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 Should people who don't believe in God go to heaven if they are good people? (9)

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Should people who don't believe in God go to heaven if they are good people?

I'd like to get to the bottom of a frequently asked question. Sure doing good things is justification enough for reward but surely reconciling at the end of ones life and believing in God isn't enough to go Heaven? Thoughts? Anything is welcome.

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2 points

Much to my chagrin, I'm going to operate under the assumption that there is indeed a heaven for the sake of argument.

According to the Bible, no.

"Now a man came up to Jesus and asked, 'Teacher, what good thing must I do to get eternal life?' 'Why do you ask me about what is good?' Jesus replied. 'There is only one who is good. If you want to enter life, obey the commandments.'" (Matthew 19:16, 17)

As far as I know (and I'm far from a theologian, so I trust someone will let me know if I'm off base), the Bible is pretty black and white on this. Accept God, follow the commandments -- or don't, but you'll be absolved anyway -- go to heaven. Do anything else, it's fire and brimstone for you.

Obviously, it isn't inherently fair that, under this doctrine, some good ("good" as in our definition) people go to hell while the serial rapist with the "John 3:16" tattoo kicks back in heaven. It's this notion that kept me from renouncing Christianity for so long, but as I got older and, dare I say, wiser, I realized that I'd rather enjoy some whiskey, cigs, and debauchery with Christopher Hitchens than go to Bible study with my grandmother anyhow.

Cartman(18192) Disputed
1 point

"Now a man came up to Jesus and asked, 'Teacher, what good thing must I do to get eternal life?' 'Why do you ask me about what is good?' Jesus replied. 'There is only one who is good. If you want to enter life, obey the commandments.'" (Matthew 19:16, 17)

Good non believers do follow the 10 commandments. They don't believe in other Gods before the "true" God. They don't create graven images. And, they don't take the Lords name in vain because they don't talk about the Lord doing anything. The other commandments make you a bad person, like killing and stealing.

rubbery(14) Disputed
1 point

Good non believers do follow the 10 commandments.

Yes, I agree, but Jesus said to obey the commandments not follow them. Of course a "good" atheist could go a lifetime without breaking a commandment, but that doesn't mean he obeyed them. Obedience requires recognition and submission. It is impossible for people who have never heard of the ten commandments to obey them.

Also, In the passage I gave, Jesus wasn't referring to the ten commandments, but all the laws set forth by God. That particular passage goes on to have Jesus list "love they neighbor as thyself" as a commandment. Jesus was really referring to commandments like accepting God's existence and loving him.

2 points

By whose opinion? Mine or God's?

If the Bible is to be believed, then apparently not. I mean, according to Jesus, who must know what he's talking about (because he says so and how can you argue with that?), accepting him before death is all you need to do. Actually trying to be a good pious person who helps everyone you can and harms none is irrelevant. For all that vaunted free will that God claims he gave us as a gift, our choices in the morality department are useless until we give up our already limited free will to the ghost of Jesus.

It basically says, "Other religions, with their good works, are too hard. You don't need to do anything except believe." It encourages laziness and sloppy thinking.

So in my opinion, if there were an afterlife, it were divided into areas for good people and bad people, and is God really does believe in free will: Then you would go to Heaven for good actions, not because you were lucky enough to believe in him (belief isn't a choice).

1 point

The Bible teaches that there are none who are righteous. It also says that our good works are as filthy rags to God. If we could make it to Heaven by being good, then Jesus wouldn't have had to die on the cross.

Definitely! Anyone who leads a good life and does good deeds for the poor should be admitted to Heaven.