Will all nonchristians go to hell?
TOM GUENTHER
From Oct. 20-22, the MTS Centre played host to the Franklin Graham Festival, which attracted more than 50,000 people over three days. The festival was free to all that attended, costing 200 local churches $1.4 million. I did not attend the festival, and am by no means a religious person at all, but I do think that I am very respectful of other people’s views on religion, however cynical. What really got me thinking was an article in the Winnipeg Free Press on Monday, Oct. 23, titled “Faith festival fills MTS Centre” by Gabrielle Giroday.
Graham, who took to the stage during Sunday night’s “praisefest,” was said to have tried to convince attendees that “those who do not believe in Christianity face grave consequences.” He went on to say, “You’ve got an opportunity to be in heaven for eternity, you’ve got an opportunity to confess your sins and repent your sins. Jesus Christ is the only one who’s paid the debt of sin, Muhammad didn’t die for your sins, Buddha didn’t die for your sins, Krishna didn’t die for your sins. No other person in history . . . there’s only Jesus Christ.”
Now what really bothers me about Christianity is its followers’ belief that only those who believe in Christianity will be saved. No matter how nice a person you are, no matter how honest you are throughout your life, ultimately, if you’re not a Christian, you’ll go straight to hell.
What about people in parts of the world who have never heard of Christianity? What about innocent newborn babies or young children who die at an age at which they simply aren’t developed enough to understand
Now what really bothers me about Christianity is its followers’ belief that only those who believe in Christianity will be saved.
For example, if only Christians can go to heaven, then Buddhists cannot. Buddhists follow a “Noble Eightfold Path” on the way to the cessation of suffering. This path, taken from Wikipedia, consists of: right viewpoint (realizing the four noble truths), right values (commitment to mental and ethical growth in moderation), right speech (one speaks in a non-hurtful, not exaggerated, truthful way), right actions (avoiding action that would do harm), right livelihood (one’s job does not harm in any way oneself or others, directly or indirectly), right effort (one makes an effort to improve), right mindfulness (the mental ability to see things for what they are with clear consciousness), and right meditation (the state where one reaches enlightenment and the ego has disappeared).
Now personally, I think a lifestyle characterized by these points seems like a very peaceful and noble way to live. But let’s remember now that a Buddhist will be condemned to eternal suffering in hell in the afterlife. According to Christianity, that is.
Such a viewpoint seems very narrow-minded to me. After all, does a life characterized by speaking in a non-hurtful, truthful way, avoiding action that would do harm, and having an occupation that doesn’t harm oneself or others seem like a life that should earn you eternity in hell for the simple reason that you are not a Christian? I’ll let you make up your mind on that.
Tom Guenther is a University 1 student at the University of Manitoba.
