[net.religion] Question...

deb (04/24/83)

I apoligize. More specifically, I apoligize in ADVANCE for
any nuclear fallout caused by the following article/question.
(Yes, it is interesting to note these days just how many articles
on the net have a disclaimer on them `Not responsible for damages
caused by this product'!)

Also, while the free will / predest (etc.) was very interesting,
I would like to see something else for a change.

There are many of you who might think that this article should have
gone to net.singles. You may be right. At any rate,

	********************************************************
	I don't read netnews very often. If anyone replies to this,
	regardless of whether you post to the net or not, please
	MAIL me a copy. I am allegra!deb, (mhtsa!allegra!deb).
	********************************************************

Here goes...
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	I have had a relationship with a member of the opposite
	sex for more than two years. I had know that this person
	was very devoted religiously, not in attending worship
	services all the time, but rather in believing what in
	the Bible. (Said person is Protestant, by the way.)

	I recently learned that this person believes that I will
	not go to heaven when I die. (I'm not Protestand, I'm Jewish).
	However, this person expects to go to heaven. The religious
	argument is that I do not believe in Jesus, while the
	other person does. I pointed out that I am a (reasonably)
	good person (I really am!) and should thus have a good chance
	to make it into heaven. The person replied that the Bible states
	that actions have no bearing in going to heaven, it is belief
	in Jesus alone that saves.

		This caused some (small) problems between us that we
	have decided to ignore for now.

	At any rate, it has started me thinking, quite a bit.
	I don't know that I believe in Heaven or Hell.

	Heaven - I can't conceive of not existing after I die.
	On the other hand, I can't conceive of existing forever.

	Hell - Hell implies the existance of God. It is quite difficult
	for me to believe that God would make someone suffer forever,
	(and forever is a long time, no matter how meta-physical
	we might be), no matter what they've done.

	Also, if I don't believe in Jesus, isn't that the product
	of not being raised as a Christian?
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If anyone would care to reply, besides the questions at the end
remains the problem -- what should I do in terms of this relationship?
The person's main problem with my not being in Heaven, is that they
will miss me througout all eternity, which is a long, long time.

	allegra!deb

P.S. My name is NOT debbie. While I ommitted genders in this article,
my login is not a clue. DEB are my initials. Make your own guesses...