A question for Christians.

[Divinus Arma]

If one never hears the Gospel, do they get sent to hellfire and damnation, even though they never had an opportunity to be saved?

[Ice]

If one never hears the Gospel, do they get sent to hellfire and damnation, even though they never had an opportunity to be saved?

Eh, I'm not a real hardcore Christian (not really even soft core), but I'd assume no. That would just be stupid.

[Banquo's Ghost]

I imagine the protestants have some heretical ideas on this () but the catholic tradition was no - still subject to original sin, such people could not enter heaven but would go to a place known as Limbo - jolly pleasant, a bit like the local country club, but not the full paradise deal.

Under the current Holy Father, there's a debate going on about the actual nature of limbo and indeed its very existence as a separate state from paradise.

[shlin28]

But what if they were very bad people but never hears the Gospel?
And a friend in my school, when I asked the same question, said that everyone goes to the heaven/hell/limbo/next life of their own religon.

[Ice]

But what if they were very bad people but never hears the Gospel?
And a friend in my school, when I asked the same question, said that everyone goes to the heaven/hell/limbo/next life of their own religon.

Well, I assume if they are evil, they go to hell.

[Ironside]

But what if they were very bad people but never hears the Gospel?
And a friend in my school, when I asked the same question, said that everyone goes to the heaven/hell/limbo/next life of their own religon.

I think we can assume that DA is talking about the ones that succeed to not sin while still not heard about the Gospel. Another gorup of those are the unbabtised children.

[Divinus Arma]

I think we can assume that DA is talking about the ones that succeed to not sin while still not heard about the Gospel. Another gorup of those are the unbabtised children.

No. I'm talking about grown adults in parts of the world that have remained, amazingly, unexposed to the Gospel of Jesus Christ. This could be in parts of Asia, Africa, some weird island, etc. According to the Christian faith, they would all be sinners simply by being born of course.

[HoreTore]

Well, if my memory of Dante serves me right, those who have never heard the gospel, as well as "notable heretics", ie. people of different religions who lived righteous lives(for example Saladin), spends some time in Limbo, until they are judged by their actions and go to paradise(o not...).

[doc_bean]

I imagine the protestants have some heretical ideas on this () but the catholic tradition was no - still subject to original sin, such people could not enter heaven but would go to a place known as Limbo - jolly pleasant, a bit like the local country club, but not the full paradise deal.

Under the current Holy Father, there's a debate going on about the actual nature of limbo and indeed its very existence as a separate state from paradise.

The old dogma, afaik, was that the souls of those not baptized reside in limbo until judgement day, where they too will be judged. Dante (considering the time frame it's reasonable to assume he followed the dogma at the time) mentions that JC took some 'worthy' souls out of limbo to heaven around the time of his 'death'.

Now, personally, from reading the bible (when I was a kid...) I gathered that no one would be judged until judgement day. A certain pope tried to make this dogma, but he was accused of heresy (and might even have burned for it) if I'm not mistaken.

This is one of the most difficult and controversial questions in christianity.

[Sigurd]

If one never hears the Gospel, do they get sent to hellfire and damnation, even though they never had an opportunity to be saved?

The LDS doctrine on this is actually pretty fair...

[Husar]

Doesn't the bible say that God is just? If he really is, he should only do things that serve ultimate justice since he is perfect. So he certainly won't do anything unfair to them. Guess it depends on how they lived or so.

[Strike For The South]

There is no such thing as a orignal sin we are born pure and it goes down hill from there. You hafto make the decison to accept christ you hafto understand what accepting him means.

[Beirut]

As far as I know, the Jehova's Witnesses (I work with several) say that if you have never heard the Gospel, you get a free pass.

[Divinus Arma]

I am looking for the various Christian Orgahs to relate their interpretation as revealed by their influences, to include church leadership and/or self study.

Because: If those who have never heard the gospel get a free pass, then spreading the gospel is the worst thing a person could possibly do.

According to GotQuestions.Org, a Christian website:

If we assume that those who never hear the Gospel are granted mercy from God, we will run into a terrible problem. If people who never hear the Gospel are saved…we should make sure that no one ever hears the Gospel.

And if people who haven't heard are only sent to "limbo" rather than hell or heaven, then spreading the gospel is still a bad idea. 100 Billion people in limbo is better even than a few in hell who are only there because they heard about the J-Man and didn't buy what the church was selling.

[naut]

People have already mentioned Dante's Divine Comedy. So I have no idea, limbo seems like the most logical explaination.

[Beirut]

Because: If those who have never heard the gospel get a free pass, then spreading the gospel is the worst thing a person could possibly do.

Didn't Jesus tell his followers to spread the gospel?

That is why the Jehova's Witnesses go door to door, because they say the Bible says you have to spread the word.

[Strike For The South]

I can explain that easy, Accepting Jesus is the greatest and most fufilling thing a person can ever do.

[Divinus Arma]

Didn't Jesus tell his followers to spread the gospel?

And effectively damning everyone to hell in the process.

"Tell everyone that they must believe that I am God or else they will go to hell!"