Could you really go to Hell for not believing in any God, but still being a good person?

Question

I dont believe in anything speific, but I have been reading the Koran and it got me thinking about religion in general. Think about how MANY religions there are today. Can you really blame someone for not believing in you speifically if you were God? Especially when every religion promises something bad if you dont?

I think that as long as you know right from wrong and really do the best as a human you will be fine. Right? Input from every religion would be great!

I dont believe in anything speific, but I have been reading the Koran and it got me thinking about religion in general. Think about how MANY religions there are today. Can you really blame someone for not believing in you speifically if you were God? Especially when every religion promises something bad if you dont?

I think that as long as you know right from wrong and really do the best as a human you will be fine. Right? Input from every religion would be great!

I grew up in a Muslim community and now live in a Christian community, and I dont want to judge all Christians but I havent met a really good, honest, genuwinely caring person whom is Christian. So now I'm just wondering and giving serious thought as to which religion I would like to follow (Im agnostic but looking for a good religion).

Thanks for the feedback!

Answer 1

I am Christian and I don't believe that is true. From what I have read in the Bible, Hell is the grave. It does not mean eternal torment. However, when the resurrection happens there are some people who will be destroyed. NOT tormented for eternity.

Also, being good does not gain eternal life. Only those who are sinless can enter eternal life. The only way to be sinless is to believe that Jesus Christ paid the price for your sins. The price for sin is death. Since Christ died on the cross even though he was sinless... he was paying the price for your sin! It doesn't matter how "good' you have been, if you are guilty of even one sin, your punishment will be exclusion from eternal life.

If you went into court for murder or any other crime, could you say, but I was good. I didn't break any of the other rules and then get off without paying the price for the crime you did commit? No, and it can't work that way with God either. The price must be paid and the only person who can take "eternal death" out of your future is Jesus Christ.

Now, if you were not given the opportunity to learn about God and try to figure out which one is correct, God would judge you according to what knowledge you had available. However, you have the ability to study and search for yourself. Find a good study of prophesy in the Bible and then see how it has been fulfilled! It was written before the events happened and has happened exactly the way that it was predicted. That is one way to check the validity of the Bible. Pray before you study that God would lead you into all truth. (without asking God to help, many do not understand the Bible)

Amazing facts is a great way to start studying the Bible. This is a good link to the Bible studies online.

http://www.bibleuniversity.com/Hopetalk/Logon.asp

EDIT: sadly there are not a lot of "Good Christians" out there anymore. Many religions have perverted what God had originally planned and made him look like a tyrant instead of a loving God. He is LOVE but many religious people are not living the way that He wants them to which gives Him a bad name. Too many denominations of Christianity... but then it was predicted in the Bible...." many will come in my name claiming I am He, but they are false Christs and false Prophets".

Answer 2

Well my Koran is collecting dust next to my bible, but if I remember anything from intro to islamic scripture class I took a few semesters ago, wasn't it the beliefe that God has sent many many prophets to the people of earth?

The problem was, if I remember rightly, that the teachings of these prophets would become slowly corrupted and such. The result is that even the most obscure religion (well, except crazy stuff like scientology) has some root to God. Take a look at different religions and you will even start to see connections between them.

The point I am trying to make is that I think God will forgive you if your were at least trying to do the right thing. Think about it like this: Lets say you had this huge fan club, 1 million strong, but they all thought your name was "Horney Monkey", and there was no way to communicate otherwise without tottaly destroying their entire lives. Would you hate them? You know they love you, its just they got a fact or two wrong. I think God might see it the same way.

Again, I could be tottaly wrong, in which case my blasphemy will probably land me a seat in hell next to you...so I guess we can make a lunch date or something ;-)

Answer 3

Yes you will be in Hell im sure. Because who will save you, if in the first place you don't believe there is a savior. NO ONE.
In my onw opinion, "Your being a good person, is some kind of your way of life in living this world." And being good doesn't guarantee that you will be save. For the people around you, maybe you are a good person because you are living the standards here on earth.

And speaking of Hell, its another phase of life. Its beyond this world. So for you to be save you have to earned it here while you are still alive, that includes being a good person, following the laws on earth, the commandments of God, believing on Him and following His teachings. It doesn't matter where you live or your grow up. What matters most is you have a God you believe in and that will save you. Be a Catholic, its not a very demanding religion, Christ is our savior. He saves you before you know Him.

Answer 4

You can't get to heaven by being a "good person." There is only one who is good and that is God. If you've ever broken the Ten Commandments your are bad and in danger of hellfire.

The fool has said in his heart,
“There is no God.”
They are corrupt,
They have done abominable works,
THERE IS NONE WHO DOES GOOD. Ps. 14:1

“ The heart is deceitful above all things,
And desperately wicked;
Who can know it? Jer. 17:9

And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment. Heb. 9:27

We are judged by the Ten Commandments.

Ever told a lie?
Ever hated anyone? See 1 John 3:15
Ever lusted after someone? See. Matt. 5:27-28
Ever blasphemed?

For whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet stumble in one point, he is guilty of all. James 2:10

Lawbreakers go to hell.

Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God. 1 Cor. 6:9-10

Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things WILL NOT INHERIT THE KINGDOM OF GOD. Gal. 5:19-21

But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.” Rev. 21:8

This is clear and humbling. However God made a way so we wouldn't have to go to hell. Jesus (God in flesh) came to earth, lived a sinless life, and was crucified on our behalf. He rose three days later defeating death and in turn giving us an escape route from hell. But Jesus did command us to repent. That means to turn from sin to God. The perfect example of repentance is found in Psalm 51.

“The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel.” Mark 1:15

I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish. Luke 13:3

Jesus answered and said to him, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” John 3:3

You see when you repent God gives you a new heart and new desires and they are desires to serve Him. As a result you are biblically born again! That my friend is good news!

Answer 5

that doesnt make sense to me at all dude, you can be a really good person, really great to everyone, only problem, youre a muslim, youre catholic, youre jewish, not the right exact one. maybe only 400 people get into heaven, that would suck. God made too much good on this earth to let us experience misery for not being in the right religion, there is no right religion, there cant be. but they all have good philosophical aspects, which is the usual, do unto other as you would... theres millions, i refuse to believe that one religion has entry into heaven and the rest are forced to be stuck outside the gates

Answer 6

No one is "good." We are all wicked. No matter how good you think you are. That's why Jesus Christ died on the cross. For all our sins. If your do not believe in Jesus Christ, no amount of good works or being a "good person" will get you a pass into heaven. Sorry. It's not what I said it is what the Bible says. You either get it or you don't. What we "think" is not what is "truth." Just knowing right from wrong, won't do it. It is knowing it and living it. That's the hard part. It is in inconvenience. Choose wisely.

Answer 7

Yes,Christianty Is The Only Gospel Religion In The World!SO They Have The Oppertunity To Go Chrurch.So They Should Have Went.

Answer 8

The idea that worshipping a man as GOD will absolve one of sins is completely retarded and flies in the face of everything Christ came to teach humankind. Talk about a cop-out - under this form of logic, a Christian can murder, rape and kill with no remorse, but still be beloved of GOD? What?

Jesus taught that to love one another is the greatest obedeince to GOD. I think that pretty much settles it. He NEVER asked people to worship him and REPEATEDLY said that GOD was One GOD and that although no one is truly good, that doesn't mean we should not stop trying to strive in the ways of the One and ask GOD (Not Jesus) for forgiveness for our trespasses.

Answer 9

I think that if you have no specific beliefs, and you're open to the idea of religion:
1. That makes you Agnostic, pretty much.
2. In that sense, there is technically no hell, unless you choose to believe there is. (that is the beauty of Agnosticism)
3. If to you, there is a hell, but you're a good person, according to this belief system, you wouldn't go to hell, because you've done all you can to be that good person. If there's not a hell in what you believe in, then no worries. You're good to go.

Answer 10

If you are going by Quran, the answer is, yes. Quran explains it by pointing out that denial of God is: (1) ungratefulness of God. (2) Envy and mistrust of God's chosen messengers; and (3) inability to recognize the obvious fact that INTELLIGENT life could not have originated on its own. There has to be an ultimate source of programming through which we get ideas.

As the Quran says:

2.28] How do you deny Allah; you were dead and He gave you life? Again He will cause you to die and again bring you to life, then you shall be brought back to Him.

[2.29] He it is Who created for you all that is in the earth, and He directed Himself to the heaven, so He made them complete seven heavens, and He knows all things.

The purpose of life is to train one for higher challenges. If you fail the most elementary test, which is coming to the conclusion that there is a God by having all the clues, then you are going to need some "reformatting" which is what hell is about.

In Quranic concept of hell, the inmates are portrayed as people quarreling among themselves, asking for God's forgiveness, or suffering. But they are not screaming in excruciating pain--for how else would they talk. So, one can assume, that suffering would lead to greater understanding and purification. Most Islamic scholars are of the view---opinion that is based on a number of Hadiths---that eventually everybody would come out of hell. And even to the worst sinner, God would give him whatever he/she would ask for and more.

EDIT:

People expect God to be nice and forgiving no matter what. That is unreasonable. If, for example, you keep defying the authority of your boss, you will be fired. If you disobey a policeman, you can be arrested. So there are consequences to decisions and lack of loyalty. Whether you acknowledge or not, we all follow somebody else--consciously or unconsciously. You cannot remain in a state of intellectual limbo, not now, not ever. Even in agnosticism you are following somebody or a philosophy developed by somebody. God wants you to follow Him. He warns you of consequences, because He knows that other paths lead to death and destruction. God wants YOU to succeed; He does not need your prayers.

It does not take a genius to figure out that there is pain and suffering in this world. Not believing in God will not reduce or eliminate it. God is simply trying to tell you that you too can suffer like others, but if you are careful and do what is right, your life can turn out good. For your foresight and good deeds you will be rewarded. Think about it.

Don't follow the road that leads to temporary pleasures and eventually to emptiness.