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I do not think of America as a Christian Nation. Yes, there is the "in God we trust" on the dollar bill, but that was placed there along time ago. I think that places like Nigeria or Iraq will stand up and say to America "We believed when the word of God came to us, but why did you not believe when you had a church on every corner and a bible in every hotel room and a preacher on every T.V. station." That is why I came to America. I felt that this was as good a mission field as any!
The name Christian is a loose term today. Some people say they are Christian to mean they are not Budhist, Muslim or some other religion. So, I would not give numbers based on whether someone considers themselves as "Christian".
Also, if we look to the bible it says that, "Abraham believed God and it was counted to him for righteousness." So, there will be people in heaven who will have specific circumstances and yet still be part of the righteous in heaven. Which means that there is no community or nation that is so secluded that they cannot be righteous and stand before God on that day.
So, I think that there will be very close to an average from each nation or area of the world. I think that there will be more people in heaven than in hell. I believe that some areas at different times are more conducive to following God or to reject God. For example, living in Sodom at the time of Lot was not good. They all died except Lot and his family. However if you were righteous in Sodom, I would hope that you would see such degredation that you would see no redemption for the city and leave it. Fortunately for America there are still millions of righteous Christians that stand before God and pray for this contry every day, that I think there is still hope for this nation to not be destroyed by God (like Sodem or Gemorrah). Look at the nations of the past they have all been destroyed and their gods have be destroyed. Who worships Deanna in Ephesus or who worships Odin in Scandinavia. There temples have been destroyed they are laid waste. The Acropolis is in ruins, The great idols have been laid waste. Only remanants remain to show their demise. What protects America from the same demise other than the faithful of God who live here? It is written "Not by might nor by power but by my Spirit says the Lord".
‘... The idea that America is a Christian nation? Andrew Carnegie brought that up to him once. "Why, Carnegie," Twain answered, "so is Hell."’
-Excerpt from "Mark Twain: Our Original Superstar," Time (July 3, 2008)
So, I think that there will be very close to an average from each nation or area of the world. I think that there will be more people in heaven than in hell.
A refreshing perspective - you nearly there, how about ALL?
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I think there is still hope for this nation to not be destroyed by God (like Sodem or Gemorrah).
It will destroy itself just like all other empires fell, it was from within where it germinated - the fall I mean. We need God to deliver but we are quite capable of destroying ourselves w/o His divine intervention and/or judgement.
Everyone (and only those) who are citizens of the Kingdom of God... thereby not pledging allegiance to any earthly nation.
I do understand that believers wouldn't consider someone's soul to be an American or a Russian soul but what I was trying to stress is the fact that the Bible clearly states that only those who have accepted Christ will be going to heaven and that would seem to exclude almost every person in a great many nations due to their culture and upbringing. Even if a soul doesn't have a nationality, the human being who died and became that soul did have a nationality. A number of posts on this thread show that many people believe that heaven isn't necessarily just a Christian heaven but an all inclusive kind of heaven. That certainly sounds alot more fair but I know at least many Muslims and Christians think everyone is excluded except themselves and that point of view is backed up by their religious passages which clearly state that they are right. Of course as an atheist I don't believe in heaven anyway but I'm pointing this out because I've always been turned off by the concept that most of humanity is going to hell while those who were fortunate to have been born into a particular culture and believe in the religion of that culture will be rewarded with eternal life in heaven.
that would seem to exclude almost every person in a great many nations due to their culture and upbringing ................
I've always been turned off by the concept that most of humanity is going to hell while those who were fortunate to have been born into a particular culture and believe in the religion of that culture will be rewarded with eternal life in heaven.
The kingdom of God includes people from all cultures, up-bringings and walks of life.
Believing in a religion of a culture won't get anybody to heaven.
Responding to the call of God will, and God doesn't see the cultural barriers we do.
The kingdom of God includes people from all cultures, up-bringings and walks of life.
Believing in a religion of a culture won't get anybody to heaven.
Responding to the call of God will, and God doesn't see the cultural barriers we do.
I think that's a much more enlightened point of view than many people have but there isn't any religion I'm aware of that promotes it. The Christian religion is very clear in many Bible passages that you must accept Christ. If you believe there really is a heaven and a God do you also believe that there is a specific religion that God has inspired? All of the major religions have differing beliefs and contradict each other so they can't all be right. I think it's much more likely that they're all wrong.
Montana read Acts 1:8 and then the rest of the Book of Acts and that will clear things up for you. Then read John 3:16 again.
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Who will go to heaven?
