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Tue 27 Apr, 2004 01:51 pm
Is it more important to you to be a good person here on earth or be granted eternal life in heaven ? (assuming heaven and god exist and they're both wonderful, yata yata yata)
One is not a means to the other if you are a believer? Assuming you believe in Jesus and God? As a Christian one wants to be like Christ and that would be modeling those characteristics to the best of one's ability. It would not be the deeds you were doing but more over that you believe what the Son of God did on the cross and how you then live and presented yourself in a Christ-like way.
Yes I understand that, but if you had to make a choice.
husker cuts to the chase with this question. If you are a believer, the decision is yours to make. I've always found the whole last rites confession thing a bit of a cop-out, personally, with no intention to offend anyone. There is a theory among some Christians (I've mentioned this before, but can't remember the thread) that Hell is actually our lives on Earth. If that is true, I would think it would be best to be a good person while you are still alive.
What's defined as a standard for a good person? Politically speaking the nation is polarized. Hitler had a view, Kerry has a view, Bush has a view, I have a view you have a view.
Oh I forgot Cav has one also - however slanted :wink:
Well, being a good person on earth to me is a pretty good slant, regardless of faith.
I do also enjoy viewing bush, however slanted.
(Sorry, couldn't resist.)
The standard would be having good intentions towards people and helping everyone and anyone you possibly can, without accepting any personal savior for your acceptance into heaven.
Or you can accept a personal savior for your acceptance to heaven and be indifferent towards humanity.
Actually, you can be good to people without the need for a saviour. It's called humanity.
Quote:Or you can accept a personal savior for your acceptance to heaven and be indifferent towards humanity
Nope - I do not think so - IMO - some well meaning Christians are confused IMO.
And belief or not, there is no need to be horrid to people. Mind you, I do have trouble giving certain homeless people money, because I don't want to be an enabler in their addiction.
husker, those supposedley well-meaning Christians will most likely be in for a big surprise...
husker wrote:Quote:Or you can accept a personal savior for your acceptance to heaven and be indifferent towards humanity
Nope - I do not think so - IMO - some well meaning Christians are confused IMO.
But if you knew your spot in heaven was waiting and all you had to do was accept it, would you still feel the need to do good deeds for others on earth even if it wasn't required of you ?
CerealKiller wrote:husker wrote:Quote:Or you can accept a personal savior for your acceptance to heaven and be indifferent towards humanity
Nope - I do not think so - IMO - some well meaning Christians are confused IMO.
But if you knew your spot in heaven was waiting and all you had to do was accept it, would you still feel the need to do good deeds for others on earth even if it wasn't required of you ?
This is the kind of bullcrap that motivates suicide bombers.
CerealKiller wrote:husker wrote:Quote:Or you can accept a personal savior for your acceptance to heaven and be indifferent towards humanity
Nope - I do not think so - IMO - some well meaning Christians are confused IMO.
But if you knew your spot in heaven was waiting and all you had to do was accept it, would you still feel the need to do good deeds for others on earth even if it wasn't required of you ?
They missed the message but got the gift and the room they get is in heaven but I don't know - where they will be in the hierachy of things
The kingdom of god resides within...what you choose to do with it is your own business. I may not be religious, but I am a firm believer in the gift of free will to humans, wherever it may come from. Considering there is a god, I would expect he/she would want to use it in a positive manner.
I was taught that for entrance into heaven you had to be a good person here on earth. You did not need a savior or follow any particular religion. IMO a belief in God and ascendency into heaven is not religion dependent. In fact based upon the actions and beliefs of many religions they may disqualify people.
My viewpoint:
Heaven is for those who love God. He who loves God is he who does his will. God's will includes love and good towards the neighbour. Hence the question is inapplicable, since these two are inseparable. Don't for a second assume that sins are of no consequence so long as one accept Jesus as one's saviour.
By using our free will to desist from evils and embrace good, our intentions will change to become more like God's. It is from our intentions we make our decisions and act. We do what we are, and not the other way around. Meister Eckhart said:
"We should not think that holiness is based on what we do but rather on what we are, for it is not our works which sanctify us but we who sanctify our works."
I believe this is very true. It is my belief that it is our lives in the flesh here on Earth that form who we truly are and will remain in the life after. If we constantly commit sins, thinking of them as of no consequence, our intentions will gradually distance themselves from God's, and ultimately there will be nothing left of good in us. Therefore it's very important that we really do our best to desist from evils and always try to seek that which is of good and love.
Well, seeing as I don't know for sure what comes after this, I choose to behave myself here anyway, for that is my nature. I couldn't choose, because this is the only reality and existence that I know is real. I am way more "Christ-like" than many church-goers on this earth, too.
Just beware of false profits suzy...I hope you didn't have Enron stock.
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