Why would God send good people to Hell just because they dont believe he exists?

[blackout]

Why would God send people to Hell for being Good Careing Decent people?

God wouldn't.

People, however, living vicariously through God, would.

 

[kreative37]

Im going to get straight to the point.

I am no Athiest. I believe there IS a higher power but I do not believe he is as wrathful as most Church's make him/her out to be.

What gets me angry about alot of Church's is that unless you follow their particular way of worship you will go to hell. What kind of rubbish is this? I thought Jesus taught people to love thy neighbor not judgeing them on Race or Religion? Or am I wrong here?

Nearly all people who participate in Church are very Judgemental, I have been told numerous times by Christians I will go to Hell if I dont change my ways..

I Don't Smoke
I Don't Gamble
I Do Partake in Alcohol but I Don't get drunk or drink to get drunk
I am a Virgin so no Sex either
I do not commit crimes

I guess they judge me wicked because I don't go to Church?
But why should I go to Church? How does going to Church make me more good?

I think God doe's Exist but I dont believe he will send people to Hell (If that place even exists) simply for " not believing in him " or not following a specific Church's practice.

Heres a Scenario.
(None of this is real it is made up as an example)

Jeff is a 43 year old man with 3 Kids aged 3,9 and 16 and a 39 year old Wife named Brenda.

Jeff is driveing home from work on a rainy night and a Truck who is driveing too fast lose's control and Smashes into Jeff's car. Killing him Instantly.

The Driver of the Truck is Arrested, Trialed and Sent to Prison for Manslaughter.

Jeff was a loveing Husband and Father and a great Friend to many.

Jeff was involved in many Charitys and raised lots of money to help Kids with disabilitys.

Jeff was an Athiest and did not believe in any god.

Uh Oh! Jeff did not believe God existed! Any Church Zealot would condemn him to Hell for this ungodly Sin...

My point is I cannot imagine God saying this.

Jeff. " But im not a Bad Person! ive made mistakes in life like a normal Human being but ive given most of my life to help people! "

God. " To bad you didn't believe in me so now you will burn in Hell for all Eternity "
---
God would not Punish anyone for being a Good Person. Never.
Shame on you for believing he would.
---
And for anyone who is too lazy to read this the Question is pretty much.

Why would God send people to Hell for being Good Careing Decent people?

The reason people don't believe in God is because they didn't take the time to fully allow themselves to do all it takes to try.

Imagine this: You are bobbing for apples, and someone comes a long and holds your head under water and you cant come up for air unless they let go. You struggle and struggle to get oxygen! You find your self afraid if you don't get out soon you are going to drown! More than anything you want to be free! As you become weaker and weaker, they finally let go of you. You spring out of the water rejoicing for air! The person who held you under is: your stubbornness. The air was your goal: In this case it is doing EVERYTHING you can to get to know God. At least trying all you can to find out if He really does exist.
Sometimes, for some people... that's what it takes: As much as you wanted that air because you were frightened of drowning, You have to do ALL you can to find out if God really does exist. Because knowing God is that worth it.

Once you know God exists, you want to know what good will come of knowing Him, once you find that out, well there is no worries...


God does not overlook all the good qualities people have. But he sure does want you to know that He really is there. Once you know that, you can find His truths. You can communicate with him through sincere prayer. Sometimes that includes a little (or a lot of patience) its all about testing your faith. But if you put your faith in Him, you WILL come to know what you are searching for. I found out. My life has become the greatest blessing by knowing Him, and being able to communicate with Him daily through prayer...

 

[waitasec]

Isn't it possible for someone to be denied knowledge without knowing what that knowledge actually is? The Devil tempted them by saying that the knowledge they would gain would make them like God. Is it possible to comprehend God's command not to eat something without understanding the full nature of good and evil?

Of course it's not. How could it be? If you don't have a knowledge of good and evil, how can you know that disobeying God qualifies as "evil"? Adam and Eve disobeyed God, but technically, they did not "sin," because sinning is the willful transgression against a moral law or religious principle. Until there is an understanding of good and evil, moral laws are meaningless. Consequently, there were consequences to Adam and Eve for disobeying, just as God told them there would be, bit it's hardly reasonable for us to blame them for sinning when they acted innocently, not being able to distinguish between good and evil until they ate the forbidden fruit.

what katzpur said...

 

[waitasec]

God wouldn't.

People, however, living vicariously through God, would.

simple truths are sometimes too obvious...

 

[The Sum of Awe]

The reason people don't believe in God is because they didn't take the time to fully allow themselves to do all it takes to try.

Most of us did try... We would allow ourselves if there was evidence at least.

Imagine this: You are bobbing for apples, and someone comes a long and holds your head under water and you cant come up for air unless they let go. You struggle and struggle to get oxygen! You find your self afraid if you don't get it soon you are going to drown! More than anything you want free! As you become weaker and weaker, they finally resist and let go of you. You spring out of the water rejoicing for air! The person who held you under is your stubbornness. The air was your goal: In this case it is doing EVERYTHING you can to get to know God. At least trying all you can to find out if He really does exist.

I don't see how stubbornness makes us atheists.....

Sometimes, for some people... that's what it takes: As much as you wanted that air because you were frightened of drowning, You have to do ALL you can to find out if God really does exist. Because knowing God is that worth it.

Doing all you can for faith will soon come down to not quit believing in the object you tried to put faith in, therefore it is a mindtrick to get you into believing in God.

Once you know God exists, you want to know what good will come of knowing Him, once you find that out, well there is no worries...

If anyone actually knew, wouldn't there be evidence by now? And wouldn't that evidence be public?

God does not overlook all the good qualities people have. But he sure does want you to know that He really is there.

Than why doesn't He show His face once and a while or perform miracles to make us happy?

Once you know that, you can find His truths. You can communicate with him through sincere prayer.

How do you know which God it is after you know He is there?

Sometimes that includes a little (or a lot of patience) its all about testing your faith.

Testing our Faith but wants us to know He exists... Why?

Also, why does He need to Test our faith if He already knows the result?

I think prayer is just a placebo affect. You'll wish for something, they will tell you wait a while... You have your whole entire life for just one small thing that is similar just a tiny bit to what you prayed for, and they tell you that was the answer to it.

But if you put your faith in Him, you WILL come to know what you are searching for. I found out. My life has become the greatest blessing by knowing Him, and being able to communicate with Him daily through prayer...

Okay, sounds cool then... Just laying this out there, faith is not knowledge.

 

[Flat Earth Kyle]

Im going to get straight to the point.

I am no Athiest. I believe there IS a higher power but I do not believe he is as wrathful as most Church's make him/her out to be.

What gets me angry about alot of Church's is that unless you follow their particular way of worship you will go to hell. What kind of rubbish is this? I thought Jesus taught people to love thy neighbor not judgeing them on Race or Religion? Or am I wrong here?

Nearly all people who participate in Church are very Judgemental, I have been told numerous times by Christians I will go to Hell if I dont change my ways..

I Don't Smoke
I Don't Gamble
I Do Partake in Alcohol but I Don't get drunk or drink to get drunk
I am a Virgin so no Sex either
I do not commit crimes

I guess they judge me wicked because I don't go to Church?
But why should I go to Church? How does going to Church make me more good?

I think God doe's Exist but I dont believe he will send people to Hell (If that place even exists) simply for " not believing in him " or not following a specific Church's practice.

Heres a Scenario.
(None of this is real it is made up as an example)

Jeff is a 43 year old man with 3 Kids aged 3,9 and 16 and a 39 year old Wife named Brenda.

Jeff is driveing home from work on a rainy night and a Truck who is driveing too fast lose's control and Smashes into Jeff's car. Killing him Instantly.

The Driver of the Truck is Arrested, Trialed and Sent to Prison for Manslaughter.

Jeff was a loveing Husband and Father and a great Friend to many.

Jeff was involved in many Charitys and raised lots of money to help Kids with disabilitys.

Jeff was an Athiest and did not believe in any god.

Uh Oh! Jeff did not believe God existed! Any Church Zealot would condemn him to Hell for this ungodly Sin...

My point is I cannot imagine God saying this.

Jeff. " But im not a Bad Person! ive made mistakes in life like a normal Human being but ive given most of my life to help people! "

God. " To bad you didn't believe in me so now you will burn in Hell for all Eternity "
---
God would not Punish anyone for being a Good Person. Never.
Shame on you for believing he would.
---
And for anyone who is too lazy to read this the Question is pretty much.

Why would God send people to Hell for being Good Careing Decent people?

Lets talk about hell.

"Hell. An English translation of the Hebrew word Sheol, hell signifies an abode of departed spirits and corresponds to the Greek Hades. In common speech it generally denotes the place of torment for the wicked, although it has been often held, both in the Jewish and the Christian churches, that Hades (meaning broadly the place of all departed spirits) consists of two parts, paradise and Gehenna, one the abode of the righteous and the other of the disobedient. “Gehenna,” or “Gehenna of fire,” is the Greek equivalent of the “valley of Hinnom,” a deep glen of Jerusalem where the idolatrous Jews offered their children to Moloch (2 Chr. 28:3; 33:6; Jer. 7:31; 19:2–6). It was afterwards used as a place for burning the refuse of the city (2 Kgs. 23:10), and in that way became symbolical of the place of torment (Matt. 5:22, 29–30; 10:28; 18:9; 23:15, 33; Mark 9:43, 45, 47; Luke 12:5; James 3:6). Expressions about “hell-fire” are probably due to the impression produced on men’s minds by the sight of this ceaseless burning, and are figurative of the torment of those who willfully disobey God.

In latter-day revelation hell is spoken of in at least two senses. One is the temporary abode in the spirit world of those who were disobedient in this mortal life. It is between death and the resurrection, and persons who receive the telestial glory will abide there until the last resurrection (D&C 76:84–85, 106), at which time they will go to the telestial glory. In this sense the Book of Mormon speaks of spiritual death as hell (2 Ne. 9:10–12). Hell, as thus defined, will have an end, when all the captive spirits have paid the price of their sins and enter into a degree of glory after their resurrection. Statements about an everlasting hell (Hel. 6:28; Moro. 8:13) must be interpreted in their proper context in the light of D&C 19:4–12, which defines eternal and endless punishment.

On the other hand, the devil and his angels, including the sons of perdition, are assigned to a place spoken of as a lake of fire—a figure of eternal anguish. This condition is sometimes called hell in the scriptures (2 Pet. 2:4; D&C 29:38; 88:113). This kind of hell, which is after the resurrection and judgment, is exclusively for the devil and his angels, and is not the same as that consisting only of the period between death and resurrection. The one group are redeemed from hell and inherit some degree of glory. The other receive no glory. They continue in spiritual darkness. For them the conditions of hell remain."

Any questions or comments?

A common question is "What about all those people way out on some island in the sea who have never even heard of Christ? Why would God send them to hell?" My statement is that God is a Just God, and those who did not have the chance to hear the gospel of Jesus Christ in this life will hear it in the next and have the opportunity to accept or reject it. God will reward you for your good deeds. In the end you will have nothing to complain about. Eventually you will go to a degree of heaven.

 

[Reverend Rick]

Why would anyone try and second guess or judge what a God they don't believe in would do?

Why would anyone who does not believe in God worry about what someone who does believe in God thinks their God might do?

 

[Father Heathen]

Why would anyone try and second guess or judge what a God they don't believe in would do?

Why would anyone who does not believe in God worry about what someone who does believe in God thinks their God might do?

Because other people do believe in it, and we want to understand how they rationalize it.

 

[Reverend Rick]

Because other people do believe in it, and we want to understand how they rationalize it.

I don't believe faith is rational. It does not work that way. If you could rationalize this, there would no longer be any faith involved.

As I see it, there are two groups of people of faith. One group takes it upon themselves to pass judgement on others and say what they think their God will do.

The other group does not judge others and leaves all this up to their God to deal with.

 

[Father Heathen]

I don't believe faith is rational. It does not work that way. If you could rationalize this, there would no longer be any faith involved.

As I see it, there are two groups of people of faith. One group takes it upon themselves to pass judgement on others and say what they think their God will do.

The other group does not judge others and leaves all this up to their God to deal with.

Can't one believe in a god without perceiving it as an oafish cartoon caricature?

 

[waitasec]

Why would anyone try and second guess or judge what a God they don't believe in would do?

Why would anyone who does not believe in God worry about what someone who does believe in God thinks their God might do?

DOMA
comes to mind...

 

[waitasec]

I don't believe faith is rational. It does not work that way. If you could rationalize this, there would no longer be any faith involved.

do you think faith is hope?

 

[Reverend Rick]

do you think faith is hope?

I believe faith is stronger than hope or at least it should be.

When a religious person has a personal relationship with God, they grow spiritually.

Usually hope fades with time, but I can see similarities between the two.

 

[Reverend Rick]

DOMA
comes to mind...

This is why politics and religion don't mix well.

I'm glad you brought this up. Do you believe religious folks have drove people away from their previous faith in God with all this "queer's burning in hell" stuff?

You do realize that there are many religions that accept homosexuality right?

Myself, I have changed my position on gay marriage since I first came to RF.

You can thank our queer members who had patience with me to work through this issue.

I believe no person should have to choose between being religious or spiritual and become Atheists just because they have issues with what some people do in the name of religion.

 

[waitasec]

I believe faith is stronger than hope or at least it should be....

...Usually hope fades with time, but I can see similarities between the two.

you mean faith is a deeper sense of hope

When a religious person has a personal relationship with God, they grow spiritually.

i'm sorry but i cannot wrap my head around this notion.

 

[waitasec]

This is why politics and religion don't mix well.

however religion is a vehicle that helps influence politics...

I'm glad you brought this up. Do you believe religious folks have drove people away from their previous faith in God with all this "queer's burning in hell" stuff?

not that it drives people away but maybe look at religion differently as a glorified justification for injustices... speaking for myself i didn't decide to stop believing in god because of the behavior of the religious, it was a choice made on another understanding...the behavior of some of those religious people only serve as a purpose to make a case against religious biases.

You do realize that there are many religions that accept homosexuality right?

yes. however the christian religion has the most influence on people... a person who may not be religious is still influenced by christianity and can assume a biased position of homosexuality because of the underlying influence christianity has on society... the justification for this bias is the notion, "it's not natural or it's not a moral behavior" which implies a god has set a boundary in regards to homosexuality

Myself, I have changed my position on gay marriage since I first came to RF.

You can thank our queer members who had patience with me to work through this issue.

i admire that. i believe people who have a closed mind are insecure about the fact that it is perfectly fine to change ones mind, if the new outlook stands up to common sense.

I believe no person should have to choose between being religious or spiritual and become Atheists just because they have issues with what some people do in the name of religion.

i agree. that reason is not very significant. but if one chose that path based on that reason i would question their atheism.

 

[Flat Earth Kyle]

Reverend Rick, I love what you stated back there. Pure and simple.

Everyone, can you fill me in on how Faith and Hope are linked to How God would send good people to Hell just because they don't believe he exists? or are we off on another topic now?

 

[waitasec]

my guess is that a believer, who thinks hell is a real place, would have faith and hope that they won't be heading in that direction because of their faith and hope...

 

[Flat Earth Kyle]

So to all, believer and non believer, do you think when we die we actually go somewhere or do you think we cease to exist?
If we do go somewhere then Sheol, or Hell exists, if we don't then Hell doesn't exist

 

[DandyAndy]

Im going to get straight to the point.

I am no Athiest. I believe there IS a higher power but I do not believe he is as wrathful as most Church's make him/her out to be.

What gets me angry about alot of Church's is that unless you follow their particular way of worship you will go to hell. What kind of rubbish is this? I thought Jesus taught people to love thy neighbor not judgeing them on Race or Religion? Or am I wrong here?

Nearly all people who participate in Church are very Judgemental, I have been told numerous times by Christians I will go to Hell if I dont change my ways..

I Don't Smoke
I Don't Gamble
I Do Partake in Alcohol but I Don't get drunk or drink to get drunk
I am a Virgin so no Sex either
I do not commit crimes

I guess they judge me wicked because I don't go to Church?
But why should I go to Church? How does going to Church make me more good?

I think God doe's Exist but I dont believe he will send people to Hell (If that place even exists) simply for " not believing in him " or not following a specific Church's practice.

Heres a Scenario.
(None of this is real it is made up as an example)

Jeff is a 43 year old man with 3 Kids aged 3,9 and 16 and a 39 year old Wife named Brenda.

Jeff is driveing home from work on a rainy night and a Truck who is driveing too fast lose's control and Smashes into Jeff's car. Killing him Instantly.

The Driver of the Truck is Arrested, Trialed and Sent to Prison for Manslaughter.

Jeff was a loveing Husband and Father and a great Friend to many.

Jeff was involved in many Charitys and raised lots of money to help Kids with disabilitys.

Jeff was an Athiest and did not believe in any god.

Uh Oh! Jeff did not believe God existed! Any Church Zealot would condemn him to Hell for this ungodly Sin...

My point is I cannot imagine God saying this.

Jeff. " But im not a Bad Person! ive made mistakes in life like a normal Human being but ive given most of my life to help people! "

God. " To bad you didn't believe in me so now you will burn in Hell for all Eternity "
---
God would not Punish anyone for being a Good Person. Never.
Shame on you for believing he would.
---
And for anyone who is too lazy to read this the Question is pretty much.

Why would God send people to Hell for being Good Careing Decent people?

I am too lazy to read all you wrote AND all the responses. I read all that you wrote. Here's my perspective:

First, if you want the 'right' answer to this question, consult the Bible. If you don't know where to look or don't want to spend the time searching, that's ok, I would recommend looking for an answer that is drawn from the Bible. If a 'Christian' cannot point to what the Bible says and instead offers opinion and personal interpretation, I would stop listening, unless they can show you in the Bible what they are saying.

This is the biggest problem with Christians (me included), especially when it comes to big questions like this - we don't know the full answer and so we try to wing it so that we sound smart and holy. If someone sounds like they know all the answers, I would question what they say big time, even if they have been a Christian 'their whole lives' or went to Bible school or whatever. We're all humans and we can all get it wrong.

So here's the short answer to your question - As a Christian, I believe that God isn't going to ever get it wrong. What you and I may consider a 'good person' is still a sinner in God's eyes. We all screw up and we all rebel against God, so even if we are 'good' people, we have rebelled against God and thus are broken/incomplete/guilty.

Since Christ was the perfect man (I believe he did not sin), he could be the only true 'good person' since he was perfect and perfect is what God requires. Christ was perfect for us because he knew we couldn't be - accepting Christ is the only way to be reconciled/complete/innocent with God. And this acceptance of Christ can't just be a one time deal - it has to be a continual trust, true faith, that will radically change your life as a result of your devotion.

You are right to say that God will not send someone to Hell because they don't adhere to a church's style. Faith is not a result of church, church is a result of faith. Church is supposed to be a group of Christians that gather together to learn and fellowship and serve their community.

I would say that God never sends anyone to Hell, because anyone that goes to Hell has sinned (we all have) AND has rejected Christ. You have two groups - the saved that are guilty, but through their continual faith and trust in Christ have been forgiven and become innocent - and the unsaved that are guilty AND have rejected the offer of salvation/forgiveness in Christ. By choosing to reject Christ, the unbeliever has effectively chosen Hell.

Think of it this way - if you get sick by drinking pond scum (sin) and the doctor tells you to take your medicine (Jesus) to be cured and you refuse to take the medicine (reject God) and die (Hell), is it the doctors fault you died? This is a clumsy example but I think conveys the point that God doesn't send people to Hell - He tries to save them, but He will not force them because there is no love when you force someone to believe. If they reject God, they do so by their own choice and thus go to Hell by their own choice - they are made clear of the consequences.

We could talk more about 'what if someone doesn't ever hear about Jesus?' but that's another question for another day. I hope this helped - I'm not very good at explaining stuff. I can give you Bible verses or point you towards some much better explanations if you like - again, don't just trust what someone says (including me) check it out with the Bible before you believe what anyone says 'Christianity' is all about or believes.