Are Athiests right or are they going to burn in hell with the rest of the sinner

[elirat49]

I am a true believer in a force/forces that are clearly greater than all of us. I choose not to subscribe to a particular religious doctrine because I believe that God/Goddess is more powerful than man's finite comprehension of the universe and the true machinations of celestial bodies and the universe. I do not disagree with religion as a whole because usually at the core I personally find that there are fundamental differences but they all pretty much say the same thing. You have to honor God and be good to one another. I get it. I don't knock anyone;s belief system, but at the same time I hate to get brow-beaten into submission by an overbearing zealot who has no room for compromise or any respect for what I may believe. I simply refuse to believe that man has the answer. We'll all find out when we die though.

[jford87]

I don't think there is a right or a wrong. People believe what they need to believe in order to justify their existence.

[singletonb]

elirat49 I am a believer that Jesus is the one and only son of God and the only way to God.  However, I am very much against brow-beating someone else into believing the way I do because we all have to make those choices for ourselves.  I get excited when I can share my beliefs with those that wants to hear it. I respect the opinions and beliefs of others and hope that there is a mutual respect. You are so right, we will know the answers to a lot of our questions when we die.  I just hang on to Jesus for the here and now into eternity.  Thanks for sharing.

[Dynamite2013]

Well when I died for five minutes when I was twenty-three I saw the other side and I had believed before but that told me that it was true and I have truly believed more than ever after that. By the way I have been told that I was going to die at thirty-five and found out while in the hospital but an intern found out that I had lactose intolerance after a test and I went home two days later. Also because I drank alcohol when I was in my teens I have liver problems and can't drink alcohol. I found out fourteen years ago that I was dying and move to another state. When I went to a new doctor he told me that the medicine I was taking had alcohol in it which I didn't know. He gave me medication and told me I would either die in two months or be healed. Well I guess you know the answer. Many times things go wrong and I pray to Jesus and God to deal with it for me because they know all. I don't worry because no matter how bad situations are they always work out. I am now retired with children, grandchildren and great grandchildren. I must be doing what God wants and that is why I am still here. I also know that when my job is done here I will pass away. You see I know that all the earthly things belong to God and I just have the opportunity of using some of them. Thank you Lord for being there when I need you.

[reiddb]

The Bible states that the demons believe in God....belief in God doesn't make things right with God. (The demons won't make it to heaven.) If you read the book of John in the Bible, it clearly gives the reason why "all roads" DON'T lead to God. The scriptures say "Every knee shall bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord"  The only way to have true assurance and peace is to search the scriptures and find the only way....the perfect way! Praying for your journey!

[Nancy5]

I believe in God, but I rarely go to church.  I don't  think you have to go to worship him.  I know there are many religions, and many people believe differently that I do, some people do not believe at all.  I think this is a personal choice and no one should ever try to push their beliefs on another person.

[vickysue]

I believe in God and try to do what is right. but slip and slide sometimes as each and every one of us do. But I do find it hard at times to tolerate the Athiests. We are not out there bad mouthing them and they should leave us a lone. We have the right of prayer and meetings and to see the crosses. But the government is sure pushing us.

[gaylasue]

I am just so glad we have a loving and forgiving Father in Heaven.  I truly believe that anyone who does not confess Jesus Christ to be the true Son of God, believe in His virgin birth, His sinless life, His willing sacrifice on the Cross of Calvary, His burial, His resurrection and the promise that He will return for His children will spend eternity in Hell.  To what degree of Hell depends on the soul of that person.  Everyone will stand in account of his/her actions before the Lord Jesus Christ.

[nannycoe1]

I believe there is a GOD and a heaven and hell.

[jmccaskill]

I am a true believer in a force/forces that are clearly greater than all of us. I choose not to subscribe to a particular religious doctrine because I believe that God/Goddess is more powerful than man's finite comprehension of the universe and the true machinations of celestial bodies and the universe. I do not disagree with religion as a whole because usually at the core I personally find that there are fundamental differences but they all pretty much say the same thing. You have to honor God and be good to one another. I get it. I don't knock anyone;s belief system, but at the same time I hate to get brow-beaten into submission by an overbearing zealot who has no room for compromise or any respect for what I may believe. I simply refuse to believe that man has the answer. We'll all find out when we die though.

Your statements are quite cogent and well thought out. I would speculate that these are pretty much the views of most humans, regardless of what religion they may ascribe to.

To the specifics; Yes there is/are forces far beyond the comprehension mankind is capable of. This is clearly stated in the Bible in several places and in several ways. So that is one point that one of your beliefs could accept without much difficulty, semantics would probably be the only 'issue'. Next the matter of 'religion'. This is a critical point that is almost always ignored... that is that RELIGIONS, each and every one of them are indeed creations of MAN as a means or pathway to gain God's acceptance. True they are all pretty similar as they all have the same base as their founding (long discussion so I will not go into that). Here is the BIGGIE, as you state, believing in a man-created system (religion) indeed is foolishness. Christianity on the other hand is NOT a religion of any sort but God's (the supreme power, if you will) designed plan for MAN to come into HIS presence. There is no cost for one to accept this gift of God. The cost was paid by Jesus who died in your place.

That is just how simple it is. Don't judge God and his divine plan by humans and their behaviors in His name. We are all flawed, and we are all sinners. The difference is that some of us sinners are forgive by His grace.

[elirat49]

I sincerely appreciate the time that you guys/gals have taken and truly appreciate everyone's perspective. Thank you for sharing your beliefs with me as well as being respectful of my perspective. Nice to meet like minded intelligent people that have actual regard and consideration for one another's views and feelings. I think I am in the right place lol.

[countrygirl12]

I don't know why I even clicked on this.  And I will admit I did not read the posts but I will answer the question.

First off, every one sins.  No one is perfect. 

God is very real.  So is His Son.  If you reject His Son then yes you will spend eternity in Hell.  Being saved does not mean you are perfect nor does it mean you claim to be perfect.  I am a Child of God.  Yes I claim to be a Christian.  But I have never claimed to be perfect nor have I ever thought I was better than anyone else.

[lvstephanie]

First of all, what elirat49 describes in the OP is not atheism but rather agnosticism... The difference being that atheists (a- = not; theist = belief in a god) don't believe in a god whatsoever whereas agnosticism (ag- = not; nost = knowledge) believes that we as humans cannot know god fully although they might believe in the existence of a god or other higher power.

As for your question, the answer will also depend on the answerer's own religious beliefs. Some belief systems condemn anyone that doesn't have the exact same belief structure as themselves; even if both were Christians, some Christian doctrines would condemn their fellow Christian as being a heretic and therefore bound for hell.

As a Catholic, I believe that atheism and agnosticism are sins, but that doesn't necessarily mean that they are mortal sins (sins so horrible that it keeps a person's soul out of heaven). As countrygirl12 said "... every one sins.  No one is perfect." Just because a person sins doesn't mean that they are therefore bound to hell. When Jesus said that the only way to God is through him, Catholics believe this more in the abstract sense than a concrete expression of belief: to go to God / heaven through Jesus means more that a person lives their life according to Jesus' teachings rather than actually believing in Jesus' divinity. So a person living in the rural farmlands of China that may have never read the Bible nor heard any of its teachings may still be able to go to heaven if they still live their lives by loving their fellow man, forgiving those that hurt them, etc. (ie by living a life exemplified by Jesus even if the person knows not of what that means). Similarly atheists / agnostics that don't believe in God may still be able to enter into heaven if they too live a "Christian" lifestyle.

Oftentimes (esp. nowadays, after the Enlightenment Period) people are atheists or agnostics because they only believe in what they can see or what can be described by science. They want to reserve their judgement until that proof is produced, either when they die and are standing before the gates of heaven, or at the end of time. These people can enter heaven since their sin isn't so terrible; after all, even one of Jesus' apostles is known as "Doubting" Thomas because he didn't believe in Jesus' resurrection until he could examine the nail-holes in Jesus' hands from His crucifixion.

Where being an atheist / agnostic may be bound for hell is if they truly reject God and His teachings. If a person believed completely in the "survival of the fittest" even to the point as accepting murder, theft, etc. as justified in that the perpetrator must have some strength over the victim and therefore is the fittest person and thus should survive and thrive, they are then fully rejecting God and therefore cannot enter into heaven.

[tantricia44]

just cuz you believe in whatever doesn't give you the right to judge others in whether they will go to hell just cuz they're atheists! This petty thinking just make your god look so flawed & human!

Me, I'm agnostic, I believe there's something out there greater than us but not in the petty flawed human standards I witness with the loud bible bangers of today.

lol, a funny thought came to mind; what if in the rapture those who are left behind are the chosen ones & those who disappeared aren't.& a large% who vanished are those who claimed to be true believers! 

As for worrying about atheists going to hell or not, don't cuz  it's not like they believe in what you fear!

[Timberlan127]

I am definitely not an atheist but I think that although they don't believe in God if they live their lives as good people God will take good care of them as well.