Why do we always believe our loved ones go to heaven when they die even when we believe/know they were not good people?

2017-06-07T09:37:16-04:00

Many of us believe in a greater power and a place of paradise and conversely a place of punishment/pain for those that were not inherently good people. So why when we lose a family member, friend, or battle do we insist they move on to paradise? Are we they irrational and can't apply our own beliefs to our peers? Do we just not want to accept that our friends/family are bad people?

Response by MSG Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 7 at 2017 9:52 AM

2017-06-07T09:52:53-04:00

Because there is that ever present feeling of HOPE in that all people/souls can be redeemed/saved.

Response by SGT Dave Tracy made Jun 7 at 2017 9:53 AM

2017-06-07T09:53:27-04:00

Maybe we're just hoping the bouncer at the front gate is more forgiving than we are.

Response by CSM Richard StCyr made Jun 7 at 2017 9:59 AM

2017-06-07T09:59:04-04:00

Had a discussion with a Pastor about this very thing not long ago. Centered around a local guy who was buck wild but treated everyone decent. There were quite a few folks who showed up and several denominations present.
The Pastor that did the service did a pretty nice job noting all the good the guy had done and that he sincerely hoped he had repented and found Christ before he died like the sinner on the cross with Jesus.

The Pastor who spoke with me said "I don't understand why no one ever gets preached to hell even when they deserve it". My only answer was "because then none of us has done our job" and no one knows the mind of the dead or what they did before death. All that guy had to do was confess his sin and ask forgiveness, who's to say he didn't. The Pastor wasn't happy with my answer and still doesn't speak to me.

I'm Catholic, we have last rites, but in fact it's no different than other denominations, you're just confessing your sin and declaring your belief to someone. The Baptist church I like to go to says just confess your sin, and ask forgiveness directly and personally to Christ.

So then who could with good conscience preach a man to hell, even those we think were bad folks when we don't know the heart or mind of any but ourselves.

Response by Lt Col Scott Shuttleworth made Jun 7 at 2017 10:06 AM

2017-06-07T10:06:22-04:00

Heaven and Hell are not decided by God based on being inherently good or bad. It is based on much simpler definition than that.
No one on this earth is righteous or good. We are all born with a sin nature to God and that is why he sent His son to be born of a virgin, live a sinless life showing us how to live, and then died on a cross to take away the sins of all and finally He was raised from the dead to be in Heaven sitting on the right hand of God to intervene on those who believed in Him when we all face judgement saying his /her sin debt has been paid.
No matter how mean or nasty or not inherently "good" someone was, if they believed, accepted , and confessed Christ as Lord and Savior then they do go to Heaven. In the eyes of God, not one sin is greater than another...that is why there was one price for sin and not multiple prices for varying degrees...the precious blood of Jesus spilled to cover all sin when we ask acknowledge sine and ask for forgiveness.
Those that reject Christ as Lord and Savior will face judgment as well after death on this earth. Jesus will say to them, depart from me as I never knew you and they will be in eternal judgement in Hades. They don't acknowledge sin as sin.
We can say and accept that some people are just meaner than others. However, we don't know their true heart and belief. It may make us feel better to to not accept their behavior as good but it is not ours to judge. However, Christians should live a Godly life. That does not mean we will not sin but when a person is truly changed by God, they should want to live a life that pleases Him according to His word. And that is where we get the belief of doing good or not..again, if one is changed by God, truly changed by God, then they should want to do good.

Response by SFC Kelly Fuerhoff made Jun 7 at 2017 10:08 AM

2017-06-07T10:08:04-04:00

I think there are some people who have a horrible family member or friend who think if there is a heaven or hell that the person went to hell. I've seen a few obituaries family wrote that spoke the truth about how horrible the person was in their life.

If there's a hell - I know my mom's husband will go. He's a vile poor excuse for a human being and man. He's never done a good thing in his life. He's been physically, emotionally and mentally abusive to all three of his wives (mom is the third) and he still mentally and emotionally abuses my mom to this day. I hope he dies a slow, painful death and then spends an eternity suffering his own personal hell if there's an afterlife. My ex-husband, if he doesn't go to hell then there's something wrong with who gets in. He abused both me and his first wife. He manipulates everyone he meets to feed his addiction. He doesn't take care of any of his kids. He used our daughter's medical condition to get back some of the bail money I put up for him (I was stupid I know long story) and then proceeded to go do meth before he had to go to jail - and the list goes on. There should be a special place in hell for people like him and my mom's husband.

I don't have any family who are inherently bad people. My mom was emotionally abusive to us as kids but she's apologized and making amends with us. I think karma has gotten her at this point too. I don't think she ever did what she did to us or the affair on my father to be malicious. She's just got issues. Big issues.

I know my grandpa very strongly believed in his faith (he was Lutheran) and the one time I argued religion he said to me "if you don't believe in Jesus you're going to hell." I don't agree with that but he was a good, hardworking caring man and if there's a heaven I hope he is there now with my biological grandmother and my uncle (I didn't meet them my grandma died from cancer end of 78, my uncle died by a drunk driver in 79 two weeks after he graduated high school) and his parents and so on. It's a very interesting thing to think about if there is a heaven or hell because if you go to heaven do you see all your ancestors who are there? Think about all the people who have died - isn't it probably crowded?

Anyway - I can fully accept when a friend or family member is a horrible person if they were to be that way.

Response by 1SG Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 7 at 2017 11:12 AM

2017-06-07T11:12:05-04:00

I believe when you die....you die. Until such time that there is evidence or good reason to believe in an afterlife, this is my stance.

Response by Lt Col Jim Coe made Jun 7 at 2017 11:17 AM

2017-06-07T11:17:04-04:00

Most Christians have beliefs about God, being "good", heaven and hell that allow us to believe that a person who has admitted their sinful nature, confessed a belief in Jesus as their savior, and asked Him to come into their life, will share eternity with God. Those who choose not to believe these things are welcome to do so.

Christian principles on good, bad, judgement, and mercy:
-All humans have both free will and a sin-nature, a.k.a., original sin
-Only God can accurately and perfectly judge a person's actions "good"
-Humans judge good and bad actions by their standards, that is the things that are acceptable in their culture
-God is both infinitely just and merciful
-Humans are worthy of God's wrathful judgement, but can be saved to his mercy by the sacrifice of his Son, Jesus
-God will not condemn a person who chooses to not believe in Him to an eternity in his presence; He will allow them to exist in eternity outside of his mercy (some call this Hell)
-There are varying degrees of eternal relationship with or isolation from God. Those who follow after Jesus and work to be His "hands and feet" on earth (commonly known as "good works" such as helping the sick of body or spirit) will receive just rewards in the after-life. Those who believe, but remain centered on the values and behaviors of the world will be saved, but as one escaping through a fire.
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Response by LCpl Cody Collins made Jun 7 at 2017 12:53 PM

2017-06-07T12:53:29-04:00

Probably, we don't know if they asked and received forgiveness from Jesus Christ, before the end came. That's the wonderful thing about Grace !