In the March 9 Glendale News-Press, there was a short announcement on
Page A3 that the Pastor Jon Karn of the Church at Angeles Crest would on
Sunday March 11 "tackle the difficult issue of the destiny of those who
die having never heard of Jesus." I find this a fascinating concept.
If we are not only going to feel that those people who know about
Jesus, but fail to see him as the son of God and refuse to believe in
other religious beliefs and/or religions are possibly destined for
nonentry at the Pearly Gates, but that we are also going to question the
destiny of those who have never heard of Jesus in the first place, then I
have a big problem here.
I want to know what we are going to do with people who have never
heard or know of these people or things: 1) Gandhi, 2) Joyce
Carol-Oates, 3) Buddha, 4) Mozart, 5) baklava, 6) a waning moon (and the
difference between it and a waxing moon), 7) the call of a loon at dawn,
8) the laughter of children in an orphanage in Bosnia, 9) Stevie Ray
Vaughn, and 10) the movie 'Les Enfants du Paradis" ("Children of
Paradise").
I know that there are many more people and things I wish people knew
about, that would aid them in living their lives, but I will not judge
them to a possible afterlife in purgatory if they do not.
Jesus is not meaningless, but the concept that there are "consequences
of dying without ... having ever heard of Jesus" is meaningless.
DEAN BRIGGS
Glendale
