It is estimated that 69 to 110 billion humans have lived and died on the earth since the dawn of time.
Meaning that billions upon billions upon billions of people lived, and died before any of the 3 major religions came into existence.
Seeing as each religion is very strict and exclusive with its afterlife admittance program, there are billions of billions upon billions of people that are, technically rotting in hell.
Just because they were born tens of thousands of years before Jesus and Muhammad.
The God in the "holy books" isn't very nice is he?
It's not very fair, or practical, or reasonable for that matter.
Such a shame though. All those billions of people, born, raised children, practised their own now extinct religions and worshiped their own, now false gods.
I wonder if 5000 years from now they'll be saying the same thing about today's popular religions?
Gender: Male Location: Southern Oregon,
Looking at you.
Re: 69 to 110 Billion
Yes, I think they will. However, I am a Buddhist, and we don't believe in a hell that you go to after death.
There is one problem, or at least I used to think it was a problem, with reincarnation. With so many people who are died in the past, how could they all have been reincarnated? Well, here is the answer (or at least an answer); past lives are not a one for one exchange. Think of it like waves on an ocean; a wave will rise due to the circumstances at the time and will then travel a while and then fade. Sometimes the sea is a storm with waves (like now), and other times it is a calm sea.
Thats some sort of mathematics applied to religion...
Population grow fast, so the major part of humans lived after those religions appeared even if they appeared just 2000 or 2500 years ago.
I donīt believe Iīm really thinking this but, thats a good reason to consider reincarnation, because if we do not consider it, a new soul will have to be created fo each new born child, and can this creation go on forever, or there is a limit ? If reincarnation exist the number of souls could be constant. Do they spend something to create souls like energy or something else ? Resources are not infinite... you know... and there would be a lot of people, they will need a lot of space in heaven, or hell !
Atlantis touched upon something interesting. For one, you're assuming the existence of a soul which 'doesn't exist' in Buddhism (though it does in nearly all other religions). Most of Buddhism is coming to accept and truly understand this fact.
But assuming there are definitely souls for a second, we have no idea if there's a fixed number or not. And just because, at one point, there was only one human...that doesn't mean there aren't many more souls. Most reincarnation theories state that reincarnation happens at different rates for different souls/essences/etc. so it's really just wild speculation...the population numbers do nothing to either bolster or refute these theories.
But the "what about the bush men that don't know Jesus?" argument has been used throughout my life. Most religions, preaching tolerance, don't openly condemn them to hell for not being of the "true faith"...but most don't really say what happens to them, and they generally just skirt the issue.
I would say that considering the people i n the old testament hadnt heard of Jesus but had been accounted to rightreousness by God for faith in him then the same principle would apply to thoise who have nbever heard. in the bible it says that man is without excuse because the very creation speaks of God .
LOL true , I Am in awe of God , constantly, course I believe that there IS a God and he created all this . Its not me saying it , its the word of God , not sure but i think it was actually Paul that wrote it .
well finti , yes i am the one that says i believe , the books of the bible were written thousands of years apart , and yet prophecies were fullfilled . from old to new in exactly the way they were told they would . when the scribes had to preserve the old testament , there were certain guidelines they had to follow . there is no way it was saved then someone said oh, i think i;; add to this fallacy by makin this true over here , thousands of years later , when they had no idea it was even prophecy , it doesnt state it in the book .. i mean come on now ..
But the main reason i believe is because i knwo in my heart , that it is truth, because the Holy Spirit has shown me , and no one can understand that fully until it happens to you/ it is foolishness to the world . So best to leave me in my own little world and let me believe , cause i know what i know and i will never give it up , people been tryin to discredit God for thousands of years , aint happened yet , and never will . Though he slay me , yet will i praise him !
According to my sources, everyone who died before Jesus' existence went to Abraham's Bosom, some sort of sub-heaven. Then, upon Jesus' death, they went to heaven...
Interesting theory..but a bit innaccurate. The Bible teaches us the "fool" knows that there is a God. It also teaches us that God has "programmed" each man to have an awareness of him, or specifically have an awareness of something greater then themselves.
So technically speaking, if you believe in the scripture..which is God's Holy word..everyone should know that their is a being higher than themselves, regardless of whether or not the concept of religion has been presented to them.
The Bible also states that God is a "Righteous" Judge. "Righteous" meaning, fair and just. So if you believe in God's Holy word, then you will believe that God will judge each person fairly, despite the circumstances they've been given throughout their lives.
So I guess it really all boils down to the age old question...Do you believe in a "Loving" God. My answer is yes, and upon believing in a "loving" God, I believe that all people will be judged "righteously" before him, whether they practiced the religion known as "Christianity" or not.
__________________ If knowledge is power..how come we have so many idiots in charge?!!
Last edited by whobdamandog on Oct 26th, 2005 at 11:44 AM
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69 to 110 Billion
Oct 10th, 2005 04:45 AM
