Theistic Inclinations

[Catholic_Lady]

But Chad, if a person genuinely just doesn't think God is real, how can that be held against them to such a degree that warrants going straight to Hell after they die? Don't you think God gives these people a chance?

Mostly they had their chance. That is what Jesus taught in the parable of the rich man and Lazarus that concludes with the warning, “If they do not listen to Moses and the prophets, they will not be persuaded even if someone rises from the dead.”

Now I do believe it is reasonable to extrapolate from the teaching of scripture to cover circumstances not directly mentioned, such as the fate of heathens, the very young, and the mentally compromised. I consider such extrapolations indeterminate teachings. We can hope but cannot presume. Personally, I feel that if an unbeliever has a genuine longing for what is Good and True and recognizes their inability to attain either by their own efforts, then there is a chance that this combination will continue to guide them towards blessedness in the afterlife. But I don’t think it would be right to present that position as a clear teaching.

Unfortunately that is not what you are witnessing in this thread. Look at all the twisted responses to the idea that God will forgive any and all offenses so long as there is genuine contrition. They call His mercy injustice. They call His generous loving-kindness immoral. These are not simple acts of disbelief or a benign ignorance. These responses are acts of will.

I like the bolded part, and that's what I think too. If a person genuinely seeks goodness and truth and strives to live by it to the best of his understanding, God can work with that. Even if such a person doesn't believe God exists prior to his death. I still don't see how we can entirely blame someone for simply not believing any particular thing exists if they have not seen convincing proof of it. Refusing to believe because you don't like it or can't be bothered is one thing. But not believing because you just genuinely can't bring yourself to think it's real, is entirely different. And I think the vast majority of unbelievers fall into this latter category. 

I understand that there are passages in the bible that say things that make it sound like whoever doesn't think God/Jesus is real won't be "saved." But there are also passages in the bible condemning legalism and stressing the spirit of the law. Jesus called out the Pharisees so many times for their hard headed thinking and quickness to dismiss people. I don't think God would be as simple and small as to have planned for everyone who does not think He exists during their lifetime on earth to be damned immediately upon dying. I think God is much bigger and deeper than that.

How do you feel about what I said regarding people still having a chance to choose after they die and are made fully aware?

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These responses are to the description of God being presented by believers. If God is real and shows up, I rather think he won't be as bad as many of his fans make him out to be.

I think He's so much greater than many of us give Him credit for.

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A protestant friend of mine (who's a pastor and a truly excellent person who would do anything for anyone) is one of those people who I was incredibly surprised to learn held the belief that all non Christians were going to Hell. I disagree with him completely, and can't understand the concept of thinking that way. I even asked him "What about people like Ghandi? He was not Christian, but he was clearly a man who stood for justice and goodness, and who sought truth to the best of his understanding. Did he go to Hell simply because he was not Christian?" His response was "probably." His reasoning is similar to what Chad said: that we are all deserving of Hell, and that Jesus died to save us from that. So we must believe in Him in order for that salvation to become effective for us. I see how they would come to this conclusion by certain things the bible says. But I find it extremely simplistic, and ignores so much... like how great and merciful God is. How Jesus showed us His love for all people and how He stood against simplistic, legalistic views.