I was reading an article on Joel Osteen in Conde Nast's Portfolio - largely about how much money the Texas-based Lakewood Church brings in for it's television and in-house ministries.
Apparently, Rev. Osteen, labeled by some as "gospel-lite" has been criticised for "waffling" on the question of whether atheists or people of other religions go to heaven.
This got me to thinking - why would an atheist want to get into heaven in the first place?
I understand that this question tests the willingess of Christians to be inclusive, that were folks from certain Christian denominations to say no, they don't get into heaven, they'd be branded as being intolerant, xenophobic, arrogant, dogmatic, doctrinaire any other pejorative term one can think up.
I remember the story a friend of mine told me when he was in Hebrew School - something about being taught that Jewish people were specially chosen by God, and people of other religions not being a part of this. He didn't like the idea that his friend (me), was left out, and this apparently turned him off of religious practice from that point on. I imagine that similar teachings in other religious settings have turned off young people for decades.
While I appreciate the sentiment - that there really ought to be room in heaven for friends who don't believe as we do, I see this sentiment as being ultimately arrogant, condescending and disrespectful of others' religious beliefs.
Muslims, Hindus and atheists all have their own visions of what happens after death, and the one thing in common among them is that it is NOT feasting in final victory with Christ sitting at the right hand of God. They may or may not have their own visions of hell, too, and one can say with some degree of certainty that their beliefs do not condemn them to hell for not following the Christian way.
In fact, I belive that if an atheist found himself in heaven, he'd think he was in hell and that this indeed is an eternal punishment!
Imagine going through all your adult life disbelieving in the existence of God, debating those who do believe, maybe filing lawsuits to get religious displays removed from public view, protesting christmas pageants in public schools, whatever, and then after crossing the end of the line, finding yourself standing in front of St. Peter at the gates or whatever, and being invited to sit at the table because your "inclusive" Christian friend somehow got you in?
What a vision of hell - spending eternity with the Lord you don't believe in!
And just imagine being a Hindu: For over six thousand years your people have believed that once your karmic-dharmic cycle is finised, you enter moksha - you transcend this plane of existence and become One with All. All your life you, your family, your friends and acquaintances have believed this and treasured these teachings and one day the body gives itself over and all of a sudden you're facing this Middle Eastern guy speaking not Sanskrit but Aramaic, not doing the Cosmic Dance of Shiva, but singing a hymn and dipping bread into wine.
What could be more disappointing than to arrive not where you believe you are going, but when your friend believed we are all going?
That would make me want to slap my friend upside the head!
To believe that there is room in the Kingdom of Heaven for all of those who have their own realms to go to is to tacitly affirm the idea that their realms aren't worth striving for, that their religious beliefs aren't just as true for them as your beliefs are true for you. It is to say - you are welcome in my house, but only because your house isn't good enough for me. I welcome you because I don't want to feel bad about myself for excluding you from this really great place I'm headed for.
Someday I'm sure I'll be asked this question and my response at this point is going to be - Muslims, Hindus, Jews and Atheists all have their own ideas of what happens after death. It is important to respect what they believe, while affirming what you believe. It is no sin against God to have a friend of a different religion or of no religion at all.
It's not that there is no room in Heaven for non-believers, non-believers simply see the world and livie in the world differently from you. Just as it is important to treat them as your friends and neighbors in life, it is just as important to see them off as friends and neighbors at the end of life and beyond.
Real inclusivity honors all religious viewpoints. Including non-believers out of guilt or unwillingness to honestly look at tough questions demeans one's own distinctive religious practice.
