David Mathews

Hello Everyone,

Among the most beautiful thoughts in the Scriptures and of special relevance to theists and atheists alike is John 3:16, "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life." The next verse is not as well known unfortunately, "For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved."

I suppose it is possible that God might save some of you, but those of you who would object to God's astonishing grace might cease to exist altogether or you might spend eternity in hell.

None of you would complain if God did condemn you to eternity in hell. Yes or No? Please explain.

Love,

David Mathews

Ought Naught

David,

If you happen to run into God, you might mention that I am quite fed up with his objections to my astonishing grace. I would hate to have to condemn him to an eternity in hell and all of that gnashing of teeth and whatnot, but them's the rules, so I better not hear any complaining out of Him.

Foxhole Atheist

Every religion that has ever been postulated offers some sort of life beyond death. This is just the carrot utilized by the hierarchy of that religion to obtain believers.

Open your eyes. Look around. Accept the inevitable. Your question is nonsensical here. There are no places such as heaven or hell except within your mind.

David Mathews

Hello Everyone,

For people who don't believe in heaven and hell, the question is theoretical.

If God does exist & if heaven and hell does exist & if God will send people to heaven or hell: would atheists object if God does send them to hell?

Sincerely,

David Mathews

daemon

Given that many Christians disagree as to the precise nature of "hell," and that I have yet to see your explanation/description of it, I cannot answer your question.

echidna

Well I’m agnostic, but given your assumptions, yes of course I’d object. But it’s not gonna do me a lot of good is it ? Does He acknowledge petitions ?

I think I’d also take a swipe at Him for lying about the Infinite Love and Infinite Mercy thing also, by the way. I mean, not like He’s able to punish me any more, is it ? Or is that a redundant thing to ask of One who’s omnipotent ?

Aethernaut

Which mythical sky faerie is condemning me to what eternal punishment out of his love now?

-SK

Starboy

Greetings David,

This line is confusing, did Jesus in fact succeed in saving the world? Or was it all just a cruel hoax?

Starboy

MrDarwin

David, it may surprise you that such questions do sometimes come up among atheists and agnostics. The question usually goes like this: what would you do if you died, and discovered there really was an afterlife, there really was a God, and you were standing in judgment?

Well, here's what I would do: I would ask God why I should be punished for failing to believe in God, when it was God who created humans to be fallible in the first place.

echidna

Starboy, I think the reasoning is fairly clear. Apparently Jesus’s assignment was to save not condemn, but being flesh he was fallible and failed (badly even). Hence those who are saved are saved and those who are condemned are condemned.

Maybe we, the hellbound, just count as collateral damage. Not sure.