[harrypotter123]

First off I want to let you guys know this isn't meant to flame or troll on anyone beliefs. This thread is largely philosophical.

I want you guys to read a quote I read from the Poisonwood Bible. Maybe you guys read it; I'm reading it for my Literature class (senior in high school)

"This was the sticking point in my own little lame march to salvation : admission to heaven is gained by luck of the draw... Being born into a Christian family is entirely up to chance... Would Our Lord be such a hit-or-miss kind of Saviour as that? Would he really condemn some children to eternal suffering just for the accident of a heathen birth and reward others for a privilege they did nothing to earn?"

Basically what the quote is saying is that it is fundamentally luck whether or not we are exposed to Christianity and whether or not we are born into a Christian family. Should good people that are not Christian be sent to hell? Should people really be sent to hell just because the family they were born into was Buddhist / Athiest / Hindu... etc?

[P a p e r_C l i p]

the funny thing about christianity is that God is said to be omnipotent
so it's not due to 'luck' that those kids were born into non-christian families
God put them there for a reason only he knows

& dont ask my why he would do that cuz i don't know, i'm not God.

&& also being born into a certain religious family doesn't mean you HAVE to stay with that religion. It doesnt happen too often but i know people that have changed religions

[daehanminguk1345]

I'm Christian but I've always had this feeling, too. I don't care what the Bible says. If God is really good, He won't send non-believers to hell if they're good people. I have friends who are Muslim, Buddhist, atheist, etc., etc. but that doesn't mean they're bad, right? In fact, they're some of the nicest people I know (that's why I'm friends with them XD). Why turn them away because of how they were raised?

[kmalancer]

well, if they're a different religion, technically they wouldnt be sent to hell, or thats what they would believe. buddhists believe in reincarnation and the people that have done wrong with their lives are usually reincarnated as a lower form of being such as an animal or bug. other religions have different views on what is "hell" and what is "heaven"

[harrypotter123]

the funny thing about christianity is that God is said to be omnipotent
so it's not due to 'luck' that those kids were born into non-christian families
God put them there for a reason only he knows

& dont ask my why he would do that cuz i don't know, i'm not God.

&& also being born into a certain religious family doesn't mean you HAVE to stay with that religion. It doesnt happen too often but i know people that have changed religions

Sure, but sometimes I feel as if all the gray areas of Christianity are just filled with the word "faith."

I feel a little skeptical when everything that is unknown you should just have "faith."

Well, what about other religions? Who is to say that they are wrong when Christians themselves have not researched other religions? o_o

[winterofdiscontent]

Sure, but sometimes I feel as if all the gray areas of Christianity are just filled with the word "faith."

I feel a little skeptical when everything that is unknown you should just have "faith."

Well, what about other religions? Who is to say that they are wrong when Christians themselves have not researched other religions? o_o

I agree with you about that whole "faith" thing.
It seems like a totally cop-out response.

All this religion stuff is just too confusing to think about, so I'd usually rather not. Too many "grey" areas, IMO.

[Mattsanity]

lol @ there being a god...

[lilkrngrl33]

first of that is a really good book, one of my fav

i used to wonder this too, and i have come to my own conclusion
that humans all believe in the same god, but they just have different
traditions, names, and cultures that distinguish them.

[noizrevolution]

Personally, I've been taught that simply not believing regardless of the circumstance is enough to get you sent to hell and it's pretty much turned me off of christianity. I don't think that it would be fair, especially if a person did the same things as any upstanding christian but didn't hold the beliefs. I think a person should be what's considered 'good' without being bribed with thoughts of heaven or bullied with thoughts of hell.

I also agree with the idea that what happens in the end might just depend on what you believed while you were alive (which would suck for people who never really believed in anything).

[Shikabane Hime]

No one said you couldn't convert to christianity even if you're born into another religion. Or no religion.

[Yubumsuk]

Well if I end up spending eternity in hell instead of a heaven surrounded by 70 virgins (actually 4 or 5 experienced hotties would be much preferable, but you have to take what you can get) I'm going to be really pissed off with Allah over my luck of the draw.

[bunnypark]

I'm Christian but I've always had this feeling, too. I don't care what the Bible says. If God is really good, He won't send non-believers to hell if they're good people. I have friends who are Muslim, Buddhist, atheist, etc., etc. but that doesn't mean they're bad, right? In fact, they're some of the nicest people I know (that's why I'm friends with them XD). Why turn them away because of how they were raised?

well, just cause ur nice doesnt mean ur gonna et into heaven.
u can be the nicest person on earth and if u dont believe in god,
youre not going to heaven. its sad, but then the whole
point of heaven is lost. you go to heaven becasue youre saved.
youre saved cause God died......so if u dont believe that,
theres no point.

anyways, it is lucky that we are born in christian families,
but everyone has at least one chance in their lives to see Christianity
and have a chance to convert. its their choice.
and obviously, the whole world is not going to be christian.

[yeah]

well, i was born in a Buddhist family, but i converted to Christianity. There are tons of people who werent born into a Christian family but have converted later on. the bible tells us to spread teh word of God, however it's up to the person to believe or not.

[Aeoz]

Should good people that are not Christian be sent to hell?

Would you rather choose a 'Christian' that is not a good person but goes to heaven.

Or...

Good people that are not Christian to hell?

(:

[Yi_Jae_Soo]

You are free to go to heaven if YOU ACCEPT CHRIST AS YOUR SAVIOR. You have to believe that God loves you and he has shown this by sending his son as a sacrifice for all you have done wrong and for all your sins.


I grew up with a Christian family, but to be honest, I don't really know if I'm saved or not. I'm still confused at this point. I asked God for forgiveness though :/

[SiMPLY PiNk*]

lol @ there being a god...

agreed. lol.

[OBSCURITY xxx]

my faith was kinda destroyed by the davinci code hahah so i dunno i dont really think so, i dont beleive theres a heaven or hell

i just think peooel die


being good or bad during your life i dont even think it matters after you die

ps. i am catholic

[touche`]

To be honest, I don't believe in Luck. Luck doesn't exist because luck is like chance. Oh, there's a chance that you're born into this or that family. There's a chance that your religion is Buddhism, Taoist, Christianity, Muslim and so on. If luck exists, then free-will must play a role somewhere. If luck does not exist, then free-will doesn't play a role. The reason why I say "free-will" because it allows us to go to an certain distance like foreshadowing. We are allow to pick whatever "pleases" the eye.

I'm Christian but I've always had this feeling, too. I don't care what the Bible says. If God is really good, He won't send non-believers to hell if they're good people. I have friends who are Muslim, Buddhist, atheist, etc., etc. but that doesn't mean they're bad, right? In fact, they're some of the nicest people I know (that's why I'm friends with them XD). Why turn them away because of how they were raised?

I don't understand how people can call themselves "Christians" and don't care what the Bible says. Post-modern.

first of that is a really good book, one of my fav

i used to wonder this too, and i have come to my own conclusion
that humans all believe in the same god, but they just have different
traditions, names, and cultures that distinguish them.

I have a question about your conclusion. If you are saying that all humans believe in the same god but only have different traditions, names and cultures, then you are saying that God has multiple personalities. You're saying that "God" is not only telling people to sacrifice their kids to the alters, sacrificing human heart (The Mayans, for example), performing rituals that involve demonic spirits that is not of God and so on, then the God I believe is nothing more but a mere two-three face.

You are free to go to heaven if YOU ACCEPT CHRIST AS YOUR SAVIOR. You have to believe that God loves you and he has shown this by sending his son as a sacrifice for all you have done wrong and for all your sins.


I grew up with a Christian family, but to be honest, I don't really know if I'm saved or not. I'm still confused at this point. I asked God for forgiveness though :/

I'm going to be honest with you. It's GOOD that you question yourself about your salvation. You should question yourself whether you are saved or not. Too many Christians are deceived that they are saved just because they "accepted" Jesus Christ into their heart and they were "sincere" about it. Where does it says in the Bible that you need to accept Jesus Christ? No where. It said, BELIEVE.

I also believe that people are confused about being saved and what not. Have you seen those evangelical preachers going around and saying something alone this line: "Do you want to accept Jesus Christ into your heart? Do you know that God has a plan for you? etc" This is where people choose Christ and expect Christ to be their slaves when it is God who choose the person to be saved.

[melOng-xP]

they shouldnt, but they are sent
to hell which is why it is the
responsibilty of us christians to
spread the word as much as possible!

[maharu.]

I'm being normal and nice and I'll get sent in hell just because I'm not Christian?
Does that mean a man who commits a crime but IS Christian is free to go to heaven?
I don't think 'God' or whatever is that judgmental. He probably supports the ones who do good in this life regardless of religion.

I think religion is just what men made to have power. They just wanted believers so they could have power and control over people.
They just say you'll go to hell if you don't believe in it to get more people to be in the religion.
The true 'god' loves anyone and will be willing to accept anyone if they are respectful and wonderful.

idk...the words of religion changes over time or is a bit too old fashion now a days.
Some rules or beliefs applied to what went on back in the days, not anymore.

Well, I guess I'll be sent to hell anyway. HA, I think I'll be glad to be sent to hell cause at least I stuck to my own beliefs.
...lol does hell even exist?