely being people who've Christianity as a conviction. 3 opportunities, no longer purely one, nevertheless no-one in each and every of conviction can regard them neutrally.
2016-11-11 20:50:44 · answer #3 · answered by ? 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Anna Michelle,
You have a beautiful name. I am a Christian BUT I do NOT condemn others to hell or even say such a thing. Occasionally, when i am having sugar problems I write something that I would never normally do. That is the nature of my illness. I do believe that Jesus is my personal Lord and Savior but I will not push you to study HIS WORD unless you lead me to believe you are ready to listen. I personally do not accuse others no matter what their crime or sin. I know that I sin as well as all others according to the scriptures. I do not have blind belief. I have read, studied, and checked out my religious beliefs. I hope that this makes sense in my hurry to write it. Have a wonderful day and a glorious weekend.
Thanks,
Eds
.
2007-08-09 06:29:04 · answer #4 · answered by Eds 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
OK I'm not a bible type Christian, however I want you to know that Christians do not believe the Jews killed God they killed Jesus the son of God.
I'm sure there are lots of Christians that believe in heaven & hell I'm not one of them. I believe God is good all the time and does not pick and choose.
God for me is comfort and personal. It's my way of thinking outside the box when I've exhausted every possible way to handle lifes up & downs.
I do not believe God is Santa Claus, nor do I believe there is a guy in the sky with a book of all our sins.
I'm old school Catholic with a twist.
If you put good things out then good things will come back in return. I am not my brothers keeper in the sense of 'saving ' him but I am an example to other citizins of the world.
2007-08-09 06:34:35 · answer #5 · answered by theladygeorge 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋
I'm a Christian and it annoys me when I hear a Christian telling non-believers that they are going to hell for not believing!...and I get really aggravated when Christians tell ME I'm going to hell for not practicing THEIR particular religion! ...and while it is a strong word, after looking at the definitions in Dictionary.com, I'd even agree that it is psychotic!
I'm a Christian and I have never condemned even one person to hell in my thoughts and words (unless you count the few times I lost it and said "go to hell" to someone that ticked me off!). I also don't believe "the Jews" are guilty of killing God...Jesus was killed by man...more specifically, by the sin of man...the specifics of who did it are irrelevant (though I do think it was a Roman trial and a Roman cross...the group of Jews that opposed Jesus were just witnesses for the prosecution). If I want to blame anyone for the death of Jesus, I have to blame myself first and foremost because I know what sins I've committed that were covered by his blood!
I believe that there IS a loving and forgiving God who wants to have a relationship with his creation...he wants to spend eternity with you and with me and with everyone else. It makes him sad when people ignore the instruction manual he gave us for living a happy and fulfulled life on earth and it makes him sad when people throw away his personal invitation to an eternal party at his house. ...but loving and forgiving doesn't mean he can't get angry when people disrespect him (just like I got angry when my son poked holes in my leather couch with a multitool...but I love him anyway and he didn't spend eternity in his room, just an hour!).
If death is but a doorway to another life (another "plane of existence" if you will), and if there is a chance that there is more than one door to choose when you get there, then any smart traveler will want to have some idea what lies on the other side of each door. The bible describes God's house as a place that is better than anything I can imagine...and I've had some awesome things happen in my life so I can imagine a lot. I don't know (and don't really care) if there is a door to some "eternally burning pit", perhaps hell is more like being able to hear a great party and not being able to find it for all eternity! I don't know and I'm comfortable with that because I accept that some things are beyond the understanding of man (even Einstein, who knew way more than me or anyone else on this board, accepted that there were some things that couldn't be explained or understood by the mind of man).
I also consider myself a "freethinker" and the way I see it, if death is NOT a doorway, if it is truly the end, then I haven't lost anything by choosing to live my life doing my best to love God and to love other people (the essential command of Jesus). People that live that way at least leave a legacy behind in the lives of the people that they affected positively (a sense of functional immortality).
Yes, I make a lot of mistakes and I'm thankful that God has and will continue to forgive me for all of them. What if I'm wrong? Then I've at least gained by joy of living a life without being weighed down by guilt and condemnation. I wouldn't condemn anyone to hell...instead, my faith prompts me to pray that I AM wrong if any of my beliefs do condemn anyone to a lifetime of torment! I wouldn't wish the torment of the hell I sometimes heard preached as a child on my worst enemy...why would I wish it on someone God tells me to love?
Hey, as far as I'm concerned, heaven is a party and I'm just spreading the word...the more the merrier!
2007-08-09 07:12:14 · answer #6 · answered by KAL 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Obviously you have not read Romans 2:12-16 and Matthew 22:53.
Ignorance is much more offensive and harmful. Maybe you should study the scriptures before you rant.
That is intellectually dishonest and harmful a lot more.
2007-08-09 06:32:10 · answer #7 · answered by great gig in the sky 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
"Blind belief is not a win-win situation. Indeed, it is intellectually dishonest and harmful."
I agree with this statement. I don't feel like I would have a whole-hearted honest belief in God if I believed in it because I was afraid of going to hell. I chose not to believe in it, rather than pursue something I felt was dishonest and insincere. My other problem with the concept of hell is that it is eternal. It seems petty to punish someone eternally for something they did in a short finite space of time. Compared to eternity, a human life span is a mere wink. What kind of petty God would punish people for eternity for something so small?
2007-08-09 06:25:53 · answer #8 · answered by Lillith 4 · 0⤊ 3⤋
believe as you wish- one day we will know for sure huh? I already do know that there is a heaven and a hell. Just for the sake of your question- which by the way, is ranting not a question- what if I am right? I am not responsible for your decision , You have a choice- just pray we make the right one
2007-08-09 06:28:53 · answer #9 · answered by AdoreHim 7 · 3⤊ 0⤋
The jews didn't kill Jesus the romans did. They just turned him in.
Fine, enjoy your eternity right or wrong.
2007-08-09 06:26:26 · answer #10 · answered by JOSEPH L 1 · 2⤊ 1⤋