What about those who haven't heard? (Part 2)
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I believe Ayanna might be saved and spend eternity in the presence of the Lord because she believed in God and was sincere and faithful to what she knew about him. (5)
Main survey question
What do you believe concerning the eternal destiny of Ayanna? (see explanatory note below)
What do you believe concerning the eternal destiny of Ayanna? (see explanatory note below)
I believe Ayanna may have an opportunity to hear the gospel and receive Christ after she dies. (1)
I am confident that Ayanna will be saved and spend eternity in the presence of the Lord because of her faith in God and her faithfulness to the light she received. (1)
I believe that God is the judge and we should not presume to speculate about someone like Ayanna. (0)
I believe the Bible teaches that if she never heard about Christ and so never personally trusted him for salvation, Ayanna is lost and will spend eternity suffering in the Lake of Fire. (24)
I'm not sure. (0)
Other (0)
This graph represents the 32 responses to this question out of 41 who participated in the survey as of 1/29/210
Survey Question Explanation
It is well-known that the way survey questions are framed can have a significant influence on the way people respond. One factor can be when questions are posed in such a way that they seem more real or personal to the respondent - and aren't just theoretical / hypothetical. This can be particularly true with questions related to difficult theological issues.
I hope you will take a moment to read the following scenario and then take the second survey in this series.
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I have traveled to India twice to teach in a seminary south of Bangalore. The seminary is located in a very rural area, which is home to what I suspect are some of the poorest, third-world villages in the world.
I have been to one of these nearby villages and briefly in the home of a Hindu family. As is true of most of India, this area is almost 100% Hindu. So, in the main room of this tiny house with a dirt floor there are pictures or small statues of Hindu gods, prayer beads and an altar where candles are lit each day.
Let's suppose that one day, a baby girl is born to this honest, hard-working, faithful Hindu family. They name her "Ayanna," which means "Innocent." As she grows into a beautiful young lady, she stands out among her friends and has a reputation in her village for being especially kind, compassionate, honest and devout.
She looks at the world around her and knows in her heart that there must be a God who is immense and powerful. She has never had any exposure to Christianity, but she has been taught the importance of treating others as she would wish to be treated. She has never heard the name of Jesus - and never will, but she sincerely believes all that she has learned from her parents and the elders in the village. She prays each day and tries to the best of her ability to please whomever this unknown God might be. With so many in her village dying at a young age, she often wonders what might happen when she dies.
As I mentioned, the seminary is out in the country - and I have been on the road between the seminary and Ayanna's village several times. It is narrow, hilly and winding, with drivers going far too fast and taking far too many chances - as seems to be typical in India.
One day, as 17 year-old Ayanna is walking down this road, the driver of a large truck doesn't see her as he comes over a hill. In her final moments of life, she has a moment to wonder about what will happen to her after she dies.
Question: What do you believe concerning the eternal destiny of Ayanna?
It is well-known that the way survey questions are framed can have a significant influence on the way people respond. One factor can be when questions are posed in such a way that they seem more real or personal to the respondent - and aren't just theoretical / hypothetical. This can be particularly true with questions related to difficult theological issues.
I hope you will take a moment to read the following scenario and then take the second survey in this series.
-----------------------------
I have traveled to India twice to teach in a seminary south of Bangalore. The seminary is located in a very rural area, which is home to what I suspect are some of the poorest, third-world villages in the world.
I have been to one of these nearby villages and briefly in the home of a Hindu family. As is true of most of India, this area is almost 100% Hindu. So, in the main room of this tiny house with a dirt floor there are pictures or small statues of Hindu gods, prayer beads and an altar where candles are lit each day.
Let's suppose that one day, a baby girl is born to this honest, hard-working, faithful Hindu family. They name her "Ayanna," which means "Innocent." As she grows into a beautiful young lady, she stands out among her friends and has a reputation in her village for being especially kind, compassionate, honest and devout.
She looks at the world around her and knows in her heart that there must be a God who is immense and powerful. She has never had any exposure to Christianity, but she has been taught the importance of treating others as she would wish to be treated. She has never heard the name of Jesus - and never will, but she sincerely believes all that she has learned from her parents and the elders in the village. She prays each day and tries to the best of her ability to please whomever this unknown God might be. With so many in her village dying at a young age, she often wonders what might happen when she dies.
As I mentioned, the seminary is out in the country - and I have been on the road between the seminary and Ayanna's village several times. It is narrow, hilly and winding, with drivers going far too fast and taking far too many chances - as seems to be typical in India.
One day, as 17 year-old Ayanna is walking down this road, the driver of a large truck doesn't see her as he comes over a hill. In her final moments of life, she has a moment to wonder about what will happen to her after she dies.
Question: What do you believe concerning the eternal destiny of Ayanna?
This graph represents the 41 survey participants, including the 9 (23%) who chose not to answer this question.
No Answer (9) - note: the other answers are the same as above
