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S
Tricky question to answer without knowing exactly how she structures her beliefs.
However, she's not an atheist. Atheists believe that there is no higher power at all. To them, once you go, it's eternal oblivion. If anything she may be called agnostic. Correct me if I'm wrong but I'm reasonably sure agnostics accept the premise of a higher power, but aren't sure what form/belief system is the correct one.
As for the Heaven question, let me ask you this;
When you were 2 years old, did you know of the existence of Mt. Everest? If someone told you there was a mountain so tall that there was almost no air at the top, would you have believed it? Chances are no, but that doesn't change the fact that it still exists.
The absence of evidence does not mean something isn't there. It just means you haven't found it yet.
However, she's not an atheist. Atheists believe that there is no higher power at all. To them, once you go, it's eternal oblivion. If anything she may be called agnostic. Correct me if I'm wrong but I'm reasonably sure agnostics accept the premise of a higher power, but aren't sure what form/belief system is the correct one.
As for the Heaven question, let me ask you this;
When you were 2 years old, did you know of the existence of Mt. Everest? If someone told you there was a mountain so tall that there was almost no air at the top, would you have believed it? Chances are no, but that doesn't change the fact that it still exists.
The absence of evidence does not mean something isn't there. It just means you haven't found it yet.
J
If one believes in God but doesn't conform to a certain religion, they are considered a Theist. Or if they think there's a chance that there's a God or not and it's not for us to really know or have the desire to find out, then she's Agnostic.
The truth is that you can't convince people to believe a certain way as you do. Just because they don't now doesn't mean that they will never. Only time can tell with that.
The truth is that you can't convince people to believe a certain way as you do. Just because they don't now doesn't mean that they will never. Only time can tell with that.
Atheist: someone who does not believe in any god and may or may not believe in the supernatural or spiritual
Agnostic: an atheist who is open to the possibility of there being a god or gods but does not currently believe in a god
Theist: someone who believes in a god or gods, but does not necessarily identify that god.
Christian: a theist who believes in the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and who believes in the Gospel.
Hope that helps.
Agnostic: an atheist who is open to the possibility of there being a god or gods but does not currently believe in a god
Theist: someone who believes in a god or gods, but does not necessarily identify that god.
Christian: a theist who believes in the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and who believes in the Gospel.
Hope that helps.
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If she believes in God, or any kind of god, she is not an atheist.
Actually, they would be considered a theist regardless as to whether they conform to a certain religion or not.
Technically, an agnostic-theist.
So, to help make my point:
If the conditions of entering heaven is to believe in God, then yes, you HAVE to be a theist to get into heaven. You yourself are a theist. This doesn't necessarily mean all theists would go to heaven, since theism doesn't refer to a specific god. It only refers to whether or not someone believes in a god or gods.
So this response to your questions...
... is just wrong. Because Christians ARE theists.
Actually, an agnostic is a person who doesn't know. An atheist who claims they don't know for sure there is no god would be an agnostic-atheist. It sounds like you sister is an agnostic-theist.
Atheists who claim to know there are no gods would be gnostic-atheists. People who claim they know for sure God is real are gnostic-theists.
Other than that discrepancy, TheArisocat hit the nail on the head.
She is a theist, just like you and almost everyone else on this site. I would consider her a Christian, but most people on this site would argue she's not a "true" Christian. It depends on how you define Christianity. If she isn't a Christian, she leans towards Christianity.
The question isn't so much what you would consider her though. That's irrelevant. The question would be whether or not she can make it to heaven without looking more into the Bible. This is a question I am not at liberties to answer considering my own personal views.
Actually, they would be considered a theist regardless as to whether they conform to a certain religion or not.
Technically, an agnostic-theist.
So, to help make my point:
If the conditions of entering heaven is to believe in God, then yes, you HAVE to be a theist to get into heaven. You yourself are a theist. This doesn't necessarily mean all theists would go to heaven, since theism doesn't refer to a specific god. It only refers to whether or not someone believes in a god or gods.
So this response to your questions...
... is just wrong. Because Christians ARE theists.
Actually, an agnostic is a person who doesn't know. An atheist who claims they don't know for sure there is no god would be an agnostic-atheist. It sounds like you sister is an agnostic-theist.
Atheists who claim to know there are no gods would be gnostic-atheists. People who claim they know for sure God is real are gnostic-theists.
Other than that discrepancy, TheArisocat hit the nail on the head.
She is a theist, just like you and almost everyone else on this site. I would consider her a Christian, but most people on this site would argue she's not a "true" Christian. It depends on how you define Christianity. If she isn't a Christian, she leans towards Christianity.
The question isn't so much what you would consider her though. That's irrelevant. The question would be whether or not she can make it to heaven without looking more into the Bible. This is a question I am not at liberties to answer considering my own personal views.
D
Well I wouldn't say she doesn't believe she just never read the Bible before. She got confused between God and Jesus. I asked her if she wanted to read the Bible but she said no because she said "it's boring" I think she just doesn't know about what exactly the Gospel is. When I try to talk to her about her beliefs she doesn't want to talk about it. She doesn't believe in Buddah or any other God only God and Jesus she (I think) believes in.
It's quite possible your sister doesn't want you to panic if she told you she doesn't actually believe in God. She may be an atheist, or she may be a deist. How old is your sister and how religious is your family? Is there a good chance your parents would punish your sister if they figured out she might not believe in God?
And in posting this, understand, if your parents do punish her for not believing strongly in God - know that will be the quickest way to disintegrate her belief in God, or if she already doesn't believe - will only make it harder to convince her God is real.
And in posting this, understand, if your parents do punish her for not believing strongly in God - know that will be the quickest way to disintegrate her belief in God, or if she already doesn't believe - will only make it harder to convince her God is real.
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A
Broad theism posits a belief in God (usually one God as in monotheism). This usage does not distinguish it from deism and pantheism, nor does it look beyond philosophical theory to historical religions.
However, in a more specific sense, theism refers to the belief in a personal creator-God, distinct from the world (contra pantheism) yet constantly active in it (contra deism), who is therefore worthy of worship.
As creator, the God of theism is both intelligent and powerful. As personal, he is capable of self-revelation, a moral being with just and benevolent concerns for his creatures. As alone transcendent, he is free to act sovereignly in the creation. In this immanent activity, he seeks his own good purposes for history in general and for individual persons.
In this more specific sense, three major theistic religions may be identified: Islam, Judaism and Christianity. Each affirms one personal creator-God, self-revealing, active in creation, and worthy of worship.
But, of these three, Christianity gives the fullest account of God’s involvement in his creation, in terms of the incarnation and redeeming work of the eternal Son of God.
From a Christian perspective, theism is the system of belief presupposing the reality of the God of the Bible as the foundational concept informing all other beliefs and not just any worldview anchored in the belief that there is a God.
However, in a more specific sense, theism refers to the belief in a personal creator-God, distinct from the world (contra pantheism) yet constantly active in it (contra deism), who is therefore worthy of worship.
As creator, the God of theism is both intelligent and powerful. As personal, he is capable of self-revelation, a moral being with just and benevolent concerns for his creatures. As alone transcendent, he is free to act sovereignly in the creation. In this immanent activity, he seeks his own good purposes for history in general and for individual persons.
In this more specific sense, three major theistic religions may be identified: Islam, Judaism and Christianity. Each affirms one personal creator-God, self-revealing, active in creation, and worthy of worship.
But, of these three, Christianity gives the fullest account of God’s involvement in his creation, in terms of the incarnation and redeeming work of the eternal Son of God.
From a Christian perspective, theism is the system of belief presupposing the reality of the God of the Bible as the foundational concept informing all other beliefs and not just any worldview anchored in the belief that there is a God.
A theist is a person who believes in one or more gods. When I said you were a Christian theist, I was stating that you're both a Christian and a theist. In fact, it's impossible to be a Christian but not a theist, since being a Christian requires a belief in a god, Yahweh.
Theism and atheism are both broad terms that merely define whether or not a person believes in one or more gods, or no gods.
All Christians are theists, but not all theists are Christians.
Theism and atheism are both broad terms that merely define whether or not a person believes in one or more gods, or no gods.
All Christians are theists, but not all theists are Christians.