Re: [asa] Isolated humans

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Tanggal Fri, 2 Nov 2007 16:59:13 -0400 Penulis "Randy Isaac"
<randyisaac@comcast.net> menulis email dengan judul [asa] Isolated
humans seperti tertera di bawah ini:

>
>The last few lectures left me with a question (a very old one) <snip>
>The question I have is not a new one, and has been hashed around a
>lot, but it does still bother me. Hitchens referred to it in his book
>and debate as well. How do we understand the notion that the gospel
><snip> is the unique path for reconciliation to God when a significant
>portion of the human population did not even have the possibility of
>hearing about the gospel?

I am not sure that this is the palce to discuss this but in case it is
ok (and it is an interesting question) I will give a quick answer.

I believe that those who have no hope of hearing the gospel are saved
under the concepts of natural law. If you obey your conscience and/or
act because you truly believe something is right and you want to do X
for THAt reason - that is counted as righteousness. My folks were
missionaries amongst a technologically primitive people in remote new
guinea (69-1990s). They were warlike and cannibals. However, the old
people told of people amongst them (pre-gospel) who refused to eat
human meat ebcause ¨they are our brothers - fellow humans.¨ They saw
instinctively that it was wrong - and this is despite the culture which
was thousands of years old.

As to the argument that unreached peoples should be left alone since
they then can be saved without the gosepl...this ignores several
profound truths or realities:

1. Under conditions of natural law and consicence few people find a
path of morality. Under the gospel many can be saved.
2. The gospel liberates. If I develop an infection, traditional
treatment/a visit to the wtch dr. might work but antibiotics would be a
whole lot better. Because of the gospel whole societies can be changed.

Yes, leaving people unreached may lead to some being saved anyhow but
bringing the gospel will bring benefits not to just a few but to all -
for even those who still are not saved will be affected by the positive
blessings flowing to their saved brethern around them. I have seen this
in New guinea. In the tribe my parents worked there has not been an
inter or intra tribal war since the gospel arrived (some 50 years ago).
Infant killings of twins no longer happens. Meat and nutritious food
that used to be taboo for women and uninitiated boys is now available
to all
- - even the unbelievers. Fear of the evil spirits and a life given to
that fear has been ended for so many. This would not have happned had
they been left to their own devices.

IW
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Received on Sun Nov 4 18:23:41 2007