being raised atheist, i knew as a child that since i didn't believe in or obey god i would go to hell. it didn't matter to me since i didn't believe in hell either.
but, i've read in here countless times that christians don't tell kids that they'll go to hell for not believing or obeying. yet, those same christians will confirm that you do indeed go to hell for these things.
so i'm confused. who's telling kids this? is it atheists who are telling non christian children that they'll go to hell for not believing in god?
2007-10-03 01:20:59 · 23 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
i'm an atheist - yes, and most kids are told they're going to hell, yet christians say they don't actually teach this!
2007-10-03 01:28:46 · update #1
don't feel bad
i am confused about everything!!
:-)
2007-10-03 04:26:51 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
There is so much of misunderstanding about what the Bible teaches about hell that I have lost count of how many times I have answered this type of questions.
No one, get this, no one can say who is going to heaven or to hell. I believe there will be people in heaven from every faith and even no faith. But those who knowingly deny Him and go against Him, I doubt they have a chance of making it. Only God can judge persons since only He knows their motives. And no, hell is not an ever burning place. The wicked will be annihilated.
2007-10-03 08:41:34 · answer #2 · answered by Andy Roberts 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
There's no unified Christian belief.
-Some believe if a person doesn't accept Jesus they'll go to hell.
-Some believe if someone is a good person in life that's all that matters.
-Others believe in limbo, purgatory, confession, etc (Catholics).
According to the Bible, accepting Jesus is the only way to get into heaven. If someone doesn't do this they'll go to hell. Christians tend not to use that strong of language (do this or you'll suffer) when it comes to kids, because they don't want to scare them into something. They want them to accept the religion willingly.
Usually mention of that only comes about when the child is getting older and either begins to question or reject the religion. Atleast that's how it was in my experience.
2007-10-03 08:27:08 · answer #3 · answered by CSE 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Kids do not go to hell. All that depends on the age of accountabilty. When that is I don't know. Some say its when they reach a certain age, and some say it's when God deals with them about salvation. I don't know where you have read on here that those of us who are saved do not tell our children they will go to hell. I know in the ages I taught we did not and reason why they was only 3 and 4. But next class up started teaching about that. Plus our Pastor preaches on it.
2007-10-03 08:28:33 · answer #4 · answered by iwant_u2_wantme2000 6 · 0⤊ 1⤋
"Hot" Riegan,
I became a Christian after 12 years of marriage and began studying the Bible. I do NOT believe that young children need to be told such things. They are educated about the Bible as they are also educated about daily living, reading, and writing. I do NOT believe that a child can be LOST until he/she reaches an age that they can understand the Gospel of CHRIST. For that reason, I do not attempt to scare young children at all. They are informed as they are able to fully understand it. Have a wonderful week.
Thanks,
Eds
EDIT:
Two of our three children are Christians and one is not at this point. He is well beyond the age of understanding but has not made a decision to become a Christian yet.
.
2007-10-03 08:29:18 · answer #5 · answered by Eds 7 · 4⤊ 1⤋
Atheist, will tell kid's that is what we will say and place it in a very biased context that is in-correct, in a sense, actually we Christians will teach their Children about the Love and Compassion of Christ as opposed to telling them about the eternal judgement of Christ at first, we attempted to have a balance in the teaching.
You just don't go up to a child and say shaking your finger at them saying " You gonna go to hell if in you don't believe"
Now, that may be true, but to say it like that to a Child, we don't want to 'scare them into heaven' not to say that doesn't work at times, but as a general rule, not like that.
2007-10-03 08:31:10 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 1⤋
Basically it says in the bible that you go to hell for not being christian. However, there are other parts in the bible which some christians interpret to mean that as long as your a good person Jesus will way this together and you may not go to hell.
It's all about how you interpret the bible.
2007-10-03 08:25:52 · answer #7 · answered by Lauri 1 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Christians raise their kids as being bound for heaven, and they teach them accordingly. Why would they even have to say, "if you don't believe..."? But yes, we should tell the kids what the Bible says about this subject.
2007-10-03 09:24:46 · answer #8 · answered by ccrider 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Dear Everybody,
I respect your freedom in term of Religion or Beliefs. But you should study different Religion and the believers for you to be guided so that you live also in spiritually and a community not in Material or Bread alone!
2007-10-03 09:52:47 · answer #9 · answered by Ron - ron G. 1 · 1⤊ 0⤋
We tell the children at our church. Some churches don't tell the kids because they think it will scare them or hurt their feelings. If they really believe it though, the kids need to know.
2007-10-03 08:26:31 · answer #10 · answered by jwbyrdman 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Not sure. I am a Christian, one of Jehovah's Witnesses.
Honestly, from studying the Bible it becomes clear that the idea of eternal torment in Hellfire can't be considered a Christian belief. Consider Jehovah is supposed to be a loving father, what loving father would burn his spiritual children for all eternity??
2007-10-03 08:24:59 · answer #11 · answered by Ish Var Lan Salinger 7 · 2⤊ 2⤋