Do Christians think people born to different customs from Christian traditions truly deserve to be TORTURED FOREVER on Satan's BBQ? These customs, handed down for thousands of years include love, respect, honor, courage, compassion and altruism.
How could anybody in their right mind turn a blind eye to God's evil punishment for such gentle loving souls? Why the hell does "how loving and compassionate you are in life" take a distant back seat to "worshiping God" -- ESPECIALLY considering these people never grew up, nor their parents, with Christian traditions?
2007-11-23 10:07:59 · 22 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Pastor Art, you have confirmed to me you're a racist.
2007-11-23 10:13:28 · update #1
P.S., I love lots of the responses from Christains to my posting, many of you are truly decent people (a few aside -- such as Mr. Pastor)
2007-11-23 10:16:35 · update #2
I'm Christian and I was never taught that anyone outside the Church would roast on Satan's B-B-Q. That's just stupid. I think you are confusing fanatics with regular Christians like Catholics, Protestants, Lutherans, etc.
2007-11-23 10:13:23 · answer #1 · answered by DAR76 7 · 2⤊ 3⤋
A kind loving woman, who's Japanese parents taught her only love matters breaks the law and gets caught. Is the judge going to say..
"Well, you DID break the law but since you are a kind loving woman, who's Japanese parents taught her only love matters I'm going to let you off with no penalty...
No, the judge has sworn to uphold the law and he has no option but to impose whatever penalty the law demands for the crime committed.
The Bible declares that ALL have sinned and broken God's laws and therefore ALL deserve to be punished with eternal separation from God's presence.
That's the bad news. The good news, or gospel message is...
John 3:16 "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.
So what about a person who has never heard the gospel message? That's one of those questions that theologians debate about. Some say that God will give a person sufficient revelation of truth so that they too can be justified by faith like the Old Testament saints who were looking for a Savior from God but who didn't yet know who He would be or how He would save them.
In any event, people who do know about Jesus and his substitutionary sacrifice for their sins don't have the excuse that the hypothetical women in your example has. If they go through their lives determined to be the Lord of their own lives instead of turning from their sins and trusting in Jesus then they won't have any excuse when God finds them guilty on judgment day.
Click on the Get Saved button @ http://web.express56.com/~bromar/ for more information on this subject.
2007-11-23 10:31:16 · answer #2 · answered by Martin S 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I think we need to start first at the question, "What is hell?"
Hell is the complete absence (or void, if you will) of God.
There is a natural law that we all are bound to and all are aware of (some more than others) regardless of whether one believes in God or not. (i.e. natural law - right v.s. wrong ...it is wrong to harm others, etc)
God's mercy is endless and He is just. It says in the Bible, if an ignorant person does a bad thing versus a knowledgeable person, the ignorant person will only be beaten a little and the knowledgeable one will be beaten severely. Meaning???
Each one of us has a very specific purpose on this earth. God fashioned us in His own image and designed each one of us for a mission. Not all of us are called to sell all of our belongings, wear a sackcloth, and devote our entire life to serving the poor. Our society would cease to function if everyone had the same calling.
So what does this have to do with your question?...
Let's take a person born in China where there is no freedom of religion and will be persecuted for being a Christian. Many do not hear about Christianity and therefore, never have the chance to practice it. This is where natural law comes in.
If you ever have a chance to read the Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis, in the last book, The Last Battle, (not to ruin the book for you or anything, but) at the end, everyone who fought on Aslan's side is in paradise, but there is one who is from the other side. Everyone is shocked to see him there. But Aslan says something to the sort of 'since you fought so bravely and you really thought you were doing the right thing and were fighting for the right side, everything you did, you did it for me.' Meaning? This is my interpretation: if you have never been exposed to Christianity and are really trying (not just passively, but ardently trying) to do the right thing and live a holy and virtuous lifestyle, then you are doing it for Christ. Think about it like getting an "A for effort." This doesn't mean, "if I am good person, I'm doing alright." That is taking on a lukewarm attitude of not really caring and it also says in the Bible, "God will spew the lukewarm from His mouth." But, if a person really tries to do the right thing and is actively pursuing Truth, whatever they believe the truth to be, they are pursuing God.
As a Christian, God calls upon us to have complete trust in Him. Part of what we believe is that God's mercy is endless and he is just. If He is just, then I have to trust that He will take care of the least person all the way to the greatest person (namely, everyone) I have to trust that He allows everyone as much Grace (if not more) that they need to get into Heaven.
So back to "what is hell?" Hell is the absence of God and the rejection of His grace. If we reject His grace, we can go no other place but hell because we have chosen it by our rejection.
If a person has never been exposed to Christianity, then they have not been given that grace to reject. They have been given other graces and have the knowledge of natural law, of which they could accept or reject.
God alone knows our hearts and whether we have rejected Him or not. If we reject grace and reject God, we reject eternal life.
2007-11-23 10:47:14 · answer #3 · answered by AutumnLilly 6 · 0⤊ 1⤋
I don't believe that a loving, just, fair God would condemn any of His children to that. I think that everyone will be judged by their hearts, and by the kind of person they were in this life.
I also believe that those who don't know of Christ will have the opportunity to learn and accept that after death. I don't think death is an automatic sentence to either heaven or hell. I think there is time in between when we die and final judgment. That time will be spent learning more, growing more and accepting what we didn't get a chance to on earth.
2007-11-23 10:41:44 · answer #4 · answered by odd duck 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Pastor Art, there is a difference between the military and civillians. Our gov't funds Israel, does that mean that
I don't believe in this hell that Christians have painted a horrid picture of. Hell is separation from God, and heaven is closeness to God. One can experience heaven and hell in any realm, whether it's here in the physical world or in the spiritual world beyond.
A good hearted person experiences God, whether s/he realizes it or not, because all goodness, kindness, gentleness, love, compassion, etc, comes from God. People in non-Christian societies, who do not really know about God, are not held responsible for what they don't know.
God loves us all, whether we are aware of Him or not.
2007-11-23 10:17:25 · answer #5 · answered by Dolores G. Llamas 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Jesus died for all people and all have the opportunity to accept Him. Christians have tried for many years to go to all the countries to tell people the good news of the gospel. Now liberals try to block them from going. Missionaries have lost their lives to get the gospel to people in other countries. Now about all the Christians can do is pray and send the gospel by radio and TV, it costs a lot of money and Christians have to foot the bill alone. We want all to hear the gospel and accept Jesus and Lord and savior. We don't wish any to go to hell, neither does God.
2007-11-23 10:14:50 · answer #6 · answered by ? 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I went to a church with my boyfriend of nearly 3 years a few months back. He and I have lived together for 2 1/2 of those 3 years... Yet he is all about "Gods way". (yeah, I know). Anyway, the last time I went there, all they preached about was "Truth". How only Christianity was the ultimate religion and all others need to be brought to know "god" and his "truth". This, coming from the same people who brainwashed the BF in to believing we are born with sin. I think about that crap line every time he and I go to the doctor and hear our baby's heart beat on the doppler... Ironic huh? How the F does a baby have sin? I think about when we will hold her for the first time... Here she is taking her first few breaths, and now she is automatically a sinner. Hmm... Kinda crazy huh. *rolling eyes*
It was all I could do to not run up to that hypocrite of a man and smack him upside the head with his damn Bible for being so incredibly STUPID and closed minded.
The truth is, "God" isn't living your life. You are. As long as you are happy with who you are and have become... Who gives a rats a**. People like us will be preached upon even though it's unwanted for the rest of our lives. Don't change what you believe unless it really is what you believe. Keep your head up!
2007-11-23 10:22:57 · answer #7 · answered by ashley h 3 · 3⤊ 1⤋
Listen carefully. God does NOT *send* anyone to Hell.
Hell is what is left behind when we are gone.. He comes and takes his kids (us) and we leave. Ya get it? we and He are not here, you are.. Hmmmm.
You all made the choice to stay.. it will be whatever you make it.. It is ALL up to you.. Every knee shall bow.. You choose which way to bend.. Good works will never get anyone into Heaven.. It is being made for us. Those who DO believe in him.. What rights in the world, do you have in Heaven, IF you don`t even believe in it ??? You don`t have any part of it.. It is NOT being built for YOU... Hope you hear that and get it, this time..
Peace & God bless from Texas <><
2007-11-23 10:16:59 · answer #8 · answered by jaantoo1 6 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Pastor Art Said
Are you talking about the loving and gentle Japanese people who bombed Pearl Harbor?
Who murdered or tortured to death 80% of their POWs?
-------------------------
Or the Priests who have been molesting boys for 2000 years.
Or the Christians who have been burning witches.
Or the Conquistadors who have been slaughtering nations across the world in the name of God.
Take your pick Pastor Dipwad
2007-11-23 10:14:12 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 1⤋
Judgement is God's and His alone.
What happens in the afterlife will be revealed when we pass on.
We're taught to be saved we are to believe that belief in the resurrection of His son Jesus Christ, is the only way.
How do you know that God turns His back on people other than Christians that lead godly life?
The Light of God is within us all... it takes our obedience to Jesus' 2nd commandment to see that.
2007-11-23 10:15:22 · answer #10 · answered by asgodintended 5 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Well, you have to remember Hell was never defined in the bible, the "eternal torment" part was added by the Catholic Church to persuade people to join the church.
Either way, I doubt the girl you talk to would be condemned to hell by the God I follow. If Hell exists, it wouldn't be for an eternity and it would certainly be for bad people only.
2007-11-23 10:13:08 · answer #11 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋