Stephen T-B

If I believe the people who believe Jesus Christ was the Son of God, I’m told by them that I’ve a chance of going to Heaven. If I don’t believe them, they say I’ll certainly go to Hell.

What’s all that about?

And what do they know?

kkholiday

I believe that Jesus Christ was the Son of God, but I don't think that you will go to hell if you don't believe me.

And, since you're asking, I guess I don't really know much of anything.

Holiday

Stephen T-B

Hello Holiday.
I wonder if your Parish Priest would agree with your first statement?

(PS, I hope you enjoy Infidels and stick around for a bit. Some of us atheists may come across a bit fierce from time to time, but it's usually in response to the fierce Christians who come to do battle. Mostly we're just a bunch of softies.)

Stephen T-B

(but with a penchant for rigor.)

wildernesse

When I think of all of the knowledge that I KNOW I don't have, and then I think about how much potential knowledge I probably don't even know about to think about possessing, I become more and more convinced everyday that this statement is true about me also.


--tibac

kkholiday

I'll ask.

I remember a theology discussion once a Catholic schools where someone asked if people who had never heard of or never had the opportunity to have heard of Jesus would go to hell. Then we got going about all those folks that died before Jesus was even born. The priest in the discussion seemed to think all these people still had a shot at making the pearly gates (maybe they'd have to hang out in purgatory for a while, but it sounds like most Christians probably will too). Anyway, from what I understand of Catholicism, while we do believe in hell, we have no idea who's going there. God's the judge. We have no authority to go damning anyone anywhere, and that seems kinda silly in the first place.

Holiday

fatherphil

i don't know

Badfish

Because you have heard the Gospel and have rejected it. Have you heard and studied the gospel enough to come to a satisfactory conclusion for yourself?

Hell

The Torments of hell

Links inspired and taken from gunnysgt.

Marduk

"Because you have heard the Gospel and have rejected it. Have you heard and studied the gospel enough to come to a satisfactory conclusion for yourself?"


But is rejecting the story of the Gospel the same as rejecting the offer of forgiveness of sins?

I see a big difference between saying 2000 years later "that sounds highly unlikely' and actually telling God to his face to go stick his forgiveness where the sun don't shine.

Badfish

How can you have a basis for the offer of forgiveness and eternal life, if you reject the scripture that defines it?