You know, the funny thing is, is that Jesus said that he came to fulfill the law. The Jews of the Old Testament constantly were having to jump through hoops to be "holy" enough for God. When Jesus came, he basically told everyone to love God and love their neighbors as themselves.
It wasn't until Saul of Tarsus had his little revelation on the road to Damascus that Christianity become so "legalized" again. Christ often talked of his death, he even returned to teach 40 days after his death. Yet he never mentioned having to recite "The Sinner's Prayer" to the disciples he'd spent his entire human life with when he came back to instruct them on how to carry on his church now that he was ascending to Heaven. He didn't carry on with the whole, "So-and-so shall not enter the Kingdom of Heaven" nonsense.
People might view God in different ways. Can I say for sure that everyone of every religion (including mine!) will find favor in the afterlife? Of course I can't. However, it seems kind of silly to buy EVERYONE'S admittance into Heaven with such a huge sacrifice and then only admit a third of the world's population!
And hey, if I'm wrong and its Zeus or Sekhmet or Brighid that I run into after I die, I hope they'll take into account that I tried my hardest to be a good person, and I never called their followers "Satanists". ;)
2007-10-05 04:10:05
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answer #1
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answered by Anonymous
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I'm a Christian, and most other Christians are going to disagree with me and call me a heretic for what I think. But here it its...
I think that God is, above all, a forgiving and loving God. Jesus died on the cross for the sins of the whole world, I believe, including the sin of not believing in him. I, therefore, believe God's mercy, grace, and forgiveness to extend to ALL people, whether they believe in him or not.
God is not so immature so as to say "I only love you if you love me first." That sounds more like something a 14-year old heart-broken girl would say than God! Thus, I believe members of all religions, plus atheiests, plus Christians will all have God's mercy and be together in heaven.
That makes me not want to fight with other religions or atheists, since my faith tells me God loves everyone and so should I.
2007-10-05 04:09:36
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answer #2
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answered by Keep On Trucking 4
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It's not a hypothetical question to God. His responses are pretty clear:
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Exodus 20:1-3:
1 And the Lord spoke all these words: 2 I am the Lord thy God, who brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. 3 Thou shalt not have strange gods before me.
He also said in Deuteronomy 6:14-15:
14 You shall not go after the strange gods of all the nations, that are round about you: 15 Because the Lord thy God is a jealous God in the midst of thee: lest at any time the wrath of the Lord thy God be kindled against thee, and take thee away from the face of the earth.
There are heaps of other references throughout the Bible. In short, God said He will punish those (i.e. send to the fires of Hell) who know of His existence and choose to worship other gods anyway. But He is also a forgiving God, who will always welcome back the repentant sinner.
However since you don't believe in any god, I'm sure you don't feel threatened by any of this, after all you did ask.
2007-10-05 04:24:06
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answer #3
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answered by dweebken 5
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To people who tell me I am going to Hell for not believing in their choice of beliefs, I always say this.
"My belief is to be the best person I can and to treat the world and all people in it as best I can and strive to improve it. When I die if I stand before whatever deity exists, I will accept their judgment on my life and the choices I made. So long as I am alive I believe no one else has power to make that judgment and I accept no one else's judgment."
This often keeps them happy because now they can believe I will be punished by their god after I'm dead, and I'm happy because they usually shut up at this point. Personally I don't know what lies out there. I believe myself to be very spiritual and try to live as I stated above. I don't tell people who or what I worship, if any and I won't state it here because "it invariably leads to disagreement and hurt feelings and doesn't factor into the way I see people and shouldn't factor into the way people see me. If it does, then I choose not to associate myself with them, not because of their belief, but because of how they choose to view others".
2007-10-05 04:12:14
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answer #4
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answered by The Cat 3
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There can not be two, three, or more Gods. There can not be two or more Kings/ Presidents in the same country. If you believe that God/ Allah/ Yahweh is kind, He is kind
to every one of His creation. No discretion. No prejudice. Every one, a believer or unbeliever shall be judged for deeds and beliefs on the Day of Judgment.
2007-10-05 04:09:48
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answer #5
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answered by Anonymous
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A) Jesus said, "I, if I be lifted up (a known euphemism for crucifixion), will lift ALL men unto Me."
B) I rather suspect that what this means is that persons of good faith, whatever that faith might be, who try to live their lives with goodness, caring and love, aren't gonna need to worry much. He IS love, after all. It's not too terribly loving to cast out someone who's doing the best he/she can according to their understanding.
2007-10-05 04:00:50
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answer #6
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answered by Granny Annie 6
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I believe god or higher power looks as each person as an individual, and also judges by the content of our characters and our actions. we will be judged on this, i don't feel it will have to do anything with religion, but rather with the actions we have taken with ourselves and others.
2007-10-05 04:00:22
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answer #7
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answered by KARMA IS IT THOU? 7
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There is no true religion. Religions are guides to God. Whichever one gets you closer to God is the one for you.
2007-10-05 04:05:53
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answer #8
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answered by Anonymous
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consistent with probability a quote from the Dei Verbum - Dogmatic shape on Divine Revelation will help: financial ruin 3 verse 12. "although, via actuality that God speaks in Sacred Scripture by way of fellows in human sort, the interpreter of Sacred Scripture, in an attempt to work out relatively what God had to speak to us, ought to carefully be certain what which skill the sacred writers relatively meant, and what God had to ensue by their words. to look for out the purpose of the sacred writers, know-how ought to settle for, among distinctive concerns, to "literary varieties." For reality is approximately forth and expressed yet otherwise in texts that could nicely be variously historical, prophetic, poetic, or of categories of discourse. The interpreter ought to be certain what which skill the sacred author meant to specific and relatively expressed in appropriate cases by way of utilising cutting-edge literary varieties based on the concern of his very own time and custom. For the awesome information of what the sacred author had to declare, due know-how must be paid to the huge-unfold and characteristic varieties of feeling, speaking and narrating which prevailed on the time of the sacred author, and to the varieties adult adult males in all probability employed at that era of their daily dealings with one a extra." consistent with probability a widespread explanation is additionally clearer. Bob desire as quickly as stated, "whilst i became as quickly as youthful, being gay meant which you were joyful." See how vastly that which skill has converted (and interior the surprising 2 many years)? What extra effective ought to the which skill distinction after 3000 years? specific, reading the bible isn't that rapidly forward. although don't be discouraged by way of it. study it for theory, faith, determining God although beware to no longer get too literal with the meanings. whilst uncertain, ask! some counsel: a million. study the bible in a employer - all people ought to understand a clearer explanation to the text cloth. 2. Get a bible with footnotes - helps with the meanings and pass references. 3. Get a nicely Catholic bible commentary. 4. connect a bible attractiveness.
2016-10-10 08:46:27
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answer #9
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answered by Anonymous
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There is only "One God", and It is unique unto Itself.
It has no color, It has no gender, It has no form, It has no differences, It has no religion, It cast not a shadow, It has no anger, all that's there is "Truth".
In the end there can be "Only One".
2007-10-05 04:08:36
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answer #10
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answered by WillRogerswannabe 7
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