hell

[twoblacknines]

txag007,

but what about the scientist who cured HIV? Or an organ donor whose donation saves a kids life? I guess my basic question is:

good people, who have led moral lives and had a positive affect on humanity, but had doubts about God/Jesus - according to the bible they are going to hell.

But being that God would be more advanced then any human, and is supposed to love all creatures, what justification would there be than making good people stay in hell forever? I can't believe God would be so insecure as to exact revenge on people doubting his existence. Even if non-believers were given a punishment, say 1,000 years in hell and then allowed into heaven, wouldn't that make more sense. The bible preaches forgiveness, so shouldn't God be able to forgive humans, who are far from perfect?

[FortunaMaximus]

Try reading Dante. You might gain a broader view of the issue.

By any means, it's an interesting journey.

[dknightx]

read revelations, there will be a day that God will defeat the devil, etc, etc. not really sure what happens to people in hell after that.

secondly, you put too much emphasis on the value and importance of life. if you believe in an afterlife, death isn't as bad as it seems.

finally, if i kill someone who would have eventually killed 2 people, am i doing good?

[twoblacknines]

[ QUOTE ]
read revelations, there will be a day that God will defeat the devil, etc, etc. not really sure what happens to people in hell after that.

secondly, you put too much emphasis on the value and importance of life. if you believe in an afterlife, death isn't as bad as it seems.

finally, if i kill someone who would have eventually killed 2 people, am i doing good?

[/ QUOTE ]

Life becomes so much MORE important when you believe in an afterlife, because 1 mistake in your existence here (not believing in God) can haunt you for ETERNITY.

As to your example, you kill person "X" who was going to kill person "Z" 5 years from now. This saves Z's life. What if Z is a good christian and would of went to heaven the day X killed him. Now he doesn't die in 5 years and let's say 10 years from now he renounces Christianity and becomes an atheist. Because you killed his would be murderer, he is now doomed to go from heaven to hell due to circumstances beyond his control.

Wow this can get very complicated. I would say it is impoosible to know if you are doing good no matter the example.

[dknightx]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
read revelations, there will be a day that God will defeat the devil, etc, etc. not really sure what happens to people in hell after that.

secondly, you put too much emphasis on the value and importance of life. if you believe in an afterlife, death isn't as bad as it seems.

finally, if i kill someone who would have eventually killed 2 people, am i doing good?

[/ QUOTE ]

Life becomes so much MORE important when you believe in an afterlife, because 1 mistake in your existence here (not believing in God) can haunt you for ETERNITY.

As to your example, you kill person "X" who was going to kill person "Z" 5 years from now. This saves Z's life. What if Z is a good christian and would of went to heaven the day X killed him. Now he doesn't die in 5 years and let's say 10 years from now he renounces Christianity and becomes an atheist. Because you killed his would be murderer, he is now doomed to go from heaven to hell due to circumstances beyond his control.

Wow this can get very complicated. I would say it is impoosible to know if you are doing good no matter the example.

[/ QUOTE ]

exactly, that is why deeds without faith is useless (but faith without deeds is also useless too). I would recommend reading the new testament YOURSELF and making your own decisions. you should not always trust what other people tell you. In this case, everything you've learned/heard about hell is probably (partially) wrong.

Edit: btw, i should add that "not believing in God" does not necessarily mean 100% you will go to hell ... at least that is my opinion (this is one of those hotly debated topics that atheists love to bring up)