Do Christians really believe most of us are going to hell?

[Dystopia]

I personally don't think that most Christians really believe that we're going to hell.

Trust me, most devoted Christians believe we are going to hell, some of them might tolerate us, not hate us, be friends with us and even respect us, but deeply down inside a real Christian that follows the entire bible and not just the nice part will say that only trough Jesus Christ you can reach salvation. Didn't the new pope say that atheists might go to heaven? I'm not sure about the validity of his thoughts, it looked more like a marketing move to me, a way to attract more believers, an article in a local newspaper where I live said being Catholic is fashionable and trendy with the new pope.

[Mudhammam]

I personally don't think that most Christians really believe that we're going to hell.

Trust me, most devoted Christians believe we are going to hell, some of them might tolerate us, not hate us, be friends with us and even respect us, but deeply down inside a real Christian that follows the entire bible and not just the nice part will say that only trough Jesus Christ you can reach salvation. Didn't the new pope say that atheists might go to heaven? I'm not sure about the validity of his thoughts, it looked more like a marketing move to me, a way to attract more believers, an article in a local newspaper where I live said being Catholic is fashionable and trendy with the new pope.

Does the Vatican still exist for any OTHER reason besides marketing???

[GrandizerII]

I personally don't think that most Christians really believe that we're going to hell.

Trust me, most devoted Christians believe we are going to hell, some of them might tolerate us, not hate us, be friends with us and even respect us, but deeply down inside a real Christian that follows the entire bible and not just the nice part will say that only trough Jesus Christ you can reach salvation. Didn't the new pope say that atheists might go to heaven? I'm not sure about the validity of his thoughts, it looked more like a marketing move to me, a way to attract more believers, an article in a local newspaper where I live said being Catholic is fashionable and trendy with the new pope.

So you're confident that, as a former devout Christian, I was an exception to the rule? Several former Christians confess the same thing I do. I professed belief that most people were going to hell and even stood by that profession strongly at times, but while I did do some evangelizing on my part, I never really went out of my way to pressure my loved ones to believe lest they end up in hell, when I would say and do everything I could to keep them from harm in other situations.

There was one commenter on the blog I linked to who said something about how Christians, despite thinking Jesus was watching them every second, would end up masturbating despite that. And it's funny to me because I know I wouldn't want to masturbate in front of just anyone, so why in front of someone divine and grand as God?

[The Grand Nudger]

It seems you're equating "Christ" to "God", but that's not necessarily the case, even today.

Christ, in any permutation, will refer to god. Were basically discussing christology at this point. Which is a steaming turd if ever there were one....but. Jesus of nazereth was not jesus christ -even in the narrative...in any version of that narrative, until his believed resurrection, some reference to a god is absolutely required before we can call him christ. If you can explain that resurrection in terms that do not refer to god (for example) and remain consistent with the NT have at it. I can't. Doesn't mean there couldn't be a way, and I'd sure as hell like to see it if there were.

Would you consider Jehovah's Witnesses to be Christians? They believe in Christ but not as God.

This is from their translation, (new world translation) of john.

No man has seen God at any time;+ the only-begotten god+ who is at the Father’s side*+ is the one who has explained Him.+

To which begotten god might they be referring? Does it sound to you like the author didn't think that "christ" was a god?

Oddly enough, the charge that JWs both believe that jesus was a god and that they don't has been leveled at them by other christians...who don't think that they are christians. The truth of the matter is a bit more complicated. Feel free to wander over to their website and get the "good news in the kingdom" directly from the horses mouth on that count. Here again (in JW beliefs) we see that without invoking god - the title christ is empty.

Christ as living god was probably a poor example - as it is definitely not the entirety of what the title can, or does mean. Think of it as an example of the sorts of things christ can refer to, without having to go through the trouble of reciting the 72 names of god - etc.

[Minimalist]

And why does it seem like you are misconceiving my post as suggesting malice in Christians?

Yeah, "malice" is the wrong word. How about an aura of smug superiority? They think their silly superstition makes them better than everyone else.

Or, as H. L. Mencken said:

God is the immemorial refuge of the incompetent, the helpless, the miserable. They find not only sanctuary in His arms, but also a kind of superiority, soothing to their macerated egos: He will set them above their betters.

[GrandizerII]

It seems you're equating "Christ" to "God", but that's not necessarily the case, even today.

Christ, in any permutation, will refer to god. Were basically discussing christology at this point. Which is a steaming turd if ever there were one....but. Jesus of nazereth was not jesus christ -even in the narrative...in any version of that narrative, until his believed resurrection, some reference to a god is absolutely required before we can call him christ. If you can explain that resurrection in terms that do not refer to god (for example) and remain consistent with the NT have at it. I can't. Doesn't mean there couldn't be a way, and I'd sure as hell like to see it if there were.

Would you consider Jehovah's Witnesses to be Christians? They believe in Christ but not as God.

This is from their translation, (new world translation) of john.

No man has seen God at any time;+ the only-begotten god+ who is at the Father’s side*+ is the one who has explained Him.+

To which begotten god might they be referring? Does it sound to you like the author didn't think that "christ" was a god?

Oddly enough, the charge that JWs both believe that jesus was a god and that they don't has been leveled at them by other christians...who don't think that they are christians. The truth of the matter is a bit more complicated. Feel free to wander over to their website and get the "good news in the kingdom" directly from the horses mouth on that count. Here again (in JW beliefs) we see that without invoking god - the title christ is empty.

Christ as living god was probably a poor example - as it is definitely not the entirety of what the title can, or does mean. Think of it as an example of the sorts of things christ can refer to, without having to go through the trouble of reciting the 72 names of god - etc.

JWs believe Jesus is a god but not God himself. That's what JWs have told me that in person (cousins, actually).

But you see, you are fine with calling Christian some groups seeing Christ as a god rather than God but not other groups who see Christ as just a great man worthy of following.

The problem with your challenge is it must assume the Bible is internally consistent and that the earliest Christians used to believe Jesus was God or even a god. And while many early Christians saw him as some god or angel (the Pauline Epistles, for example), others did not see him as such yet called him the Christ regardless (the Synoptic Gospels hint towards that).

[Dystopia]

Trust me, most devoted Christians believe we are going to hell, some of them might tolerate us, not hate us, be friends with us and even respect us, but deeply down inside a real Christian that follows the entire bible and not just the nice part will say that only trough Jesus Christ you can reach salvation. Didn't the new pope say that atheists might go to heaven? I'm not sure about the validity of his thoughts, it looked more like a marketing move to me, a way to attract more believers, an article in a local newspaper where I live said being Catholic is fashionable and trendy with the new pope.

Does the Vatican still exist for any OTHER reason besides marketing???

Can you spell PROFIT? Well some local priests might really live for faith, I've known a handful of decent priests that donated everything to charity, but those are an exception. Of course without documented evidence we cannot prove that the catholic church and the Vatican live for profit (since they are considered a non profit organization). The Vatican is a beautiful place to be by the way, whatever happens to religion, let the Vatican untouched

[The Grand Nudger]

JWs believe Jesus is a god but not God himself. That's what JWs have told me that in person (cousins, actually).

B-mine.
and thus they can't be atheists, and conversely there can be no jehovahs witness atheists either.

But you see, you are fine with calling Christian some groups seeing Christ as a god rather than God

Because the christ bit always refers to divinity. They don;t all agree on the nature of that divinity (christology) - but they all agree that it is present.

but not other groups who see Christ as just a great man worthy of following.

Because they do not see or ackowledge "christ". They see or acknowledge "jesus of nazereth - or jesus of page 44 in this book" - and self identify as believing such.

The problem with your challenge is it must assume the Bible is internally consistent and that the earliest Christians used to believe Jesus was God or even a god.

No, it "musn't", lol. Whether or not the bible is internally consistent is another issue, and an issue they can hammer out themselves. It doesn't matter what "early christians" believed. All that matters what the christian in front of me - in this hypothetical - believes. I'm addressing that christians belief - not some other christians belief. I can pretend as if that other christian didn't even exist...if that would help me to give the claim the thought it deserves. -That's how you avoid straw manning someone.

And while many early Christians saw him as some god or angel (the Pauline Epistles, for example), others did not see him as such yet called him the Christ regardless (the Synoptic Gospels hint towards that).

Care to elaborate on what they meant by "christ"?

[Jenny A]

The problem with the question do Christians think atheists are going to hell is that it implies that all Christians have the same answer to that question.

Some Christians, particularly Bible literalists do think atheists are going to hell. A subsection of those may even feel happy or superior about it. But some of them think so, and are troubled by it. Some of them don't think too much about it. Many of them use hell as a bludgeon to try to get others to believe. This works well on children and not so well on grownups.

Some Christians, rewrite what's in the Bible to avoid troubling thoughts like hell. They seem to think that god's morality grows with modern society or that we know better what he thinks as we become more modern. Usually they haven't thought this out very well. The Pope is of great aide to Christians of this ilk. He gives them permission to ignore the Bible on troubling points like hell.

All Christians seem to fall into this last group that rewrites the Bible in one way or another as no one these days applies all of the laws of the Old Testament, or really tries to follow the advice of Jesus turning their cheeks and giving away everything to the poor.

[vorlon13]

I personally don't think that most Christians really believe that we're going to hell.

Trust me, most devoted Christians believe we are going to hell, some of them might tolerate us, not hate us, be friends with us and even respect us, but deeply down inside a real Christian that follows the entire bible and not just the nice part will say that only trough Jesus Christ you can reach salvation. Didn't the new pope say that atheists might go to heaven? I'm not sure about the validity of his thoughts, it looked more like a marketing move to me, a way to attract more believers, an article in a local newspaper where I live said being Catholic is fashionable and trendy with the new pope.

The new pope is not qualified to teach a religion 101 class. His befuddlement about even the basic characteristics and functions of a religion is approaching legendary status.

He summed it up perfectly with his, "Who am I to judge?" clusterfuck.

Ahem, you are the fucking pope, that's who you are. Some of your predecessors were sufficient clear in what they were doing they killed slackers with gleeful abandon. You're befuddled, confused and confusing, and totally unfit in your function.