my mom is a non-practicing atheist, is she going to hell?

Question

she goes to mass when she's supposed to, does the confession thing and all that, but doesn't really believe it. so will the universe automatically put her in the hell column, or will it cross-check its references? i just wish she'd come out of the utility closet, then i could be sure.

Answer 1

Has she said that she does not believe in a God? That is what an atheist is, someone who does not believe in a God, or a Deity etc.

Either way, the only thing that I feel she is doing that is in question is she is offending you. By attending Church etc. yet not believing in that religion, she is giving you cause to question her motives. Talk to her, ask her why, but do it without insulting her intelligence and without judging her.

You or anybody else, will only experience a "hell" if you believe in one. I do not believe in a "hell", therefore, I believe that I will not experience a "hell".

Answer 2

Actually, there is such a thing as a "non-practicing atheist". There are some nominal Christians and Jews who don't literally believe in God, but go to religious services with their family and friends anyway strictly as a social and community activity. When asked why, they usually respond with something like "well, it's simply something we do together". Although "closet atheist" may be a more accurate term for them.

Answer 3

No. That would be completly unfair. You can't force yourself to believe in something. As long as your a good person you get into Heaven. Try to help her see the Truth though, just incase.

Answer 4

What is a non-practicing atheist? A hypocrite perhaps. What does she actually believe? Perhaps she just does not believe in the church. A lot of people don't including some very devout christian theists.

Perhaps you should just take the advice of Matthew in chapter 7

Answer 5

Anyone who does not accept Christ as their personal saviour is going to hell. Says so in John 3:18 "He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God."

Answer 6

ur mom is nt goin anywhere , no hell or heaven exist , all madew up by man for his self satisfaction of to categorise things as good & bad as both exist together .

Answer 7

16"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son,[a] that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

Answer 8

I am sure that you are referring to "hell" as a place of torment. Nowhere in the Bible does it mention hell being a place of torment. However, I do know, by means of the scriptures, that it is inexcusable for ANYONE to be an atheists. There is no need to get under my skin about it. The proof is in the holy writings.

The truth is available for all of us and there is no excuse for not knowing about the Grand Creator.

Who are without excuse? Let the scriptures answer: “What can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. Ever since the creation of the world his invisible [essence], namely, his eternal power and deity, has been clearly perceived in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse.” (Romans 1:19, 20, Revised Standard Version)

Yes, “they are without excuse,” those who deny the existence of the true and living God, Jehovah. ATHEISTS are on the increase according to Gallup polls. False religion has repelled many people from coming to know God. But the truth is now available to all honest-hearted persons. So there is NO excuse for not knowing the Creator and Supreme Sovereign of the universe, Jehovah God. Why can it be said that they are without excuse?

Because creation testifies to God’s existence: “His invisible qualities are clearly seen from the world’s creation onward, because they are understood by the things made, even his eternal power and Godship.” Jehovah’s prophet admonishes: “Lift up your eyes on high, and see who hath created these.”

Does not what we see in the sky testify to Jehovah’s power? Why, even a person with low intelligence who sees an automobile for the first time does not believe that all its parts just happened to put themselves together. There had to be intelligent supervision to produce such a complex creation; yet how much more complex is the least of God’s creation that our eyes behold in the sky! (Romans 1:20; Isaiah. 40:26, American Standard Version)

So the heavens speak of God’s glory: “The heavens [both the literal heavens and the “new heavens”] are telling the glory of God, and the sky shows forth the work of his hands. Day unto day pours forth speech, and night unto night declares knowledge. There is no speech, nor are there words; their voice is not heard; yet their voice goes forth through all the earth, and their words to the ends of the world.” (Psalm 19:1-4, American Translation)

Jehovah’s power and other perfections may be known from the beauty, excellence, variety and immensity of his creation. And, indeed, the scale of perfections evident in the universe implies the existence of an absolute standard, a perfect Being. So as Christ’s apostle said: “They are without excuse.” (Romans 1:20)

Surely, such ones have no excuse for not knowing about the Creator. He is evident in many ways. Many just choose not to find out. Jehovah will annihilate all those not serving him by choice. What about the order and harmony?

The order in the universe speaks of God’s glory. Everything in nature is so definitely planned and has such a purposeful design that it shows intelligent planning. Why, it has taken the best minds of great scientists to discover only a few of the laws of nature. Are laws made by accident? What intelligent planning exists in regard to our earth! The sun’s distance from the earth is just right. The moon’s distance from the earth is just right. The earth is tilted on its axis just right. The mixture of gases is just right. The relationship between plants and animals is just right. What infinite wisdom is behind that cycle in nature! Animals take in oxygen, exhale it again combined in carbon dioxide while plants take in carbon dioxide and exhale oxygen. An accident? Unthinkable! What about the existence of life and intelligence?

The existence of living creatures whose nonexistence is possible implies the existence of a necessary Creator. Man cannot create life from the elements. Yet are we to think that the elements created man? We can take a lesson from the beasts, the birds and the fish. Said Job: “Ask now the beasts, and they shall teach thee; and the birds of the heavens, and they shall tell thee: or speak to the earth, and it shall teach thee; and the fishes of the sea shall declare unto thee. Who knoweth not in all these, that the hand of Jehovah hath wrought this?” (Job 12:7-10, American Standard)

Another reason why those who refuse to recognize Jehovah as Creator are without excuse: intelligence exists. If man arose without intelligent guidance, why should he have intelligence? Can unintelligence create intelligence? Why, even men with the keenest intelligence cannot create intelligence that is superior to their own. Oh, they have made robot brains. In the mathematical field they are superb. Yet they are not more intelligent than man. A distinguished mathematician and logician of Princeton University, Alonzo Church, has carefully analyzed electronic calculators and mechanical brains. He said: “No machine can ever solve all problems solvable by a live mathematician.” Yet atheists believe that intelligent man, though he cannot create life or even anything more intelligent than himself, was created by a force with no intelligence. Does it make sense?

To say that there is no Supreme Intelligence is to say that the universe has evolved something higher than itself, it has created intelligence. And to think that anything can create something it does not itself possess is the most vacuous kind of empty-headed reasoning. What about the Bible and its prophecies?

Still another reason why atheists are without excuse: They have the Bible, God’s revealed Word. Its prophecies and fulfillments alone prove that this is a Book whose authorship could not be of men. Before the mighty empire of Babylon fell, the Bible foretold it. (Jeremiah 51:37) The Bible foretold the successive rise of Medo-Persia, Greece, Rome and the Anglo-American empire. (Daniel 8:3-25; Revelation 17:10-14)

The arguments of atheists show that they have not really studied the Bible. Rather, they have listened to the clergy of Christendom who have taught lies concerning Jehovah God, such as the one that he is the proprietor of a roasting compartment for human creatures called “purgatory.” This hell of literal fire and other false doctrines such as trinity and immortality of the soul have turned some people away from God even before they investigate his Word. The Bible does not teach such unreasonable doctrines. They are taught by false religion, not by true Christianity. The atheist has erred in that he has wrongly assumed that the false religions of Christendom are of God. Rather, they are of the Devil. (2 Corinthians 4:4)

So it does no good for the atheist to point to the ghastly persecutions, inquisitions and wars for which the so-called Christian religion has been responsible. The Bible declares such religions false: “They publicly declare they know God, but they disown him by their works.” (Titus 1:16)

Atheists boast of being men of reason and vision. So did the ancient philosophers. Today’s atheists think in much the same foolish manner in which even the wisest of ancient philosophers discoursed about God, not excepting Socrates or Plato. Who can read their works without being struck with the empty-headedness of their reasonings, as well as with the stupidity of their nonsense when speaking about God? The Bible well says: “They did not glorify him as God nor did they thank him, but they became empty-headed in their reasonings and their unintelligent heart became darkened.” So like the ancient philosophers of yesterday are the atheistic philosophers of today: “They are in darkness mentally, and alienated from the life that belongs to God, because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the insensibility of their hearts.” Who says there is no God? “The fool said in his heart, ‘There is no God.’” (Romans 1:21; Eph. 4:18; Psalm 14:1, American Translation)

Since there is compelling and overwhelming evidence that Jehovah is the true and living God, Creator and Supreme Sovereign of the universe, the plea of ignorance cannot be admitted in its full latitude except for idiots. The atheists cannot plead ignorance. The agnostics cannot plead ignorance. The evildoers cannot plead ignorance. The idolaters cannot plead ignorance. For if they are willing to exercise their faculties and employ their minds in diligent search, men have within their reach the means of coming to know Jehovah God. So God’s decree is: “They are without excuse.”

Now let’s see an atheist come up and challenge the above words, from the scriptures!


Source(s):

New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures

April 15, 1956 Watchtower Magazine
Published by Jehovah’s Witnesses
Article: “They Are Without Excuse”
Pages 229-232

Answer 9

If she doesn't follow Jesus.....................................