[MENTION=30006]Jadz[/MENTION] - Thanks for your clear reply.
For those others who were wondering what post I made, here's it (I wrote it but I wasn't sure whether I was ready for a serious discussion at that time - so I deleted it - I thought I will post it in this same thread at a later date). Now that Jadz saw my post and was kind enough to give a crystal clear reply, I am all ears.
Cool. So if I understand correctly, its not eternal hell.
So from your choice of words, I understand that its possible that the hell being referred to is not eternal. I still wonder - If it isn't eternal hell, then why wouldn't it be mentioned clearly? Like one would go to hell for a long time and after that he will out of it.
Why any ambiguity reg this topic which can be interpreted in various ways?
Ok, I am a little bit confused reg this part.
Are you saying God will accept people of all religions and not condemn them to hell just because they followed a different religion?
Or are you saying God will see if a person had the opportunity to know about Islam and if he had had that opportunity and didn't embrace it during his lifetime, he could be condemned to hell?
If its the former, cool.
If its the latter, I have another question.
Let's say (hypothetically), Christianity (the way it portrays God and the path to attain him) is the truth and all other religions are false. Now everyone of us (Non Christians in this forum) have access to Bible, Christian teachings, etc.
How many of us would study it like a true Christian would do and then decide if it was right for them? The vast majority of us would still not be likely to embrace another even with all the information at our fingertips.
What about countless other religions?
When we are born into a particular family, we get indoctrinated with a certain set of views that the family believes in. Now no matter how logical we may be as humans, our entire outlook towards various religions would be through a biased lens, don't you think? Isn't that precisely why even after 1000's of religious debates among intellectuals, there isn't a consensus on which one is the truth?
I am not sure why we need a test in the first place.
But let's assume this is just a test.
I would like to take an extreme example to ask a question:
How is it fair that you and I are blessed with a great life with access to a great education, health, wealth and what not and....some poor kids are trafficked to some unknown land, forced into prostitution, beaten up on a daily basis thereby undergoing a life full of misery until they die?
If all souls are equal, why is it that one soul gets a nice easy test and other soul gets a brutal test?
Does the poor kid need to be tested this way for its life to have a meaning? Why can't it have a nice meaningful life like us?
Now don't get me wrong Jadz. I am not presenting this example just for an argument but I fail to see why should there be such a vast disparity in tests? What's the need? And if there is one, why should certain people get the raw end of the deal?
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Again, thanks for your detailed reply post. Looking forward to your response.
Well, Sensible-Indian-Fan, I rather liked reading your response, and found it quite interesting and insightful.
If I may, I would like to address your last point first - not a very scientific approach, but hope you will bear with me.
Firstly, we should all get this idea that all human beings are equal out of our heads. Nowhere has God ever stated that He created everyone on the same level as everyone else. Physical evidence informs us that human beings are definitely not equal: some are more beautiful than others, some more intelligent, some taller, shorter, lighter, darker, richer, poorer and so on. Thus, equality does not exist, nor has it ever. What God has revealed is that every single soul is sacred in His Sight, and that He has conferred dignity upon human beings. This being the case, those fortunate ones - such as you have described yourself - are honour and duty-bound to reach out to the less fortunate, to share those blessings of God with them, and to work to create just and equitable systems, the means by which all peoples will have access to health and education. Poverty is only a problem when insufficient funds and resources are directed at alleviating it. Further, extreme poverty is a threat to human life, societies and existence, because it creates tremendous suffering, mass death, even civil disturbance and violence. Addressing poverty is a key aspect of faith and religion, which is we see so many religious-based charities. This is where the test lies: those who have been provided for, must share, and must exercise generosity in all their dealings. Where systems of governance generate inequity, they have to be reformed in order to achieve true equity.
Regarding religions and the question of bias: human beings who are, by nature, thinkers and seekers after the truth, do not simply follow a religion because their forefathers did. For instance, I was born into a Muslim family, went to a Jewish primary school, and sang Christian hymns at high school, I have had - over the course of the years - friends from many different, diverse religious backgrounds. The only thing I inherited from my Parents was independence of thought, and a desire to seek the truth - so that this search led me to Islam, not by default, but by choice. We do not 'follow' religion, we implement its principles and precepts in our day to day lives. God is not a dictator, and knows why people believe what they do, and why they reject religion - and Him - altogether. Often, people turn away from religion because of what they see religious people doing. However, this is not an intelligent response: we cannot walk away from an idea without examining it, researching and studying it. So, religion requires deep thought, profound study. There are many who simply adore the rituals associated with religion, so they reduce it to just that - ritual. But, if we take a close look at history, we will see that the Early Muslims ventured far and wide - in the intellectual as well as actual sense - and in so doing, expanded, broadened and deepened the sum-total of human knowledge. They did not confine religion to ritual, but realised it required greater thought than mere ritual action, it needed intellectual input, which is why they were so inventive, creative and innovative.
Sometimes, people become too preoccupied with terms - such as 'Islam'. It - Islam - only means 'submission' in the actual and abstract sense. This submission is a system as well as process, the means by which all things submit to the laws instituted by God - such as rising, falling, living, dying, sleeping, awakening, working, resting, and so on. So, Islam is not person or ethnic-centred, like Christianity or Judaism, it is a concept, an idea, which when properly understood becomes eminently sensible and reasonable.
So, yes, there are countless religions - but which one is the truth? That is for every human being to find out for him or her own self. I cannot say to you: accept this because I know it is the truth. It is for you to discover the truth for yourself, so that you may know it without me, or anyone else, telling you, instructing you. The only thing a Muslim is required to do is to convey the Message, and leave the rest to God - because He is the One who inspires and gives faith.
As for the rest: God instituted the Day of Judgement in order to adjudicate matters, so that all those differences in belief and divergent opinions will be sorted out by Him. Also, the restoration of justice, punishment for evildoers, and reward for the doers of good. God cold have made human beings follow one religion, but He willed human beings to find their own way to the truth. Ultimately, what matters is the truth, no-one wants to believe in, or follow, falsehood or conjecture. God is the Guide, so we have to trust in His Mercy, Compassion and Wisdom.
