: Some people live and die without ever meeting a missionary, so what happens to them? Does your god punish people for not having access to this book or not? Enquiring minds want to know, man. :
Shaun: This is what I do know: (and I hope this answers all your questions)
: 1)All people, whether they heard the gospel or not, will be at judgement day
: 2)All whohave heard the gospel and believed (christians) will live in heaven
: 3)All who have heard the gospel and did not believe it will never see heaven.
: Now, as for the people who have never even heard of Jesus or the bible I am not sure. I would think that they would not go to hell because it is not thier fault they live in a part of the world never ministered to or speak a language that cannot be translated by anyone else.
DDN: This certainly wasn't your opinion ealier. See the following post from Shaun:
http://www.mcspotlight.org/debate/anything/messages/3388.html
It explains very clearly that EVERYBODY is either going to hell or to heaven when they die and that each person's destination depends entirely upon whether or not they have been saved by ackowledging jesus as Lord. Cleary one cannot have acknowledged jesus as lord if they have never been exposed to a christian missionary or a bible. Therefore, such individuals are bound for hell, PERIOD. This is how you yourself, Shaun, have explained it to me.
But now you're ready to modify this model by making a special exception for people who have not had access to christianity. Fair enough - we're all entitled to modify views and opinions, that's what personal growth is all about. But now that you have modified your biblical views once, do you think its possible they may still need modified further? Are there yet OTHER circumstances that might have to be taken into account when considering whether or not someone is going to hell or heaven? And, if so, why doesn't the bible cover them? Or does it?
I know that the bible says "God is fair" - is that supposed to be a disclaimer that covers the infinite variety of exceptions not taken into account by your previous model? How many exceptions ARE there? I've read the bible and think that its mostly just a convoluted history book. Whether or not this constitutes rejection is arguable but is it possible that I have extenuating circumstances that, in God's fairness, will overshadow my "rejection" of the gospel and allow me into heaven?
Also, why send missionaries to people who have never been exposed to the gospel if God is going to let them all into heaven anyway? Why risk sending some of them to hell by exposing them to the gospel and having them reject it (or not understand it)? Shouldn't we be fighting tooth and nail to keep other cultures from being exposed to christianity so that we can assure their place in heaven?
None.
