RE: Atheists: What would you say to a dying child who asks you if they'll go to heaven?
October 29, 2018 at 11:32 am
(July 25, 2018 at 1:37 pm)DodosAreDead Wrote: Assume the child is very young, somewhere in the range of 4-8, perhaps? Their parents are religious. They're worried about hell. What will your response be?
I've been involved in this exact situation, only reversed. It was my nephew. The parents were atheists, and I was the Christian at the time.
I don't know what they told him. I wasn't going to ask. I presume it was a "the pain will be over soon" sort of thing. He had developmental issues, and I don't know if he even really understood death.
Your situation isn't the time to change anyone's beliefs. The value of "the honest truth" is so that someone can live their life in a way that matches their understanding about the ultimate purpose of life. If there isn't any time to live that truth, there is no point in giving it to them. It is too late.
I have to say that that situation is the most painful that any adult can encounter. The best response is to not be a jerk.