Rebecca Eleventy!!!l! Uncle in hell?

[rabbit chaser]

Small: This is what you do with God *does impression of praying*

My brother: Yeah, but we don't do that, because God isn't real.

Small: [cousin] says that you don't know about God, Daddy. And he is real.

Brother: That's OK if [cousin] believes that. He's allowed to say I don't know everything *laughing* right, Small?

Small: But you have to know about God or not! *agitated*

Brother: Just don't worry, Small. You're too little to worry about that.

Small: IT IS VERY BIG!

Awwwww. She is so right, it is VERY BIG. She is a brave one to take on the thought while it is big and she is small.

[cosmictraveler]

Eastern Orthodox here. Orthodoxy teaches you work out your own salvation with God, and you mind your own business about anyone else's, because it is between them and God, and not for another person to comment on. Furthermore, according to EO theology, NOBODY can know whether or not they are going upstairs or downstairs, until after lights out. That's right, none of us has a sure thing in the bag. As to other religions, and this is from the mouth of a priest, "mind your own business, no one knows the plans of God, but if God is good, people are not going to hell for a wrong guess or being part of a different religious tradition". Note the repetitive themes of "mind your own business" and "no one can know".

So yeah, as a Christian, I find it incredibly presumptuous that some people actually think they know who is and who is not going to heaven. If that isn't being a whitewashed tomb on the outside with all matter of foulness within, I don't know what is.

Rebecca should work out her own salvation, and leave her uncle's fate in the hands of a loving God, not the monster she tries to appease.

My husband is from Russia and also Eastern Orthodox, and when having one of our long, philosophical talks, he explained it to me in pretty much this way, which is why even as an Agnostic, I have mad respect for the Eastern Orthodox denomination. :) Also, as a result of this belief system, he doesn't try to change or convert me, and doesn't think there's anything wrong with me not considering myself a Christian. He doesn't lament that I should get baptized or otherwise I'll burn in hell. Some of his initial culture shock when moving to the US was how vocal the Christians here can be about judging others as not being worthy of going to heaven, and considers it a huge turn-off. He is the most accepting, open-minded Christian I've ever known in my life.

[Arete]

My husband is from Russia and also Eastern Orthodox, and when having one of our long, philosophical talks, he explained it to me in pretty much this way, which is why even as an Agnostic, I have mad respect for the Eastern Orthodox denomination. :) Also, as a result of this belief system, he doesn't try to change or convert me, and doesn't think there's anything wrong with me not considering myself a Christian. He doesn't lament that I should get baptized or otherwise I'll burn in hell. Some of his initial culture shock when moving to the US was how vocal the Christians here can be about judging others as not being worthy of going to heaven, and considers it a huge turn-off. He is the most accepting, open-minded Christian I've ever known in my life.

Just so. ;) Some of the happiest and longest marriages I know are between still believing Eastern Orthodox and Agnostic partners. And that culture shock of this in-your-face-your-bound-for- hellfire Christianity is very real. Usurping God's role as the Just Judge is not cool.

[hywelis]

I think it was Thomas Aquinas (I may be libeling a dead philosopher) who said that one of the principal pleasures of Heaven was watching people burn in Hell.

There is so much wrong with that, it makes me a little nauseated.

Bolding mine.

What a horrible thing to say, whoever said it. So much for love and kindness

Hywelis