Christianity? No thanks, the law is written on my heart
October 20, 2007
It doesn’t take long for any thoughtful Christian to wonder “What happens to those people who never hear the word of God?”
What was surprising to me was how little this seemed to bother anyone. Or rather: most people said that this was all the more reason to get out there and proselytize, otherwise these people don’t have a chance! How could someone think like that? How could they think, “if I, or some Christian, doesn’t get to this remote tribe to teach them about Jesus, they’re just going straight to hell, having never had a chance.”
My own intellectual justifications as a kid, can probably be linked to the downfall of my belief. It is based on this verse:
All who sin apart from the law will also perish apart from the law, and all who sin under the law will be judged by the law. For it is not those who hear the law who are righteous in God’s sight, but it is those who obey the law who will be declared righteous. (Indeed, when Gentiles, who do not have the law, do by nature things required by the law, they are a law for themselves, even though they do not have the law, since they show that the requirements of the law are written on their hearts, their consciences also bearing witness, and their thoughts now accusing, now even defending them.) This will take place on the day when God will judge men’s secrets through Jesus Christ, as my gospel declares.
Romans 2:12-16
One problem is that “the law” was referring to Jewish law, which very specifically applies only to the Jewish people. The place of this new sect of Jews alongside Gentiles was not clear in the early church. This clarified that it was a new church with no favoritism for Jews.
Whatever it meant in historical context was unimportant to me. When the word speaks to your heart, you don’t ignore that, it takes precedence. My heart said: “God isn’t evil, he wouldn’t let people lose salvation without a chance, even if they don’t know about Christianity, their heart can be in the right place.”
When you follow this line of reasoning to people who are born into other religions (most people), who, even if they’ve heard of Christ don’t really know anything about him, you end up saying: “So…it doesn’t matter what religion you’re in, or if you’re in one, as long as your conscience bears witness… So why should I be in a religion?”
This always seems to be a problem in religions. How can you have absolutes without being cruel? And if you don’t have absolutes, why should anyone follow you?
October 20, 2007 at 1:15 am
There can only be one absolute if absolute means absolute, and absolute to a Christian means God, above all, in all, of all.
But your point is well made if you are referring to set in concrete rules and regulations.
But that is not God.
The Spirit of God, and God is spirit, is defined by Jesus Christ as the anointing that preaches good news to the poor,freedom for prisoners, recovery of sight to the blind and release for the oppressed. And that is something that reacts to a situation with love and caring in whatever way suits the circumstances, without any set rules or regulations.
The only set in concrete rules and regulations in Christianity are those imposed by the systems and processes of religion.
Clearly, and thankfully, those do not apply to your loving heart that shows compassion for those on the losing end of life.
October 20, 2007 at 3:17 am
Hello,
You ask how one can have absolutes in religion without being cruel and I would like to take a stab at it. You strike a very important issue and one that I’ve spent much time thinking about. I do believe that there are absolute truths. Specifically, I believe in Jesus as my Savior through which all salvation comes. More specifically, I am Roman Catholic and believe that the Church is the true expression of Christianity. Yet, I can believe that it is possible for other people to go to heaven . Why? I believe God does not punish people for what they are incapable of accepting or rejecting and I believe that the Church has not been witnessing to the faith like it should be. This is not simply saying that all people go to heaven because I believe if people reject whatever truth that they do have and act against their conscience, that is the standard on which they will be judged by.
Now, your second concern is also interesting: why should you choose to be in a religion? I can’t speak for all faiths. But, the reason why I go to Church is because I believe that the graces received from Jesus Christ in the Eucharist is the grace that is necessary to go to heaven. Furthermore, having that relationship with Christ gives my life so much meaning and I’m very glad to know the truth.
Also, you asked how the good God can send people to hell. I personally like how C.S. Lewis explains it in the great divorce. Without going into the detail of it, the main point of the work is that God sends people where they want to be in the afterlife and many people choose to be selfish instead of loving Him. So, they are sent to hell because they prefer that to being with God, not because God is cruel and doesn’t want them with him in heaven.
I hope this post helps you and I’ll be praying for you. God Bless
-Todd
November 3, 2007 at 2:39 am
I see, so fundamentalism is false, therefore insipid spiritualism is true. Nice dichotomy. Very black and white, how tidy. One of these days, though, you might explore that vast middle ground occupied by Lewis among others. Check out Peter Kreeft’s _Fundamentals of the Faith_ if you want *real* fundamentlaism, i.e. foundational truths sans “cruelty”.