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Comment by klmadfejno | Hacker News Reader

> Christianity brought "turn the other cheek", but 2000 years later look where we are.

I've no interest in a debate on religion, but Christianity is the religion that brought "bad people burn in hell for eternity".

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My point wasn't so much that Christianity is a solution, but rather that despite how widespread Christianity became since its founding, one of it's core messages hasn't culturally sunk in.

Christianity doesn't have the power to torture people for eternity, and it does have the power to influence believers towards forgiveness. "Bad people burn in hell" is a reassurance that the universe is just, which further enables forgiveness on earth.

Since they're borne to sin, they can do whatever they want.. God will forgive them

Genuine question. Does Christian god forgive everyone? Or only the repentant? Or only the baptized-believer-repentent?

If the answer to the first question isn't yes, can you still go to hell with god's forgiveness?

I think it's a little different across sects, but I grew up around a lot of baptists and the line was that anyone who asks was forgiven at any point, so I think this falls into the repentant category, though I don't think it actually requires repent. Lots of tough questions around someone who lives a virtuous life who asked forgiveness at an early age versus an evil person asking for forgiveness on their death bed and them both ending up in the same place.

A verse you might want to consider is "... we have our hope set on the living God, who is the Savior of all people, especially of those who believe." My interpretation is that forgiveness is available to all but made effective only in those who respond in faith. The scriptures do not say anything about those who are ignorant about God's salvation.

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