So, I'm Going to Hell

Published on April 15, 2004 By JillUser In Religion

I have been told at different times over my entire life that I am going to Hell. I wasn't baptized as a baby= going to hell. Don't belong to a church = going to hell. Lived with my fiancee before we got married = going to hell.

I personally don't see how any of those things would warrant my being sent to eternal damnation. I am a good person. I treat others as I would have them treat me. My family means the world to me. I am respectful of my parents. I have never harmed another. I donate time and money to charity. I help friends and family whenever possible.

I am open minded about religion. I have not been convinced yet that I belong with any particular organized religion. That doesn't mean I am an atheist though.

I guess I have always wondered how an all knowing God could look at me and send me to Hell. I know many catholics that play by the rules of the church but aren't more loving or caring than I. Why would God accept them and damn me?

So I go on living, learning and being thankful in the ways that fit me. I tend to think that God will judge me on those merits.

Comments (Page 9)

121

Poetmom99

on Apr 21, 2004

"Just to clarify...Orthodox Judaism does not recognize a specific entity known as Satan or the Devil, but they do recognize the forces of evil. Yes, a adversary, a enemy. Whether Satan is a name or a title is up for debate. Evil is evil and it is a force in our world."

I'm not going to get into a debate over semantics...I have been told that they do not believe in Satan/the devil, and I will stand by that....end of discussion.

122

JillUser

on Apr 21, 2004

I still say that all good, never anything bad sounds like eternal boredom. I guess it must involve new levels of enlightenment that we can't currently grasp.

I do believe in evil. I don't believe in Satan. I believe that we have to have both good and evil to appreciate the two.

123

MyViewsAndMuse

on Apr 21, 2004

I'm not going to get into a debate over semantics...I have been told that they do not believe in Satan/the devil, and I will stand by that....end of discussion.

That is fine. As for me, a adversary, enemy, forces of evil = what Christian's call Satan, they are the same and *some* of the Jewish scholar's I have met concede the point. End of discussion as you say.

I still say that all good, never anything bad sounds like eternal boredom. I guess it must involve new levels of enlightenment that we can't currently grasp.

Boredom? Could be to some, as for me I choose boredom over bad anytime. It certainly could involve new levels of enlightenment, time will tell.

124

JillUser

on Apr 21, 2004

Unless you are unimaginably dull, eternal boredom would be bad. I would rather just blink out than be bored forever more.

125

Poetmom99

on Apr 21, 2004

"I still say that all good, never anything bad sounds like eternal boredom. I guess it must involve new levels of enlightenment that we can't currently grasp."

It's my opinion that it could never get boring...there would always be people to meet and talk with, things to do, etc.---whatever, to you, equals the perfect life, you could do and have....with no illness, no death, no heartache, no failures.....truly paradise.

126

KarmaGirl

on Apr 21, 2004

It was a response to LovesBlessing's response, A response that did not belittle or make fun of anyone's beliefs but simply outline their's and why. I think it is obvious that you threw out ignorant statements and *attacked* first.

So if you stab me in the leg, it's OK For me to cut your head off? I am missing your logic here....... But, the problem is, if you think that I was attacking anything, you are completely wrong.

Just because I fail to buy into the "oversoul" theory does not mean I have blinders on, and I think I have proven that *you* belittled first. You are just inflamed because you received a dose of your own medicine. And seriously, do you really care if *I* take you seriously? I certainly do not feel likewise.

Read what you said again, you said " however there is merit in your beliefs especially since it causes you to attempt to be a better person. That I think they are silly and shallow and not unlike believing in "The Force" is not relevant to the fact that it makes try to be a better person" which shows that you have no respect for other religions, and that you have "blinders" on. If you find saying that somebody has blinders on is "belittling" you need to open your mind up a bit more. I never slammed on Christianity. I never said that your beliefs are without merit or "wrong". However, you do prove that you are a hypocrite telling everyone else that they are judgmental, attacking, and belittling even though you are doing it yourself.

127

MyViewsAndMuse

on Apr 21, 2004

So if you stab me in the leg, it's OK For me to cut your head off? I am missing your logic here....... But, the problem is, if you think that I was attacking anything, you are completely wrong.

You deny you were ridiculing someone there? Or are you saying your comments were not so bad? Maybe the stab in the leg comment is as close as you will come to admission.

I never slammed on Christianity.

What is you are not Christian? What if your religion does not believe in Jesus? What if the Christian interpretation is wrong? (*gasp*...but, that can't be, could it?) What if the humans that are interpreting the bible for you are wrong in what it means? Will that "I now believe in Jesus" save you then?

Ok, sure you didn't.

128

KarmaGirl

on Apr 21, 2004

You deny you were ridiculing someone there? Or are you saying your comments were not so bad? Maybe the stab in the leg comment is as close as you will come to admission.

uh, didn't I just say that I wasn't attacking anyone? Read it again.

For the second part, sgsmitty64, obviously you don't understand the difference between a question and a statement. I didn't say that any of that was the "truth". They are questions I was asking. Do you have answers to them? Maybe you are seeing them as "slams" because you can't answer them with anything but biblical terms (which is how most Christians respond)? I'm not slamming on anything, but you obviously are too defensive to see that.

129

JillUser

on Apr 21, 2004

sgsmitty, I am siding with Karma on this one. That was not a slam to Christianity. Considering that it is possible that the Christian interpretation of what God wants is not a slam. I think you are being defensive if you think it is. Calling someone else's beliefs silly and shallow is a slam. You could say that you believe you are right and anyone who differs is wrong. You don't have to say they are wrong because they are silly or shallow.

I don't believe Jesus is the son of God but I certainly don't think anyone who does is silly or lesser than I in any respect.

130

MyViewsAndMuse

on Apr 21, 2004

KarmaGirl, deny it all you want, you were mocking. Maybe you need to ask "What Would Bhuda Do" WWBD? And no, that was not an attack.

Sigh, a typical double standard. It is okay to criticize and ridicule Christianity but if a Christian does the same or disbelieves other religions then they are being close minded. And if a Christian responds to the criticism then they are being sensitive or defensive.

I have heard and considered the whole hindu/bhuda thing in my youth and found it lacking. So now I am closed minded? I do not think so. I am not going to be in continuous consideration of a belief I find fault in, sorry.

Regardless, the quote:

What if the Christian interpretation is wrong? (*gasp*...but, that can't be, could it?) What if the humans that are interpreting the bible for you are wrong in what it means? Will that "I now believe in Jesus" save you then?

Is just about offensive as me saying "That I think it is silly and shallow and not unlike believing in 'The Force' " is to you, if only because of the mocking. *Gasp* I compared it to the Force! So I guess we will both have to deal with it

JillUser, I thank you for your comment.

131

KarmaGirl

on Apr 21, 2004

KarmaGirl, deny it all you want, you were mocking. Maybe you need to ask "What Would Bhuda Do" WWBD? And no, that was not an attack.

You could at least spell Buddha correctly....... And, anyone who follows Buddhism always asks themselves that as that is what it is based on. Do you even understand the philosophy behind Buddhism? (I am thinking that you know little about it since you don't even know how to spell it.)

How so? I am asking questions that you could answer that could defend your stance. Saying that something is silly and shallow is quite different. I wasn't saying that it *was* wrong. I was asking how you know it is right. Instead of you defending your beliefs with reasons, you threw insults. I'm not sure why you can not see the hypocrisy in that.

No, but dismissing something as shallow without any discussion why *is* being closed minded. Understanding something and believing it are very different. I *understand* Christianity and the belief in Jesus. I don't *believe* in it though. I truly believe that you do not have the ability to differentiate the two.

132

MyViewsAndMuse

on Apr 21, 2004

They are questions I was asking. Do you have answers to them? Maybe you are seeing them as "slams" because you can't answer them with anything but biblical terms (which is how most Christians respond)?

Oh, I forgot to respond to this one. Your questions were mocking. Let's be serious, do you *really* want to know about Jesus and Christianity? I am betting you have heard it all before and have made up your mind. Then as well meaning Christian's continue to try to reach you it becomes offensive (and maybe rightly so) to you and you respond in kind. Surely you have dealt with those types of Christians. I as well have dealt with the hostile anti-christian crowd many times. They like to bait Christians so as to get them to answer something incorrectly, or to respond with "repent or you will go to hell". Then the flood gates of ridicule and mirth can be unleashed.
You might have noticed I have and will not make any attempt to turn you to Christianity. What I think that may mean to your eternity is 1) not important or true to you and 2) not something I am going to trouble myself with. In most cases my responses are to those that mock or attack Christianity, especially those who supposedly adhere to some higher or differing ideals. All the rest my response is to simply smile and nod my head knowingly.

133

MyViewsAndMuse

on Apr 21, 2004

You could at least spell Buddha correctly....... (I am thinking that you know little about it since you don't even know how to spell it.)

Petty, don't you think? Maybe a spell checker could be a feature of the pay version of JoeUser?

While I am positive that I do not have the knowledge about that you would have I learned enough about it to realize it was not for me. I understand what it means and the philosophy but I do not believe it. To suggest that I do not understand the difference between understanding and believing is sinking into the realm of personal attacks, no?

I certainly respect your beliefs and wish you well with them. I have read your other articles and enjoyed them, the articles detailing your lupus was very good, I found it interesting because my wife suffers from R.A. which as I understand is not as bad as lupus. Regardless, my only issue was with the mocking tone that you had with your response. I know that you are a Stardock employee and can have me blown out of existence but I suspect you are a better person than that, eh?

134

Shulamite

on Apr 21, 2004

Dharma -- What exactly does "enlightened" mean in reference to Buddha?

Kharma -- you said, "Buddhism teaches about life on Earth, where Christianity focuses on what happens after death (lead a life like this so that you go to heaven)." I spend a lot of time learning about life here on earth in my Christianity. I'm not sure you understand just what we learn. We do however focus on afterlife as well. You're right. But we don't say, "lead a life like this and go to heaven." That's the opposite of Christianity. Salvation through works does not work. It's only through faith. Now, faith that is alive and true tends to manifest itself through works and "fruit," no lie, but simple faith is all it takes. A person on their death bed can believe and receive and be saved. No works required.

135

dharmagrl

on Apr 21, 2004

Reply #134 By: Shulamite - 4/21/2004 3:50:30 PM
Dharma -- What exactly does "enlightened" mean in reference to Buddha?

The word 'buddha' means 'enlightened one' or 'awakened one'. It comes from sanskrit word 'budh', to awaken. The Buddha wasn't called The Buddha from birth, his name was Siddartha Gautama. If you want to learn more, let me know and I'll give you some good sites to go to.

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