So, right now I'm not sure if I really buy the current formula for the aferlife (the current Christian view.
That's right- Heaven and Hell. It's Hell that I have trouble with.
Hell
Does God's infinite love and grace just stop completely for some the instant their body stops breathing? It just seems a little cold and a little, well... finite.
Why would God create someone to go to hell? To me, this whole deal just seems unfair. Why would God make some of us to reject Jesus (and go to hell)?. Why would God put us on earth before 0 AD (condemning us to Hell)? Why would God give us Muslim/Jewish/Atheist/Mormon/Anything besides "Christian" parents? And why would He, at the same time, put someone in a position with a perfect Christian household- in a perfect position to "accept Jesus" and go to heaven.
Free Will
"Now, what about free will?" you might ask. I say free will is irrelevant to the idea of Hell. When God is creating you, he knows if you are going to hell or not (an omnipotent God can see the future) and if he still sends you out into the world knowing that you will choose Hell, how is that God GOOD?
And really, what free will does a human born into a deserted island tribe have to "accept Jesus"? What about those that have never heard? We are not asked whether we want to play this game of life. We are thrown into the world- we don't choose to "try our luck".
It's easy to see that this is a God of favoritism. This God is not fair.
The next thing I usually get at this point is- "Well, who says what fair is? God knows. We don't."
To be continued...
Must... go... to class... Will finish soon.
2 comments:
Interesting Brett! I also think that about hell. I have always been taught and always do--by seeing the good in everybody. I mean everyone makes mistakes, either external sins (like killing) or internal sins like rejecting God. However, everyone is a good person. God doesn't (or I don't think) make bad people. We are God's children, why would He not want some of His children back with Him someday? It just doesn't make sense...and like what everyone tells me is..."you just have to have faith in God"
quandaries of the troubled existentialist - sounds like you're infected! I admire your confidence in the questions you bring up - unapologetic. I don't know about heaven or hell or God's wrath, but I know faith isn't strengthened without some serious doubting and investigating.
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