Do Atheists go to hell?

[crystalonyx]

If your belief in a god entails a hell, do you think that atheists are going there? If so, why? If not, why? If you think that atheists are going to hell, do you think that this is a just and moral system?

And if you also claim that your god is moral and just, and he sends atheists to hell, how do you justify his morality?

Hell was invented to scare people into a belief system, it is an imaginary place of eternal suffering.

 

[bigbadgirl]

Who are atheists? What is hell? Who sends one to hell? Why? Where do others go and why? Why is one religion qualified to determine who goes to hell and other religions are not? Why is there no proof that hell exists.

 

[InChrist]

Belief in this god is just as important as not murdering? Do you think that the atheist by not believing has done the same wrong as a murderer?

Acknowledging God is as important as not murdering because all sin starts when one thinks they are independent and unaccountable to their Creator, including the sin of murder. I don't think the atheist by not believing has done the same wrong as murder, but rejecting God is still wrong.

And you think the simple act of not believing is deserving of eternal torture?

It is not as simple as you make it out to be. I think the reality is that it is rebellion against the Creator of heaven and earth rather than simply not believing. The scriptures use the word torment, not torture. There is a difference. God does not spend eternity torturing anyone. Those who desire to remain in their sins and reject their Creator are tormented by their own conscience and lonely selves forever.

I just have a few more questions.

Did your god create the universe? Did your god set up the rules by which souls are judged? Is there anything that does not go according your gods will? If you answered yes to these questions, then your god is ultimately resposible for who he sends to hell. And there's no one to blame but this god.

[/quote]


Yes, the God I believe in created the universe and established the rules. There are things which happen on this temporal earth which are not according to His will...such as sin. God is no more to blame for sending anyone to hell, than a judge in a courtroom is to blame for sending a criminal to prison. Who is the one who broke the law the criminal or the judge???

 

[Breathe]

The length of hell doesn't matter to me. What I'm most concerned with, is the idea that when you're dead, some people are whisked off to a place of bliss, while some are sent to a different place based on what they believe. Whether it's a place of torture, annihilation or whatever.

Is that only in the case of belief gets you a free entry, non-believers have a different ending, or also including the bad getting punished eternally/temporarily/destroyed?

 

[Erebus]

If your belief in a god entails a hell, do you think that atheists are going there? If so, why? If not, why? If you think that atheists are going to hell, do you think that this is a just and moral system?

And if you also claim that your god is moral and just, and he sends atheists to hell, how do you justify his morality?

I'm of the opinion that everybody goes through both heaven and hell in this life and possibly in the next (I'm agnostic about an afterlife, so the afterlife I envision is largely based on my odd forays into necromancy and plenty of guesswork).
To me it's all cyclical, I very much doubt the gods are overly concerned with what an individual believes. I just don't see why such a wise being would be petty enough to get hung up about atheism, it's all about finding your own way in the world if that makes sense?

 

[cablescavenger]

Then he sounds delicious.

lol :yes:

 

[javajo]

14And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: 15That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.
16For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
17For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.
18He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
19And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. John 3

24Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.

25Verily, verily, I say unto you, The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live.
26For as the Father hath life in himself; so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself;
27And hath given him authority to execute judgment also, because he is the Son of man.
28Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice,
29And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.
30I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me.

39Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me.
40And ye will not come to me, that ye might have life.
41I receive not honour from men.
42But I know you, that ye have not the love of God in you.

43I am come in my Father's name, and ye receive me not: if another shall come in his own name, him ye will receive.
44How can ye believe, which receive honour one of another, and seek not the honour that cometh from God only?
45Do not think that I will accuse you to the Father: there is one that accuseth you, even Moses, in whom ye trust.
46For had ye believed Moses, ye would have believed me; for he wrote of me.
47But if ye believe not his writings, how shall ye believe my words? John 5

 

[Reverend Rick]

If your belief in a god entails a hell, do you think that atheists are going there?

My belief entails a hell, but I just have to ask, why would you worry about a God you don't believe in sending you to a place that does not exist to you?

If so, why? If not, why?

I don't have to think about this, Judgement will be for God to decide IMHO.

If you think that atheists are going to hell, do you think that this is a just and moral system?

I believe a jealous and vengeful God will make that decision and it will not matter what you think about it.

And if you also claim that your god is moral and just, and he sends atheists to hell, how do you justify his morality?

Why would I have to justify what God decides to do? Who ever told you that God was all about kindness and love? Remember the stories about him leaving his chosen people to roam the desert for all those years, or parting the red sea and killing all those roman soliders? How about Noah's flood, think about all those dead folks.

Seriously, why would you care about what someone else believed? Do you want to shame them for their beliefs? Do they not have a right to believe their God will toast you like a marshmellow?

Personally I don't get all caught up in those things, I let God work all that out.

I can tell you one thing, if I was an Atheist, I would not worry about where a God I don't believe in would send me. Thats just silly.

 

[idea]

If your belief in a god entails a hell, do you think that atheists are going there? If so, why? If not, why? If you think that atheists are going to hell, do you think that this is a just and moral system?

And if you also claim that your god is moral and just, and he sends atheists to hell, how do you justify his morality?

This morning, our bishop told us that the only people who go to outer darkness (AKA hell) are those who belong to our church. Everyone else is guaranteed a position in one of the kingdoms of glory.

We believe that the only way to end up in outer darkness, is if you know without a doubt that God is real - only those who have denied the Son after the Father has revealed him go to outer darkness, and only those who were once in God's church have had God revealed to them, so only those within God's church have the potential of going to hell...

however...
There are different degrees of glory - the highest degrees of glory are reserved for those who seek God, and follow His council.

DC 76 (link) details the different degrees of glory, who will be found where. I think many atheists will be found within the terrestrial kingdom.

(Doctrine and Covenants | Section 76:71 - 79)

71 And again, we saw the terrestrial world, and behold and lo, these are they who are of the terrestrial, whose glory differs from that of the church of the Firstborn who have received the fulness of the Father, even as that of the moon differs from the sun in the firmament.
72 Behold, these are they who died without law;
73 And also they who are the spirits of men kept in prison, whom the Son visited, and preached the gospel unto them, that they might be judged according to men in the flesh;
74 Who received not the testimony of Jesus in the flesh, but afterwards received it.
75 These are they who are honorable men of the earth, who were blinded by the craftiness of men.
76 These are they who receive of his glory, but not of his fulness.
77 These are they who receive of the presence of the Son, but not of the fulness of the Father.
78 Wherefore, they are bodies terrestrial, and not bodies celestial, and differ in glory as the moon differs from the sun.
79 These are they who are not valiant in the testimony of Jesus; wherefore, they obtain not the crown over the kingdom of our God.


the Terrestrial kingdom is a wonderful place - so no worries if you do not wish to aim for something higher.

 

[dust1n]

Guess you'll find me in the Sixth circle of Hell.

 

[Reverend Rick]

Guess you'll find me in the Sixth circle of Hell.

I believe in a just God, I'm not so sure you are right.

 

[Photonic]

Guess you'll find me in the Sixth circle of Hell.

Looks like I'll be in good company.

On a side note.


Almost everything you've heard about Satan or Hell is made up. Hell is a place where Lucifer went, not a place he rules over. The serpent in the book of Genesis was never seen as lucifer until fairly recently. It was just a deception figure. Satan is actually "The Satan" from the book of Job, a word that means "the accuser." The Satan is Job's prosecutor and the Goel (redeemer) is the equivalent of his defense attorney.

 

[Kilgore Trout]

If atheists end up in hell, there's going to be a hell of a lot of people in hell, as there's little evidence that most people who even profess a belief in god, actually believe what they say. I'm pretty convinced that the vast majority of people don't actually believe in the existence of god(s), whether they claim to or not - god belief seems to primarily be a social affectation, with little to no reflection on what belief really is. So, if not believing in god lands you in hell, I'm sure most of the human race will end up there.

 

[Reverend Rick]

If atheists end up in hell, there's going to be a hell of a lot of people in hell, as there's little evidence that most people who even profess a belief in god, actually believe what they say. I'm pretty convinced that the vast majority of people don't actually believe in the existence of god(s), whether they claim to or not - god belief seems to primarily be a social affectation, with little to no reflection on what belief really is. So, if not believing in god lands you in hell, I'm sure most of the human race will end up there.

I have a feeling if hell is real, alot of people who tell folks they are going to hell are going to be there with them. Just a hunch.

 

[Kilgore Trout]

I have a feeling if hell is real, alot of people who tell folks they are going to hell are going to be there with them. Just a hunch.

Yeah, I have no idea. If some type of god or gods do exist, and with all their power and knowledge they decided to set up an eternal punishment system for creatures as insignificant as human beings, then who knows what their criteria for those entering hell would be? Being(s) so apparently insane and petty could base the criteria on any aribitrary thing.

 

[InChrist]

“Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it. Matthew 14:13-14

 

[crystalonyx]

A better definition of hell is "the ground", which most people end up in unless they are cremated.

 

[rusra02]

“Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it. Matthew 14:13-14

Yes, Jesus spoke of destruction as the punishment for those not doing God's will, at
"the revelation of the Lord Jesus from heaven with his powerful angels in a flaming fire, as he brings vengeance upon those who do not know God and those who do not obey the good news about our Lord Jesus. These very ones will undergo the judicial punishment of everlasting destruction." (2 Thessalonians 1:7-9)

​

 

[crystalonyx]

It's hard to believe in any god that makes someone suffer for eternity.

 

[Reverend Rick]

It's hard to believe in any god that makes someone suffer for eternity.

It is hard to wrap your mind around just what eternity even is much less suffering for all of it.