Freethought & Rationalism Archive

Zucco · 07-30-2003, 11:18 AM

Hi everyone. This is my first post, and I hope I've chosen the right forum.

A question for Christians: Do you regard it as unfair that some people live longer than others and therefore have more time to find Christianity?

Here's what I mean: One man dies at 74. For the first 70 years of his life he has no interest in religion, but when he turns 70 he "finds the Lord." He dies and goes to heaven. Sounds great.

A second man dies at 20. He never had any interest in religion and promptly goes to hell for eternity.

Why did the first man get 54 extra years to make his decision? If he had died at 20 he would have gone to hell as well.

There are plenty of people who find Christianity at 30 or 40 or 50 or later. If the price of non-believe is eternal damnation, shouldn't we all get an equal amount of time to find that believe within us? Isn't this horribly unfair?

Vylo · 07-30-2003, 11:29 AM

While applicable to here, I think this fits into general religious discussion best.

And no, I feel it's a bunch of hooey.

emotional · 07-30-2003, 11:31 AM

That's the great problem I have with Christianity: God's mercy can extend only up to the lifetime of a person. Not very omnipotent, in my mind.

Pyrrho · 07-30-2003, 12:29 PM

Christianity, like pretty much every other religion, is very unfair. Think of the origins: God selects a group of people arbitrarily to be his favorites, and treats them differently from everyone else. The others do not have the same opportunities as his chosen people. We also see that the whole of humanity is punished for the actions of two people. What could possibly be more unjust than that? Indeed, there is scarcely any aspect of Christianity that involves any appreciation for fairness.

streamline · 07-30-2003, 12:51 PM

Don't forget all those people who lived before the time of Jesus (assuming that Jesus lived, at all), and those who happened to be well out of earshot of the Son of God while he wandered about preaching The Word. Every single one of them never even had the opportunity to hear The Good News, let alone laugh at it and reject it, and hence, not a single one converted to Christianity. By default, they are all now burning in hell for Eternity. I am definitely going to have to express my condolences to them on the raw deal they received once I arrive in Hell.

Bill Snedden · 07-30-2003, 01:12 PM

Of course, the "standard" response is that God knows whether or not you will ever accept him given 20 years or 200, so it doesn't matter.

Regards,

Bill Snedden

emotional · 07-30-2003, 01:25 PM

The standard {edited} response would be that those are all MAN'S idea about fairness, and God has a different standard as to what is fair and what is not, and that's the standard man should submit to. God is fair and just and merciful even if he decides to kill all humans and send them to hell. They deserve it.

Jobar · 07-30-2003, 06:15 PM

Hello Zucco, and welcome to Internet Infidels.

I agree with Vylo, here- this is not more than glancingly involved with the topic of EoG, so let's move your thread to General Religion.

Jobar (who is eagerly awaiting the arrival of Xarpo and Woucho).

B. H. Manners · 07-30-2003, 06:26 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by emotional
The standard, {edited} response would be that those are all MAN'S idea about fairness, and God has a different standard as to what is fair and what is not, and that's the standard man should submit to. God is fair and just and merciful even if he decides to kill all humans and send them to hell. They deserve it.

But that is just God's SUBJECTIVE opinion too and the Christians affirm we should just submit to God instead of proving we should.
Affirming God has authority is not proving he has authority regardless of whether he or his followers make the claim.

Zucco · 07-30-2003, 08:12 PM

Originally posted by Bill Snedden:
Of course, the "standard" response is that God knows whether or not you will ever accept him given 20 years or 200, so it doesn't matter.

This seems like a dangerous response for Christians, because it removes any vestige of free will from the equation. It is basically admitting that God creates certain people just to send them to hell. If we do have free will, after all, shouldn't we all get the same amount of time to exercise it "correctly"?

07-30-2003, 11:18 AM	#1
Zucco Regular Member Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Beautiful, crime-free Flower Mound, TX Posts: 156	why do some people get more time to repent? Hi everyone. This is my first post, and I hope I've chosen the right forum. A question for Christians: Do you regard it as unfair that some people live longer than others and therefore have more time to find Christianity? Here's what I mean: One man dies at 74. For the first 70 years of his life he has no interest in religion, but when he turns 70 he "finds the Lord." He dies and goes to heaven. Sounds great. A second man dies at 20. He never had any interest in religion and promptly goes to hell for eternity. Why did the first man get 54 extra years to make his decision? If he had died at 20 he would have gone to hell as well. There are plenty of people who find Christianity at 30 or 40 or 50 or later. If the price of non-believe is eternal damnation, shouldn't we all get an equal amount of time to find that believe within us? Isn't this horribly unfair?

07-30-2003, 01:12 PM	#6
Bill Snedden Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2000 Location: Greensboro, NC, U.S.A. Posts: 2,597	Copyright... Of course, the "standard" response is that God knows whether or not you will ever accept him given 20 years or 200, so it doesn't matter. Regards, Bill Snedden

07-30-2003, 08:12 PM	#10
Zucco Regular Member Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Beautiful, crime-free Flower Mound, TX Posts: 156	Re: Copyright... Originally posted by Bill Snedden: Of course, the "standard" response is that God knows whether or not you will ever accept him given 20 years or 200, so it doesn't matter. This seems like a dangerous response for Christians, because it removes any vestige of free will from the equation. It is basically admitting that God creates certain people just to send them to hell. If we do have free will, after all, shouldn't we all get the same amount of time to exercise it "correctly"?

Thread Tools	Search this Thread
Show Printable Version	Search this Thread: Advanced Search

07-30-2003, 11:29 AM	#2
Vylo Regular Member Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: washington, NJ 07882 Posts: 253	While applicable to here, I think this fits into general religious discussion best. And no, I feel it's a bunch of hooey.

07-30-2003, 11:31 AM	#3
emotional Banned Join Date: Mar 2001 Location: Boxing ring of HaShem, Jesus and Allah Posts: 1,945	That's the great problem I have with Christianity: God's mercy can extend only up to the lifetime of a person. Not very omnipotent, in my mind.

07-30-2003, 12:29 PM	#4
Pyrrho Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: United States Posts: 7,351	Christianity, like pretty much every other religion, is very unfair. Think of the origins: God selects a group of people arbitrarily to be his favorites, and treats them differently from everyone else. The others do not have the same opportunities as his chosen people. We also see that the whole of humanity is punished for the actions of two people. What could possibly be more unjust than that? Indeed, there is scarcely any aspect of Christianity that involves any appreciation for fairness.

07-30-2003, 12:51 PM	#5
streamline Junior Member Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Los Angeles, CA Posts: 77	Don't forget all those people who lived before the time of Jesus (assuming that Jesus lived, at all), and those who happened to be well out of earshot of the Son of God while he wandered about preaching The Word. Every single one of them never even had the opportunity to hear The Good News, let alone laugh at it and reject it, and hence, not a single one converted to Christianity. By default, they are all now burning in hell for Eternity. I am definitely going to have to express my condolences to them on the raw deal they received once I arrive in Hell.

07-30-2003, 01:25 PM	#7
emotional Banned Join Date: Mar 2001 Location: Boxing ring of HaShem, Jesus and Allah Posts: 1,945	The standard {edited} response would be that those are all MAN'S idea about fairness, and God has a different standard as to what is fair and what is not, and that's the standard man should submit to. God is fair and just and merciful even if he decides to kill all humans and send them to hell. They deserve it.

07-30-2003, 06:15 PM	#8
Jobar Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: secularcafe.org Posts: 9,525	Hello Zucco, and welcome to Internet Infidels. I agree with Vylo, here- this is not more than glancingly involved with the topic of EoG, so let's move your thread to General Religion. Jobar (who is eagerly awaiting the arrival of Xarpo and Woucho).

Freethought & Rationalism Archive

The archives are read only.