Riddle me this, Christians....?

Question

If you don't believe in God, you're doomed to hell, right?

God is supposed to be loving and forgiving, right?

Using this logic, how is it fair that an Atheist who has lived a good, honest life goes to hell?

Say for example they donated to charity, helped the poor, went out of their way to help others, did their best not to do wrongs, worked hard, did the best for themselves and their family, and is an all around good person.

Out of all of that, what makes them deserving to burn for eternity, just because they didn't believe in a lord? I fail to see any logic in this. A good person doesn't deserve to be punished for one thing, do they?

Wouldn't a loving and forgiving god want his people to be good and kind to others, even if they didn't believe in him?

I'd love to hear some insight.

I'm not saying this person murdered anyone. S/he lives a general life and dies naturally.

I mean not to offend anyone. It's an honest question, and I'm curious. I myself am a non believer by choice. I was born and raised a Catholic, but some things just don't add up from what I learned and from what I've been told by religious figure heads. No need to be hostile.

I thank you all for the good answers, except the two of you who are too ignorant for your own good. An honest question deserves honest answers, not hatemongering and stupidity.

All and all, I accept that small "sins" are "sins" indeed, but it still seems cruel and unfair to damn somebody even though they lived a good life.

I can just imagine the stories in hell. One soul to another, one a murderer, someone who "deserves" to be there, another an atheist/agnostic who has done nothing "severe" to deem him unworthy of a so-called "heaven".

The same goes for original sin. If a child is born and dies before he or she is baptized, they're doomed to limbo for the sins of the parents? That doesn't seem very fair, either. Why would a loving and forgiving god doom an innocent to an eternal life of nothingness?


I guess I'm just not seeing it here..

It's like turning someone down who is well qualified for a job just because you don't like their shoes... right?

Answer 1

god isn't moral. christianity isn't moral.

Answer 2

I love you.
That is all.
I do deserve death, and so, I am living my death.
I have hope for heaven though. The story of Christ make this bullshit world a little more bearable for me. That is all I can say about it now. Life is not for the faint of heart. I am the faint of heart. Why does one have to pay taxes? Why do people have to die and be forever gone? Why is there war? This life sucks.

I am grateful for the air I breathe, because so far, that's a good thing. I'm grateful for the company I have, even though at times I try them and they try me. Without them, I'd have nothing to try. I'm grateful for my job because of the feeling of dignity I get from it, not the money that keeps the roof over our heads and the food on the table. I am thankful for the challenges I face, but still, you know, I face them with all my limitations.

Just knowing there is a Christ out there, that miracles do happen and are happening, and that the unusual can and has occurred lifts my mind and heart away from the difficulties I face.

I hope that you understand what I mean. Thanks for listening.

Answer 3

Pshaw. All of these answers ignore the obvious and focus on the afterlife. If, however, you don't believe in the afterlife, what really matters is what you do here and now. People can be hurt, people can be loved. There is evil and good to be done right where we are. Don't worry about what happens afterwards, because you can get sucked into just this sort of bantering of words - "we didn't make up the rules," "don't reject the gift of eternal life."

Here and now, we are alive. That is what is important. If you start asking Christians about a mythical afterlife, you're playing into their game - and because it's their book that says there is such a thing, it's their book that gets to make the rules.

Answer 4

I think,that the myth of Lazarus and the Rich guy,Is primary in your hypothetical and trust Jedi Master...My first affect used to be the identical... There isn't any happiness,for many who had been perpetually separated from the presence of God(climate one believes in a literal hell or no longer)...This turns out transparent,ample...However within the parable,there as an alternative appears to be a sign of,''Misery does no longer like manufacturer'' and fervent predicament via the condemned for his household...Not happiness,however a reaction via one that is so wholly terrified,that the suggestion of family coming into the identical judgment,is insufferable... I've had little or no sleep for the beyond two or three days...My solutions don't seem to be as much as par..Having concern pondering...Neep sleep...Hope I no less than made feel..

Answer 5

No one is doomed to hell unless they want to go to hell. Humans go to hell by choice, and when they choose to does God condemn them.
Now, it is totally different with heaven. God will judge whether or not you go directly to heaven based on your choice and unselfish deeds. And i when i say unselfish, i mean unselfish as "i'm doing this not because i want to go to heaven but because it is good and will help other people."
People will burn for eterntiy ONLY if they choose to follow the Devil and choose to go to hell like i said earlier.
A loving and forgiving God wants His people to be good and kind to each other and live out their lives as best as they can, no matter their beleifs. Beliefs mean little to God; so long as you want to do good and be good and not follow evil is what matters to God.
I too was raised a Catholic, and still am. I do question some beliefs, some things about the Bible that dont seem right. But remember, the Bible was not written by God or Jesus, but by man. I have now come to a new belief in God: that everything He is is father-like. Everything He does is not done out of anger but out of love and merciful punishment (He does still punish even though He is quicker to mercy and slow to anger). Ultimately, He is a Father.

Even if you no longer beleive in Him, may He bless you forever with a good, prosperous life. And may all your sins, whatever they may be, be forgiven.

Answer 6

Ill tell you a story. A man is warned his home is going to burn and everything in it. He is on a volcano but the man never remembers this mountain doing anything so he stubbornly remains on the mountain. The being who warned him can not interfere with his free will. This man must be allowed to make his own choices. Other people warned him also but one day the volcanoes blows but its to late. So its a possibility it could be this situation. Maybe our only way out of this dimension is the escape that is being provided to us but some refuse it because they reject the person offering and coming on their terms.

It is possible this universe will perish. Some think it will be through expansion and eventually all the constants that keep our universe stable will change to much. Then all matter will begin evaporating (all elements melting in fervent heat maybe)

Edit:
I heard from my Dad is this. He said he was praying and asking God about hell and people and eternity. I think he said that he got that the hell is not an eternity exactly. Rather it is the place where that consciousness goes until it become reformatted and is a new slate and remade. To the consciousness however it may seem like eternity as it is reformatted but the spirit can not die. The consciousness that existed before no longer exists because the way that consciousness or vessel formed was not the way its maker hoped it would become such as how a potter tries to form a vessel out of clay. Also like the chaff cast into the fire. Maybe its reduced to its constituent parts again and later cast out to the field where it is remade. Honestly I don't know about that for sure. The reason is that I also wonder if it is being trapped in this dimension with no way out as this dimension becomes uninhabitable and our spirit may be trapped attached to this dimensional plane with no escape since we have rejected the one who could help us escape. I recommend reading the Bible your self about that and seeking God about it in prayer yourself rather than asking man seek an answer from God instead. Thats what my father did.

Answer 7

Good works does not get you into Heaven. No matter how good you think you are, you aren't. No man is. No man comes to the Father except through Jesus Christ. If you can't/don't believe in Christ, you are in dangerous territory. Since I am not Christ, I will not judge or condem. I was an Atheist all my life up until 3 1/2 years ago. Facing a horrible, painful death has a funny way of getting you to focus on things more than yourself. I am regretful that it took me so long to know Christ as I now do. I will never be without him and I am never alone.

Answer 8

No matter how Good we are, we are not worthy of heaven. Even one sin in our lives makes us unworthy. If you murdered someone, but every other thing in your life.... you did good... gave to charity, helped the homeless, etc..., does that mean you don't have to pay for the murder?

Same applies to God. If you have sinned, a price must be paid. Jesus pays the price and has made the offer to you. If you reject the offer, then you must pay your own penalties for having broken the law. The wages of sin is death. Jesus has already made the payment, all you have to do is accept it.

Being good has nothing to do with salvation. Once we accept that Jesus died in our place. It is a humbling thought! We are NOT worthy. He loved us and so we love him. We want to do what He tells us because we love him. We want to become like Him. Jesus can give us the ability to become like Him. To do things the way God wants us to do.

It isn't about what we do, but our desire to love God that comes after salvation. Jesus was treated like we deserve so that WE can be treated as he deserves.


EDIT: I don't believe that people suffer for eternity in fire. I believe they are destroyed. So, if you are an atheist, it doesn't matter. Dead is Dead. You won't be tormented forever, you just won't get to enjoy eternal life.

EDIT: I also know that you didn't murder someone. It is an example from our earthly law. If you break the law here in the earthly realm, you have to pay a price for breaking that law... right? (example: Fines, Jail time, etc...) It is the same in God's kingdom but He has provided someone else to pay the penalty for us. We just have to take the gift.





EDIT: God does not subject BABIES to destruction just because they are not baptized. It does not say this anyplace in the Bible. That is some Religions theory. It does not reflect all Christians beliefs.

Answer 9

God is Love and a Just God. He Loves everyone, no matter what. It is a matter of believing that counts. None of us are perfect. From what I am learning from the Bible is that, the rightous ones will live in that everlasting life and unrightous ones will be hurled back to the grave,(Hades)hell, when it comes to the second death. Rightous and Unrighteous will be resurrected and have a choice to follow his will or not. If God is Love and a Just god, why would we be tortured. The Lake of Fire is for Satan and his angels and Hell. I hope I said that right. I don't have my bible here with me, but I am saying what I have learned so far. God Bless Everyone and God Be with each and everyone of you!!!!!!! Oh and Our Punishment for sin is Death. Adam caused that one for disobeying God, when God to him not to eat from the tree of Knowledge.............If we burn in hell for eternity then that would make God an unjust God. We would just be hurled back to our grave and exist no longer. Think about this. Say your a father and your child needs to be punished for something they did wrong. Would you put him in the microwave and cook him? Think about that. God would not do that,, that would be unjust and unloving, wouldn't it? God Bless

Answer 10

I do not believe that this is just, either. Men should be judged according to their works. If men have not recieved the opportunity to accept the Gospel in this life, then they should be given the chance in the next, instead of being damned for not recieving the truth when they didn't have the chance. I believe there are different degrees of glory, according to the works of men. The only religion I know of that adopts these beliefs is the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. The answer to your specific complaint is here. http://mormon.org/mormonorg/eng/basic-beliefs/heavenly-father-s-plan-of-salvation/heaven-and-eternal-reward

Feel free to browse the rest of the site. I'm sure it will answer many of your greivances. If I did not have this truth, I would adopt atheism as well.

EDIT: Original sin. We believe that men will be punished for their own sins, and not for Adam's transgression. We also believe that children are not accountable for their own sins until they are eight years old - therefore there is no need for baptism prior to that point.

Answer 11

I think the logic is something like this: if you deny the existent of God your entire life, why should He reward you in the end?

Also, if a person is really Atheist, do they really worry about something like this?

EDIT: I've been thinking a little bit about this, and now I realize that it has nothing to do with whether the person considers themself to be Christian, Atheist, or Agnostic or even whether the person believes in God or not. Nobody is perfect, and everybody has sinned in some manner, whether it be a "big" sin or a "small" sin. Years of trying to do good doesn't wipe the slate clean. It's fairly clear though, that all a person has to do for their sins to be wiped clean is to accept Jesus and repent. I'm not as learned in the Bible as some others, so I'm not sure how the path to heaven was before Jesus, and whether that path is still a valid path to heaven or not.