Campfire Chat About Hell

[Cinjin]

Sitting at a campfire this Memorial Day Weekend, I got caught up in the following conversation:


Woman: I'm a Christian and I believe what I believe, and I don't care what anybody else believes.

Cinjin: That's cool. I do truly appreciate that sentiment. Be religious if you want - but allow others the same privilege. (offered a salute with my beer)

Woman's Husband: She wishes we'd go back to church, but I just think it's a waste of time.

Woman: Well, I think it would be a good idea. (She chuckles) Whatever, I guess I'll be the only one in this relationship going to Heaven.

**awkward pause with nervous laughter from all around**

Cinjin: So wait? You really do believe your husband's going to Hell?

Woman: Well ... yeah. He believes that if you're good to people you go to Heaven - and I think that's just not right.




Since I wanted to keep the atmosphere pleasant I didn't tell them that I think they're both painfully misguided and that the idea of Heaven and Hell is as stupid as Santa's Workshop at the North Pole and Captain Hook's Never-Never Land.

The conversation continued for a bit, but I wonder ... What would your response be to that woman's last remark if you were married to her?

[BloodyHeretic]

Woman: Well ... yeah. He believes that if you're good to people you go to Heaven - and I think that's just not right.

This I think encapsulates the problem with religion, it's never enough to just be a good person.

[Violet]

My response: And she loves every minute of what I do that will send me to Hell *squeeze her*

[Minimalist]

Woman: Well ... yeah. He believes that if you're good to people you go to Heaven - and I think that's just not right.

This I think encapsulates the problem with religion, it's never enough to just be a good person.

Most of them manage to avoid being good people. Religion sees to that.

[Shell B]

To answer your question, I would probably have said something like, "As long as you're going to heaven, I don't mind going to hell." or "At least you won't be there." However, it is safe to say that I make a bitter hypothetical spouse.

[Cinjin]

This woman's husband was clearly surprised by the revelation. I can't pretend to know how he truly felt, but he was clearly surprised.


Funny how often I hear a christian follow up the words, "I don't care what other people believe" with, "he's going to hell."

yeah, you're a good source of reliable non-biased information.

---

Woman: Well ... yeah. He believes that if you're good to people you go to Heaven - and I think that's just not right.

This I think encapsulates the problem with religion, it's never enough to just be a good person.

Truly.

Even Catholics believe that after you die your loved ones have to "pray your soul into Heaven". How fucked up is that ... you better hope you have friends and/or family when you die, otherwise you may not even get in the front door!

[tackattack]

I probably would have responded as an outsider to the relationship.
"But certainly being good is necessary to get in there right? Could it be you just haven't helped him see the further steps necessary for salvation"

But my input probably wasn't what you were looking for.

[Cinjin]

I probably would have responded as an outsider to the relationship.
"But certainly being good is necessary to get in there right? Could it be you just haven't helped him see the further steps necessary for salvation"

But my input probably wasn't what you were looking for.

I disagree with your input ... that doesn't mean I wasn't looking for it. Your two cents are as welcome as anyone else's.

Of course if someone had actually responded with that answer it would've probably led to an eventual verbal throw-down since the crowd was of very mixed religious backgrounds. (Atheists to Lutherans to even one Buddhist and a Taoist)

My knee-jerk reaction would of course been, "salvation from what?" ... and of course it would've blown up from there.

[Kayenneh]

I wouldn't have married the idiot in the first place

---

But for a witty comeback: "Oh honey, for being such a stuck-up, mean and ignorant person, I guess we will be together for all eternity, both in Hell!"

[Darth]

Myabe he's already in hell?