I have some questions for the BGP religious community regarding who gets into heaven. I'm just wanting your opinion on all of these. Sort of a questionnaire if you will.

 

What factors will determine who gets into heaven and who doesn't?

 

How narrow of a view do you have of heaven's population. For instance I had a professor who told a story of his mother who believed that "all religions were going to heaven...hers were just flying first class". On the other hand a member of my Mother's church once told me that the Pope was going to hell because he wasn't a Baptist. So if you are religion A, does religion B get in, or religion C, etc.?

 

Are there acts that once committed prevent you from getting into heaven, EVER?

 

Are there acts that can be committed that will get you a free ticket?

 

I think that's all I have for right now. Thanks.

I think that all religions can get you to heaven.

 

I guarantee you it just won't be religion A or B.

 

I think maybe only suicide would keep you out.

 

The only single act that will get you in is being a Miami Hurricanes fan.

As a religious person, I find questions like "who will get into heaven" to be redundant. Religion, IMO, is a tool to figure out what is right and what is wrong, which I believe exists seperately from us in moral absolutes that we should try to discover. However, God, as the creator of the moral absolutes, can transcend them. If Hitler truly in his heart repented at the last split-second, I see no reason why he could not be in heaven. Furthermore, despite the moral absolutes, we can never say for sure who is in heaven and who is in hell. We can only try to say what is right and what is wrong.

 

Religious people, IMO, get way, way too caught up in heaven or hell. It leads to a minimalistic attitude of "I have to do this and this and this to get to heaven." Rather, the focus should be on right and wrong- every action we do should be an attempt to do right, not just barely doing what we need to do to get into heaven.

I think that all religions can get you to heaven.

 

I guarantee you it just won't be religion A or B.

 

I think maybe only suicide would keep you out.

 

The only single act that will get you in is being a Miami Hurricanes fan.

Cats,

 

I apologize because I don't know your religious views so I'm going to be a little presumptuous here. I'm assuming you are of the Christian faith so going by your answer does this mean that practicioners of Islam or Judaism will also get into heaven?

As a religious person, I find questions like "who will get into heaven" to be redundant. Religion, IMO, is a tool to figure out what is right and what is wrong, which I believe exists seperately from us in moral absolutes that we should try to discover. However, God, as the creator of the moral absolutes, can transcend them. If Hitler truly in his heart repented at the last split-second, I see no reason why he could not be in heaven. Furthermore, despite the moral absolutes, we can never say for sure who is in heaven and who is in hell. We can only try to say what is right and what is wrong.

 

Religious people, IMO, get way, way too caught up in heaven or hell. It leads to a minimalistic attitude of "I have to do this and this and this to get to heaven." Rather, the focus should be on right and wrong- every action we do should be an attempt to do right, not just barely doing what we need to do to get into heaven.

 

 

To the bolded, he committed suicide. Not much chance to repent there, pretty much punches your ticket for you.

What factors will determine who gets into heaven and who doesn't?

How honestly we strive to do right.

How narrow of a view do you have of heaven's population. For instance I had a professor who told a story of his mother who believed that "all religions were going to heaven...hers were just flying first class". On the other hand a member of my Mother's church once told me that the Pope was going to hell because he wasn't a Baptist. So if you are religion A, does religion B get in, or religion C, etc.?

I'm of the belief that if you knowingly reject the truth (knowingly do wrong), you will go to hell. I believe that the Catholic Church is the true church of God. If a Baptist man, in their heart, realizes this and still rejects the Church, they will go to hell. However, if they have been conditioned to believe that the Church is not the truth, then I don't know a God who will punish them for that. Same holds true for someone who has never heard of the Church, for example.

 

Are there acts that once committed prevent you from getting into heaven, EVER?

Other than knowingly rejecting the truth, no. But even that can be forgiven at the very last moment, so I guess not. This isn't to say there is no right and wrong, but that all can be forgiven with honest repentance. Unfortunately, we can't trick God by knowingly doing wrong all of our lives and at the last minute feeling bad about it. :lol:

 

 

Are there acts that can be committed that will get you a free ticket?

Yes. Quoting my posts and putting a ":thumb:" afterwards. Just kidding. I don't think so.

To the bolded, he committed suicide. Not much chance to repent there, pretty much punches your ticket for you.

Many people commit suicide in a mental state that is less than coherent. There's always the slightest chance.

 

If I was betting, I'd bet against it. But because of that minute chance of forgiveness, I generally don't like to say "he's in and he's out" as a definitive statement.

Many people commit suicide in a mental state that is less than coherent. There's always the slightest chance.

 

If I was betting, I'd bet against it. But because of that minute chance of forgiveness, I generally don't like to say "he's in and he's out" as a definitive statement.

 

 

I seem to recall the chruch's teaching being quite clear on matters of suicide.

I seem to recall the chruch's teaching being quite clear on matters of suicide.

I was listening to Jimmy Akin (America's preeminent Catholic apologist) on the radio last week and a caller asked about suicide- he said that knowingly committing suicide will send you to hell, but A) most people commit suicide at a less than coherent state of mind (due to mental illness, substance abuse, etc) and B) even at the very last second, anything can be forgiven.

 

There's no doubt that the Catholic Church teaches that suicide is always wrong, and there are moral sins that will send you to hell without repentance (and suicide may be one), but you won't find the Catholic Church saying if someone commits suicide they are automatically going to hell. There is always forgiveness.

What factors will determine who gets in and who doesn't? Jesus Christ...those who accept him as their Lord and Savior will be in heaven. Those who reject him, won't be.

 

Acts that will keep you out forever? The Bible says blasphemy of the Holy Spirit is an unpardonable sin. But, if you look at that logically, the Spirit is God's agent to convict you, reveal truth to you and draw you to him...if you reject/blaspheme the Spirt, you're rejecting Christ and God by default. So, no, I don't think there's any act(s) that can't be atoned for by Christ's sacrifice.

 

Acts that will get you in? Accepting Christ...that's it.

Cats,

 

I apologize because I don't know your religious views so I'm going to be a little presumptuous here. I'm assuming you are of the Christian faith so going by your answer does this mean that practicioners of Islam or Judaism will also get into heaven?

 

Yes, I think they can get into heaven too. Aren't Jewish people God's chosen people? As for my personal beliefs, I really am kind of non-denominational, I really don't know how to explain what I believe. I believe in God, and believe that Jesus was his son who made a great sacrifice, I just think that all denominations are flawed and are to caught up on the little stuff. Not everyone, but for instance ask a Southern Baptist to go to a Catholic mass, or a member of a Nazerene church to go Pentacostal church and see what you get.

Many people commit suicide in a mental state that is less than coherent. There's always the slightest chance.

 

If I was betting, I'd bet against it. But because of that minute chance of forgiveness, I generally don't like to say "he's in and he's out" as a definitive statement.

 

I like that way of thinking.

I like that way of thinking.

Suicide is wrong, but there's always the chance of forgiveness.

What factors will determine who gets in and who doesn't? Jesus Christ...those who accept him as their Lord and Savior will be in heaven. Those who reject him, won't be.

 

Acts that will keep you out forever? The Bible says blasphemy of the Holy Spirit is an unpardonable sin. But, if you look at that logically, the Spirit is God's agent to convict you, reveal truth to you and draw you to him...if you reject/blaspheme the Spirt, you're rejecting Christ and God by default. So, no, I don't think there's any act(s) that can't be atoned for by Christ's sacrifice.

 

Acts that will get you in? Accepting Christ...that's it.

Does that mean hell is full of Native Americans?

Does that mean hell is full of Native Americans?

 

I don't know who will or won't be there, but I suspect hell will consist of people from all origins, nationalities, ethnic groups, colors, etc...I don't think any one group will be alone there.