As a side point, there is no such thing as an Atheist. We all worship something as God. Atheist, Richard Dawkins, worships science as God.
What does the leading Australian Catholic, George Pell, think about Atheists and their chances of getting into heaven?
GEORGE PELL: Well, I know from the Christian point of view, God loves everybody but every genuine motion towards the truth is a motion towards God and when an atheist dies, like everybody else, they will be judged on the extent to which they have moved towards goodness and truth and beauty but in the Christian view, God loves everyone except those who turn his back turn their back on him through evil acts.
So apparently atheists will be in heaven if they are good, truthful and whatever beauty means.
A 'move towards truth' stated by Pell, as a pre-requisite to get into heaven only works if you identify 'what or who is truth'.
1 John 1; 8-9
8 If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. 9
There is no moving towards truth if we don't recognise our sin. That's step 1 in moving towards truth. Who is the truth? What or who is not in us? If the truth is not in us, what or who are we lacking?
John 1; In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning. 3 Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. 4 In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.
As a translation...In the beginning there was Jesus, and Jesus was with God and Jesus was God. Jesus was with God in the beginning. Through Jesus all things were made; without Jesus nothing was made that has been made. In Jesus was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it..
Jesus' life was the light of all mankind. Stay with me here. What kind of light was this?:
John 1 continued... The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world. 10 He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. 11 He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. 12 Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God
Jesus is the true light that points towards life.
Last verse. John 14:6 from the words of Jesus himself:
'I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.'
No one gets to heaven except through Jesus Christ. A genuine move towards truth is a move towards Jesus. If atheists don't worship Jesus Christ as being with God and God (Trinity), eternal, creator and saviour there is no truth in them and therefore no life.
I hope George Pell was meaning to say that a 'move towards truth' can only be a move towards Jesus. Any other move in another direction is a move away from truth.
Tuesday, April 10, 2012
Why Did God choose the Jews?
Why did God choose Israel?
Leader of the Australian Catholics, Cardinal George Pell, says:
'If you want something done, you’ve got to ask somebody. It’s no good, say, my asking everyone in the congregation will you would do something. Normally you go to a busy person because you know they'll do it and so for some extraordinary reason God chose the Jews. They weren't intellectually the equal of either the Egyptians or the...'
What does God tell the prophet Isaiah? Only if we had Isaiah on Q&A.
God chose the Jews to be his 'witnesses'. Isaiah 43:10 'You are my witnesses, and my servant whom I have chosen so that you may know and believe me and understand that I am he. Before me no god was formed, nor will there be one after me...you are my witnesses that I am God. Yes, and from ancient days I am he.
God chose the nation of Israel to reveal himself to the world, not because they were righteous or geo-politically and economically strong. Through the weakness of Israel in their position of slavery, God's glory is proclaimed that much greater. God doesn't ride on the back of nations of military and political strength. If he did you could discount the existence of a God because all achievements could be credited to the strength of the nation. God's grace is more clearly evident through the weak.
Pell was half right.
Leader of the Australian Catholics, Cardinal George Pell, says:
'If you want something done, you’ve got to ask somebody. It’s no good, say, my asking everyone in the congregation will you would do something. Normally you go to a busy person because you know they'll do it and so for some extraordinary reason God chose the Jews. They weren't intellectually the equal of either the Egyptians or the...'
What does God tell the prophet Isaiah? Only if we had Isaiah on Q&A.
God chose the Jews to be his 'witnesses'. Isaiah 43:10 'You are my witnesses, and my servant whom I have chosen so that you may know and believe me and understand that I am he. Before me no god was formed, nor will there be one after me...you are my witnesses that I am God. Yes, and from ancient days I am he.
God chose the nation of Israel to reveal himself to the world, not because they were righteous or geo-politically and economically strong. Through the weakness of Israel in their position of slavery, God's glory is proclaimed that much greater. God doesn't ride on the back of nations of military and political strength. If he did you could discount the existence of a God because all achievements could be credited to the strength of the nation. God's grace is more clearly evident through the weak.
Pell was half right.
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