backslider

I grew up in a fundie home, school and church and "accepted Jesus as my personal savior" when I was 13, got baptised and the whole thing. The process of becoming an atheist began in college after I got out of the fundie environment. I think because of how I was raised I'm extra adamant about my atheism.

But if there is a God, haven't I 'punched my ticket?' Isn't this atheist going to heaven if it exists? Kind of the reverse of someone like Hitler getting salvation in his final moments by uttering a simple prayer after all the evil that had come before.

I've never had the opportunity to ask a christian their position on this, but if memory serves me they might say I had never *really* given my heart to Jesus when I was 13-- I somehow didn't mean it enough so I'm not saved after all. Because if I were, the Holy Spirit would be in me and there's no way I would have abandoned my belief.

Just a curious thought.

Jamie_L

I think if you ask 100 different Christians, you might get 100 different answers. There's no consensus. Which leads me to the conclusion: even if there is a God, nobody knows what He wants.

By this logic, I fall back to "Smith's Wager" (I heard it here, and never had a source. I'm not sure who "Smith" was, or even this "Wager" is correctly attributed to him):

1) If God is benevolent, he'll forgive me for my honest mistake of disbelief. It doesn't matter what I believe.
2) If God is not benevolent, believing is no guarantee for salvation. We're all potentially screwed, because no one knows what this God wants, and he may screw you anyway, just for giggles. It doesn't matter what I believe.
3) If God doesn't care, it doesn't matter what I believe.
4) If there is no God, it doesn't matter what I believe.

Jamie

lugotorix

I'm also an ex-fundy atheist and I agree with your subject line. If the fundy Christians are inexplicably right and there is an all-knowing, all-loving God who wants to see that I'm tortured for all eternity, He'll send me to heaven -- I can think of no greater torture than spending eternity surrounded by smug fundies.

Technically, if you were saved at some point and haven't blasphemed against the Holy Spirit, you will still go to heaven. At least that's what was taught in my old church as the only unforgivable sin.

So if you want to hedge your bets, don't ever say The power of the Holy Ghost is a pile o' horseshit. Oops.

lugotorix

MrDarwin

This is the typical reply I see when this comes up. But it does raise the interesting question, how many of those people who believe themselves to be Christian and saved aren't--any of them might potentially reject, renounce, or otherwise lose their faith in the future--and if we don't really know who is saved and who isn't by their own testimony, why should the unbeliever both to listen to anybody when it comes to claims about God and salvation?

faustuz

That’s why I appreciate Calvin. He is the only honest Christian. God decides who goes to heaven, he is vengeful and only loves those who he chooses. You will know if you are saved only when and if you get to heaven, but if you act saved there is a good chance that you are saved. If you act saved for a while, and then suddenly stop acting saved, then you never really were.

Should I, God forbid (ah the irony!), ever become a theist I will surely become a die-hard Calvinist fundy since no alternative theology makes any sense to me. No doubt I’ll be firing up the pyres and tying the nooses as quick as I can. I guess I’d better remain an atheist.

Pierre

Lugotorix said….

You have said it and I have heard it.

Will get you back for this - never say these bad things about me again!

The Horse

HaysooChreesto!

I hear that loud and clear. At age 13 I did the same and my brother says, "it's a good thing you accepted Jesus when you were young". So like you said, my "ticket is punched".
On the other hand, I gotta think that any creator would happy with most atheists because they used the mind that god gave them to think. But then again, not everyone holds critical thinking as a value...

Amie

you'll all be in heaven with me...so you heathens better emotionally prepare now to spend eternity with me...
BWUHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

Infinity Lover

Hey, I'll go through hell on earth with you if must.

Aerion

Why it wouldn't BE heaven without you, Amie!