fundamentalist idea of hell

[vorlon13]

. . . any one of a myriad of heretical/apostate christian schisms.

[Drich]

We hear "you're going to hell" so often. I read a friend's post just this morning when he "lovingly" restated that every person who does not accept Jesus Christ as their personal savior will go to hell for eternity.

So what do modern Xtians think? There are well over 7 billion humans on the planet at this moment. Polls taken in 2013 puts Christians at approximately 31% (and dropping) of the world population.  That leaves 2,333,333,333,33 who will go to hell. This includes the few who have never heard of Jesus of Nazareth.  Speaking of Yeshua, there were humans on this planet for billions of years before he came along.  

(If you get picky, I know a lot of Protestants who think that Catholics will go to hell too.  That would increase the number considerably.)
I remember asking my Mom about the Chinese people and Japanese and Native American and African who lived before Jesus - what about them?  Her irritated answer was that God would know which of them WOULD believe if they had the chance.  But then, this is also the woman who declared emphatically that if aliens ever showed up, they would have to worship Jesus too or burn in hell.  So . . . 

What about the billions of OTHER people who weren't BLESSED enough to be born to Xtian parents?

Silly Atheist, we aren't born into Christianity, we elect it. That said Salvation isn't about following one church doctrine or another either. Salvation is a gift from Christ, and it is to Christ's final judgement that decides whether we stand before God for eternity or fall into the pit of hell. To be saved is to be saved by Christ by His judgement and actions on the Cross alone, not by the works or will or title (what you call yourself) Mat 7 even goes so far as to say their will be many on that final day that call out "Lord, Lord didn't we do all these many great and wonderful things in your name?" and He will say "depart from me I never knew you." Why? Because again it is not what we call or identify ourselves with. It is our heart that Christ will judge.

Does this mean Atheist will go to heaven? No. Why? Because of the hardness and condition of one's heart to deny God.
Can this mean that people not exposed to the gospel can goto Heaven? absolutely, just as the thief on the cross was allowed in so to will the rest of us be placed before Christ and judged to our core.

[Divinity]

You know, if people not exposed to the gospels that don't believe in god go to heaven... then missionaries are assholes. So is anyone in the church. Because they're basically spreading the word so that more people will go to hell rather than be judged on their own merits. Which is pretty fucked up.

It doesn't take a hardness of heart to deny the existence of god. Every believer has doubts. Any believer that says they don't are lying -- which is one of the big no-nos. Atheists simply have more doubt.

You absolutely don't choose Christianity. You are indoctrinated at a young age into it. If you were born in an Islamic Country, you'd be like "Praise Allah!" and then go blow up a fucking building to get your 72 virgins or whatever. You'd be just as convinced that Allah is the way as you are now convinced Christ is the way.

[drfuzzy]

Drich wrote: "Can this mean that people not exposed to the gospel can go to Heaven? absolutely, just as the thief on the cross was allowed in"  

--> Ah, but if you haven't heard of Jesus?  Or if your understanding of Jesus is similar to that of the Bangladeshi I was chatting with the other day, who knows of Jesus as part of "that other religion - the heretic one, not mine which is the right one"? And according to the "scripture" you quoted, a lot of people who THOUGHT they were Xtians aren't going to heaven either.  

Yeah, that 4.6 billion number is getting bigger by the moment.  I know that makes some Xtians very happy. No scumbags in their heaven, and lots of room for THEM to have the biggest mansion on the street of gold.

This is clearly unfair - for more than 2/3 of the world population to burn forever, when proving once and for all to the planet which religion is "right" would be so EASY for a Deity these days. -- But of course, Revelations says that the Xtian god is going to prove which one is "right" by coming back with a sword and slaughtering more than 5 billion people, and then set up himself as absolute dictator.  

[vorlon13]

We hear "you're going to hell" so often. I read a friend's post just this morning when he "lovingly" restated that every person who does not accept Jesus Christ as their personal savior will go to hell for eternity.

So what do modern Xtians think? There are well over 7 billion humans on the planet at this moment. Polls taken in 2013 puts Christians at approximately 31% (and dropping) of the world population.  That leaves 2,333,333,333,33 who will go to hell. This includes the few who have never heard of Jesus of Nazareth.  Speaking of Yeshua, there were humans on this planet for billions of years before he came along.  

(If you get picky, I know a lot of Protestants who think that Catholics will go to hell too.  That would increase the number considerably.)
I remember asking my Mom about the Chinese people and Japanese and Native American and African who lived before Jesus - what about them?  Her irritated answer was that God would know which of them WOULD believe if they had the chance.  But then, this is also the woman who declared emphatically that if aliens ever showed up, they would have to worship Jesus too or burn in hell.  So . . . 

What about the billions of OTHER people who weren't BLESSED enough to be born to Xtian parents?

Silly Atheist, we aren't born into Christianity, we elect it. That said Salvation isn't about following one church doctrine or another either. Salvation is a gift from Christ, and it is to Christ's final judgement that decides whether we stand before God for eternity or fall into the pit of hell. To be saved is to be saved by Christ by His judgement and actions on the Cross alone, not by the works or will or title (what you call yourself) Mat 7 even goes so far as to say their will be many on that final day that call out "Lord, Lord didn't we do all these many great and wonderful things in your name?" and He will say "depart from me I never knew you." Why? Because again it is not what we call or identify ourselves with. It is our heart that Christ will judge.

Does this mean Atheist will go to heaven? No. Why? Because of the hardness and condition of one's heart to deny God.
Can this mean that people not exposed to the gospel can goto Heaven? absolutely, just as the thief on the cross was allowed in so to will the rest of us be placed before Christ and judged to our core.

Unless, of course, Buddhism turns out to be THE ONE TRUE FAITH.

[Athene]

Question: How you gonna burn, when you ain't got no body?
Answer: Special magic  fire.....you moron!

[Godscreated]

Question: How you gonna burn, when you ain't got no body?
Answer: Special magic  fire.....you moron!

Even the lost will have  their bodies resurrected.

GC

[The Valkyrie]

I'm hoping not to go to Hell or Heaven.

Valhalla for me!

[Godscreated]

You know, if people not exposed to the gospels that don't believe in god go to heaven... then missionaries are assholes.  So is anyone in the church.  Because they're basically spreading the word so that more people will go to hell rather than be judged on their own merits.  Which is pretty fucked up.

Drich didn't say all those people would go to heaven, only a small part will, as judged by God. With missionaries in the field these people have a much better chance of salvation, if this wasn't the case Christ would no have commanded Christians to go out into the world and make disciples.

It doesn't take a hardness of heart to deny the existence of god.  Every believer has doubts.  Any believer that says they don't are lying -- which is one of the big no-nos.  Atheists simply have more doubt.

This believer has no doubts, I know God exists and offers salvation to everyone. I'm not a liar either, you are just misinformed. Atheist here have said to me they do not believe, seems a bit more than a bunch of doubt.

You absolutely don't choose Christianity.  You are indoctrinated at a young age into it.  If you were born in an Islamic Country, you'd be like "Praise Allah!" and then go blow up a fucking building to get your 72 virgins or whatever.  You'd be just as convinced that Allah is the way as you are now convinced Christ is the way.

Sure we do, salvation can come no other way. Yes many children are taught about Christ and many do choose Christ, not all though. There are many people who come to Christ after they have become adults some late in life and some who were not raised in Christian homes.
Why then are there many Christians in Islamic countries, many of which were former Muslims.

GC

[The Valkyrie]

I think the biggest form of hell would be spending eternity sucking up to - I mean "worshipping and praising" - an evil, genocidal, misogynistic, egotistical being, that is conveniently entitled "god".