# Gullible people can go to heaven easily? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [December 2, 2002, 6:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gullible-people-can-go-to-heaven-easily/139912 "2002-12-02T06:34:14Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Dragline](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/edb3f5/32.png) [@Dragline](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dragline)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2002, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gullible-people-can-go-to-heaven-easily/139912/21 "2002-12-02T16:48:23Z")
One of my favorite Rev. Jimmy Swaggart quotes (from before he got busted for humping a really _sleazy_ hooker) was: ``` "Let me be very clear on this. If there is anything that is harmful to our cause, it's **HIGHER EDUCATION**! For anyone outside the US, or younger than 30 or so, Swaggart was/is an evangelical television preacher with a fair amount of popularity in the southern US during the 80's. He raked in obscene amounts of cash with scare tactics and is still at it, as far as I know. ``` ---
**Author:** ![handsomeharry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e9c0ed/32.png) [@handsomeharry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handsomeharry)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2002, 12:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gullible-people-can-go-to-heaven-easily/139912/22 "2002-12-03T00:26:43Z")
the op leaves out too much for a valid answer…the given (per op)is that there is a heaven. after that, the question seems to be a bit vague. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2002, 1:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gullible-people-can-go-to-heaven-easily/139912/23 "2002-12-03T01:43:47Z")
Well, maybe the characteristics you need are unflagging loyalty, bravery and, yes, a little stupidity. Yes, folks. Only dogs go to heaven. ---
**Author:** ![Harmonix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Harmonix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harmonix)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2002, 1:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gullible-people-can-go-to-heaven-easily/139912/24 "2002-12-03T01:53:30Z")
> [@](#): > > A fairly mainstream Christian view is that, if God has endowed you with intelligence and good critical faculties, He wants and expects you to bring those gifts to bear in all aspects of your life, including your spiritual life. The simple faith of the peasant is all very well, but only if you are a simple peasant. > > Hence not approaching religious questions in an open, inquisitive, intelligent, critical way, if that is the way in which you consider it right to approach other issues, is to fall short of the Christian ideal. > > Of course, not all Christians hold to, or apply, this view. But it’s not a radical or unusual view, and I think it’s been a fairly mainstream view from the earliest days of Christianity. > > I’m less knowledgeable about other religions, but my impression of Judaism is that a questioning, analytical, critical approach to scripture and to religious issues is highly regarded. Granted this were true, It would still seem to me that feeble minded people would on average have a better chance of getting into heaven by virtue ineptitude. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2002, 5:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gullible-people-can-go-to-heaven-easily/139912/25 "2002-12-03T05:25:45Z")
This would be true only if: 1. There is a Heaven to go to in the first place. 2. They are lucky enough to be raised in the right religion. 3. Some fast talking evangelist of a competing sect doesn’t fast-talk them into changing their religion. Really, if you are so simple minded that somebody with charisma can spout some verses and convince you to dump everything you previously believed in, then there is a very real possibility that someone _else_ with even more charisma and some different verses will change your mind yet again. ---
**Author:** ![Harmonix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Harmonix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harmonix)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2002, 5:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gullible-people-can-go-to-heaven-easily/139912/26 "2002-12-03T05:48:03Z")
So stupid **and** stubburn people are allowed into heaven? ---
**Author:** ![Avalonian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ee7513/32.png) [@Avalonian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Avalonian)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2002, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gullible-people-can-go-to-heaven-easily/139912/27 "2002-12-03T19:36:40Z")
You know, I’ve been pretty fortunate to know some Christians who believe in God and Heaven, despite the fact that they are quite intelligent. As a matter of fact, they apply their sharp minds to their faith, and they find it stronger as a result. Though I do not share their beliefs, I do admire the fact that they maintain them with a critical eye. By questioning their own beliefs, even as a scientist might do, they re-affirm them. The point: that intelligence and faith are not mutually exclusive. I might even venture to say that they’re not really related, and so both can exist in the same person. Does that mean these people are/aren’t going to heaven? _shrug_ Hell, I’m an unrepentant pagan… how would _I_ know? 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Cyrin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/eb8c5e/32.png) [@Cyrin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cyrin)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2002, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gullible-people-can-go-to-heaven-easily/139912/28 "2002-12-03T20:19:56Z")
Person A has GREAT faith and little intelligence. Goes through life trying to live as Christ exampled and Loves people as he believes he should. God says “Welcome my good and faithful servent” Person B has GREAT faith and GREAT intelligence. He too believes that Christs teaching is worth following, because his intellectual processes have led him there through study and research. He too lives life as Christ exampled, but he is constantly questioning and learning and progressing through life as to weather what he believes is still truth. New evidence? Research it, explore it, question it. Decide what to believe… God says “Welcome my good and faithful servant” Person C has GREAT intelligence, but struggles with his faith. He hears other intelligent people who don’t have faith. He hears their questions and has doubts. He believes, but really has a tough time accepting it truly intellectually. He does however, see the wisdom in leading a life that is loving and Christ like. He treats his fellow man in ways that would be “other centered” as opposed to “self centered” God says “Welcome my good and faithful servant” The important thing is your decision to lead a Loving life, modelled after Christ. I CONSTANTLY question, I doubt, I search for answers. I am constantly on an intellectual journey to find out about the facts surrounding the Bible and Christs life. But DESPITE all that, I see the wisdom in Christs teaching that says LOVE. Think about other people first! “The path to self destruction is self preservation”. Though I may question, I can still follow. When all is said and done, do you think God will hold us to weather we understood everything he said? Or will he look to how we lived? How we loved. ---
**Author:** ![Liberal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/848f3c/32.png) [@Liberal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Liberal)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2002, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gullible-people-can-go-to-heaven-easily/139912/29 "2002-12-03T20:52:30Z")
Faith does not reside in the brain, but in the heart. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Zahn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e0b2c6/32.png) [@John\_Zahn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Zahn)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2002, 10:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gullible-people-can-go-to-heaven-easily/139912/30 "2002-12-03T22:03:22Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Libertarian \* > \*\*Faith does not reside in the brain, but in the heart. \*\* So people hooked up on heart machines have no faith? You don’t have to answer that. 🙂 JZ ---
**Author:** ![Liberal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/848f3c/32.png) [@Liberal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Liberal)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2002, 10:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gullible-people-can-go-to-heaven-easily/139912/31 "2002-12-03T22:09:02Z")
Cute, John Zahn. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![tracer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tracer/32/20578_2.png) [@tracer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tracer)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2002, 11:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gullible-people-can-go-to-heaven-easily/139912/32 "2002-12-03T23:05:30Z")
What if a faithful guy got brain damage, and the brain damage changed his personality enough so that he wasn’t faithful anymore? (There was some guy in the 19th century who got a railroad spike through his head in some kind of demolitions accident, and afterward his personality was **way** different.) ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2002, 11:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gullible-people-can-go-to-heaven-easily/139912/33 "2002-12-03T23:10:34Z")
Phineas Gage. It was a tamping iron, actually. Before that, he was brilliant-afterwards, he was violent and incoherant. ---
**Author:** ![Cyrin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/eb8c5e/32.png) [@Cyrin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cyrin)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2002, 11:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gullible-people-can-go-to-heaven-easily/139912/34 "2002-12-03T23:43:09Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by tracer \* > \*\*What if a faithful guy got brain damage, and the brain damage changed his personality enough so that he wasn’t faithful anymore? > > (There was some guy in the 19th century who got a railroad spike through his head in some kind of demolitions accident, and afterward his personality was **way** different.) \*\* To quote my father (I can’t believe I am doing this…) > [@](#): > > **What if the Queen grew a beard? Whould she become King?** I think the point is, if you can control, that which is under your control, and use that to follow Christ, then so be it. If your personality isn’t under your control, I hardly think a God who teaches compassion would Judge you based on that. Then again, I’m not God. So who knows? and really, who cares, its a silly question. ---
**Author:** ![Devil\_s\_Advocate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Devil\_s\_Advocate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Devil_s_Advocate)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2002, 4:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gullible-people-can-go-to-heaven-easily/139912/35 "2002-12-04T04:30:59Z")
I think the best answer would be that the original person really dies and is judged and is replaced by a new one. Each personality is a separate individual and neither is responsible for the actions of the other. Same body, same memories, different souls. I think that would be the fairest way to run things. (God, it you’re reading this, take note! :D) But hey, I also think that faith is a poor basis on which to pass judgement, so what do I know? ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2002, 5:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gullible-people-can-go-to-heaven-easily/139912/36 "2002-12-04T05:13:28Z")
Person A: Brought up in a loving Christian household that attends church regularly, as is provided ample opportunity and reason to belief in what just happens to be the right sect of the right religion. Person B: Is brought up in an abusive household and is taught from an early age that might makes right and that church is for assholes. What happens when both die at age 18? Will God only look at the end result(A is “saved”, B is not), or will he take into account the situation both grew up in? ---
**Author:** ![Cyrin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/eb8c5e/32.png) [@Cyrin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cyrin)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2002, 5:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gullible-people-can-go-to-heaven-easily/139912/37 "2002-12-04T05:18:28Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Czarcasm \* > \*\*Person A: Brought up in a loving Christian household that attends church regularly, as is provided ample opportunity and reason to belief in what just happens to be the right sect of the right religion. > Person B: Is brought up in an abusive household and is taught from an early age that might makes right and that church is for assholes. > > What happens when both die at age 18? Will God only look at the end result(A is “saved”, B is not), or will he take into account the situation both grew up in? \*\* I don’t know. I’m Sorry. ---
**Author:** ![Liberal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/848f3c/32.png) [@Liberal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Liberal)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2002, 11:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gullible-people-can-go-to-heaven-easily/139912/38 "2002-12-04T11:02:57Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by tracer \* > \*\*What if a faithful guy got brain damage, and the brain damage changed his personality enough so that he wasn’t faithful anymore? > > (There was some guy in the 19th century who got a railroad spike through his head in some kind of demolitions accident, and afterward his personality was **way** different.) \*\* What does faith have to do with the brain? Merely because two things are analogous — intellectual belief and spiritual faith, for example — does not mean that they are equivalent. ---
**Author:** ![Cyrin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/eb8c5e/32.png) [@Cyrin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cyrin)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2002, 2:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gullible-people-can-go-to-heaven-easily/139912/39 "2002-12-04T14:14:35Z")
Good point **Lib** ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2002, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gullible-people-can-go-to-heaven-easily/139912/40 "2002-12-04T19:55:19Z")
See, the thing is, God isn’t stupid. (d’uh). Obviously, he sees what is in our hearts. He KNOWS who and what we are. So I think he would be able to tell who is really sincere, and those who are full of hate. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gullible-people-can-go-to-heaven-easily/139912.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gullible-people-can-go-to-heaven-easily/139912.md?page=3)