For Priya

I met a girl about 5 years ago and we became friends. She is sweet and funny and so smart, we still talk some. She is from India and a practicing Jain. I won’t try to go in to what the Jain religion teaches, but you can learn more here.

She asked me a question one night in the server room that jolted me.

“Do you think I am going to hell?”

She asked me if that is what i believed because that is what Christianity teaches. If you do not accept Jesus as your personal savior, then you are doomed to Hell.

I told her no, that is not what I thought.

She went on to tell me about her family, all Jains for the last 2500 years. All good people, loving and kind and holy and very family oriented. She asked me why my religion would damn them all. Did all of her family wind up in hell? Every one from her city? Everyone not a Christian?

Later that night I started questioning my thoughts. What did I really believe? I knew what my religion taught me, I was a good alter boy. I could not reconcile these teachings with what I knew was right in my heart, so I started looking around and learning more. Asking my own questions.

While i still love Jesus and what he taught, I can not accept that someone is doomed to an eternity in hell just because they accept the religion of their family and culture over Christianity. Especially if that religion is one of compassion, love and kindness.

What do you think?