"I'm right, you're going to Hell" is the rallying cry of most religions. Of the 3 major religions, the orthodox churches of both are very exclusionary. Yes, you can join the elect, but if you don't, there's nothing we can do for you. So, everyone born before Jesus or Mohammed is gonna burn forever? Since neither prophet spent much time in the western hemisphere, Native Americans were crispy critters for hundreds or thousands of years after the two sages walked the Earth. Aborigines in Austalia, fuhgetaboutit. True, some sects say otherwise. The Mormons, for example, believe that Jesus hopped a Jumbo Jet to the states and hung out here a while.
The Jews had a different concept. They were to be an example to the other nations to bring them to righteousness. However, they also had no concept of an afterlife until Alexander the Grape conquered Judah.
If God only reveals himself to save one nation or racial group, then he's a pretty small God. I would certainly find it hard to believe in an exclusionary supreme being, when the exclusion is pretty much pre-determined. Exclusion or inclusion dependent on one's actions makes more sense. If someone is not a Roman Catholic, does he really have to believe that Mother Teresa is going to Hell? Or Father Damian? And what about babies who die before they can decide whether they want to be good or evil? And I don't believe in limbo, except as a dance game in The Caribbean. <G> |
