Why hasn't God made a "neutral ground" for non-believers? (see details)?

Question

Many people responded to my last question by saying that God is like a judge who punishes people. But with God, it is only the electric chair (actually it’s worse).

He chose the rules, he could have easily made some existence that is neither Heaven nor Hell. People do not believe in God because there is simply not any good evidence, or they believe for equally good reasons as people of other faiths, but have simply chosen the wrong faith.

Does this put them on a par with mass murders?

What kind of monster does that make God?


See my last question for reference:

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=AmVjwHVKEYiTiUcjKey_livsy6IX?qid=20070816192206AAzTJAH

OK, I think the "earth is the neutral ground" thing is just side-stepping the issue. You folks know I'm talking about eternity.

great points Glen and Derek

Answer 1

This dilemma was the start of my disbelief long ago. The only evidence I've seen for the existence of a god is evidence of an unfair, demanding, unreasonable one. What kind of god would treat his imperfect children so harshly? What kind of god would have morals unequal to my own?

atheist

Answer 2

Seriously?? Everyone is given equal chance for repentance. Why would God provide a fence for people to sit on and refuse to make a decision? There is no gray. You either believe or your dont believe. That is the decision. If you do not believe, you are turning your back on your creator. Do I think that there is a gradient to hell? I would like to believe so. However, I do believe those that are shown that there is a path to righteousness and willingly deny the existence of God will be eternally damned. However, the exception, I believe, lies in that people who have not been shown the way cannot be held accountable for things that they have not been shown. Therefore, they never reach the age of accountability. This would apply to people who have been taught other faiths as well as children and the mentally ill who are never able to make a decision.

If you will allow me, it seems that you have some issues with God. It worries me that you are saying that there is no real evidence. Belief is God is about faith. The evidence is shown in the world around you and in other believers. Too many people sit around waiting to be shown things that are right in front of their faces. Go to church some time and see how you feel about things. I think that if you really opened yourself to God, you would see things differently.

Answer 3

God is a judge, but our actions speak for themselves, not Him. So do our choices. Jesus calls us to God to repent and live good happy lives. The rules are for us. Not because they are mean spirited in any way at all, but because the rules work for our own happiness. There's not so many rules. Only 10. That's all. Jesus and God do not force their will on us. They call to us. "Knock and the door shall open, seek and ye shall find." Jesus reaches out to all of us, always.

I think a mighty lot of us have already experienced our own hell here on earth. That makes it an easy concept to believe. However I also think that most of us would agree that it made us stronger. Like tempered steal, we come out the better for it. Like refined gold. It burns off the drose, the imperfections.

Likewise a mighty lot of us have experienced heaven on this earth too. With loved ones. With a sunset, or sunrise. With nature almost anywhere, or whatever else we enjoy. Earth certainly is a middle ground.

To say there is no God because there is no evidence is to say you can't see the forest for the trees. Evidence is all around us!! Look anywhere, in any direction, and all there is is blessings!! People who do not understand this are lost. They are "looking for love in all the wrong places"!! Love is literally Everywhere when you realize He made this earth for Us!!! :-)

Once again, this world is a dificult place not because of righteousness, but because of a lack of it!

Answer 4

He created us to have a relationship with us. So, if you have made the choice NOT to have a relationship with Him, He will respect that.
Hell itself doesn't have to be fire and brimstone literally. But just knowing that you can never have what you were meant to have, (a fulfilling relationship with your true father, and living a life where all your neighbors treat you with respect, dignity, and truly wish you peace and happiness) is living with a deep burning regret that you can never take back.
NOW having said I would also like to state that I believe that God is a lot smarter than what we give Him credit for. Yes, I do believe there is a hell, but I honestly believe that God is capable of doing what the bible says, and at the same time showing compassion to those who have rejected them.

Answer 5

I'll answer somewhat the same as I answered "Meatbots" question earlier.

Do you believe that rapist,child molesters and wicked people deserve a heavenly after life? The Bible says everyone will have a chance to accept or deny God.
What would you do if someone hurts you or someone you love in this manner??
Of course its between them and God AND I'm happy I don't have to judge them.We all have to be held accountable and if its not repented of then the sins will be judged in the end. Thats just my 2 cents! I'm not trying to force you think like me just stating my opinion.

Answer 6

I assume you are an agnostic since you refer to God's ability to create. Well, brother, I'm a former atheist who ended up being a Christian and even a Methodist pastor for a few years. Many will not agree, but after years of study, I find the evidence for a literal hell very thin. I also believe that Heaven is a dimension more than a place. I also believe that we are truly God's children and no loving parent would send their child to anyplace remotely resembling hell, even the ornery ones. You could make an argument that those who refuse entrance to Heaven won't be forced, since we also have the gift of free will. Kind of reminds me of the atheist who died and was lying in state when one of his friends remarked, "Too bad, he's all dressed up and no place to go!". blessings and peace PT

Answer 7

You have a choice, in any religion, anywhere, to believe or not believe. Believers make to the promised land, nonbelievers go to hell. Simple as that. There is no straddle the fence type neutral ground. There is either right, or wrong, there is no half way. You either break the law and go to jail or be fined or both, or you don't break the law and keep your freedom and money or both. No half way. Same with a Loving, Caring, Justifying God.

Answer 8

Have those people of the other faiths lied?
Stole?
How about commited adultery in their hearts?

Those are just three commandments that everyone (or at least most) have broken... That makes that person a liar, a theif, and an adulterer.

How about someone getting mad at someone for no cause? That makes them a murder at heart in God's eyes.

I could go on and on, but the fact is that God told us what is and what isn't acceptable. And even though we screwed up God sent Jesus to help us. All you have to do is just ask.

So me I am a lying, disobeying, murderous, adulterer and I deserve Hell but God gave me grace through Jesus.

Answer 9

First of all, God didn't "choose" the rules. He IS the rules. He is pure righteousness. That's his character. And because he is pure righteousness, anything less than pure cannot be in his presence. If you have committed one sin, even if it's nothing more than a lie, you have broken the whole law, because sin is sin no matter what form it takes. It's the nature of sin that condemns you and we're all born into it. You'll always be stained, forever separate from God, unless you accept what Yeshua Jesus Christ has already done for you - He took your punishment on himself and paid your debt so that you can be made clean again and go free. The decision is yours. But if you reject him, when you pass into eternity, you'll be completely separate from him. The absence of light is darkness, and the absence of good is evil.. Likewise, the absence of God is hell.

Answer 10

You really need to quit worrying so much, Skeptic.

Your desperation and panic is most unattractive.

The sad thing is as bad as it is now, wait till your on your deathbed. Oh, there is nothing more terrifying than looking into the eyes of a dying atheist.

I think what you're really saying is "If I were God, I would have done things a whole lot better."

Which - do your homework, moron - is the exact same thing Lucifer was saying right before God kicked his A SS back to Hell!

Answer 11

God is Holiness, and those who are sinners not saved will not be able to stand before God because they will feel shame, and quite frankly, they just won't want to be in heaven! It's not what they want, to bask in God's presence and worship Him. There are different levels of hell. It's all eternal death, but there are worse levels than others--Adolf Hitler doesn't get the same punishment as someone who did far less.
The REAL question is, would a loving God force Himself on someone who didn't want to accept Him or His Son? Never!