Wow Pastor Roger. Thanks for doubting my motives, saying that you think I lied, and then telling me what I actually was doing. I was just asking a question, a question that I've wondered about since I was very young. If you are actually a Pastor, I hope I never visit your Church.

I've been studying the word of God, and this area isn't very clear to me. Even if some Indians did know, you can't, at least in a clear frame of mind, expect me to believe that every single Indian had a lesson on God's word. I know some people here in small towns in Texas who have been taught almost no religion. Some people very old who have never had an opportunity to learn about God. And this is in America, now, after television, radio, mass market publishing, cars, etc.

We are also told that no one will enter heaven without going through Jesus Christ.

So they go to hell.




I was just wondering how it works, and you've told me what you believe.
Thanks.

Well, I'm going to have to respectfully disagree with that. I certainly don't believe that everyone on earth has a chance to hear of God, and even putting that aside, not everyone has an equal chance to hear about God.

Do you honestly believe that a remote tribe in Africa who has no contact with outsiders actually has a chance to learn about God. Yes, there are missionaries that try, but to find everyone is impossible.

Do you honestly believe that people under a harshly oppressive dictatorship all get a chance to hear about God?

How about Indians in America before the explorers arrived? Where did they learn of God?

oops

First, I read and re-read Dreamweaver's post and I'm not exactly sure if he is saying that my scenario isn't possible because the person in my hypothetical situation would have heard of Christ, or if he is saying that the person would be condemned to hell.

Second,

  Just as your hypothetical goes, perhaps God knew this individual would reject His mercy and die without His forgivness anyhow?   

Surely God can't use this method to determine who goes to hell and who is saved. Otherwise, as dreamweaver mentioned, what would be the purpose of teaching the word? No one would actually need to know the word, God would just know what that person would do if he did know.

I'm going to rule that one out for myself, because it would effectively end the need for missionaries.



Also, when I said concept of a God, I meant God as christianity teaches. I will agree that everyone probably questions what we are and why we are here.



My next question is about life before television and radio. I think we can agree that probably a very large number of the hundreds of millions of Chinese people around in that time probably had no accesss to Christianity. Yes I do know that Christian beliefs were taught in that area around or before 635 AD, but there can be no doubt that large numbers of people have probably lived and died with seeing a missionary.  All of these people are now in hell? Through absolutely no fault of their own, they might have lived as honest and caring individuals but they are condemned for eternity just because no one reached them? I can't believe a loving God could punish someone for this. I would think this would be similar to punishing someone because they are Black, White or Chinese. They can't help it, why should they be punished for it? Or maybe they did see a missionary, once or twice. How many people in America are saved because of countless efforts of a number of people to try to save them? Once again, it isn't fair that I may have five hundred people in my life try to save me , but someone there might only have 2.

Please explain.

Also, I'm not trying to be really negative with my comments, they are just questions that I ask myself, and ones that I really have to know the answer to.

Thanks.

Here is my question:

A child is born in a rural town in China. His parents are Confucianists and so is he. He grows older, learns to harvest a crop, raises a small family and lives the rest of his days. He never comes in contact with a person of the Christian religion. He's never even thought of the concept of a God. What happens when he dies? And why?