On Non-belief

[FallentoReason]

No, because the less obvious Christianity is, the less amount of people that will believe in it.

Saying "we have to work for it" doesn't cut it for anyone who was unfortunate enough to never come across Christianity and its claims.

As I have already made very clear, you don't need to hear about Christianity's claims to be saved by Christ. An embryo can be saved. In fact, you can think Christianity is a lie and still be saved by Christ. Neither of these are "exceptions to the rule" either.

And why should I believe your version of Christianity over the countless others out there? If you talk to our resident Christian, Drich, he will tell you that at least one thing is necessary for salvation: "the faith of a mustard seed". Faith in what? Well, it's Christianity we're talking about so I can only assume he meant "faith that Jesus is the Son of God". He conceded that somewhere in this thread. Either way, why are you right and him wrong about the conditions (if any) for salvation?

And the ones that never got an opportunity? They're in hell and they wouldn't have the slightest clue why.

Again, all have the opportunity and knowledge is not the opportunity.

This is under the assumption that there are no conditions we have to satisfy to go to heaven, which is an unproven assertion so far.

It's in everyone's interest to go to heaven, yes. However, "I want to go to heaven" does not mean "I love God". Many people follow the law in China. That doesn't mean they support the government. The whole "knowledge can possibly harm" thing actually applies to you. You don't trust Christianity because you must verify all of its claims. However none of those verifications actually save you. In fact, even if every claim by some denomination was sound, that doesn't mean that they are actually right! You can't start by examining the more complex scenarios first, you have to start at the root: is there a god? You've already answered yes, so next is "what is God like?"

You're still committing a strawman... I didn't ever say that the knowledge that Christianity is true itself is what saves.

Why do I need to build up my knowledge from the ground? God has the power to give everyone this knowledge we all seek. He hasn't done it.

If I simply need to be "good" and not have to believe anything to go to heaven, then why does the Bible exist? Why did Jesus die a pointless death if it isn't necessary for anyone to believe he did it for humanity? You might as well be a Deist.

Not "simply need to be 'good'", but need to revere the good. This reverence is the belief. The Bible exists to give us information we would not have otherwise, such as the redemption of sin to make up for our own moral faults or resurrection. Belief only saves because of what Jesus did, otherwise we would all have the same common fate: death.

And how does a dirty sinner come to revere the good without first knowing they are a dirty sinner that is unable to revere the good?

And, I used to be Deist. It was brief, but I thought, "Why would God concern himself with us?" and then later, "Why would God create us in the first place if we weren't important?"

And of course, those two thoughts alone miraculously lead to not Hinduism, not Islam, not Zoroastrianism, but the only logical (and geographically relevant) religion of Christianity. It's kind of interesting how the circumstances are always so convenient that they lead you to the right religion your nation practices.