Why is there no neutral/middle ground in Christianity?

[sserafim]

Why is there no neutrality/middle ground in Christianity? It believes in binaries, like good and evil and heaven and hell. But why is there no neutral option?

Christians believe that you'll be sent to either heaven or hell, but what about a neutral place? The Greeks believed in Elysium (heaven) as well as Tartarus (hell), and also a 3rd option: the asphodel fields which was where most people were sent to after they died.

I don't believe that everything in the world is strictly good or bad/evil. Sometimes things are neutral and are neither good nor bad. I just don't see the need for binaries

 

[avoid]

Neutral people go to heaven too as long as they have not broken any of the 10 commandments without asking for forgiveness, right? I'm no Christian so I may be mistaken.

 

[sserafim]

Neutral people go to heaven too as long as they have not broken any of the 10 commandments without asking for forgiveness, right? I'm no Christian so I may be mistaken.

I'm not Christian either so I'm not sure. Honestly I don't believe in heaven or hell, I just think it's strange that Christianity always separates everything into strict binaries. For the Greeks, Elysium was for the heroes, the fields of asphodel were for neutral/normal people, and Tartarus was for the evil people. In Christianity there are only 2 options: heaven or hell, good or evil. It's kind of like black and white thinking imo. Why is it so rigid?

 

[The Burning Fool]

My personal belief system has some abstract elements that are also present in Christianity, but threatening people with eternal torment and thereby coercing them into adopting your worldview is unethical by all reasonable standards. When lazy philosophers let others do the mental heavy lifting for them, and manipulative leaders turn the masses' gullibility into a social bonding tool, this inherently leads to an "us against them" mentality with all the oppression and hatred radiating outwards that you can observe.

Religion is tribalism on the steroids of oratory and literature. Individual rights to free thought and free speech are threats to that corrupt authoritarian system.

 

[sserafim]

My personal belief system has some abstract elements that are also present in Christianity, but threatening people with eternal torment and thereby coercing them into adopting your worldview is unethical by all reasonable standards. When lazy philosophers let others do the mental heavy lifting for them, and manipulative leaders turn the masses' gullibility into a social bonding tool, this inherently leads to an "us against them" mentality with all the oppression and hatred radiating outwards that you can observe.

Religion is tribalism on the steroids of oratory and literature. Individual rights to free thought and free speech are threats to that corrupt authoritarian system.

Yeah, I've always thought that organized religion was just a tool to control people. Especially with Christianity, and how it was so tied to the state. What better way to control people than through fear? It's good that in modern times there's separation between church and state.

Religion is the opium of the masses, right?

 

[The Burning Fool]

Religion is the opium of the masses, right?

To that I say, grow your own poppy field.

 

[rabbitmalice56]

because its supposed to be a guide which tells u whats wrong and whats not wrong so theres no middle ground, im not a christian or religious tho, so i dont know whats actually discussed in it so dont take my words 100%

 

[Aergia]

Neutral people go to heaven too as long as they have not broken any of the 10 commandments without asking for forgiveness, right? I'm no Christian so I may be mistaken.

I think the opinion differs depending on the denomination (and perhaps the individual) in question. Not Christian either.

But I think the predominant view in Christianity is that salvation is attained through belief, not just one's actions. The belief in Jesus and that he died for one's sins. If you want to make it to heaven, you need to accept that. So to answer the OP, I guess there is no neutral option in Christianity because the place you get sent to after you die is dependent upon a binary— you either accept Jesus, or you don't— there is no in between.

Though Catholics do believe in purgatory, which I suppose is kind of a neutral place. Though you suffer there, it's only transitory, and you get to heaven eventually.

 

[Dot]

What Jesus Really Said About Heaven and Hell

Neither Jesus, nor the Hebrew Bible he interpreted, endorsed the view that departed souls go to paradise or everlasting pain.

time.com

Lng artcle bt intrstng read

Whch coincdntlly claims tht Jsus dd nt tlk abt a litrl hell

 

[David_S]

Religion is a tool, used for controlling people, populations. Of all human inventions, religion is by far the worst creation ever, bar none.

If you need a book to tell you how to be a good person, a decent person, to know right from wrong then you have my deepest pity.