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I'm interested to learn more about people's beliefs in the afterlife. If you feel that only those who are Christians can go to heaven, you believe that God isn't letting over 75% of the mankind into heaven. So God is already extremely selective and getting even more selective.
Do you also believe in a judgement day, and if so, what is that like? Won't an extremely exclusive God be even more selective if he's already rejecting billions of great people just because they didn't win the religious lottery? I would think he would then only take the cream of the crop Christians, the ones who live lives full of compassion.
What percentage of Christians do you believe get into Heaven, and how certain are you that you'll be one of them?
These are honest questions that I thought about after a devote Catholic relative of mine surprisingly expressed his uncertainty about himself getting into heaven and after reading some posts on here from those who believe on those who believe you must be Christian to get into heaven.
for me, I was like 9-ish, I said "no way, if he made us he knows us. We all make it or there is a limited amount of time". I went through 12 years of catholic school saying that. The administrators used to tell me, after being "asked" to leave the class again, "Just keep your mouth shut."
But, I had regular friends and regular parents. They laughed at me and I laughed at them.
Now I believe there is no me after death. If there was, the people around us will love us until we can love ourselves. That's heaven. and we all make it
It really is sad that most Christians lack the mental capacity or intellectual honest to realize just how ridiculous it is to believe they hold the only key to a blissful afterlife and that the vast majority of humans, despite their geographical beliefs, deserve an eternal torment. If there were a just God he would likely be disgusted by the lack of common sense and courage to think for themselves.
I'm interested to learn more about people's beliefs in the afterlife. If you feel that only those who are Christians can go to heaven, you believe that God isn't letting over 75% of the mankind into heaven. So God is already extremely selective and getting even more selective.
Do you also believe in a judgement day, and if so, what is that like? Won't an extremely exclusive God be even more selective if he's already rejecting billions of great people just because they didn't win the religious lottery? I would think he would then only take the cream of the crop Christians, the ones who live lives full of compassion.
What percentage of Christians do you believe get into Heaven, and how certain are you that you'll be one of them?
These are honest questions that I thought about after a devote Catholic relative of mine surprisingly expressed his uncertainty about himself getting into heaven and after reading some posts on here from those who believe on those who believe you must be Christian to get into heaven.
Heaven is for those who have been redeemed by Christ and born again. Their old self is no more. One of the traits of a new Christian is that they have a new strong desire to please God and avoid sin. Now heaven is a place free of pain and sin so how could that standard be maintained if God allowed sinful people into his realm? So God isn't selecting who gets in, rather most of mankind is deciding to follow the path of sin which leads ultimately to death.
Now, I do believe God is fair and merciful so I think those who died a non-Christian through a sincere lack of belief will be given a chance to accept Christ at the judgement. I just don't see God condemning people who may have never even been exposed to the gospel through no fault of their own. The only real unforgivable sin is to reject Christ with all your heart. Now I do believe a lot of atheists have done this as evident by their deeply rooted bitterness and anger towards Christians and the Bible.
for me, I was like 9-ish, I said "no way, if he made us he knows us. We all make it or there is a limited amount of time". I went through 12 years of catholic school saying that. The administrators used to tell me, after being "asked" to leave the class again, "Just keep your mouth shut."
But, I had regular friends and regular parents. They laughed at me and I laughed at them.
Now I believe there is no me after death. If there was, the people around us will love us until we can love ourselves. That's heaven. and we all make it
I'm interested to learn more about people's beliefs in the afterlife. If you feel that only those who are Christians can go to heaven, you believe that God isn't letting over 75% of the mankind into heaven. So God is already extremely selective and getting even more selective.
Do you also believe in a judgement day, and if so, what is that like? Won't an extremely exclusive God be even more selective if he's already rejecting billions of great people just because they didn't win the religious lottery? I would think he would then only take the cream of the crop Christians, the ones who live lives full of compassion.
What percentage of Christians do you believe get into Heaven, and how certain are you that you'll be one of them?
These are honest questions that I thought about after a devote Catholic relative of mine surprisingly expressed his uncertainty about himself getting into heaven and after reading some posts on here from those who believe on those who believe you must be Christian to get into heaven.
It's not up to us to feel a certain way about how life works. It's not up to us to feel guilty about things that were set into action thousands of years ago. This is between God and each person, not between each of us. It's also not up to us to try to figure out who will go to heaven, and come up with percentages, etc. You asking us to play God, and that's a very foolish thing to do.
If you want believers to feel bad, you're barking up the wrong tree. We have enough junk in the modern world to add irrelevant guilt and concern to it. If you're questioning God's ways and how life works, then you really have an issue with God. Get your life and thinking straight with God first, and then you should be at peace. Don't bother people and dump guilt trips on them. Putting snares and stumbling blocks in the way of others is the way of the enemy.
Last edited by Thoreau424; 07-10-2017 at 10:46 AM..
I have been convinced for a while that a lot of the more hardcore fundamentalist sects derive perverse schadenfreude from the idea that the people who "aren't like them" will all be "burning in hell". For many, that idea IS the comfort. You can sense it, just watch for them to start dropping the veiled threats.
Last edited by zzzSnorlax; 07-10-2017 at 11:24 AM..
Heaven is for those who have been redeemed by Christ and born again. Their old self is no more. One of the traits of a new Christian is that they have a new strong desire to please God and avoid sin. .
And you see this in everyday life and it is a simple clearly observable fact? One goes to a house of prayer, whatever it may be, is baptized in whatever manner it is suitable for particular choice, and becomes just that?
REALLY? Exactly why in 2 000 years after such great easy way was discovered, we still have what we have then?
It's not up to us to feel a certain way about how life works. It's not up to us to feel guilty about things that were set into action thousands of years ago. This is between God and each person, not between each of us. It's also not up to us to try to figure out who will go to heaven, and come up with percentages, etc. You asking us to play God, and that's a very foolish thing to do.
If you want believers to feel bad, you're barking up the wrong tree. We have enough junk in the modern world to add irrelevant guilt and concern to it. If you're questioning God's ways and how life works, then you really have an issue with God. Get your life and thinking straight with God first, and then you should be at peace. Don't bother people and dump guilt trips on them. Putting snares and stumbling blocks in the way of others is the way of the enemy.
And putting all decision making and responsibility onto "god" shoulders is the way of a lazy, dependent, submissive mind not capable of any true effort in that direction. mama gave you ***** at birth, daddy gave means, now god will take care of the afterlife.
Sheesh.. And surely enough, all I am doing is tossing stumbling blocks, what else can it be.. He who is not with us is against us...... Don't we know the tune.
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