Latest British Social Survey finds 52% of the Country are non Religious

[Gofer Blue]

Here's something I've always wondered about the whole heaven/hell thing - say I'm a believer and I know Christ and live a perfect, devout life and get into heaven. But say my partner, who I love dearly, doesn't believe and doesn't get to go to heaven. Do I then live the rest of eternity in heaven, knowing that she's spending eternity in hell or purgatory? Because to be honest I'd find that quite upsetting and not very heavenly at all. How does that work?

As a Christian I have wrestled with this thought myself. I can only conclude that heaven is nothing like anything we humans can conceive of i.e. will we have no memory of the time before we died and simply enjoy a peaceful, pain-free, war-free existence in some sort of spirit form? The Bible talks of a heavenly "body" and Jesus said there would be no marriages in heaven but there is some controversy over this: did he mean that people who get to heaven don't marry there or did he mean that people who were married in their earthly life don't stay married in heaven! It's one of those questions that can't be answered unfortunately. BTW I often wonder why non-believers get upset with notions of heaven and eternal life - surely it is irrelevant to them?

[Taunton Blue Genie]

As a Christian I have wrestled with this thought myself. I can only conclude that heaven is nothing like anything we humans can conceive of i.e. will we have no memory of the time before we died and simply enjoy a peaceful, pain-free, war-free existence in some sort of spirit form? The Bible talks of a heavenly "body" and Jesus said there would be no marriages in heaven but there is some controversy over this: did he mean that people who get to heaven don't marry there or did he mean that people who were married in their earthly life don't stay married in heaven! It's one of those questions that can't be answered unfortunately. BTW I often wonder why non-believers get upset with notions of heaven and eternal life - surely it is irrelevant to them?

It's because the concept infantilizes the gullible.

[Gofer Blue]

[/B]It's because the concept infantilizes the gullible.

Matt 18:3: And he said: “I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children*, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.

*Note: childlike not childish. Think on.

[delmbox]

As a Christian I have wrestled with this thought myself. I can only conclude that heaven is nothing like anything we humans can conceive of i.e. will we have no memory of the time before we died and simply enjoy a peaceful, pain-free, war-free existence in some sort of spirit form? The Bible talks of a heavenly "body" and Jesus said there would be no marriages in heaven but there is some controversy over this: did he mean that people who get to heaven don't marry there or did he mean that people who were married in their earthly life don't stay married in heaven! It's one of those questions that can't be answered unfortunately. BTW I often wonder why non-believers get upset with notions of heaven and eternal life - surely it is irrelevant to them?

I'm not sure if the last sentence is directed at me, it's just a big contradiction I've always wondered about, same as if only believers get into heaven it seems a bit unfair that say a non believer who's dedicated their lives to saving children ends up in the same place as the Yorkshire Ripper.

I've got no quarrel with you and your beliefs though, it's not for me but I think religion and faith can be a good thing in that it gives people strength in testing times and in its best form leads people to do good, it's just the violent fanatics and those that abuse and misinterpret the core messages that make it the cause of so many problems, and unfortunately historically and currently there's a lot of them

[Gofer Blue]

I'm not sure if the last sentence is directed at me, it's just a big contradiction I've always wondered about, same as if only believers get into heaven it seems a bit unfair that say a non believer who's dedicated their lives to saving children ends up in the same place as the Yorkshire Ripper.

I've got no quarrel with you and your beliefs though, it's not for me but I think religion and faith can be a good thing in that it gives people strength in testing times and in its best form leads people to do good, it's just the violent fanatics and those that abuse and misinterpret the core messages that make it the cause of so many problems, and unfortunately historically and currently there's a lot of them

I haven't come across many violent fanatical Christians recently and if I did, then by default they would be Christians in name only!

[delmbox]

I haven't come across many violent fanatical Christians recently and if I did, then by default they would be Christians in name only!

How many violent fanatics of other religions have you come across?

[truthpaste]

How many violent fanatics of other religions have you come across?

In over 5 decades of having an interest in matters of fauth, I can only recall members of one group taking such violent and deadly actions. Unfortunately their understanding of their own prophecies means that many of them believe that they can personally accelerate the end-time events by bringing about such world instability.
In contrast those who read and understand Biblical Prophecy know that God is alone in control of all such future events and their timing on the world stage.

[jon1959]

In over 5 decades of having an interest in matters of fauth, I can only recall members of one group taking such violent and deadly actions. Unfortunately their understanding of their own prophecies means that many of them believe that they can personally accelerate the end-time events by bringing about such world instability.
In contrast those who read and understand Biblical Prophecy know that God is alone in control of all such future events and their timing on the world stage.

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[ToTaL ITK]

In over 5 decades of having an interest in matters of fauth, I can only recall members of one group taking such violent and deadly actions. Unfortunately their understanding of their own prophecies means that many of them believe that they can personally accelerate the end-time events by bringing about such world instability.
In contrast those who read and understand Biblical Prophecy know that God is alone in control of all such future events and their timing on the world stage.

ohhh you mean the catholics...oh sorry the jews...opps the protastants..errr? muslims....sunni or shia? i could go on forever

[Gofer Blue]

How many violent fanatics of other religions have you come across?

Truthpaste has beaten me to it. I suspect you know very well which religion is the elephant in the room here! Look no further than Afghanistan or even Pakistan where Christians are regularly murdered (some burned alive), churches and whole villages burned because someone "blasphemed". Because these events don't take place in the west they rarely make the news.

[delmbox]

Truthpaste has beaten me to it. I suspect you know very well which religion is the elephant in the room here! Look no further than Afghanistan or even Pakistan where Christians are regularly murdered (some burned alive), churches and whole villages burned because someone "blasphemed". Because these events don't take place in the west they rarely make the news.

It's getting to be a bit of a squeeze in this room with that elephant and the Catholic priest/child abuse on a massive scale shaped one next to it

[David Lemma]

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[jon1959]

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More proof that miracles do not happen!