Question for believers?

Question

If there was an island on the earth that was un-discovered. And let's say a tribe of people lived here.
They were a civilized society. They had a set of rules and they were moral people. They did not worship gods, they never heard of religion.

According to you, all these people go to hell?

This question was inspired from this quote:
Eskimo: "If I did not know about God and sin, would I go to hell?"
Priest: "No, not if you did not know."
Eskimo: "Then why did you tell me?"

Answer 1

I love the quote ... Indeed you could argue that was the whole point of the "Tree of Knowledge" of Adam and Eve ... if you believe in that sort of thing.

Be carefull though - this isn't a question for all believers of religion. It is a question for those people who believe in hell and the concept that whether or not you subscribe to a religion determines if you end up there or not.

Answer 2

God said we are without excuse.....Romans 1:20 For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:

One thing is for certain , God will do the right thing, Whether it be heaven or hell God will send you where you deserve to go.
God can not do the wrong thing. And who are we to question God? God created all life and therefore he and only he has the right to do as he pleases with us. We are lucky that he is a merciful God , In that he has provided a way that any one, including the Eskimos and your fictitious island people to know him. All those who truly seek God shall find him no matter where they are. God is not unrighteous in any way , therefore no one will go to hell that does not deserve it. He has provided a way for everyone to get to heaven and here it is.....

John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

Answer 3

People go to hell to pay for the sins that they have committed. Mankind was created with the commandments written on their heart. There is no one that will have an excuse on the last day. There is no Eskimo, Irishmen, African, etc.. that will be able to say at Judgement day that they did not know. That they were sinless. They did know, and they were sinner anyway.

God does not owe any man - anything. Nothing. Why there is any mercy is beyond me. But for some reason Jesus decided to have a people for himself. He has come to search and to save those that are His.

Answer 4

For the ten millionth time, people do not go to hell because they don't know about Jesus. They go to hell because they have broken God's Laws, and even a society that has never heard of Jesus has the Moral Law of God written on their hearts, in their conscience.

When they have violated their own conscience, that means they know they have broken a "higher law". And THAT is what they will have to give an account for.

When they point out that somebody was wrong for doing this or that, they demonstrate that they know the "Moral Law" written on their hearts, and it is THAT Law that will judge them.

Having high moral standards, and actually living up to those standards are two different things.

For instance, when you say "It's wrong to steal, and I don't want any of my stuff (stereo, computer, cd player, et cetera) stolen", can you in all honesty say that you have NEVER taken anything that wasn't rightfully yours to take?

When you say "It's wrong to lie (in order to get your own way, or to protect yourself from "getting caught" doing something wrong, et cetera)", when you say it's wrong to lie, can you in full honesty say that you have NEVER told a lie? (We're not talking about the size of the lie).

You demonstrate that you believe in some kind of moral code when you say that something isn't fair or it isn't right. Then, when you break that very code, it demonstrates that you are, in fact, not moral at all, because you have broken the very "moral code" that you condemned in someone else.

And THAT is what is meant by "Do not judge, or you shall be judged in the same measure in which you judge another"

In other words, if you don't want to be judged for stealing, then you could never complain about somebody stealing your car, your wallet, your TV set, or anything else you own. (By the way, if you believe this, then please send me your car, your keys, your wallet, et cetera - this is a stick-up - and you can't report it, either (*grin*) ) - get my point?

Additional comment:
Jesus rescues us from hell when we acknowledge our sins and ask Him to forgive us and dwell in our hearts by the power of His Holy Spirit.

"God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through Him." (Jn 3:17)

Answer 5

The Eskimo's believe in gods from the north, South, East and West.

The answer to your question is NO. But that's a BIG IF. Most cultures have Gods. But I don't believe they have hell as we know.

Answer 6

God not only speaks to us through other men or woman like misionaries, priest, pastors ecct....He speaks directly to the heart of all humans. If a person rejects God in his heart and says I don't need you I can do fine without you and go about being "good" in their own ways. Then what they are saying is I don't need you God I don't want to be with you so, when they die where will they'll go if they don't want to be with God?.

Answer 7

The Eskimo may never have had the chance to know the Gospel or have had scripture taught to him but he does have the wonders of created nature both in and around him and this alone is enough to desire to know the Creator,if he does see the truth of Gods existance in this and holds this truth to be a life principal then God will be merciful to him at his death.

Answer 8

Those who never heard or know of religion will be judged according to the law written in their hearts and their conscience:

Romans 2:12-16 For as many as have sinned without the law will also perished without the law, and as many as have sinned in the law will be judged by the law (for not the hearers of the law are just in the sight of God, but the doers of the law will be justified; for when the Gentiles, who do not have the law, by nature do the things contained in the law, these although not having the law, are a law to themselves, who show the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and between themselves their thoughts accusing or else excusing them) in the day when God judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my gospel.

Answer 9

i am a born again christian.. the priest that answered that question should have study a little more.. because there is a very very simple answer to that question...

the bible says that if the people dont speak, the rocks will... EVERYONE will have an opportunity to hear about the word of God in their lifetime! this of course excludes children... God takes them all!

Answer 10

LOL- I have said that myself many times!

Read Acts 8:26-40 here is a web link:
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=acts%208:26-40&version=49

This is where I see a clear answer to your question. Notice:
1. The EE was searching for God
2. God noticed this
3. God sent Philip to reveal more of Himself to the EE

This is what I believe God does with those who are truely seeking him, responding to his natural revelation.

Hope this helps.